Saturday, May 31, 2008

My favorite sighting

We heard and saw a lot of Mr. Red Eyed Vireo on our birdwalk this morning. REVs are said to be the most numerous summer species in Wisconsin. It was good to (re) acquaint ourselves with this little bird - unassuming and pert and hard to see amongst the tree canopy that grows denser each day.



Mose seems to have an affinity for this little guy - the rufous-sided towhee. He says it looks like a S'more. What's not to love? Dapper and cheery, encouraging us to indulge in our favorite beverage - 'Drink your tea!', or, as the folks at the Reserve interpret it - 'Beaver Creek!' Either way, he's a charmer and he sits still long enough so you can get a good look at him.


But my favorite sighting today was the interrupted fern - Osmunda claytoniana. It it possible I've never seen this before? Perhaps or maybe I just thought it was a fern with some kind of condition. Anyway, it really registered for the first time today and I was struck by it's odd beauty - the dusty gray of the spore bearing fronds against the vivid new green.




The best part of all though, was spending time with Mose and sharing the modest joys of birdwatching with him. Thank you, Mose, for being my birdwatching companion this spring.

3 comments:

Sola Gratia said...

Wow! I recognize all those things. Good pics. See, Mom, this is what you could do with a digital camera. ;)

Sola Gratia said...

And you're welcome :)

Lorraine said...

I liked this combination of birding and connection with each other :)