As I've noted before, small birds have always eluded me. There are my enemy in the birding. I can hear them, I see them but they seem to wait just up to the point before my binoculars are in focus before flying away. Then they chirp or whatever just to rub it in that they are still around... well today seemed to be a similar story. I went birding specifically to look at and for small birds. My first round through the park made me feel worried. Instead of a park, I had happened upon a bird ghost town. I could hear the wind rustling the leaves and dry grass along with far off ships ringing their bells. The sun was out and a light breeze was about. It was perfect walk for anyone but a birder. But I decided to press on and do a walkabout. I walk along the beach, found a couple of herring gulls and a bunch of black ducks.
With the sun setting and the prospect of the park locking me in looming. I walked back and made one more swing by the trees that had housed some small song birds. The wind was there. I didn't even hear a chirp. I was beaten. Then I heard it. A little sound and some grass rustling against the wind. A squirrel my gut told me. But I waited. And waited. And waited. The joggers were looking at me funny. I didn't care because that's when I saw them. 4 small birds flying around. One was definitely a yellow-breasted chat. The others included a marsh wren and some kinglets... beautiful birds. But most of all beautiful AND small birds. A great find for me personally even if it wasn't the most amazing thing. It felt good to find and id a small bird. One more step to becoming a better birder
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