Subject: [Tweeters] A day from my window
Date: Oct 23 09:58:33 2013
From: Rob Sandelin - nwnature1 at gmail.com


I have been invaded by a nasty cold virus so spent most of yesterday just
sitting and watching the world outside my window. The main view is the
trunk and branches of a modestly good sized cedar tree, but I can also see
the end of the chicken coop and the shrubbery between. It was a misty day
and the first thing I noticed were all the spider webs, weighed down with
water drops. I counted 27 in this transect of my yard and imagined there
must well over 100 in the whole yard. Who knew there were so many spiders?
The first bird of the day was a brown creeper who would work its way up the
trunk then flutter back down. I noticed that as they fluttered down the
birds path swayed side to side, not unlike a falling leaf. By mid-morning
the chickadee party started and they danced amid the branches, downside up
and upside down. They dangled at times, swinging back in forth as if
grooving to some inner music only they could hear.



A squadron of Varied thrushes flew in, banking together in formation and
landing in perfect intersection like blue angels. They worked over the newly
fallen vine maple leaves with gusto, tossing leaves in the air like
volleyballs at a beach party. One found a snail and to my delight, carried
it up the cedar branch for a front row view. It made quick work, banging
the shell on the branch, picking away the pieces then gobbling up the former
occupant.



The bird of the day was a Coopers Hawk who stared into the bushes and
dared the little birds to come out. None did and the hawk flew away. The
way the low sun hit the bird gave its breast an orangish hue. Squirrels
ran through the branches on about 4 minute intervals, on a mission to store
vine maple seeds and from time to time the regular garden cast of song
sparrows, juncos and towhees made appearances. It was a good day birding and
I never left my living room.



Rob Sandelin

Naturalist, Writer, Teacher

Snohomish County