A few days ago, many birds were active in a hillside grove of wild cherry trees. It was morning and I was walking the dogs. Of course, binoculars hung from a strap around my neck. I always take them with me whenever out on my property because there are always birds to see. This morning the bird that caught my eye flitted among the tree branches, stopping just long enough for me to identify her. (Photo courtesy of Charles H. Warren)
She was a tiny bird (about 4”), pale gray all over with a white stomach, white eyering, and long tail—a female Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. I followed her acrobatic spree from branch to branch, watching as at times she hung upside down while pecking at tiny insects on a yellowing leaf. I kept pace with her as best I could until again focusing in to find that she had acquired a fat moth. This moth looked too big for such a small beak. But I guess she has her methods . . .
Inside again I grabbed my birding log to add the sighting and was happily surprised to see an earlier log. Apparently I had an encounter with this active little gnatcatcher during a springtime visit to Arkansas, when researching book 2 in my trilogy Of the Wing. As I recall the trees were everywhere alive with their sweet, soft “spee, spee, spee.”
How lucky was I that one should come, nearing the season’s end here in Pennsylvania, to give me a last look before migrating south to winter in Central America? Pretty lucky, I think!
Till next time . . . Keep birds in your heart!
Georgia Anne
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