Easing along Admiral Road in the Prius with the windows down I was able to locate a singing bird by ear where it has been found in prior years, and by following the song back into the tamarack bog at length found it 20-30 feet up in a tamarack. I count it today as a life bird. Mosquito repellant I had put on was wearing thin and conditions were as humid as anywhere in the state, I think, but since I suspected the bird was nesting in this section near where the bird feeders hang in the winter I was willing to stand, hoping the warbler could be pished lower. As it was the bird and I provided an hour or more's diversion for each other, and though it never dropped to the level you'd expect of a ground-nesting bird, it sang its three-part song steadfastly and at a far-carrying volume as if I might be a rival of some kind. I often hope to be giving as much entertainment as I am getting when I exchange stares with a bird, each of us shifting heads, shoulders and binoculars in hopes of an ever-clearer view. Possibly the warbler was impressed at all the mosquitoes I was attracting.
There were two long episodes of posing and singing. While I waited, crushing tens of mosquitoes that came in to feast on me, a great grey owl floated over at the level of the treetops and landed within easy sight on a snag. I watched the southerly breeze lift and part the enormous feathers on his back, holding them upward in a way that suggests the owl had relaxed them in a manner meant to cool his back, while his wings drooped before he moved on. Other finds included three varieties of purple and white violet and a yellow lady's slipper, not quite open. *Tanya Beyer - d.b.a. Epiphanies Afield, Natural History Art from the North American heartland* Want a signature like mine? <http://s.wisestamp.com/links?url=http%3A%2F%2Fr1.wisestamp.com%2Fr%2Flanding%3Fpromo%3D21%26dest%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.wisestamp.com%252Femail-install%253Futm_source%253Dextension%2526utm_medium%253Demail%2526utm_campaign%253Dpromo_21> CLICK HERE. <http://s.wisestamp.com/links?url=http%3A%2F%2Fr1.wisestamp.com%2Fr%2Flanding%3Fpromo%3D21%26dest%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.wisestamp.com%252Femail-install%253Futm_source%253Dextension%2526utm_medium%253Demail%2526utm_campaign%253Dpromo_21> ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
