Larva - yum!

I met up with two of my birder friends this morning (including the one who runs the avian rehab in our region).  We had the most delightful morning walking and talking and enjoying the birds.  This is not a technically great shot, but I ran it through some sharpening in Topaz and it's going to be my pick today.  This is a rather drab bird but one with a beautiful song.  You can see a short video with the song HERE with the bonus of some Wood Thrush music towards the end - listen for the flute like notes.  Anyway, it's an aptly named Warbling Vireo and it's the 3rd one I've seen so far this spring.  

We walked at one of the many trails at the Wallkill River Nat'l Wildlife Refuge, this one a hilly, wooded trail.  Not surprisingly, we saw/heard lots of wonderful woodland birds including the first of season scarlet tanagers.  The Refuge also has Purple Martin nesting gourds installed and their are a half dozen (at least) martin pairs who've already moved in for the season.  I am going to head back up one day next week for the sole purpose of getting martins in flight.  In the meantime, I'll put the best of today's lot in Extra - it's a female who is less purple than the male.

Back at home, I enjoyed some time in the yard with lots of blue jays for company.  The perch on the deck railing and just look at me, silently demanding peanuts.  And who am I to refuse?  

And tomorrow my bestie, Kura, is coming out for an overnight visit which will be great fun and a great boost to my spirits.

I am feeling pretty good at the moment - it's the little pocket of calm between surgery and treatment.  There is nothing for me to do, nothing I can control, so I think I have finally gotten myself to more or less just be.  Beautiful days that can be spent outdoors definitely help.

Hubs is really enjoying his new job, by the way.  It's weird not having him here during the day, although he will be working from home tomorrow.  But it's nice seeing him energized and engaged and challenged.  

Stay safe and kind.  And I'm thinking brownies with chocolate chips - since a wonderful friend just sent me some!

xo
Debbi