Just Dropping By

Wow! A Rose-breasted Grosbeak at my feeder! 

It is amazing how a little bird can cause so much elation! These beautiful birds do not usually appear in my neighbourhood; perhaps he got blown in from his migration path by those very strong and destructive winds we had overnight? Whatever, he  dropped in for breakfast and will probably move on, but what a treat! 

I had a check-in day at the doctor's as part of the ongoing monitoring of my blood pressure. I keep hoping he will decrease my meds but he did not this time, but reassured me it is in his plan to do so. Maybe next visit? I have been concerned about my mobility these days too, so just to be sure there is nothing that can be "fixed", I am off to get hip x-rays. He ordered some ultrasounds on my shoulders too, lest there is something other than the normal broken-arm recovery issues at work. (I have a history of torn rotator cuffs. Yes, I am a physical wreck.)

En route home from the doctor, I dropped in to the local conservation area for a walk in the woods. There were not many people, so everything was quiet except for the birds, squirrels, chippies and a raccoon who shouldn't really have been out in daylight? 

There was so much  birdsong, that I opened my Merlin app to identify some of the calls and yes, all the usual birds were there, but also...a yellow warbler! WOW...I joined another woman who was trying to locate it, but alas, neither of us did, but then, neither of us had binoculars!  

The only binoculars I own were for my hiking days  to see long distances for things like cairns, and do not work well for birdwatching. My daughter let me use hers on the weekend and encouraged me to invest in some of my own. She even recommended a particular brand and model. The elusive warbler and the appearance of that grosbeak today were just the extra push that I needed to go out and do what she suggested..buy a new pair... ..which I did, today, on my way home from the conservation area,  and I love them! 

I have used the binoculars already in search of a woodpecker I could hear in my back yard. I did find him, but couldn't focus fast enough.. obviously a skill I need to practise. Second bird? A robin high up in the tree. I found him and even got him in focus, but then he was sitting perfectly still! :)) How often will that happen? 

I can see many fun days of birding ahead ; the challenge will be carrying  the camera, the binoculars and both hiking poles at the same time!