Falling For You

Every time I have afternoon tea on the deck, magic happens, the forest comes alive. More than likely, the forest is in constant motion but I'd like to think it was me and my tea.

Remember that nest of sapsuckers in the 50' tree stump? Time has come for this fledgling to get out and see the world, one step at a time. The final step; tumbling 50' down to the cushioned forest floor. The abundance of cedar branches, seen here, slightly cushioned its fall as well. This excited maniac (me) is dashing for the camera, dashing to see everything and at the same time being ever so quiet, never interfering with nature .
(OK, I shoe crows away, that's as far as I go)

Quick lesson here: Red-Breasted Sapsuckers, a smallish woodpecker that drill holes in trees. These holes fill with sap, the woodpeckers come back to lick the sap and eat bugs that are caught up. These pictures show a few holes. There can be thousands of holes on a single tree, in uniform.

The moment this fledgling landed, he instinctively started hammering at the tree, attempting to drill holes, then began the assent. The first photo shows that the wing feathers are not developed yet, his clawed feet are. He would climb a few feet, rest, ask for something to eat then climb some more, managing to hop to his nesting
stump, up that amazing 50' tower.

My biologist friend tells me that many birds sleep in holes at night, there is a good chance our little darling went back to the nest and spent the night.

I may have to drink tea all day to see the next chapter of this episode.