Went for a very early morning walk, before the sun was up. The sunrise was a rapid intense pink and was greeted by a similar intensification of bird song at Fox Corner Community Wildlife Area.
There were geese honking in the darkness upon the pond just before this sunrise. I also flushed a couple of other birds which were wildfowl still a mystery to me.
The birds that joined me at my sit spot (introduced to me by Bruce Stanley’s Forest Church book who in turn had it from John Young the American Naturalist), were wren’s, magpies, long-tailed tits, jackdaws, redwing and distant green woodpecker. This sit spot is a place I am working on which includes listening to nature, using the senses and listening to the Holy Spirit. John tends to use it just for nature connection but I’ve broadened it.
Whilst I was watching a tit in a tree into my periphery came a brown object which I focussed on and it on me. It was a Roe deer doe, followed closely by a buck and another doe. My movement startled them – and that was just my head moving. I kicked myself I should have been more subtle. The moment was beautiful. The last doe jumped very high over the meadow revealing it’s white tail area. I got to see them later watching me in another part of the reserve.
One of the reasons I write this you can see by the title is for the sake of lichen. I examined a young oak tree on first look had 3 lichen’s but as I spent more time with it I identified at least 9. It was a real intense microscopic moment – I did have to use a hand lens! Here are four of those lichen’s for your enjoyment.
