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Index of Subjects --00000000000072d0ef05a61a2915 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Lovely. Thanks for sharing. On Wed., May 20, 2020, 17:16 David Webster, <dwebster@glinx.com> wrote: > Dear All, > > I saw a comment recently on naturens traffic to the effect that > even sitting quietly in the woods may adversely affect birds. And it got > buried in subsequent traffic. > > This puzzles me because if you are really quiet then you become in > effect an unusually shaped rock or burl. I have had e.g. a Chicadee land > within a few inches of my nose (at most 3" away) and peer this way and > that way; no hint of concern just curious. When very slowly crossing a > knee-high windfall I once had a Squirrel walk between my legs without > indicating awareness. When sitting a foot away from a tiny Spruce (~1" > diam. at soil) at dusk I once had a small Mouse slowly climb up the tree > saying ek ek ek as nonchalant as could be. And one day while passing > time, while I fished nearby, my wife waded out to a small rocky "island" > in a brook took both rubber boots off and a few minutes later a Muskrat > joined her, smelled the inside of both boots, smelled and crossed her > bare legs and then leisurely left the island and proceeded up stream. > Twice when sitting in Spruce I had a Kinglet land and hop about within > inches apparently unaware I was there. Grey Jays are the exception- > they find you; especially when they smell a fire because that may mean a > welcome change from a dull diet. > > Sometimes it seems birds welcome company. One summer I spent many > hours thinning an area of woods which was clearly overstocked; cutting > and let lie or cutting and trimming for firewood. Regardless where I was > working in this ~10 acre area a Robin would eventually show up, > apparently unconcerned, and follow me around as I moved. Shortly after > I bought the woodlot I would trigger a flyby of one or several Pileated > Woodpeckers shortly after I started the chainsaw. One or more would fly > in, circle me several times calling (Yak, Yak, Yak....) and then fly > away. The woods then had been clear cut only about 30 years > previously so Pileated food may have been in short supply and perhaps > they wanted a fix on possible exposed food. They are less common now > but still often come near where I am cutting and stick around until I > pause and look up to e.g. try to take a picture. > > Sometimes simply by being friendly you see things unexpectedly. One > day while eating at a large Cortland apple and splitting wood in a light > rain a Squirrel seemed interested so I put a small slice out of my > reach. After he ate that I continued feeding him slim slices. When it > started to rain quite hard he perched in full view on a Spruce branch > with tail up over his back and with the tail end flared out, fan like > and serving as an unbrella, protecting his head and front feet from rain. > > Yellow Jackets naturally get annoyed if you damage their nest but > once, while slicing and eating an apple in the yard, a Yellow Jacket > flew within a few feet and paused in mid air which I took to mean "May I > land on your hand" so I slowly extended my hand to say "welcome" and it > landed and proceeded to make good use of the apple juice on my hand. In > like fashion, some beetles have come near when having tea in the yard > and had a good drink. I don't recall details but I somehow improvised a > feeding tube consisting of two flat and pointed slivers of wood. They > would fly to the table for 2 or 3 slips, retreat and then come for more. > In such interactions one must move but a key factor is to avoid rapid or > unexpected motion. > > Also sitting quietly near sunny warm areas where one might see a > snake out hunting will often lead to a snake seen. > > > Enough DW, Kentville > > > --00000000000072d0ef05a61a2915 Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <div dir=3D"auto">Lovely.=C2=A0 Thanks for sharing.</div><br><div class=3D"= gmail_quote"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Wed., May 20, 2020, 1= 7:16 David Webster, <<a href=3D"mailto:dwebster@glinx.com">dwebster@glin= x.com</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"ma= rgin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">Dear All,<br> <br> =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 I saw a comment recently on naturens traffic to th= e effect that <br> even sitting quietly in the woods may adversely affect birds. And it got <b= r> buried in subsequent traffic.<br> <br> =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 This puzzles me because if you are really quiet th= en you become in <br> effect an unusually shaped rock or burl. I have had e.g. a Chicadee land <b= r> within a few inches of my nose=C2=A0 (at most 3" away) and peer this w= ay and <br> that way; no hint of concern just curious. When very slowly crossing a <br> knee-high windfall I once had a Squirrel walk between my legs without <br> indicating awareness. When sitting a foot away from a tiny Spruce (~1"= <br> diam. at soil) at dusk I once had a small Mouse slowly climb up the tree <b= r> saying ek ek ek as nonchalant as could be. And one day while passing <br> time, while I fished nearby, my wife waded out to a small rocky "islan= d" <br> in a brook took both rubber boots off and a few minutes later a Muskrat <br= > joined her, smelled the inside of both boots, smelled and crossed her <br> bare legs and then leisurely left the island and proceeded up stream. <br> Twice when sitting in Spruce I had a Kinglet land and hop about within <br> inches apparently unaware I was there.=C2=A0 Grey Jays are the exception- <= br> they find you; especially when they smell a fire because that may mean a <b= r> welcome change from a dull diet.<br> <br> =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Sometimes it seems birds welcome company. One summ= er I spent many <br> hours thinning an area of woods which was clearly overstocked; cutting <br> and let lie or cutting and trimming for firewood. Regardless where I was <b= r> working in this ~10 acre area a Robin would eventually show up, <br> apparently unconcerned, and follow me around as I moved.=C2=A0 Shortly afte= r <br> I bought the woodlot I would trigger a flyby of one or several Pileated <br= > Woodpeckers shortly after I started the chainsaw. One or more would fly <br= > in, circle me several times calling (Yak, Yak, Yak....) and then fly <br> away. =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 The woods then had been clear cut only about