3 February, 2019            In touch with my inner hermit

Delicate (appearing) and beautiful Hermit Thrush at Deep Run Friday:

I saw this Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) Friday at Deep Run Park in western Henrico. I am an outgoing person but the avalanche of sports (today is Super Bowl Sunday) and politics (needs no explanation) have left me looking for a quiet place to hide. To get in touch with my inner hermit. I don’t see a million hermit thrushes but it’s always a treat when I do.  

I like to stay in touch with my inner bluebird too; this beauty posed genially in the late morning sunshine at Pony Pasture earlier today:  

Bluebird enjoying some winter sun at Pony Pasture this morning

No one would mistake a Red-tailed hawk for a hermit. They are outdoors and in plain view practically 365 days a year if you keep your eyes open. But as birds go, at least from my perspective, they are highly antisocial. Not 100% antisocial – when they’re with their mates, both appear (from what I’ve observed) so comfortable it’s almost like they’re ignoring one another. My interpretation of this (I may be incorrect) is they’re not ignoring one another. The truth is, they’re so focused on potential prey, that’s all they’re thinking about. Of course, it’s late Winter/early Spring, so they’re also thinking about (or anyway devoting their energy to) making new Red-tailed hawks. I did get a “pair” of Red-tails together yesterday afternoon, but they were perched on two separate cell phone towers so I couldn’t get both in the same image. Here’s the one that was closest to my house:

The Red-tail and the sun are both welcome sights

Oops – I did get a “true” “double” red-tail. This was around 9:30 Friday morning. They’re pairing up all over the place. This is on the cell phone tower behind Henrico County Fire Station 13 on the southeast corner of Church Road and Lauderdale Drive. It’s a predictable spot, but I also pass it regularly and I’m always looking for hawks, so maybe that’s why. Not wonderful light like it was yesterday, but double red-tails always make me smile. This is a great time of year:

Double Red-tail Friday. Hard to believe this is the same day I got the Hermit Thrush picture (at the top of this blog post)

Speaking of things that make me smile – Mackey and Turner went and I went hiking at Richmond’s Bryan Park Tuesday. Yuki didn’t join us for this hike. Possibly you saw this if you see me on facebook or instagram. But not everyone (fortunately) spends time on either of those platforms. Here’s the picture I posted:

Mackey & Turner at Bryan Park. See Turner standing on that big stump?

And, of course, since it’s Sunday, Yuki did join us today. Again we were in a city park, only this time, of course, again, it was Pony Pasture. Our home away from home: 

Mackey, Yuki and Turner pause on the trail this morning – they enjoy the nice weather too!

I’m going to a friend’s house to watch the first half of the Super Bowl. I have to get up for work at 5:00 tomorrow and I need sleep so I’m not going to stay for the finish. Have an excellent week! See you here again (I hope) on Sunday, 2/11. All best,

Jay