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I saw my first red-breasted nuthatch this past weekend! It was high in a tree, but I made the identification l from its call, silhouette, and behavior (hanging upside down from branches, pecking at them like a woodpecker, but not resembling a Downy, the only one in the area near that size.)

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As Ajari of the Tendai in medieval Japan said, "I'm just a simple monk who enjoys nature."

But if something new perches in the old backyard apple tree, I'm going to reach for my Sibley.

How sweet are our lives!

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Really nice essay Richard. It reminds me of when I restarted my birding journey some years ago. The eBird app and Merlin ID app were quite helpful once I had began expanding beyond the usual suspects like Black-capped Chickadees, Northern Cardinals, and Song Sparrows.

I do remember the thrill of chasing rarer species around the Ottawa area based on eBird reports. Good times! These days I am trying to walk a fine line between recovering birder addict & simply enjoying hikes and walks in Nature.

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I have done the chasing (twitching) and and ticking and listing but these days I try to be a greenbirder and enjoy what I happen across - but, my brain demands a name for everything I pass and so a notebook and camera are essentials to the walking.

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