(Black-capped Chickadee - photo by Neil Barker - January 21, 2024)
A small meadow holds an unassuming tree of short stature.
The short tree holds a flat stone of age and origin unknown.
The flat stone holds seeds for friends to live another Winter day.
I took these photos on January 21, 2024. I made sure to pay the seed tax at several other tolls at the conservation area.
This feeder is in a small meadow with thickets and hedges nearby. The Black-capped Chickadees started to appear a minute or two after I placed some seeds on this flat stone. It starts with one bold individual flying from the hedges to check things out. One brings another then another. I estimated 6-8 Black-capped Chickadees doing their dine, dash, and cache.
Also, there were several Northern Cardinals in the area. I could see and hear them calling from the hedges. After a few minutes watching the Black-capped Chickadees, I walked away slowly to give the Northern Cardinals a chance to get some seeds. As I mention often, the Northern Cardinals are shy in this area and will not get close to any seed offerings if I remain in the area.
This is my previous post on paying the seed tax:
It seems to me that Neil is providing his readers an invitation to accompany him on these delightful morning walks and to be there as he sees the sights and pays his seed taxes. I look forward to these posts, photos, and poetry.
I love the relationships you seem to develop so easily on your hikes. I can definitely relate. Whether it’s birds, trees or rivers, often times it feels like they all find me. It reminds me of what the filmmaker Werner Herzog said that I recently came upon: “The world reveals itself to those who travel on foot.”