During the summer and autumn seasons, the swamp daisies attract a variety of bees and butterflies. However, by late November, their beauty fades, and the bees and butterflies are nowhere to be found. Recently, as I stood in my favorite spot on the board walk, gazing at the withered plants and bemoaning their decline, I noticed a swift flicker of wings — and then another. Flitting through the foliage were two birds that I seldom encounter.
Initially, I noticed the Swamp Sparrow as it darted from one hiding spot to another, attempting to remain hidden among the marshy plants. This sparrow, characterized by its rusty hue, was searching for food along the water’s edge where dried plant seeds were plentiful. It is a winter inhabitant of our area, arriving in September and departing in May.
Then I spotted a female Ruby Crowned Kinglet — a tiny, agile bird. She was equally elusive as she flitted and hopped among the plants in an effort to remain hidden. Her wings, adorned with stunning olive green-gray plumage, flickered as she searched for tiny insects, berries and seeds. Like the Swamp Sparrow, it is also a winter resident.
As I watched these two evasive birds on one side of the boardwalk, I found it hard to ignore a loud scratching sound coming from the other side of the boardwalk. Peering through the wooden slats, I was delighted to discover a female Eastern Towhee using her feet to rummage through dried leaves and underbrush looking for food. Though not always obvious, the Towhee makes its home in our state year-round.
Nature is full of surprises. I had been in search of flowers and butterflies; however, I was instead blessed with the sight of three small birds. With every season that passes, new wonders emerge to provide delight and joy. Rather than lamenting the absence of the gifts from one season, we can turn our attention to the blessings of the upcoming season and be thankful.
Gratitude helps us to see what is there rather than what isn’t. ~Unknown
walking on a country road 
Thanks for sharing the photos of the beautiful birds. Seeing them brought back memories of when I first saw a Towhee. I had never seen a bird like it before so I did a search online to see what it was. I was never able to get a good photo of one. Hugs and blessings to you.
The Tohees don’t stay still for very long. They are interesting birds to watch. Thanks, Mags.
Yes they are. You are welcome.
Beautiful photos.
Thanks, Timothy.
Gratitude indeed. Your post reminds me of the Proust quote: “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.”
Oh, I like that! Thanks, Eliza.
If one stays silent, Nature will knock on your door
So true! It’s just a matter of stopping and being still long enough. 🙂
This is a perfect quote for this post Rebecca – on our nature walks, it is always a treat to find the unexpected and be rewarded with glimpses of them. I have never seen an Eastern Towhee in this area, though I know we have them in Michigan. The tiny birds flitting around are a joy to watch, especially as it gets colder and they fluff themselves up to keep warm.
Thanks, Linda. Yes, nature’s unexpected gifts are the best. I seldom see a Tohee, but occasionally they will start scratching in the leaves like this one did, and you can sneak up on them. These three were very busy birds. I’m sure it is harder for them to find food as the weather gets colder. I know you are colder where you are than we are here. I’m hoping the upcoming Artic blast will miss us.
Our Robins never migrate anymore – I’m sure they wish they had. This weather is not nice here and we have two more wintry mix events Tuesday and Wednesday. Our leaves didn’t drop timely, so I told the guy who is supposed to clean the gutters to keep me in the queue, until I was ready. Well, he also plows snow and puts up Christmas lights and I was not the only one with leaves hanging on for too long. I have big icicles, something I’ve never had before as the gutters are usually cleaned by Thanksgiving. It is very icy from yesterday’s wintry mix. I hope you don’t have this Arctic blast. I feel sorry for the birds – I’ve seen small and large nests (likely squirrels’ nests) torn apart from all our fierce winds.
Wow, it sounds like you are really getting it up there. I can imagine that it would be hard on all the outside creatures. We’re supposed to feel the Arctic blast Saturday night into Sunday, but no snow or ice to speak of yet.
Yes, it is brutal and we’ve been setting some records since Thanksgiving. It is very cold now – 14 degrees with a “real feel” of minus 8. I hope your Arctic blast is not that bad. At least they have taken snow out of Sunday’s forecast. It wasn’t going to snow much, but I decided I would skip shoveling until Monday when it will be a tad warmer. I’ll go out and run the car for about 30-40 minutes, even though it’s in the attached garage, then scurry back into the house. My house is small, so I still have to go outside to get to the garage.
It only lasted a couple of days for us. I was very glad when the wind started coming out of the south again and it finally warmed up. Our Christmas is supposed to be in the 70s. That sounds like a lot of work you have to go through during cold and snowy weather.
That’s good it was a short-lived Arctic Blast. I know you get cold weather and ice storms, but also many of your plants, bushes, etc. may thrive in a warmer growing zone and would have suffered from the cold (which is what happened when I lost my entire butterfly garden after the Winter of 2013-2014). We have had a two-day reprieve (today and tomorrow it will be 47, but thunderstorms), then a fast freeze from the inch of rain expected … I don’t have travel plans but a lot of people will so I feel badly for them.
I really like your blog!! Birds and nature are 2 of my favorite subjects. Thank you for sharing. ❤️
Thanks so much, Jill.