Peek-A-BOO!
I need to start by making a correction - Bullitt Reservation in Ashfield, MA is owned and managed by The Trustees of Reservations (TTOR). Hilltown Land Trust is an affiliate of TTOR.
This is a longer post than most but I thought it was best to share this incredible morning from start to finish. Sit back and relax - it is now time to come alone with me…
I was back at Bullitt - an absolutely beautiful morning - no wind and 50 degrees - just stunning. I knew that I wanted to spend all of my time in the upper field so off I went. I arrived well before sunrise and stood in that magnificent field surrounded by the dawn’s early chorus when I heard the loudest and most brilliant Indigo Bunting song… I thought to myself - where is this gorgeous bunting? I kept walking towards this constant brilliant song - this bunting was just belting it out non-stop. I often laugh at myself because of how many hours I spend outdoors and it can still take me absolutely forever to finally find the source of a beautiful song. On and on I kept looking and the sound of this song became closer and closer - I was certainly on the right path but how could something this gorgeous be hiding so well from me?? And then just as the glorious first rays of the rising sun poked through the tops of the trees behind me, I spotted him in the tree right in front of me!!
The following is a display like nothing I have ever witnessed before. We constantly locked eyes and I felt like he said to me - you sure had a hard time spotting me but you finally did so I am going to put on a show for you!
He flew to my left into another perfect little window…
He is so magnificent!
It is so amazing to see how the light and his position changes the beautiful colors in his feathers… stunning!
On the move - I was so hoping I wouldn’t lose sight of him.
I spotted him for a split second way to my right for my last shot of him - in this absolutely spectacular position and setting. Thank you Mr. Indigo Bunting!
Needless to say that was one amazing way to start a morning.
The air was so beautiful and comfortable that I kept wandering around along the path in the upper field. I continued on up as I heard the distinct singing of the Red-Eyed Vireos. I am always trying to find them in order to capture those stunning red eyes. I kept following their songs a little further up the path as they were in the trees along the rock wall. As always it was a challenge to find them but it so helps when there is no wind like on this morning. Other than the bird song it was so still that I could hear the blood pumping in my ears - that kind of quiet. Just as I was finally zeroing in on a red-eye I heard a snap of a twig in the woods slightly to my left just beyond the rock wall. That sound was definitely from something making his or her way through the woods. At this very early time of the morning the field is bathed in sunlight and there are only splotches of light filtering through the woods - where there is no light filtering through it is as black as black can be looking into the woods. I caught the glimpse of some movement walking slowly and parallel along behind the rock wall but I instantly lost sight of it in the jet black darkness of the woods! My heart started pumping quickly. I quietly picked up my camera and tripod and walked back down the path parallel to the rock wall keeping a constant eye just above the level of the rock wall… I never heard another sound and couldn’t see a thing. I stopped about 20 feet down the path and set up and waited just hoping that I had guessed right on this spot to stop at - I was aimed right into the woods just above the rock wall - just hoping to catch a glimpse.
When all of a sudden!!!!!
OMG!!! My heart was pumping out of my chest!!!! I pride myself on trying to really stay in the moment and keep as calm as possible in situations with wildlife - this particular sighting really had me so damn excited and nerved up that my arms were actually shaking!! I kept telling myself to calm down and focus on enjoying this once in a lifetime moment and keep shooting as best as I could! If my camera was not on a tripod I would not have a single shot I was so nerved up. I was so thankful that I always lug that tripod.
A moment later -
I kept concentrating and squinting so hard into that jet black darkness in order to spot his or her head when guess who said peek-a-boo to me??? Are you kidding me??????
This moment was so beautiful and moving that it was all I could do not to burst into tears right then. This awe-inspiring bear stood like this for many seconds… I kept thinking how can I be this lucky for this magical encounter??? Lorraine Magic that is how. This bear stood behind this tree for what seemed like the longest time to me. I had all kinds of thoughts racing through my mind. First, I knew I was shaking for 4 reasons - 1) this bear was very, very close; 2) I dream of situations like this and it wasn’t a dream - it was really happening; 3) I was once again within view of where Lorraine’s bench will be; 4) I kept wondering if mama bear was around.
I thought the best thing that I could do was to be prepared to back away and to make myself big if the bear became agitated. Since it stood like this for many more seconds and didn’t make a sound I took that as very good sign that it didn’t take me as a threat. Then in an instant she (I’ll call her a she) started to move her paws down the tree. I thought ok she is going to be on the move - but where will she be heading??
She was now down on all fours - I could just make out her ears and the back of her neck in front of the tree.
She moved behind the lower branches and leaves and then I couldn’t see her at all. My heart was thumping like crazy and my arms were still shaking while I tried to make out where was she was headed - I didn’t move an inch.
I spotted her again. She was now partially standing -
An ear facing towards me - I got even more nerved up, and excited, she was headed my way!
In a flash the leaves parted down in front of me and there she was looking up towards me within 5 feet of me!
I immediately got off a quick few shots of her beautiful head and face. Instantly I saw how young she was - I am hoping one of you reading this can give me an idea of her age - a yearling? I am also wondering if anyone can tell me what those growths are on her ears. I have tried to google them in the hopes of determining what they are. I so hope they cause her no pain or irritation. And then she looked right at me - my heart melted.
I was finally able to get a shot with her entire body.
Right after I took the above shot I immediately lifted my eyes away from the camera to lock eyes with her to hopefully let her know I was absolutely no threat. She looked at me very calmly and then turned to her right to turn around - she never made a sound. I was so thankful that I did not get her upset by my presence. She then turned and headed back towards the rock wall.
I can’t tell you how much I wishing and willing her to look back - and she did. I still can’t believe this all happened. She was so calm.
And she looked back even further -
And then my dear friends, she turned and in an instant she was swallowed up by the darkness of the woods. This experience just filled me with so many beautiful and powerful emotions - I will carry this for the rest of my life. Godspeed dear young one.
Once I catch my breath and begin to calm down I always try to guess how long a particular encounter or sighting was. This entire sighting - from the first moment of seeing her precious paws on the tree to my last shot of her was 2 minutes and 2 seconds. In my experience - that is a very long encounter - especially since we were so close to one another. I keep wondering if I was the first human she had ever lied eyes on.
I honestly don’t know how long I stood there catching my breath and giving thanks but it definitely took me a few minutes to gather myself. I wasn’t ready to leave so I decided to continue up the path and I looked to my right just as a red-eyed vireo landed right in front of me - in the perfect light!
A few moments later I saw the unmistakable flash of orange of a male Blackburnian warbler! Lorraine and I saw one once together at Beech Forest in Ptown years ago- way the heck up in the canopy of the trees and I got a lousy shot. But today was an entirely different story -
At this point I knew I needed to slowly start heading back - as exhilarating as this outing was I was also exhausted - in a good way. I slowly walked back through the field, then down through the path in the woods into the lower field. At this point I decided to head back to my car by walking around the east side of the Bullitt building. I heard another beautiful song coming from near the little garden area - who was there? I set up and waited and then this magnificent bird sat in the most perfect spot. I believe this is a Swainson’s Thrush - but please correct me if I am wrong.
I continued past the building and stopped just past the barn to scan that field. I had just set up when a spectacular swallow landed right of me - are you kidding me?
Just after I snapped that shot something from behind me grabbed me on my left calf!!!! I instantly let go of my camera and turned to my left while I swung my left arm down to see that a Red-Bellied Woodpecker had attached to my calf!!! I quickly touched it gently and it instantly flew away in a flurry! I have no photo evidence of this encounter - but trust me - it happened! OMG you cannot make this stuff up! :). As a dear friend said to me- Cheryl, you have become part of the landscape! :). I had on my lightweight khaki colored hiking pants - maybe I looked like a tree! lol
I decided that having my heart in my throat twice in one morning was more than enough excitement and that it was time to go home and relax. Needless to say I keep re-living this amazing morning - what a beautiful gift.