Parting is such sweet sorrow.
~William Shakespeare
Yesterday morning we took what may be our final stroll through our property. Our home is on a little over 14 acres of rolling landscape with big hardwoods, mostly white oak and tulip poplar with some northern red oak and various hickories making up the largest trees. As we walked, I noticed we were both stopping to admire and sometimes touch some of our favorites as a way of giving thanks to their presence.
We visited each bench we have placed in the woods over the years and watched and listened for a few minutes before moving on. A variety of migrating songbirds have dropped in these past few days and we heard the songs of many species. Two days ago my list of songsters (aided by the Merlin app) included wood thrush, red-eyed vireo, scarlet tanager, summer tanager, ovenbird, eastern bluebird, black-throated blue warbler, great crested flycatcher, pileated woodpecker, red-bellied woodpecker, Carolina chickadee, black-and-white warbler, American crow, Carolina wren, blue-gray gnatcatcher, hooded warbler, American redstart, tufted titmouse, white-breasted nuthatch, and northern cardinal. Yesterday we heard many of the same species and added a veery and rose-breasted grosbeak. Spring in these woods is a magical time.
At one spot along the now dry creek, Melissa saw the bright blue flash of a red-spotted purple butterfly, the first one of the season for us. It was sitting in a sunny spot on the creek bottom slowly opening and closing its wings to soak up the warmth. You can’t help but smile when you see such a brilliant blue.
As we approached the back deer fence gate, Melissa touched my arm and showed me a pileated woodpecker that had just flown up off the ground about 50 feet away. We stood there watching this magnificent bird as it hopped from one tree trunk to another and then down onto the ground. Though the bird was largely hidden from view below the downward slope we could see the leaf litter and bark it was throwing up into the air as it searched for a meal.
We watched her for at least 10 minutes as she kept hopping from log to tree trunk and finally landed on a series of tree cookies we had laid down years ago to aid in crossing a muddy spot on our trail. They have started to decay and the woodpecker seemed compelled to help that process along, tapping and probing each insect hole in the wood with her long barbed tongue.
As we watched, she kept coming closer and closer giving us a great view of her feeding behavior. She finally starting moving away from us and eventually flew off toward the creek bottom. Melissa said that, at first, the walk made her sad, sad to be leaving such a beautiful place that we know so well. But our time with the woodpecker had lifted her spirit and reminded us both of what it is we love to do – to be outside and observe nature, especially when that world goes about its business and allows us to feel we are part of it, that we belong. We both realize that our new home is sure to provide countless moments like this and we are excited for the new experiences we will share. And we are thankful for the many special memories our woods have given us over the years including these most recent gifts from a butterfly and a bird.
Roads End Naturalist 
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