Returning to one of my favorite places to photograph birds, Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary in Topsfield, Massachusetts, the nearly 2,000-acre landscape features drumlins, eskers, forest, meadows, swamps, and wetlands, offering many habitats attracting shore and song birds.
Along the intersection of Rockery and Drumlin Trails, someone had sprinkled a bunch of seed around. Don’t know how lucky they were gaining attention, but I found myself alone with Black-capped Chickadees, Northern Cardinals, Tufted Titmice, Dark-eyed Juncos, and Blue Jays fluttering all around me. The more colorful birds kept their distance, but the smaller ones darted around my feet snagging little morsels to eat as I tried to take photographs.
Stopping at Rockery Pond, a couple of Tufted Titmice and Chickadees joined me for a moment. When I didn’t make with the goods, they took off. Spoiled and clever birds around here. I doubled back to Pond Trail and hung out at the Stone Bridge, this is where I spotted a Red-bellied Woodpecker (#48 on the life list) on a branch above me, with a Blue Jay further behind it. Looping around Drumlin Trail to Bunker Meadows Trail, I completed a lap of sorts around the property. With the temperature dropping and sunlight fading, it was time to warm up and decide what to do for dinner.
