20 Comments
User's avatar
Sandra de Helen's avatar

I love this post so much. How great that you spent so much time getting to know this little female redstart. It seems we don't have these birds anywhere near me, so I'm especially grateful to read about your encounters.

Expand full comment
David E. Perry's avatar

I love everything about this story. And that last pic... I'm in awe!

Expand full comment
Cathy Montgomery's avatar

What a great description of your encounters with this small redstart. I'm definitely a novice at birding and haven't had any experiences with redstarts. I could imagine your walk and almost see her moving through the branches.

Expand full comment
Laurie Harple's avatar

What a special experience. Good luck, little redstart!

Expand full comment
Kim Harrod's avatar

Amazing how a single bird can have such an impression. Sometimes we need to stop and appreciate what is right in front of us, and be in the moment. That's when the beauty and mystery of nature unfolds.

Expand full comment
Maria Race's avatar

Thank you for this beautiful post and for teaching us about redstarts!

Expand full comment
charlotte johnson's avatar

Instinct? Modeling? Repetitive behavior that had success?

Please don’t anthropomorphize....just enjoy and be thankful for the gift of life an amazing event you got to witness. God/the universe on display!!

Expand full comment
Bill Davison's avatar

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I have studied birds and written technical articles for scientific journals, so I am hard-wired to wonder why birds do what they do. At this point in my life, I am more interested in exploring the boundaries between us and other sentient beings in hopes of helping us connect.

Expand full comment
Michael's avatar

I think we sentient beings are connected- indissolubility so. We are all persons- justs with different agendas. I feel that at a foundational level there is a deep love between us all. Some might call it Buddhanature, but it goes deeper than that...

Expand full comment
charlotte johnson's avatar

Ur right-it was a lovely piece of writing and sharing. Shame on me!

Expand full comment
Timber Fox's avatar

I saw my first Redstart a few days ago, at Lake Parvin in New Jersey. And a black-and-white warbler, who hop-hop-hopped along the branches. They are so full of life.

Expand full comment
Diane Porter's avatar

So well communicated, here, respect for the consciousness, perhaps even personhood, of the bird, and yet not slipping into sentimentality. I love it and shared it to my Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/diane.porter.102/)

Expand full comment
Rachel Emmett's avatar

Loved reading this. Thank you for sharing your unique experience.

Expand full comment
Mary Ann's avatar

Such a sweet and moving story, Bill, thank you!

Expand full comment
Lenore clark's avatar

Thanks once again Bill. Such a good start to my friday

Expand full comment
3musesmerge's avatar

Have you named her?

Thank you for the introduction. Because of your observation and telling, I too want her to find a coffee tree teeming with tasty insects. 😊

Expand full comment
Bill Davison's avatar

I thought of her as Lucy at first, but after the vireo incident she became Moxie.

Expand full comment
3musesmerge's avatar

Moxie! That’s so perfect!

I borrowed from Emily Dickinson and named her Hope.

https://open.substack.com/pub/3musesmerge/p/cheers-for-the-underbird?r=19lbt&utm_medium=ios&utm_campaign=post

Expand full comment
Carol Sisk's avatar

Thank you once again.

Expand full comment
Beth T (BethOfAus)'s avatar

Such a joy. Happy sigh. Thanks so much. 🤗🤗

Expand full comment