Birds make me happy, and many of them make me smile. Northern cardinals and indigo buntings always lift my spirits, for example, as their thrilling colors brighten my world.
Other birds instantly bring a smile to my face, whether it’s the chickadee calling “dee-dee-dee” near one of our feeders or the goofy brown thrasher mumbo-jumboing from a treetop.
As I walked the Pole Farm trails Monday, I spotted a common yellowthroat tucked in the shadows of a tree. That little yellow-and-black bandit instantly brought a smile to my face.
Another smile inducer is the willow flycatcher. Several of them entertain us this time of year at the Mercer meadows. On my Monday outing, I saw only one, which was sitting on a branch about 20 yards away.
For some reason, I had trouble focusing on him (her?) but eventually locked in. The little rascal was alternating silence and song, and I was pleased to get a few sharp shots with its beak open.
Looking at these images, I can’t help but smile. It almost seems as if the bird is smiling, too. It’s presumptuous to anthropomorphise animals, but who among us humans can resist doing so? To my eyes, this bird looks happy, and that makes me happy. 🦅
The Jersey Birder 