The Free Radical

I know I kind of promised you Hawk’s oration on the fate of the Ancient Sorcerers– a very red tale indeed– but still the attendees are pouring into the area like the circus is in town… or something! (I wasn’t planning on writing up Hawk’s tale until tomorrow anyway, so consider this a bonus Report.)

You may recall that just a few weeks ago it was very quiet in the Forest. What little activity there was was off in the distance, like the dogs and me were being deliberately snubbed.

In the meantime, the Easter long weekend has come and gone, and the volume of human traffic I’ve encountered this past week has been unprecedentedly robust, to say the least. It used to be, just a few years ago, that I would find evidence of human incursions into the area just a handful of times a year. Now, I’m encountering people or the evidence of their passage about every other day. The increase has been very dramatic! Although my monthly readership is well in excess of a quarter million people, the folks I meet out there have never heard of me or these Reports– just the way I like it. Something subtle, insistent and earthy is inexorably drawing them in– or is it out?

We were out under the power-line again when a white pickup approached from the south. Two elderly gentlemen were out exploring and snapping pics. As they were stopped while I was talking with the driver, I pointed to the sky suddenly, drawing their attention to two bald eagles circling above us. The passenger had a better camera than I, and took a spectacular photo of the same eagle pictured above. I grabbed my pic as soon as their truck moved on.

That got me looking up mostly, and I noticed that there were still others gathering in the treetops.

This fellow– yes, I confirmed him as a male by his colourful plumage– was difficult to readily identify, as he is somewhat rare. This is Mountain Bluebird.

I thought that perhaps he was the representative of the Blue Avian Sphere Beings causing all the hubbub among the ET enthusiasts. I’m sure they’re very curious as to what Earth might be up to these unprecedented days.

Mountain Bluebird had been just west of us, while this high-perched Robin was just east of us– encroaching dangerously into Hawk’s known territory. Perhaps that’s the reason for his nervous look over the shoulder!

Some of the Flickers were still keeping busy before the ‘show’…

…while others were more interested in posing for the paparazzi.

Perhaps now the scene is fully set… and Hawk can spill the beans on this ancient tale…