# A Peek Through The Leaves



## drifter (May 7, 2020)

A lone sparrow seeks a meal.


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## CinnamonSugar (May 7, 2020)

well done! that's lovely


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## drifter (May 7, 2020)

CinnamonSugar said:


> well done! that's lovely


Thank you.


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## Aunt Marg (May 7, 2020)

Beautiful!

Am I seeing a House Sparrow?


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## drifter (May 7, 2020)

Aunt Marg said:


> Beautiful!
> 
> Am I seeing a House Sparrow?


House sparrow? No, but he does live in the neighborhood.


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## Aunt Marg (May 7, 2020)

drifter said:


> House sparrow? No, but he does live in the neighborhood.


What kind of bird is it?


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## Em in Ohio (May 7, 2020)

How much seed does your feeder hold?  It is huge!  Very lucky birds to have _you_ providing for them!


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## Ruth n Jersey (May 7, 2020)

Very nice. I never get tired of seeing photos of wildlife.


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## drifter (May 7, 2020)

Aunt Marg said:


> What kind of bird is it?


I’m sure it is a house sparrow. I didn’t know and had to look them up. There’s so many different
kinds of sparrow it is not easy for me to tell the difference. Then there are the small finches. I wasn’t being a smart so and so, it was my ignorance showing, and I apologize if I came across
that way.


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## drifter (May 7, 2020)

Em in Ohio said:


> How much seed does your feeder hold?  It is huge!  Very lucky birds to have _you_ providing for them!


That one holds ten pounds. In the past I have fed them only in the winter time. But now, stuck at home all the time, feeding the birds benefits me as much as the birds. I enjoy watching them and they provide an occasional subject for my camera. Thanks for commenting on my photo.


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## MarciKS (May 7, 2020)

Are you still posting in your diary?


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## drifter (May 7, 2020)

MarciKS said:


> Are you still posting in your diary?


Well, yes, occasionally, when I have something to say and then sometime when I have nothing to say and should know better. I appreciate your comments.


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## MarciKS (May 7, 2020)

Ok. Well I did find some features on the camera on this laptop but the pictures are pretty awful regardless. I don't think this laptop camera app is that great.  A bit disappointing for a new laptop. I found a 3D effect thing to play with. That was fun.


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## Aunt Marg (May 7, 2020)

drifter said:


> I’m sure it is a house sparrow. I didn’t know and had to look them up. There’s so many different
> kinds of sparrow it is not easy for me to tell the difference. Then there are the small finches. I wasn’t being a smart so and so, it was my ignorance showing, and I apologize if I came across
> that way.


No need to apologize, Drifter.

We have resident House Sparrows (year round), though they tend to hide from late fall until late spring, but once late spring comes, I love seeing them back.


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## Aunt Marg (May 7, 2020)

As for House Finches, I melt when they bring their fledglings by for the first time each year. The little ones are all of the size of my baby finger, clueless, as cute as they get, and completely oblivious to the world around them, then as they grow from fledglings to juveniles, they acquire devils-like tufts of fine pin feathers on each side of the top of their heads. Talk about comical!

As for House Finches, the males display a beautiful red or pink colour, whereas the females are light brown with grayish/white hues.

Funny story about our House Sparrows. At the height of summer, our House Sparrows will hop behind my husband when he's cutting the lawn, as the lawnmower stirs up insects as it passes over, making for an easy meal for them.


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## In The Sticks (May 7, 2020)

Drifter, I hope you don't mind my posting a few bird pics I've taken.  I had a lot of feeders when I first move in, but the resident bear has made putting food out an unwise thing to do.

I really miss having the feeders out.  Somewhere around here I have a book where I checked off the birds I was able to identify.  I especially love the woodpeckers.


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## MarciKS (May 7, 2020)

I feed the squirrels. The birds are a happy bonus.


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## Aunt Marg (May 7, 2020)

In The Sticks said:


> Drifter, I hope you don't mind my posting a few bird pics I've taken.  I had a lot of feeders when I first move in, but the resident bear has made putting food out an unwise thing to do.
> 
> I really miss having the feeders out.  Somewhere around here I have a book where I checked off the birds I was able to identify.  I especially love the woodpeckers.
> 
> ...


Wonderful pictures!

Western Tanagers in the top?

Downy Woodpecker (middle), I call them professors, because when they look at you their eyes are so human-like, it's as if they're looking into your soul, and they're so friendly and tolerant of us. Amazing how close you can observe them without them getting spooked.

Last picture is a Red-Bellied Woodpecker.


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## In The Sticks (May 7, 2020)

Aunt Marg said:


> Wonderful pictures!
> 
> Western Tanagers in the top?
> 
> ...


You know, I don't know what those top birds are.  They are smaller than tanagers, and not as bright as goldfinches.  I think the beaks would make them some type of finch, but I'm not certain.  And I'm not really that close.  The feeders are right outside the kitchen window.

Here's a pic of similar-sized red birds I have not identified:



Your ID of the woodpeckers is spot-on.  Here's a pair of flickers:



And a hawk of an unidentified species:



I wish I were a better photographer who could command better equipment.  These are from one of those small hand-helds.


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## Aunt Marg (May 7, 2020)

In The Sticks said:


> You know, I don't know what those top birds are.  They are smaller than tanagers, and not as bright as goldfinches.  I think the beaks would make them some type of finch, but I'm not certain.  And I'm not really that close.  The feeders are right outside the kitchen window.
> 
> Here's a pic of similar-sized red birds I have not identified:
> 
> ...


Was the picture in question with the possible Goldfinches or Tanagers taken in the fall or winter?

The birds in the second set of pictures (top), are Purple Male Finches.

The hawk is hard to identify given the distance away. So many tend to look alike, but I would venture to guess it's a Coopers Hawk.


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## In The Sticks (May 7, 2020)

That first pic of the small yellow birds was taken in January here in the mid Atlantic.

I, too, believe that to be a Coopers Hawk.  My struggle is that so many of these are best identified when in comparison to others (like the downy woodpecker and the hairy woodpecker.)

Last spring I heard a horrible racket outside, and went on my deck and looked up to see a pair of hawks in a mating battle just overhead with the apparent female just circling above them, waiting to see who would emerge victorious.  It went on for the longest time.  Just amazing to witness.

The only thing I've yet to capture are the pileated woodpeckers.  They're pretty shy.  I like watching pairs of them in flight.

I'm so very fortunate.  I have such a large cleared area around the house with a direct-southern view out the back where my deck is, I also get a nice view of the night sky for my telescope.  Been out for meteor showers, saw Mars when it passed close by, etc.  Even the moon through just a set of binoculars is other-worldly.


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## Aunt Marg (May 7, 2020)

In The Sticks said:


> That first pic of the small yellow birds was taken in January here in the mid Atlantic.
> 
> I, too, believe that to be a Coopers Hawk.  My struggle is that so many of these are best identified when in comparison to others (like the downy woodpecker and the hairy woodpecker.)
> 
> ...


Okay, my guess is the birds in question are Female Pine Warblers (possibly juveniles, hence the pale yellow colour).

A helpful tip I can pass along to you, compare bill or beak shapes, examine the tail feathers (striping, colouration, etc), and lastly, segregate the species into groups according to size. It really helps one work from a starting point.

Hawks do visit our immediate area, but I find the Ravens do a great job at chasing them away.

We usually have a couple of species of owl visit our neighbourhood each fall, and last year we had one that was gigantic, and when it hooted, it sounded like a full grown man.

Like yourself, I, too, am fascinated with astronomy.


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## In The Sticks (May 8, 2020)

Aunt Marg said:


> Okay, my guess is the birds in question are Female Pine Warblers.
> 
> A helpful tip I can pass along to you, compare bill or beak shapes, examine the tail feathers (striping, colouration, etc), and lastly, segregate the species into groups according to size. It really helps one work from a starting point.
> 
> ...


I'll have to further research those birds.  Thanks for the suggestions.

The interesting thing about the hawks around here is that you can drive up & down the main roads doing 55MPH and they are perched on the power lines just watching.  You have to be careful, because if they see prey they'll lauch into your path.  But here on my property, if they see me inside my house through the patio door from far away (no matter how stealthy I try to be), they're off in a flash.

I commented in another thread that I had an owl when I first came here in 2010 and never heard from him again.  Just a few nights ago (around 2AM), I heard an owl for the first time since.  I heard him again last night on the other side of my property.  I think it's a barred owl.  Not too many species of owls in this area...even fewer when you eliminate the ones that screech...so there's not that many calls to select from.

It's funny how things seem to cycle through.  There will be years where the turkey are thick, then none to be seen.  You mentioned ravens...same thing.  Some years they are overwhelming, they years go by and you rarely see one.  Applies to mammals as well (fox population seems to ebb & flow.)


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## Aunt Marg (May 8, 2020)

In The Sticks said:


> I'll have to further research those birds.  Thanks for the suggestions.
> 
> The interesting thing about the hawks around here is that you can drive up & down the main roads doing 55MPH and they are perched on the power lines just watching.  You have to be careful, because if they see prey they'll lauch into your path.  But here on my property, if they see me inside my house through the patio door from far away (no matter how stealthy I try to be), they're off in a flash.
> 
> ...


What a stark difference between the hawks that visit our area (here in our neighbourhood), compared to the ones that frequent your area. The ones we get are not easily spooked, which leads me to believe we may possibly have more bird activity in our area. Interesting findings though.

As for our raven population and presence, it's thriving. The manner in which they patrol is stupefying, and their vision, out of this world. My husband killed two mice, with several days separating each kill, and on both days when he laid the mice out back in the garden, within minutes, down swooped a raven to snatch their meal, and they spotted those tiny little mice in our backyard from some serious altitude.

I just find the entire wild kingdom so interesting. I love nature in a really big way, and as for bird-watching, nothing captures my interest more.


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## In The Sticks (May 8, 2020)

Funny you should say that.

Every few years I'll got one or two field mice in the house.  When I trap them, I always toss them outside so they may fulfill their final act in the natural cycle.  I have no idea what ate them.

I'll toss this pic out there before Drifter boots me out for poaching his thread.  I set out ground feeders with game cameras to see if I could get pics of birds (maybe ground feeding grosbeaks) that might be too shy to be around when I was at home.  Instead I got this:



and this:


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## Aunt Marg (May 8, 2020)

In The Sticks said:


> Funny you should say that.
> 
> Every few years I'll got one or two field mice in the house.  When I trap them, I always toss them outside so they may fulfill their final act in the natural cycle.  I have no idea what ate them.
> 
> ...


Love it! Is that an Adirondack Fox?


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## Aunt Marg (May 8, 2020)

An extended apology to you, Drifter, for getting carried away here tonight.


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## Capt Lightning (May 8, 2020)

Song thrush in my garden.


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## hollydolly (May 8, 2020)

A Robin in my holly tree just outside of his nesting box... trying to catch him is hard because he flits and darts so fast, but I took this yesterday...


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## drifter (May 8, 2020)

Aunt Marg said:


> An extended apology to you, Drifter, for getting carried away here tonight.


No Sweat. Enjoyed your photos and comments.


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## Aunt Marg (May 8, 2020)

drifter said:


> No Sweat. Enjoyed your photos and comments.


Thank you, Drifter!


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## In The Sticks (May 8, 2020)

drifter said:


> No Sweat. Enjoyed your photos and comments.


Thank you!


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## In The Sticks (May 8, 2020)

Aunt Marg said:


> Love it! Is that an Adirondack Fox?


I am not a wildlife expert by any means.

The Virginia Dept of Game and Inland Fisheries says it's an Eastern American Red Fox (vulpes vulpes fulvus) The subspecies listed in Wiki for this part of the country does not look like this one, but I'm sure there are color variations. I've also seen Eastern Grey Fox here.

When I first moved in, they would be right at the house early in the morning (4AM-5AM) yapping their heads off for each other.  I won't tell you what I thought those noises were at first, until I saw them right next to me while sitting on my deck that time of day.  Again, the place had been vacant for years.  They're still nearby, just not that much in the open.

To equate it to the shyness of my hawks, I have friends in suburbia who have a den of foxes living under their porch.  Out where I am, the critters are not that habituated.  I bet there are 2,000 acres around my house and I'm the only dwelling back here (except for 2 you pass just up the right-of-way to get down here.)  Everything else is vacant parcels, or the land belonging to farms whose dwellings are at the main road.  So they live a relatively human-free existence.


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## In The Sticks (May 8, 2020)

drifter said:


> No Sweat. Enjoyed your photos and comments.


Thanks again for your tolerance, Drifter.

There's something special about birds (although I meandered as I always do.)  Nothing in nature is so free.  The rest of us are stuck in 2 dimensions.  And we can bring all but the most elusive right up to us for the price of a bag of seed.

This is what life is for.


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## Aunt Marg (May 8, 2020)

In The Sticks said:


> I am not a wildlife expert by any means.
> 
> The Virginia Dept of Game and Inland Fisheries says it's an Eastern American Red Fox (vulpes vulpes fulvus)  The subspecies listed in Wiki for this part of the country does not look like this one, but I'm sure there are color variations.
> 
> ...


I disagree with the Virginia Dept of Game & Inland Fisheries, having dear husband examine the photo with me, the fox in question is a Gray, not an Eastern American Red.

I can't say I've heard a fox's call or cry, but we regularly hear packs of coyotes yipping in the night, and that sound has a sort of creepy, bone-chilling effect on me.

So happy, Drifter, started this thread, and equally happy you dropped by for a visit, ITS.


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## In The Sticks (May 8, 2020)

Aunt Marg said:


> I disagree with the Virginia Dept of Game & Inland Fisheries, having dear husband examine the photo with me, the fox in question is a Gray, not an Eastern American Red.
> 
> I can't say I've heard a fox's call or cry, but we regularly hear packs of coyotes yipping in the night, and that sound has a sort of creepy, bone-chilling effect on me.
> 
> So happy, Drifter, started this thread, and equally happy you dropped by for a visit, ITS.


You are right.  My error, not the DGIF.

I amended my prior comment to include the Eastern Grey Fox as also being listed on the DGIF website...I just went back and looked when the Wiki description made no sense.

As I stated, I am not a wildlife expert.  But I've seen greys here that are less red than that little guy.


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## Aunt Marg (May 8, 2020)

In The Sticks said:


> You are right.  My error, not the DGIF.
> 
> I amended my prior comment to include the Eastern Grey Fox as also being listed on the DGIF website...I just went back and looked when the Wiki description made no sense.
> 
> As I stated, I am not a wildlife expert.  But I've seen greys here that are less red than that little guy.


No worries, between yourself and Drifter, this is one totally awesome thread! Absolutely loving all the pictures!


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## In The Sticks (May 8, 2020)

Aunt Marg said:


> No worries, between yourself and Drifter, this is one totally awesome thread! Absolutely loving all the pictures!


I love the feedback.

I learn so much from everyone being willing to share their knowledge.  Now I know the species of fox I've got roaming around, as well as the species of those birds.

And after these conversations, I'm about ready to break out the bird feeders again, bear be damned.  It never bothered the feeders or anything else for years, then suddenly started to get into my trash (right around the same time I began buying seafood.)  I might just clean those feeders up (as well as my heated bird bath) and go get some seed.


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## Aunt Marg (May 8, 2020)

In The Sticks said:


> I love the feedback.
> 
> I learn so much from everyone being willing to share their knowledge.  Now I know the species of fox I've got roaming around, as well as the species of those birds.
> 
> And after these conversations, I'm about ready to break out the bird feeders again, bear be damned.  It never bothered the feeders or anything else for years, then suddenly started to get into my trash (right around the same time I began buying seafood.)  I might just clean those feeders up (as well as my heated bird bath) and go get some seed.


Like yourself, I, too, live for conversations such as these, because there's so much to learn and talk about.

We need a new hummingbird feeder, so that's on my list the next I'm out shopping.


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## In The Sticks (May 8, 2020)

Capt Lightning said:


> Song thrush in my garden.
> 
> View attachment 103498


The differences in critters around the world fascinates me.

I just looked up a sound clip...very pretty song.


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## Aunt Marg (May 8, 2020)

In The Sticks said:


> The differences in critters around the world fascinates me.
> 
> I just looked up a sound clip...very pretty song.


I just love the songs of the Black-Capped Chickadee and the Male House Finch. Can't get enough of them.


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## Sliverfox (May 15, 2020)

Stumbled across this thread,, another bird watcher here, in NW PA.

We bought a  tube  bird  feeder made out of PVC pipe because a bear broke up one of ours.
Hubby hung a pulley high up in spruce tree  where bear can't reach.
When I fill it have to let it  down.

Worked so good that  our  metal bird  feeder  is on another branch,, hanging  from a pulley.


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## Aunt Marg (May 15, 2020)

Sliverfox said:


> Stumbled across this thread,, another bird watcher here, in NW PA.
> 
> We bought a  tube  bird  feeder made out of PVC pipe because a bear broke up one of ours.
> Hubby hung a pulley high up in spruce tree  where bear can't reach.
> ...


Brilliant idea! Love it!

You've given me an idea for our hummingbird feeders!


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## In The Sticks (May 15, 2020)

Sliverfox said:


> Stumbled across this thread,, another bird watcher here, in NW PA.
> 
> We bought a  tube  bird  feeder made out of PVC pipe because a bear broke up one of ours.
> Hubby hung a pulley high up in spruce tree  where bear can't reach.
> ...


I was here for years and the bear never bothered even the try feeders that were only 5 feet above the ground, filled with nuts and dried fruit.  It was only when I started cooking seafood that I think the smell of fish in the garbage brought them.

I've hung unshelled (whole) peanut holders way up high on a pulley for the pileated woodpeckers, but that's only because they're too shy to otherwise feed.


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## hollydolly (May 16, 2020)




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## Aunt Marg (May 16, 2020)

hollydolly said:


>


Beautiful!

I can't believe how well that bird blends in! So perfectly adapted to it's environment!


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## JustBonee (May 16, 2020)




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## Aunt Marg (May 16, 2020)

Bonnie said:


> View attachment 104795


How I remember the days, but that bird isn't blending in quite as well! LOL!


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## In The Sticks (May 16, 2020)

Aunt Marg said:


> Beautiful!
> 
> I can't believe how well that bird blends in! So perfectly adapted to it's environment!


Your eyes are much better than mine.

I see feeders, but no one feeding.


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## Aunt Marg (May 16, 2020)

In The Sticks said:


> Your eyes are much better than mine.
> 
> I see feeders, but no one feeding.


I just threw-in my little tidbit about the bird blending in so well, just to have a little Saturday morning fun with everyone!


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## In The Sticks (May 16, 2020)

Aunt Marg said:


> I just threw-in my little tidbit about the bird blending in so well, just to have a little Saturday morning fun with everyone!


I forgot I was not the only sarcastic person in the world.  Such are the downsides to narcissism.

On the upside, you _did_ make me clean my glasses!


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## Aunt Marg (May 16, 2020)

In The Sticks said:


> I forgot I was not the only sarcastic person in the world.  Such are the downsides to narcissism.
> 
> On the upside, you _did_ make me clean my glasses!


ROFLMAO!

I was going to have a little continued fun with you by directing you where to look, but that would have been downright cruel.

Thanks for the laugh, ITS!


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## In The Sticks (May 16, 2020)

Aunt Marg said:


> ROFLMAO!
> 
> I was going to have a little continued fun with you by directing you where to look, but that would have been downright cruel.
> 
> Thanks for the laugh, ITS!


You should have done that!  It would have made my day.
"_What kind of bird is tiny and leaf-green?????   HEY!!!!!!_"

I'd even record that moment of epiphany when I realized, and posted it for you.
For a narcissist, I have very little pride.


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## Aunt Marg (May 16, 2020)

In The Sticks said:


> You should have done that!  It would have made my day.
> "_What kind of bird is tiny and leaf-green?????   HEY!!!!!!_"
> 
> I'd even record that moment of epiphany when I realized, and posted it for you.
> For a narcissist, I have very little pride.


ROFLMAO!

I figured my dirty-deed of leading everyone on to believe that there was actually a bird hiding in the tree was sly and underhanded enough.


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