I chose a spot by the pond because I knew that where there is water, there will almost always be plenty of living things. I sit about a foot and a half away from the water, so I can see things on the land but not close enough to disturb things in the water. Not many people get too close to the pond unless the area is being mowed. The large bushes on both sides of me make the spot feel hidden. They also serve as hiding spots for some animals. I thought it would be interesting to see the animals around the busy pond area slow down as the weather became cooler. Maybe the bushes will even change color. In summary I was excited to see if my theory was true and it would be an area bustling with life.

The first living things I noticed were insects, which seemed to be very abundant. I saw red ants that I have been told are fire ants, however they caused me no trouble. I also saw a red spotted purple butterfly, which I had never seen until I moved here. The beautiful blue coloring is very different from the monarchs I’m accustomed to. I also saw a large spider on the surface of the water, which I believe was a six-spotted fishing spider. These spiders are very interesting because they can actually dive underwater and escape predators. They can stay under for up to an hour!

When I finished writing about my eight-legged friend, I heard motion in the water and looked up to see what I believe was a sunfish of some sort. It must have been eating some of the many insects on the surface of the water. By now I had probably been sitting for around twenty minutes. This is when things became more interesting. I then saw a bird swoop down to the water. It was mostly gray with a white belly. It was not close enough for me to identify it properly, unfortunately. Soon after though, I did hear the distinct sounds of crows to the south. I also heard another bird that seemed to sound like a seagull, but not exactly the same. I am hoping I will eventually put a face to the sound.

Overall I had a very good first sit spot experience. I observed a variety of different animals and other living things. It was very relaxing to sit in the sun and observe. I spent about an hour and fifteen minutes there, which was more time alone outside than I have had in a while. It felt nice to turn off my phone and just focus on what was in front of me. I am very excited to see what other animals I can spot in coming weeks, and how much I can familiarize myself with species of Virginia.

The first object I’ll follow is this bush to the left of me. I heard things moving around it, and it is in an interesting spot very close to the water.

The second object is this stick poking out from the center of the lake. It is an easy point for my eyes to focus on when trying to look in the water.

The third object is the algae by the edge of the water. I can easily look out at it and observe what swims in and out.