Today was warm. I think it almost got up to forty degrees. I took advantage of the beautiful weather and walked to the downtown area and bought me a delicious gluten-free crepe with caramel and cream cheese filling. Yum!
I remembered my binoculars today…yesterday I walked to the library and forgot to bring them with me. The river is still iced over in many areas but there were patches of open water here and there. I visited with a couple on the foot bridge spanning the river. They pointed out the mature bald eagle that had just flew up the river and was perched on the top of a ponderosa pine. I pointed out the hooded mergansers and the great blue heron that flew over. It was pleasant to share stories about birds and the river and otters and beavers.
I finished walking to the crepe place where I sat and enjoyed eating my decadent treat. I chose to walk home through the park along the river. There was only a small strip of water open. It was overflowing with waterfowl. A quick glance showed mallards and American wigeons. But I no longer just give it a quick glance. I scanned up and down that stretch of duck-covered water and was rewarded with the sight of a Northern pintail! It felt so good to be able to identify it. I found the wood ducks interspersed among the more common ducks. There were some hooded mergansers, a pair of buffleheads, and a pair of common goldeneyes.
I spotted two other birds I didn’t know. First I tried to memorize all the details so I could look them up as soon as I got home. Finally I realized I could write down the description and that helped me to remember. They were scaup…I figure lesser scaup because that’s all I’ve ever heard mentioned by the birders when they find them. It was my first good look at that species of bird. I’ve seen them many times before but always at a great distance and the details have eluded me. That, too, felt really good!
As I was leaving I was thinking that even a year ago I would have only seen the mallards. I may have noticed the American wigeons but I wouldn’t have known what they were. The others would have blended in with the group and never have registered with me. Learning their distinctive markings and behaviors has enabled me to actually “see” them.
And I wondered how often that happens with the people around us. Until we learn to pay attention to detail, until we learn to recognize differences and similarities, they are just “people”. But each person has a name. Each person is unique. And by doing nothing more than learning their name we begin to see that uniqueness.
But…back to my walk. I ran into the guy from the bridge on the way home. We visited some more. I learned his name (and forgot his wife’s name…oops). I spotted some common mergansers with the hooded mergansers and actually noticed the differences between the females of the two species. I spotted two more great blue herons standing silent and still. There were also ring-necked ducks.
I am adding the list of all the different species I saw just walking across one small part of town. I could go on and mention each one and where I saw it. But the listing doesn’t convey the beauty or my feelings of awe and wonder as I watched these birds swimming and interacting. It doesn’t describe the connectedness to nature that I felt. It doesn’t even hint at the joy and sense of accomplishment I felt actually recognizing the individual species and knowing their names.
But, tonight, I don’t have words for those things…so…enjoy the list…and perhaps go take a walk to “see” the beauty that surrounds you where you live…
