Windy, Wet, and Worth It.

The temperature is hovering around 5C+ and there's a stiff breeze off the Ottawa River. My hands are numb, and my feet are wet, as I completely forgot to pack gloves and rubber boots for this annual field trip. Clearly wasn't thinking clearly! We've trampled around the public marina, and seen a few birds, but because Spring has been late this year, there aren't many about this morning. In fact, there's more people than birds! 

But, the people are happy. Everyone is smiling, chatting cheerfully, and there's a low thrum of anticipation. Because you just never know what might appear out of the blue, and take your breath away. We are the watchers and the waiters, and  after a long, cold Canadian winter, the wait is almost over!

The Pembroke and Area Field Naturalists  club hosts a number of guided field trips throughout the year, and each one is unique in that there is always something thrilling that sets the tone for the event, whether it be a record number of owls spotted at the Owl Prowl in March, or spotting a Kingfisher during a recent Christmas Bird Count, or, as was the case yesterday, coming upon two Sandhill Cranes engaged in their courtship dance!

(forgive the quality of these two shots, my 20x optical zoom wasn't quite enough to capture the magic! )

We stood and watched from the top of a small knoll, looking down at the two cranes, as they swooped and pirouetted  displaying their feathers to one another oblivious to their captive audience of 20 people! This is a memory that will last for many who were there to witness it. You can't buy an event like this, you can't create it at will, you just have to show up and be hopeful that your persistence will pay off. 

The wait is over. 

Spring has arrived, and every morning for the past week, I've watched a feathered flotilla drift by my kitchen window. It make me perpetually late for just about everything, but gives me renewed strength, calm and sense of purpose. This year, the parade has been awesome!

And the best part? It's not over yet...still waiting for warblers, and the thrill they bring to a simple walk in the woods. I don't  know of any other activity that can engage all of my senses so quickly and so completely than a simple scan of the yard, binoculars ready, camera too. 

My collection of bird books, bird apps, binoculars, and bird art continues to expand and so does my curiosity. And perhaps that's why I'm a birder. It feeds my soul.

Just Singin' the Loonie Tunes

If you live in Canada, you will know the call of the Loon

and you will likely have been told by scolding old school marm-aladies

not to mimic their call especially in the spring

when they are calling for their marm-amates.

Like this."ohhhhhwaaaaallaahooahhhhhh" or something remotely similar.

Loons are right up there in Canadian iconism with beavers 

and Mounties

and Justin Bieber.

How a 16 year old kid from Stratford can take the teenage world by storm

is beyond me. (Obviously, as I never did it.)

But, gasp, I just don't get it.

(Sorry, Justin.)

So now I know that I have crossed the line.

I'm old.

And you're not.

That your handlers want you to sound like an American ghetto kid from wherever it is your newly acquired accent comes from,

in order to attract more and more teenage angsters is,

of course, their right.

And yours, too.

I just happen to think it's all a tad loonie.

A bit of a scam...the art of persuasion,

the machine in motion and the tail wagging the dog  puppy.

 This just in.

I just shared.

Just like you're doing

 on all the tv talk shows.

And to quote a wood burnt sign that used to hang at the ye old family cottage,

"Ve get too soon oldt, and too late schmart.

Just in time

for y'all  to think about.

Acting Naturally.

 As Spring slowly, slowly unfolds this year the lessons Nature

wishes us to learn become apparent.

Things are seldom simple.

And  they are seemingly not what they seem.

First and foremost, Nature is in complete charge.

If She wishes that there be snowstorms in April, so be it. 

This is not about You.

Well, that's not quite true. You will learn how quickly hordes of little tiny Common Redpolls can empty a feeder full of niger. And you may also learn how much better off you'd be if you'd only taken advantage of the bird seed sales last week!
Should have done that.

The camera that was on sale just after Christmas would have captured the feeding frenzy a little better too, proving Nature's lesson that he (or she)

who hesitates is lost generally pays more.

You may also learn that if you must take a picture through screening, then you should have installed the lighter coloured screen and not the black stuff.

Yes, Nature helps us to see many things more clearly.

There is an art to seeing.

If you are a Hermit Thrush you need to blend in and be almost invisible in front of your prey. If you're a human trying to capture a Hermit Thrush with a camera you need to be quick. And lucky.

Sometimes you really can't see the forest for the trees. And  what you think is  a leaf is in fact a Purple Finch. This was  a lucky shot, only discovered after

the fact, with the aid of the digital magnifier.

Nature doesn't need one of those. Ever. She knows exactly how things

are meant to be in order to blend in, you dull earthling dolt. 

Of course, being in complete control of this little blue planet, third from the sun, Nature is not always nasty. In fact, after proving beyond every single solitary reasonable doubt just who's in charge, She  usually sends us something breathtakingly beautiful.

A Loon calling plaintively throughout the night, searching for completion.

There is no nicer Evensong.

And just to be very sure you get every lesson you need to learn, the occasional oddity will be tossed in your direction. Just to make sure you're paying attention. That in the midst of chaos, you've kept your sense of humour.

Believe me.

Until we accept that Nature's in charge here,

and learn how to live within our means,

we're going to be needing it.

Happy Earth Day.