Some thoughts about birding....

I have only been seriously bird watching for a few years now, many many thanks to my good friend Kirk Marshall for turning me into a monster (or bird nerd). I have absolutely loved every moment of it, but I guess what irks me a little bit, at least from my own perceptions, is that some people just do it to get a target bird and thats it.

Believe me, I want to see every bird in the world if I had the means and time to do so (sadly I do not), but for me, when I am out birding, I'm not only out there to see the target bird that Kirk and/or I have identified pursuing via Massbird or through some other avenue of communication. I am out there to become enveloped by Nature's grandeur, taking in all the sights and sounds, the whole atmosphere, soaking up the entire experience. (Hence my love for such places as Pondicherry Wildlife Refuge in Jefferson, NH and Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge in Harvard, MA)

Yeah, I do get disappointed if I miss a target bird (and I admittedly sometimes do not let myself be calmed by my environs)....failed on getting to see the Tufted Duck in Wayland on the Sudbury River and also the Eurasian Green-winged Teal at Nine-Acre Corner that were both seen in late winter of this year, but most of the time, I am just happy to be outside. Even if I see one or many common birds, I soak it up, try to watch their antics, their behaviours (the soaring flight of a Red-tailed Hawk, the acrobatics of a Black-capped Chickadee) and I am always amazed by some of my favorite common birds (the bright gold and cute chatterings of an American Goldfinch, the laughing call and mannerisms of a White-breasted Nuthatch).

I know many people share and feel and love the same way that I do about birds, wildlife and nature in general, but I wish everybody could. Take stock in what a wonderful planet we live on, with all the landscapes and gorgeous wildlife that call it home. That is why it is so important that we take the time to enjoy every moment of it and do what we can to help preserve, maintain and help thrive what hasn't been developed by the destructive tendencies of mankind. For I know we have been falling down a deep trench for a while now and its going to be a while before most everyone truly appreciates what we have and what needs to be done to ensure the health of our planet.

So, when next you find yourself in the mesmerizing gaze of Nature's sweet beauty, please, take a moment, inhale deeply, sense acutely and just take it all in, because it is these moments in time when life is at its sweetest, its very best!!!