My People — Spin the Compass

Apr 4

Apr 4 My People

Settling In

“Naturalists, far more than most people, become rooted in their landscapes – the sights, sounds, smells. We move to the rhythms of those places, the seasonal ebb and flow that becomes as inherent as breathing – and when we find ourselves out of sync with those expected rhythms, there is a sense of discord and disquiet.” Scott Weidensaul, “New Ground”, Birdwatcher’s Digest, March/April 2021, p.16.

And that is why the great Mr. Weidensaul is one of my idols, and a “silent” mentor. I couldn’t agree more.

I’m slowly settling into my new setting. And with that comes the learning curve for the local environment. The weather is different than at my apartment, and so far seems to be a bit constipated. The wildlife is different. I have a local skunk who likes my brush pile and sets off my motion-detected lights every night. There’s a groundhog who likes the grass in the backyard and is most likely living under my shed. And the birds... The birds are the same, but completely different at the same time. The cardinals are everywhere and in quantities I have never seen before, the grackles and finches and sparrows are abundant, robins appeared a couple weeks ago and I wake every morning to their singing outside my window bringing childhood memories flooding back, and there’s a peregrine falcon that uses my neighbor’s feeder as a bait pile for his daily supper.

“The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.” Alan Watts

I have been busier than ever lately, so I’m not as “unpacked” as I would have liked. But I make do, and very comfortably. Every morning, I sip my tea staring out the back window and thank God for letting me find this mini paradise. It may not be exactly what I wanted, or what I thought it was, but it makes me smile every day nonetheless.

“We all want to be happy. There are many books and teachers in the world that try to help people be happier. Yet we all continue to suffer. Therefore, we may think that we’re ‘doing it wrong.’ Somehow we are ‘failing at happiness.’ That isn’t true. Being able to enjoy happiness doesn’t require that we have zero suffering. In fact, the art of happiness is also the art of suffering well.” Thich Nhat Hanh in his teaching “5 Practices for Nurturing Happiness”

Optics

I attended a recent optics demonstration event held by Red Start Birding at the Grange Insurance Audubon Center in Columbus, Ohio. While they didn’t have the scope I was hoping to demo there, I was able to try out a lot of my other contenders, and speak extensively with the staff to determine what would be (I hope...) a great fit for me. After my appointment, I wandered the grounds, but the weather was gorgeous and the crowds were loud. There were birds, for sure, but it was more “local city park” vibe and less Audubon Sanctuary. I admit, I’m spoiled having two amazing (and quiet!) sanctuaries so close to me.

The best part of the event, hands down, was getting to meet and chat with Wendy Clark, editor of Bird Watcher’s Digest. We briefly discussed local birding, how to attract more people to the hobby, and a short conversation about Bill Thompson III. I had the pleasure of meeting him at American Birding Expo in 2017, along with author and birding ambassador Pete Dunne. At the time, Bill was healthy and busy running the event, and I was in “celebrity shock” at having two icons standing in front of me, so we didn’t share more than a few conversation points. But it was truly an honor to meet both men, each dedicated to birding and spreading the love of these amazing creatures, especially with children. I wish I had known Bill would be taken so early from this world, so I could have engaged him more fully, perhaps offering to buy them lunch so I could be near and absorb the good vibes that emanated from them naturally. Wendy was Bill’s life partner right up to the end, and has picked up his torch, guiding new birders in the right direction to a lifelong love affair with our natural world, and I am equally honored to have met her. You can read more about her and her work in every issue of the fantastic publication Bird Watcher’s Digest.

“On a day like this, I can’t imagine anything better that might happen in a person’s life than for them to start paying attention to birds—to become aware of this magical world that exists all around us, unnoticed by many but totally captivating for those who know its secrets. This kind of spring day, with its bountiful myriads of colorful sprites just arrived from tropical shores, has to be one of the greatest gifts of life on Earth.” Kenn Kaufman, A Season on the Wind: Inside the World of Spring Migration

My People

Meeting Wendy got me thinking about all of the people I have met who have influenced my birding interests. Attending pre-Covid meetings and nature walks with local naturalist David Smith, who was recently featured on the cover of Prime Time Frederick, has taught me that anyone can be a naturalist, even if it is not part of your career. David is a wealth of information, which he gladly shares in a way that makes you want to learn it, and every discussion I have with him teaches me something new. While the meeting was quick and informal, meeting Bill Thompson III and Pete Dunne were influential, especially considering the large collection of books and magazines these two have had a hand in creating. It may be indirect influencing, but their words have soaked into my collective knowledge, and I am a better birder for having read their works. Spending a week at Hog Island Audubon Camp with Scott Weidensaul, Dr. Stephen Kress (founder of Project Puffin), and Dr. Sara Morris (head bander at the Appledore Island Migration Station, Professor of Biology and Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs at Canisius College in Buffalo, NY), along with the other amazing staff there, awakened a hidden desire to dive deeper into my ornithological studies.

“This season of life won’t necessarily afford me the pleasure of indulging in my wildest dreams.” The Next Right Thing Podcast

While going back to school is most likely out of the cards for me, I have increased my reading list, have taken a few online courses, and am exploring the natural world in a new way, not taking things at face value, but observing and questioning the “who, what, and why” much more than I ever have. This has led me to my own level of research in order to answer my questions and confirm my observations, and while it won’t be published or peer reviewed, it has increased my knowledge and my enjoyment of birding immensely. I have looked into getting the appropriate training and experience to become a licensed bird bander, but many of those training programs are reserved for those in career path that requires it, rather than at hobby naturalists such as myself. Each of these people, while perhaps not an ongoing direct relationship, have inspired, taught, and encouraged me in ways few others have. They are “my people”.

“For most of my life, most of my friends have been people keenly tuned in to the sprawling diversity of feathered creatures. These people not only notice that distant speck in the sky but also recognize it as a red-tailed hawk. These people miss the dialogue in a movie because they are so busy identifying the birdcalls dubbed into the soundtrack. These people are intensely aware, but aware in ways that can be unnerving for anyone else. These are my people.” Kenn Kaufman, A Season on the Wind: Inside the World of Spring Migration

“I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look, or the words, which laid the foundation. It was too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun.” Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice