In the beginning you went into wild places just to be in them. You saw birds and surprised yourself by learning their names.

But they weren’t the draw. Wilderness was. Birds were a bonus. Then things changed. Birds became a goal, especially spotting new ones.

When you saw, say, a rusty Wood Thrush with that loud spotted breast in the underbrush, you found out what it was.

Later when you saw a Swainson’s Thrush and knew it was NOT a Wood Thrush, but a cousin, you got a kick from knowing the difference.

You looked for more birds, adding new ones to your history in wild places.

Today, you go into the wild, especially during migration (like now) and still enjoy the kick. But you’re a two-fisted birdwatcher with a few miles on you.

You’ve seen the seasonal flows of tiny warblers. You remember bobolinks and meadowlarks before they got rare. You saw two kinds of tanagers, here from the tropics.

You chased Pileated Woodpeckers. And saw Bald Eagles make a comeback. You’ve seen grouse, grebes, woodcocks and owls, prehistoric kingfishers and leggy shorebirds with goofy names. You appreciate the arcane knowledge. But you’re giving it a rest.

You go into the wilds without a goal.

In the past, you might have thought: Gotta find a Yellow-headed Blackbird. Something new. You push yourself ‘til you do.

(And did).

But now, you’re also satisfied with the local Red-winged Blackbirds. Their raspy calls evoke a smile. You guys go way back.

Today, you’re more than a two-fisted birdwatcher. You’re a two-fisted rememberer. You relax and enjoy what’s there. That’s the goal now.

(Although you did hear of a Piping Plover making news. And it wasn’t all that far…)

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 22nd, 2025 at 9:35 am and is filed under "Daily Sightings" A Blog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.