On a recent weekend afternoon I took off to my favorite local birding spot, The Wilds, to clear my head and to try a bit of digiscoping. Well, it was too windy to digiscope--neither the birds nor my spotting scope would sit still in the lusty wind gusts. But the wind did help me clear my head, and that was pleasingly refreshing.There are a few bird watching spots that I have enjoyed revisiting over the years. They give me comfort, like an old friend with whom you connect so solidly that there's no need for re-establishing your relationship, you simply pick up right where you left off. There are a handful of places near our home here in southeastern Ohio where I find myself returning, seeking birds. But the feeling of being at home with the universe, the cosmos, life in general, or just with myself is still present at these places, even when the birds seem to be elsewhere. These are my soul spots.
And so it was on my recent trip to one of my soul spots at The Wilds. Not many birds, and those that were there were uncooperative subjects for digiscoping. Still, it felt great to be there. Smelling the ozone on the wind. Hearing the tinkling songs of the distant horned larks. Watching the sun retreat into its home beyond the western horizon.
I found myself staring at this solitary tree off to the north, making its way in the world, despite the long odds.
Sometimes it's perfectly fine when the birds don't cooperate.
The Song in My Head tonight is
When Stars Go Blue
by Ryan Adams
When Stars Go Blue
by Ryan Adams
2 comments:
Ben going to the area since '67 or so.
Long before it was The Wilds.
Still make a few trips over the winter and 1-2 in the summer.
Raptor numbers sure are low this year though.
thought you might be interested in the Audubon show at the New-York Historical Society
From: NEW-YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Central Park West and 77th Street
New York, NY
Contact: Rubenstein Communications, Inc.
Marisa Wayne (212) 843-9216 mwayne@rubenstein.com
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Request for Coverage – Press Preview
AUDUBON’S AVIARY RETURNS TO NEW-YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY IN ANNUAL RITE OF SPRING
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2006 flock of 40 rarely viewed Audubons – not to be seen again until 2016– to appear at Historical Society’s “virtual aviary,” featuring soundscape of bird calls
A flock of 40 Audubon’s original and fragile watercolors – along with four newly discovered 16th century avian watercolors by the French illustrator Pierre Eskrich – will be featured in a surround-sound of chirping bird-calls as part of an urban- aviary experience at the New-York Historical Society’s, “Audubon’s Aviary,” which previews Thursday, March 16 at 10 AM to 12 PM at 170 Central Park West at 77th St.
Available for interview will be N-YHS President Louise Mirrer and curator Roberta Olson.
An interactive use of “four dimensional sound” created by Cornell University’s ornithology program will fill the exhibit space with sounds of birdcalls.
Created circa 1554, the Eskrich watercolors were recently uncovered at the N-YHS and include the Male and Female Brambling, Falcon, Northern Bald Ibis, and Male Pheasant.
Due to their fragility, the 435 complete set of original Audubon watercolors has its own natural migration. Each year a flock of 40 makes its appearance. Bird lovers can view the entire collection over ten-years.
DATE: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16
TIME: 10 AM – NOON
PLACE: NEW-YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY
170 CENTRAL PARK WEST (AT 77 ST.)
*Please RSVP to Alex Flax to 212-843-9315*
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