Hope is the thing with feathers . . .
Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune--without the words,
And never stops at all,
Emily Dickinson
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune--without the words,
And never stops at all,
Emily Dickinson
What it is that drives people to take an interest in the birds with whom we share our worlds varies from person to person. There is, of course, an obvious interest in the natural world and the subtle connections that link all forms of life to each other. There is, in addition, an element of beauty and grace in even the most ordinary and unwelcome of birds (have you looked closely at a Starling?). And there is in this world that increasingly operates independent of the cycles and rhythms of nature (at least in the ability to transcend those cycles and rhythms through international commerce and transportation), something elemental and fundamental, in an authentic sense, about observing those species that change their plumage seasonally, that migrate according to the natural calendar, and that court, mate, and raise their young in conformity to the requirements and needs of their species. Thus to observe the world, even when it is right outside our windows, can be an act affirming our own connection to the natural world and helping us develop a consciousness of how much we depend on it, and, moreover, how much it depends on us not to mess it up.
In the following two links I have posted some images of birds that have attracted my attention, not because the images are exceptional (they aren't) and not because I am an expert on birds (far from it), but simply to provide a small glimpse into the wonders of the world around us. One set of bird photographs was taken literally outside the windows to my office and home. Even without making an effort to hunt them down, I have been treated to sights of a flock of Cedar Waxwings raiding my trees, a Cooper's Hawk making a meal out a slower bird, Brown Thrashers, Downy Woodpeckers, Carolina Chickadees, and Blue Jays (and others) allowing me to watch as they feed and fledge their chicks. The second set comes from some of my travel beyond the backyard, though much of that travel was hardly to an exotic place. Finding birds requires looking around for them, no matter how far you travel.
In the following two links I have posted some images of birds that have attracted my attention, not because the images are exceptional (they aren't) and not because I am an expert on birds (far from it), but simply to provide a small glimpse into the wonders of the world around us. One set of bird photographs was taken literally outside the windows to my office and home. Even without making an effort to hunt them down, I have been treated to sights of a flock of Cedar Waxwings raiding my trees, a Cooper's Hawk making a meal out a slower bird, Brown Thrashers, Downy Woodpeckers, Carolina Chickadees, and Blue Jays (and others) allowing me to watch as they feed and fledge their chicks. The second set comes from some of my travel beyond the backyard, though much of that travel was hardly to an exotic place. Finding birds requires looking around for them, no matter how far you travel.
