Up before dawn, I checked the battery in the camera, filled the water bottle and hit the road. It's a little under an hour from my door to the calmness of the Refuge, and at 6:30 a.m. the roads are never busy. Double bonus for waking up early!
I knew the hummingbirds were on the way north, but I didn't know what to expect today. As usual, I was not disappointed! My first sounds of the impending spring season: red-winged blackbirds! They have a song that's unmistakable, almost an off-key trill that, I admit, takes some getting used to. But hearing that greeting can mean two things: Spring is nearly here and more of my favorite birdies are not far behind.
I spent about an hour-and-a-half in the Refuge this morning driving around the lake, watching the fishermen cast their lines, earlier to rise than I am. Mostly, I was listening to the sounds of peace. Eight hours a day, five days a week, I am bombarded with noises from police and fire scanners, relaying bad news, tragedies and sometimes horrors I'd rather forget. And if it's not the scanners, it's the televisions tuned to local news where broadcasters share crime stats, money matters and education shortfalls. By Friday, my brain is begging for a break.
So today, with the blackbirds singing, cardinals chirping, even a hawk calling from someplace I could not see, I found some relief from the vitriol. I drove comfortably with the windows down, breeze in my hair, listening to those sweet sounds of nature. No obnoxious alarms going off, no worries that the next tone might be more bad news. Just simple chirps and the click of my camera. Bliss!
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| American Coots |
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| American Coots (they have crazy big feet, but I couldn't get a good pic) |
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| Mallard double date! |
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| Mallards |
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| Cedar Waxwings (one of the coolest looking birds around, IMO) |
CLICK HERE to check out more of my favorite birdie pics!
