...And Today Just Happens to Be "One of Those Days"!

Serendipity and the Prepared Mind                   6 June 2013

Northern Saw-Whet Owl

The forest world is infused with mist, falling droplets of rain, an endless stream of rich and fragrant aromas.  I am wet from the chest all the way to the soles of my feet, and the water inside my boots makes strange sounds that cause me to look over my shoulder.  Up since 3AM, I am drawn into a corridor of bird song, wondering what luck I might have today.    Nearly a decade ago, I had a spectacular day afield that convinced me of an outdoor truth.  "We start every journey with doubt, but some days are destined to be great days...and sometimes that day is today."

Canada Warbler, female

Amid the din of falling raindrops letting go of waxy leaf tips, sound carries so well that I can hear birds singing nearly a quarter of a mile away.  My ears map the birds' forest realm, and, today, it seems nothing will escape my attention.   And it just so happens that I have stumbled upon a gem of forest habitat today, rich in birds and rich in diversity.  I have stumbled upon it, but my mind is sharp and prepared.  In an instant, I realize the significance of this place.

This is a wonderful time of year, a time to be immersed in the wild, to recover my soul, to live life in every breath, to contribute to ornithology in the ways I had imagined as a kid.

Northern Saw-Whet Owl with a touch of fill flash photography

All images were made with a Canon 40D and my old Canon 300mm F4L IS.  Images were made under a dark and overcast, rainy sky.  I shot at ISO 800.  Endangered Species Information is not public record, and one of the honors of working as a contract ornithologist is in keeping a good secret.  Cheers!