by Leah Dittberner
The most
valuable wilderness skill that I have picked up in the last six months, is that of
listening, specifically from my time spent birding. The ability to hear and
place the melodic calls of birds has opened an entire world to me, and has
given me a greater appreciation for all living things. Listening to
the birds has helped me to realize that everything in nature has a place, has a
home, and a unique set of behaviors that make it special and significant. This
skill is especially important at this time of year when the trees are beginning
to leaf out, making wood warblers hard to spot!
In my brief
time at area boat landings conducting Clean Boats, Clean Waters surveys, my
ears have helped me observe where the Baltimore Orioles like to hang out at Van
Vliet Lake, where the Brown Thrasher at the Big Lake landing likes to forage in
the brush, and has even allowed me to catch a few snippets of the Brown
Creeper’s tinkling song when I am lucky.
In our fast
paced, motor-run world that often drowns out the sounds of nature, it is easy
to forget about the rest of the creatures, plants, and organisms that also call
this planet home. However, delighting in the mysterious language of birds can
help remind us that we are but one species in a vast sea of biodiversity on
this planet.
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| Chestnut-sided Warbler in the Maples by Leah Dittberner 5/30/2014 |
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