Don's Jersey Birding: Holidays Bring a Time of Reflection for Birders


Birders have a spiritual connection to birds and the places they feel so passionate about, like Dekorte Park.
Photos courtesy of Marco Lips

by Don Torino

This past Sunday, I spent the day birding on my own. It was a rare Sunday for me, with no Bergen Audubon or family field trips on the schedule. Although my passion is leading nature walks and enjoying wildlife with friends, I do relish the chance to get out by myself once in a while to relax and enjoy the birds and whatever wildlife I happen to stumble upon. It was a beautiful clear crisp December morning. The puddles had a thin crust of ice that crunched beneath my feet just before they sank into the wet oak leaves, and the frosty winter air felt good on my face.

There is something about these kinds of mornings that helps one feel alive and linked to your surroundings. Birders have a very special connection with nature. No matter what religious beliefs you may or may not have, most birders have a “spiritual” tie to the places and the birds they feel so passionate about. The holiday season, at least in my mind, helps bring those connections together and grants us a special time to reflect on nature and our own lives.


The holidays are a great time for birders to reflect on the past year and the things we are thankful for, not on the struggles to come.

As mourning dove after mourning dove burst from the ground seeming to appear from nowhere, I smiled to myself and thought about all the great people I have had the opportunity to bird with over the years. Some are gone, some moved on, and some are now slowed down by age and find it harder to get out, especially on this kind of winter morning. But I am still very blessed to have a few of those great birding friends that make it a special time whenever we can get out together, no matter if we see birds or not. I am very thankful for them.

I spotted a bald eagle on this morning, a beautiful juvenile bird perched on a tree about a hundred yards away. I knew it saw me as soon as I walked into the clearing. I could never have imagined that the symbol of our country, once thought to be on its way to extinction, is back. Now the challenge for us is to make sure it stays and continues to thrive here in New Jersey.


The holidays are a wonderful time to get out and connect with nature.

Our conservation battles never seem to end, but this morning my mind was not on those struggles to come. Today was a day to remind myself how fortunate we are to have places like the Meadowlands and the Celery Farm close to home for all to enjoy, as well as the NJ Highlands and Pinelands. I’m very thankful for all the people that had the insight and vision to help save those magnificent places and those that continue to work hard for all of us.

As I headed back and my fingertips tingled from the cold, a barred owl flew from a giant oak, tired of being mobbed by an angry group of blue jays. It was a really wonderful sight. I felt complete and rejuvenated by my short outing, but that is what nature does for us. It heals us, allows us to look at who we truly are, and at the same time lifts our spirits. John Muir once said, “Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul.”

Take some time this holiday season to get out and connect with nature. It’s a wonderful time of year.


Don Torino is the Education Chairperson for Bergen County Audubon Society.   
 

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Posted by WILDNEWJERSEY at 12/20/2011 2:00 PM
Categories: Don's Jersey Birding
Tags: birding holidays winter bald eagle birders
 

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