Bird Watching

July 2, 2020

Doing research is a lot like bird watching: I never know what will appear.
Both require hours of searching and a little bit of luck.

When I was a kid, a Fisheries biologist stayed at our cabin. He never went anywhere without his pouch containing his well-worn bird book, binoculars and notebook for his “life list.”

I’m more of a casual observer than an actual birder. However, his happiness at finally checking a golden eagle off his list while at the lake is something to which I can relate. That feeling of accomplishment, of satisfaction after years of searching…I know that well.

Research is full of excited highs and depressing lows, often in the span of an hour. The same can be said for bird watching.

Some answers come easy with very little effort. Similar to observing a bald eagle, a common sight at the lake.

Other information tidbits are unexpected…like an oriole perched on the side of a dangerously-tilting hummingbird feeder.

The most complicated are always the long sought after pieces of the research puzzle, the ones I begin to doubt I will ever discover. For this, I draw parallels to the hawk that I’ve only caught glimpses of for the past two summers, never gathering a true identity…

Research and bird watching are frustrating, yet still remain a rewarding pastime.