Back to the 'Bend With No Binocs
During another bout of cold/allergies/something that takes my voice away and gives me a cough, I was privileged to go out around the Riverbend Retreat lake in the rain.
I've backslidden recently. I had thought once of bringing my binoculars, but didn't think of it again until the cold drops slid down my arms and a flock of dark birds with white sides on their tails fluttered further away. A flock of ducks fluttered off the far side of the lake as we approached it.
I was sharing an umbrella--not quite the ideal birding situation, just perfect to augment the gray light and lack of optics. I still don't know what those little dark birds were, but there were lots of them; it seemed like I should recognize their voices, but I didn't. I got more than a little wet sneaking around umbrellaless to see them more closely. Soon we all succumbed to the weather and went inside to discuss "relationships."
The rest of the day improved; chickadees called from the trees, a Ruby-crowned Kinglet hopped around in the tree outside the window. I returned to the dramatic overlook which figures so highly in memory from four years ago, when I spent a couple days at Riverbend on singers' tour. It offers a stunning view of the river, complete with trees and far-reaching farmland with circular hay bales. As I did not note the first time I was there, a vulture patrolled the trees on the bottom side of the circle of life.
As we left the retreat center hours later, the sun shone cheerfully upon us as vultures and red-tails danced in the sky above.
I've backslidden recently. I had thought once of bringing my binoculars, but didn't think of it again until the cold drops slid down my arms and a flock of dark birds with white sides on their tails fluttered further away. A flock of ducks fluttered off the far side of the lake as we approached it.
I was sharing an umbrella--not quite the ideal birding situation, just perfect to augment the gray light and lack of optics. I still don't know what those little dark birds were, but there were lots of them; it seemed like I should recognize their voices, but I didn't. I got more than a little wet sneaking around umbrellaless to see them more closely. Soon we all succumbed to the weather and went inside to discuss "relationships."
The rest of the day improved; chickadees called from the trees, a Ruby-crowned Kinglet hopped around in the tree outside the window. I returned to the dramatic overlook which figures so highly in memory from four years ago, when I spent a couple days at Riverbend on singers' tour. It offers a stunning view of the river, complete with trees and far-reaching farmland with circular hay bales. As I did not note the first time I was there, a vulture patrolled the trees on the bottom side of the circle of life.
As we left the retreat center hours later, the sun shone cheerfully upon us as vultures and red-tails danced in the sky above.
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