BIRDWATCHING 102

At the risk of being a little repetitious I’m going to tell you all about another event sponsored by the Delaware Dunlins youth bird watching organization. I wrote about an event back in November which was excellent in every way. Today’s event exceeded that first one in several ways and was not so hot (literally) in one other. To get the bad part out of the way, it was wicked cold. Okay.

Today’s event was held at the Conowingo Dam in North Eastern Maryland on the Susquehanna River. Our guide was Derek Stoner who was ably assisted by several other adults. A large group of youngsters accompanied by parents and grandparents were in attendance and judging from the oohs and ahs I’d say everyone had a great time. Conowingo is THE place to view American Bald Eagles in the Eastern US. Today it was probably the best place in the world. We saw well over a hundred of the magnificent birds in all stages of their development except for babies. They flew, they perched and they fished. They lined up in the power station towers and on the rocks along the river. They swooped over our heads and sat in trees close by. It was a marvelous sight and the kids (including this sixty-two year old kid) were delighted.

But there was more. Great Blue Herons, thirty three of them, lined up along a rocky ridge. Vultures, including American Black Vultures, mingled with the eagles and the gulls. And there were several types of gulls represented including the large Black Backed variety. When the dam gates were raised and the river level went up by several feet the birds were all over the water in the hunt for the fish that came through. Nature provides shows for free that can’t be matched by any electronic medium. My grandson and his mother, who happens to be my daughter, shared some moments that far too many folks never experience. They will enjoy these memories and tell stories of these days long into the future.

Now let me repeat myself a little bit about Derek Stoner and his colleagues who are so involved in the youth birding activities. These folks care about Nature in ways that many so called ecological advocates can’t begin to emulate. Derek and his friends are hands on naturalists who seem to believe that the way to protect the environment in all its facets is to get out there and experience and learn about it. Then they introduce other people, young and old, to the joys that surround us in the Natural world. A person who has experienced a great day of observing how Nature works is much more likely to be an intelligent supporter of environmental causes. Today we saw one of the wonders of Nature next to one of the wonders created by people, a massive hydro-electric facility. There are ways to make it all work together. The kids out there on this cold afternoon learned more than they’re likely to learn in any classroom. And it’s because Derek and his associates don’t just care about Nature, they care about kids. And they care about the future that these kids represent.

So if you ever want to enjoy a really fine time in the outdoors, even if you don’t think you’d care to be a bird watcher, get hooked up with a group like the Delaware Dunlins. They’ll show you how exciting bird watching really is. You’ll meet some fascinating and very knowledgeable people of all ages. And you’ll share experiences that will live with you for the rest of your life.

And you’ll have a fine day.