A World of Birds

                                                         The Greater Ani-one of my most hoped for birds

The world of birds is a big one.  It requires a lot of research and study.  It can also cost a lot of money.  I did Panama on a budget because of my crazy September and October schedules.  I invested in the first week of Panama with a guided trek.  The rest I did on my own to Gamboa and Boquete. 

                                                        Any Ani makes me smile-Smooth-billed Ani

Often, while birding, birders will use different types of transportation. We'll get in that bus, plane, boat, canoe, train, van, or that random horse to get to where we need to be.  I sometimes question my sanity and why I do what I do.  As a kid, I was born with this insatiable curiosity about the greater world.  In some ways, I have sacrificed "better" things like a larger house for a place that allows us to afford a life of travel and exploration. 

                                                                         Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

Life, as I learned early on, does not wait. If you wait, it may be too late. There is so much regret out there.  So much.  "I wish I would have chosen this path."  One of my greatest teachers was my Grandpa.  He looked forward to retiring, but died shortly before he could do so.  I was in 9th grade remembering how much he was looking forward to those years.  From that point forward, I learned the most important lesson......Live now because NOW is the most precious time. 

                                                            Panama Flycatcher-tricky myiarchus group

I never chased birds but remembered studying them as a kid on Grandma Rohrer's shelf of encyclopedias. There I hid in the corner on that shaggy carpet studying all kinds of natural wonders. I found that I would always gravitate to two of those books.  

There was one with the dinosaurs and the one with the birds of paradise.  I always wondered if the vast and unexplored regions of the Amazon still had dinosaurs hidden inside of it. I was fascinated how people spoke different languages. And I dreamt about visiting those places in my Ranger Rick and Arizona Highway magazines.  

                                                                        Golden-fronted Greenlet

In college, I wished I had had money to buy a fancy expensive camera. One of my friends had an excellent one and always showed me her nature pics.  She had a knack for taking beautiful close up shots.  I just couldn't afford anything that nice. So I had to wait.... 

                                                                       Cocoa Woodcreeper

I never really knew anyone in my small town who thought like I did until I began traveling.  I'd finally come full circle when I actually met someone from my hometown who also loved travel.  It appeared I was hanging out in the wrong circles. 

                                                                        Buff-throated Saltator

When I read the Lord of the Rings series, I discovered that I was truly born into the "Shire" way of thinking and never really felt I belonged there. It saddened me to think that I would die there without really having lived. So many people had fear of the unknown. To this day, that irrational emotion lingers within me.  I have to push myself past it if I am going to learn more. Sometimes I need a friend to help push me past my fear. High elevations and long stretches of hot desert vistas are just a few of the things that can rattle my cage. It's not easy leaving our comfort zones. While "the too stupid" part is a bit harsh, the greater sentiment is found here in this quote below from "Lord of the Rings".  I often escaped into fantasy and science fiction during those teen years to avoid reality. And yet now, sometimes, I imagine my older self living in one of those old small homes in the forest along Port Sandy Bay Road on Lake Michigan.  There, I would have an office looking out at the lake with old wooden bookshelves full of bird guides. 

 -"I should like to save the Shire, if I could-though there have been times when I thought the inhabitants too stupid and dull for words, and have felt that an earthquake or an invasion of dragons might be good for them.  But I don't feel like that now. " -Samwise Gamgee

                                                                 Snowy-bellied Hummingbird

There comes that moment when you have to leave everything you know behind.  At first, it was a lonely and scary step forward, but once I did, there was no looking back.  

                                                                          Lesser Elaenia

For years, I explored nature and took pics of birds because I enjoyed them. I didn't know that it was called "birding".  But I did it.  I stayed at Ivan's in Gamboa, which at the time was a birder's bed and breakfast. He said to me, "You are a birder."  I looked at the scholars next to us at the table and wondered if he was right.  Then during one magical moment, I saw Lance-tailed Manakins displaying on a branch right next to my face on a secret island of primary rain forest.  My imagination lit up like it had when I first read about those Birds of Paradise in my Grandparent's dining room. At that moment, my interest in birds "sparked" dramatically. And the greatest adventure would begin. 

                                                                                 King Vulture

With that trip to Panama, I began to write for my blog Las Aventuras. And through that blog, I met Kathie Brown who became a mentor and friend to me.  She showed me structure and taught me technique in the field.  She introduced me to people....and Arizona birds. But most of all, she let me know that there were a lot of people out there who also took the "road not taken".  Somewhere in my 30's, I got lost. She helped me get back on track. By 38, I found myself yet again.  This time though, my passion for travel, nature and birds snapped into focus. If I ever went back to graduate school, I know what I'd study. And sparrows would be what I did my research on!

                                                                      Striated Heron

An older birder once told me while on the trails, "Enjoy these years.  The first two are the most exciting."  She wasn't wrong.  I thought to myself that all years would be exciting, and while they have been, it has changed. The more knowledge I obtain; the more focused I have become.  Zero'ing in on a bird is all about understanding its habits and habitats.  Accidental finds do happen often, but they aren't as exciting as when I first saw them.  

                                                               Spot-breasted Woodpecker

After thousands upon thousands of hours studying birds, I find myself more and more fascinated by it all. And I'm still learning.  The greatest challenge during this 10th year anniversary of focused birding brings me to one of sharper focus.  I would say the past decade has been carefree.  However, as I am getting older (as are the people around me), I have to be mindful of the limited time we have left together.  In fact, there isn't as much time as there was before.  There are physical limitations and there are careful choices I have to make.  When I go out with other birders, or hang out with family and friends, I am mindful that those precious moments we share together could be our last.  That is my next greatest challenge in birding.  

                                                                  Orange-fronted Parakeet

Panama was an excellent study.  I am thankful for the guides out in the field who take the time to teach and train my eyes to "their" birds.  When people ask me to guide, I hope I offer them some insight into "our" beautiful birds and that they learn something as well.  Over the next several weeks, we'll explore several states and revisit old friends.  Until next time.....