Short and Sweet

Yesterday was marked by a persistent cool breeze. Not the kind of day for aimless wandering in the open fields. My brother and long time birding partner was in town from Ohio, and his 5th grade daughter Sophi is a beginning birder. We decided to bird by car instead of freezing ourselves in the April chill.

First stop was the Black Necked Stilt by Orchard Road in Montgomery. They had both seen stilts in Florida or some other trip, but it was still a treat. Sophi added Shovelers to her life list along with greater yellowlegs, and we move on.

Taking Jericho Road west from Orchard, we happened upon a giant fluddle where pi

ntail and green-winged teal were some of the best birds. A pair of gadwall was muddling about in the shallow water as well. The heat rising off the tilled farm land made everything look a bit like a mirage. A coyote skulked along the shoreline, its shoulders raised like a hyena. The ducks took little notice. 

We moved on to Denny Lake north of Sugar Grove where we hoped to find yellow-headed blackbirds. This used to be one of the few locations where the birds

 could be found in northern Illinois, but I have not seen them here in the last 4-5 years. It was pretty quiet save for some ruddy ducks that Sophi found amusing to look at through the scope.

Our final destination was Nelson Lake Marsh. From the viewing platform Sophi saw her first ever Horned Grebe, a beautiful spring plumage bird hanging out within easy viewing from the east side platform. It was an active bird, diving constantly to feed, but we all got good looks.

Then my brother noted the call of a purple martin. One might expect tree swallows this time of year, but purple martin? A scout, my brother told me. The ideal time to put up a martin house, when the advance troops are looking for nesting spots.

We wrapped up quickly because young Sophi was pretty cold. But her enthusiasm and methodical notes about new bird species brought back many memories of starting out as a birder. I guess the "sport" of birding or whatever you want to call it can be passed along. It still takes a certain interest and appreciation of nature

. I've shown people the most amazing birds, but they take no interest. By contrast, I have led groups of novices into the field and watched transformations happen right there on the spot. It's like people's senses awaken when they see a scarlet tanager or a rose-breasted grosbeak for the first time. Really, it's like seeing the world for the first time for some people.

I used to lead a lot more trips at Nelson Lake, and once took a group of church members on a Sunday morning walk in May. The warblers by then were largely quiet, but we found thrushes and cedar waxwings and a cooperative osprey flew over. It's a bit tough to communicate the wonders of nature without making reference to God's creation when you're leading a church group, but I resisted the temptation to make too many connections. I believe nature is its own, random wonder. I see rhythms of destruction and renewal, life and death, and yes, even resurrections of a sort. The prairie burns and new green grass comes along a few weeks 

later. One creature dies so that another may live. Night falls and day awakens. These are the rhythms of creation. The Bible relies on many organic images to convey its spiritual truths. In my book "The Genesis Fix" I call these underlying natural metaphors "organic fundamentalism." That is, nature is the principle way spiritual truths are communicated in the Bible. 

It is Easter Sunday as I write this. Off to church we go to hear about the miracles of Christian faith. But those of us who make a habit of getting out in nature have our own opinions of what miracles may be, and what renewal has to do with our souls. 

That has been one of the reasons I go afield, and why Nelson Lake is a special place to me. There have been visits both short (like today) and long (sometimes hours...) and over the years these form a continuum of sustenance for the soul.