Everything sublime is as difficult as it is rare. Baruch Spinoza

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

A Place of Respite

Since I have lived here, my little piece of earth has been a resting place for these migrating birds. They come by the thousands, arriving in a swirl of calling and whooshing, they descend upon the trees to rest and refuel. Last evenings menu was a new hatching of gnats.

It gives me a sense of importance to be the place they come to year after year for their rest. I know it is silly, I have nothing to do with it, but I do enjoy having the place they seek. The noise is unbelievable. They call en masse and when they swoop it sounds like large waves breaking.

The birds spent about three hours among my trees and then, in an instant, they set to the sky in a flurry of wings and noise, heading south and someplace else to rest and refuel as they undertake their long journey to milder climate. Good journey, noisy ones. 







8 comments:

will said...

Once upon a time, the American sky was filled with birds. Your unique scene was common, alas, not so anymore. You are fortunate to witness such a wonderment of nature.

Sandra said...

Bill, I live along a migrator path, so I see lots of birds leaving and then returning, but never a flock the size this one always is. I can't get a close enough sight of them to identify what they are. I had the unbelievable experience in the spring os '10 to see a migration of trumpet swans, hundreds if not a thousand. I did not have my camera on hand and was reluctant to get it. I wanted to watch them. I have never before nor after seen such a thing. It was overwhelming to see so many of a bird once nearly extinct.

This urban born person is very happy on her little patch of country ground.

Ganeida said...

How lovely! We live on a mogratory route too, as you know, & it gives me such a thrill each & every time! ☺ Blessings, my friend. ♥

Lori Skoog said...

gazillions!

Elizabeth said...

Wow. That's intense.

Sandra said...

It really is quite amazing!

Denise Emanuel Clemen said...

Amazing! I don't think I've ever seen so many birds all at once.

Sandra said...

Denise, I used a wide angle lens, but could not even come close to capturing the magnitude of this!