Friday, March 23, 2007, 12:48 am
Intersections
DUNCANVILLE, TEXAS — Wonders abound in the odd intersections between time and space. There are spectacles and mysteries, traces of the past, and hints of the myriad future. When we bird, we place ourselves into those intersections deliberately, hoping to delve just a little deeper into the universe.
A Golden-cheeked Warbler recently arrived on a hilltop in Texas. He is singing now, staking out a territory for the mate he hopes to win. He flits to the top of a juniper tree, tilts back his head, and releases a brief, complex melody.
Below him, birders named Mike and David emit stifled exclamations. Farther away, down in the riverbed, huge three-toed hollows are a trace of the dinosaurs that once roamed this land. There were no Golden-cheeked Warblers then.
And what when another era has passed, and again, there are no Golden-cheeked Warblers? Warblers do not leave their footprints in stone, and their songs fade quickly in turbulent air.
David J. Ringer
on 27 Dec 2007 at 2:01 am 1.Search and Serendipity: A Birder’s Blog » A Birder’s Year: January-April said …
[...] On the 22nd, Mike Bergin of 10,000 Birds joined me for a day of birding at Dinosaur Valley State Park. Our targets were Black-capped Vireo and the endangered Golden-cheeked Warbler. We heard male Golden-cheekeds on territory but had an awful time trying to see them. Finally though, we glimpsed a male singing through the cedar boughs. Mike even got a photo. The park is named for the many dinosaur tracks in the river bed, which we got to see. The juxtaposition of dinosaur tracks and a beautiful, endangered warbler left me feeling contemplative. [...]