Bird Watching

David and I went to Hawk Mountain yesterday; one of David's favorite places to be. The hills (or, um, mountains) of the Appalachians make a perfect tunnel for migrating birds each year. So when the raptors from the North are deciding that their long underwear just isn't going to cut it, we observe them high tailing it to Mexico. The first time we went was two years ago. It had rained all that morning, and we decided to go on a whim. This "whim" turned out to be one of the more magical moments of David's life. We saw hawk after hawk soar right before our eyes. Red tailed, broad winged, kestrels, merlins, eagles, etc. We saw them all. Ever since that memorable day, we have been returning two or three times a year. However, none of our recent visits have quite measured up to the first. That could be due to our expectations being to high, or the rain that perpetually follows us where ever we go. In the several trips we've made to DC, it has rained all but one time. Sigh.

So we made our first trek to Hawk Mountain for the year. It is always surprising the kinds of people that we see up there. There's the typical old lady bird watcher, hiker with her binoculars swinging violently around her neck, you have to dodge so your head doesn't get lopped off. There's the young granola type crowd with hair that hasn't been washed in a few years, but always with stinkin' cute footwear. But then you get people you don't expect. Like the couple that had matching Harley-Davidson shirts, leather jackets, and bandanas. Not the typical people I would envision looking upward and outward for long periods of time. Then the teeny-boppers that look like they're on a date. Who brings a date to a bird watching site? Really. I mean, besides David.

While David was watching for raptors, I was watching the people around us. He alerts me when there's a hawk to see, so I don't miss much. It's a nice system.

The most entertaining group by far was a father and his four year old son. Their conversations went something like this:

"Dad. Dad. Dad."
"What?"
"I just held a bee in my hand, and it didn't even sting me."
"That is pretty cool."

Or

Boy: "Dad, dad, look there's spider."
Dad: "Yeah, I see it."
Boy: "Catch it Dad, catch it."
Dad: "No."
Boy: "Aw, c'mon dad, catch it, just really quick."
Dad: "No. What am I going to do with it?"
Boy: "Just let it go."
Dad: "Then why do I want to catch it?"
Boy: "Just catch it and let it go. Pleeeease."
Dad: "Pretend that I just caught it and let it go. Fast forward like 10 seconds. Zip. oh look I let it go and there it goes."
Boy: "Just catch it."

There's a hill off to the side of the mountain that the other bird watchers use for reference. This hill is called doughnut. Why? I have no idea. Neither did my little 4 year old friend.

Bird watcher: "A bird's approaching doughnut."
Boy: "What? Doughnut? Where's the doughnut dad?"
Dad: "It's that big hill out there. See it?"
Boy: "No, I don't see a doughnut. Where is it dad? Where's the doughnut?"
Dad: "I ate it."
Boy: Thinks for minute"No but really dad, where's the doughnut?"

Then there was a typical "I'm to good to be dwelling with the rest of you amateur bird watchers, but I am here to make your experience as painful as possible" type person. He was fun. He sat at the highest point of the peek, and gazed down at us with a nose that was alarmingly hawk-like, and criticize the other bird watchers and their speculations. There were times I wanted to point my binoculars at him and shout, "OH MY GOSH! The rare and exotic beak nosed hawk!" But then I was pretty sure David would never take me with him again if I did that. And I do so enjoy going.

The day was successful overall. We saw a few osprey, some eagles, some broadwings, and a merlin swooped down and dive bombed us. (It is my theory he was headed for beak nose, thinking him a threat) And I didn't do anything too embarrassing, so we might return in October. And that's when the leaves will be changing colors.