Shall We Gather at the River?

About a year ago I visited my sister Margy in Battleground, Washington. She took me on a Sunday morning tour of a 'drive-thru' wildlife refuge that I cannot recall the name of today. As we listened to Fernando Ortega sing lovely hymns, which we softly sang along with, we observed the wildlife gathered at the river running through the refuge. I am a birdwatcher from Wayback (which state do you think Wayback is in?), and I was thrilled to see this Great Blue Heron waiting for me.

There were also Egrets in trees, along the bank of the river, and in grassy fields. What a blessing it is to know that on this gray, windy March day with the temperatures rising to more reasonable degrees (39), there is the hope of spring. There is the hope of warm, sunny days with blue skies and birds gathering at the river, the one we to which we will gather in several months!

I am so ready to plant little seeds and watch their little leafy heads pop up. Speaking of which there ARE Daffydowndilliles peeking out this morning in the east garden bed! Hallelujah!!

Bristle-Thighed Curlew?

I loved the vivid green colors of the mosses growing on lava rocks near the ocean on the Hawaiian coast near Kona when I accompanied my husband on a trip last March. All the small purple circles are tiny sea urchins holding tight to the rocks as the waves splashed in and out with the tides.

According to my Birds of North America field guide this was a Bristle-Thighed Curlew. A description follows: Winters on central Pacific islands (March was cold there!) Told from Wimbrel by contrast between bright-rusty rump and tail and someber brown back, note also the paler bill. Okay, you 'birders' out there, do you see the rust on the rump and tail? Do you see the pale bill? Would you consider the island of Hawaii a Pacific Island?