Pub In The Park

For all interested parties I can now, after fifty five years of existence on this planet, testify to the wonders and fascination, even the addiction potential of bird watching. That’s right, you read it correctly, I’m a bird watcher and proud of it. It all started last summer when my best friend Delores talked me into going with her to Cape May, New Jersey. I shouldn’t say talked me into going, it sounded like a great vacation and I certainly needed one. A week in one of the beach hotels sounded just perfect. However, Delores has been a birder since just after her divorce when she was thirty three.

The divorce itself wasn’t responsible for her passion for birds it just allowed her the freedom to pursue it. She had actually wanted to watch birds from the time I knew her in college. Anyway, she had been to Cape May a few times and always remarked about what a great place for birding it was. I have to admit that I never really listened to her stories, nor did they make that much sense to me. When she told me statistics like over 400 bird species have been recorded in the area I tried to look interested but I’m sure a look of “so what” was more prominent on my face. So, to pacify me she told me that I could go diamond hunting while she watched the birds.

She didn’t really need to pacify me much, I was interested in going regardless of the 400 species of birds. And I did have a fun time looking for one of the Cape May diamonds, as they’re called. They’re really quartz pebbles that have washed down the Delaware River. I did find one and even had it polished up. It looks really pretty and I wear it attached to my birding binoculars that I also purchased on that trip. I’m telling you, once I got out and watched and learned a few of the species and their habits and visual cues I became a little obsessed with getting to know them. I know that sounds strange but it’s true. And so now I dare you. Spend one summer practicing the art of birding and I bet you’ll become obsessed with it as well. Really, I dare you.

Related posts:

1. Miami and the Everglades
2. Talking Birds in Florida