The scenic habitat of numerous waterfowl, a marsh, is a birder’s delight. Looking past the occasional smell and legs aching from the hike, the enjoyment one may find in bird watching far outweighs any temporary discomfort. From these educating jaunts, doubling as pleasant exercise, I have collected a permanent, personal record of nature. Experienced firsthand, it is an experience no textbook nor documentary can emulate.
Walking toward Rocky Neck’s wetlands, I was quite a sight. Bedecked in binoculars, a bulky camera equipped with a telephoto lens slung cross-wise around my neck, I was sure to watch my step, lest I fall and sink into the muddy pools I stepped over. Thankfully, there is plenty of nature to distract a birder from the weight of their tools (among them: field guide, phone, and an outdoorsy Dad willing to make the trek).
The gorgeous warmth of Autumn provided the perfect background for cool lakes of gently flowing water, upon which floated my first find: the distinctive greater yellow longlegs. A whimsical little creature, pacing frantically across the shore, its energy is contrasted by the stately goose, serenely floating across the water.
Returning from the marsh, having seen all I could capture with a camera, I encountered a hollow banging noise overhead: the woodpecker’s hallmark. Whipping out my camera, the shutter already loaded (there is truly no time to lose here), I snapped a few photos before switching to my phone for a digital shot, hoping both came out with some semblance of focus. Thankfully, I was able to take quite a few.
Avian photography is a thrilling experience. When you first catch a glimpse of a goldfinch through your viewfinder, their rich plumes glimmering brilliantly yellow in the summer sun, you will begin to understand the allure.
As I headed out, feeling unusually content for a Sunday afternoon, my film full of ducks and other coastal dwellers, a streak of white blurred by. Begging my Dad to stop the car, which he dutifully did, I rushed out to catch the true winner of the day: a heron, the most elegant of all waterfowl. Perhaps struck by my presence, it posed, as if aware of its own refinement. A glamorous creature – elongated limbs the shade of snow, its curved neck a gently sloping S – it provided the perfect punctuation mark to conclude my lovely adventure.
