Nature Blogging for 4 Years!

In early June of 2009 I made my very first post on this Blog. At that time I had no idea where the blog would lead me. About all I knew at the time was that I really enjoyed walking around the park and seeing deer without leaving the city! But what I found out by routinely visiting Palmer Lake Park is that there is an endless amount of things to learn about nature; from birds to mammals, insects, plants –and phenology which is the study of all of these things and how they are influenced by seasons and climate. Had I signed up for class or course in naturalism, I probably would have been overwhelmed by how much there was to learn. Instead I found that because I knew little to nothing about the subject, I wasn't afraid to make mistakes. And through what I call "slow and curious observation," I was realizing that I was learning something new every single time I visited the park! Sometimes these were very small things –something I might now take for granted– but was completely new to me at the time. And each of those small things continued to lead me to newer things still. My tools early on were a fairly inexpensive point-and-shoot camera, one field guide to Birds of Minnesota by Stan Tekela, and a cheap pair of binoculars. Though I've added to and upgraded my tools since then, the one most important tool I have is simply my own curiosity –and I doubt it will ever need to be upgraded or replaced. Even now after a solid 4 years of observing nature, I still feel an endless sense of exploration towards nature. What started out as simple walks around a city park has evolved into a full fledged passion for bird watching. And this year I completed my own "Big Month" in which I went out bird watching for a record 26 days in the month of May alone. Even in my travels now to other parts of the state –or other states, my first thought is "what kind of birds might I see there?" During a trip to Colorado this June I set my sights on finding an American Dipper –a truly unique song bird. I was lucky enough to observe and photograph one on the last day of our trip and it was probably the highlight of my entire year as far as my new hobby goes. Whether I'm observing nature in Minnesota or any other part of the world, I've found a passionate appreciation for wildlife and the natural world. I have Palmer Lake Park –a marsh in the middle of the city– to thank for showing me that. It will always be my favorite park. Finally here are a few photos to share from today; young goslings making their way through the new cattails watched over by their parents, A Hairy Woodpecker feeding preparing to feeds it's young inside a Boxelder tree, and a Great-crested Flycatcher spotted on the north end of the park.