January (Poetry + Photos)

Long-eared Owl

Last year, I made a goal to write a poem every month, inspired by that month. Most of them, like me, weave notes of:

• Nature, 
• Breath, 
• Body, and 
• Soul. 

This year, I'd like to share those poems with you. I'll pair them with photos I've taken during that particular month! 

Great Blue Heron

Winter's Glow

So here's January - 

A poem by me (Little Bird Nerd / Andrea Rose / @inbodiednature) 

January feels like a preview to spring, 

The moment of conception before the birth, 

Where every thought, 

Every breath, 

And every bird is new. 

Infant in time, 

Yet pregnant with possibility, 

January is fresh, intentional, slow, and gentle. 

It's the pause before an inhale, 

A yawning awakening, 

A chance to "start close in."

January looks both ways like the god it was named after, 

Two-headed Janus, 

Gazing both behind and before. 

We feel the echoes of last year's cycles 

As we emerge, stepping into white space, 

Good space, 

Sukha. 

January speaks the language of owls, 

And peers through a different lens. 

It's time to plot out our course 

And swivel our gaze, 

Awakening to the messages 

Which drift upon dreams. 

The blues which normally inhabit the sky 

Now wash their way down to earth, 

Setting the filter to cool. 

Like when we open our eyes 

After they've been closed for a while, 

And everything looks ultramarine. 

Outside we breathe smoke signals, 

Dancing proof of our own aliveness. 

We practice "Hygge" as the Norwegians say, 

Opening our arms to change, 

Embracing our power,

We spark warmth underneath our chilling bones. 

This winter fire fuels intention, 

A braid of head, heart, and hands.

There's power in the collective now, 

A quiet trust in the resetting of things. 

With ritual, presence, and contentment, 

Movement forth becomes our medicine. 

We cross the bridge from reflection to projection, 

Turn, turn, turning the wheel once again.

Tracks

American Robin

Winter Wren

Wintery Marsh Vibes

Red Squirrel

An Icy Winter Sunset

Winter's Quiet Power

grAttitude

I just listened to the most recent episode of the "Ologies" podcast with Alie Ward (I highly recommend; each episode is a spirited interview with a different specialist or "ologist"). 

This particular episode was called "Awesomeology - Gratitude for Little Things," so of course, it spoke to me. The interview was with Neil Pasricha, who said so many things I Loved; but I was most tickled when he listed some of the top ways to increase your sense of happiness. The first three of four things happened to be some of my favorite things: journaling, walking through the woods, and moving your body (the fourth thing was singing - especially in groups).

It comes as no surprise to me that walking through the woods and observing nature is such a recognized pathway to gratitude and contentment. The very essence of woods-walking implies a pathway, a journey, a sensory-filled, continuous moment with no need for an end. Here, we decompress. We step away from screens and the illusion that we always need to be multi-tasking. Among the birds and in the trees, we find gratitude in recognizing seasons, checkpoints, the familiar and the unfamiliar. We delight in noticing something growing, changing, glowing, or behaving beautifully in front of our eyes. We soak up the pull of the earth and the aroma of the trees, which result in true physiological changes in us.

I know this. If you're like me, you know this. And if you don't know this, go try it out for yourself. On the regular. You'll find that the more you do, the less power those imperfect or painful or anxiety-provoking things will have over your perception.

Here are a few snapshots from my various woods-walking excursions throughout 2020. These were all moments where the past and future dropped away, and I felt my mantra clearly ringing through me, "There is no moment more important than this one." These are times where the beauty filling my senses meant more than the worries clouding the back of my mind. These are the things that allowed me to decide that 2020 was not a "dumpster fire" or a waste of a year, as the media would have us believe. These are my little things. My focus. My practice of seeking good and finding it. Every time.

"Dustin" (the tree)

Acorn Woodpeckers

Allen's Hummingbird

Cooper's Hawk [W] v. Northern Flicker [L]

Red Trillium

Nature is the window to the soul...

Hooded Warbler, one of my fav birds

Best pic yet of an Ovenbird

Palm Warbler

Blanding's Turtle

Snowberry Clearwing Moth! lifer

Bald Eagle adult

Bald Eagle juvie

Red Crossbills (lifers!)

Oh, and one more thing - a few gem suggestions from Neil Pasricha and that "Ologies" podcast, just in case you're interested in implementing that journaling practice 😉:

• Try playing a game of "rose, rose, thorn, bud" (either with yourself or out loud, with someone you live with), where you list something you're grateful for, or a bright spot to your day; then another; then something that disappointed you today; and finally, something you're looking forward to.
• Try a daily practice of waking up and right away thinking or journaling three things:
• I will let go of...
• I am grateful for...
• I will focus on...

Behind the Lens: A Birder Interview with Paul Poronto

I am so excited to bring back my "Behind the Lens" birder interviews, because, as birders, we so often focus on the birds but forget to highlight the amazing people behind the scenes!

Although I've only ever existed in the one birding community where I live, I have a strong hunch it's a diamond in the rough (in terms of participation levels, friendliness, communication between birders, the willingness to teach and learn from each other, etc.). It's like we're one big, extended, and now socially-distanced (😜) family who come together with the arrival of great birds.

My next guest, Paul Poronto, was one of my first "birding family" members and mentors. He's done everything from showing me magic on my first ever trip to Tawas/Kirtland Warblers; to selling or donating some of his birding gear to me at ridiculously low prices; to driving me around on Christmas Bird Counts; to giving me great birding advice (like checking farm fields right after a fresh snow for Snow Buntings and Lapland Longspurs; or looking for Vesper Sparrows in isolated trees in the middle of farm fields). 

Dickcissel by Paul Poronto

Paul has a blog of his own, where you can read about his birding adventures and peep his mad photography skills. Check it out later at porontosbirdingmacomb.com (tried to insert hyperlink and having issues, so just copy paste please!).

So let's get into our interview...

LBN: So, Paul, how long have you been birding?

PP: Since 1974. 46 years as of 2020.

LBN: Wow! That is a lifelong passion if I've ever seen one! How did you get into it/did you have a spark bird that ignited this passion?

PP: My interest in birds began when I was 7 years old in 1974. My friend and neighbor, Mick, and I watched Common Grackles walking on the lawn one sunny July day and noticed this beautiful blue iridescence on their feathers. We thought they were Bluebirds, but his dad corrected us. He had a guide called "Birds of North America," by Robin S. Chandlers, and he showed us that it was a Common Grackle. We used that book to identify all the birds in our yard, then in the woods down the street. When I was 13 years old, Mick's dad took Mick and I to Point Pelee. I was hooked. Mick and I still bird together.

LBN: I Love that your spark bird was a Common Grackle. So many people don't give that bird enough credit for its beauty. I also find it AMAZING that you and Mick are still birding buds. That's so cool! Alright, moving on, I happen to know you take excellent photos, so what advice can you share on photographing birds?

PP: I began photographing birds because I wanted to document the rare or uncommon birds I saw. However, I found photographing birds actually made me a better birder. I spent more time stalking the birds and studying their behavior. I paid more attention to the habitats, especially if I was targeting a specific species I wanted to photograph. The greatest thing about photographing a bird is that I forever have a visual record of that moment I saw it. Years may pass and memories fade, but the moment I look at a photo, I am taken back in time to that special moment I photographed it. It takes lots of practice to become a good photographer and reading and studying on technique. I spent hours reading blog posts and articles and then going out into the field and trying to duplicate what the really good photographers were doing. Yes, I am a freak about sharp images. New photographers must understand the exposure triangle: aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. Understand these principles and keep the sun at your back and you are on your way to taking great photos!

Ivory Gull by Paul Poronto (probably the rarest bird I've ever seen)

LBN: Those are really good points! Although my photography skills and experience are no match for yours, I can totally concur about how photos help with memory, ID skills, and overall learning. So, speaking of learning, let's talk about you as a teacher! What do you like most about being a birding mentor? Best advice for new birders?

PP: My greatest joy is seeing new people get into birding, and I love helping them out. It was very difficult in my early 20’s because many birders would not help you out if you were young. I hated their attitudes. One day I met Tom Heatley on the trail at Lake St. Clair, and walked with him. He was extremely knowledgeable and mentored me as we birded together many times over the years. Same with Rick Simek, a naturalist at Lake St. Clair Metropark. I swore to myself that if I ever got a chance when I was older, I was going to help every new birder who wanted the help. I started my blog for that reason - to show people where to go to find good birds. This was back before eBird took off, and so many people have told me how helpful it was to them. That is an awesome feeling. I slacked off on my blog over the last year as I took care of my father, but will be posting to it full-time in 2021. My best advice to new birders is take the time to learn. Get a good field guide and when you see birds, make notes on their features. Size, bill, shape, behavior, habitat, etc. My saying I like to use is “if you want to be a better birder, bird with better birders.” It's so important to be around experienced people.

Pomarine Jaeger (a real pirate) by Paul Poronto

LBN: Wise words, indeed. It's great how there are so many digital tools and online communities that help people confirm their bird IDs, but I agree that putting in your own research is key; using pen and paper, hardcopy texts, and your own observations, photos, and insights to not only know what you saw, but to know why you think it was that bird vs. some other bird. So let's talk birding during the pandemic - what are your thoughts on birding in these times?

PP: I have loved birding during the pandemic because I feel safe. I have been in healthcare as an RN for 25 years and this pandemic is real. I showed my wife a photo the other day that our birding friend, Leslie, took of several birders standing along the road looking for Red Crossbills at Stony Creek. They were all 6-8 feet apart and I couldn’t be prouder of my birding community for taking their health and the health of others seriously. Love this community so much!

LBN: Ah, yes, I was there too, and I felt the same joy standing with my birding friends.

Birders, Socially Distanced by Leslie Read

LBN: Now I want to go a little deeper, because these are the kinds of questions that really get at the heart of birding for me. Has birding ever gotten you thru any tough times? If so, how?

PP: Such a great question. Life is full of ups and downs: stress from work, marital issues, problems with your children, financial burdens, building a career or even finding one… I could go on and on. Once I step out into the woods, I am at peace. It is my Zen. Leave it all behind and become one with my environment. Its great to bird with friends, but doing it alone is my favorite time. It reenergizes my spirit.

LBN: I could literally not. agree. more. 👏👏👏 Time for my favorite question - what's the biggest lesson you've learned either from the birds or from Nature?

PP: I have never interfered with what I see in nature; never tried to stop a Cooper’s Hawk from grabbing a sparrow, or stop a hawk from grabbing a rabbit. It’s the same in our lives. I don’t interfere in other people’s lives. We all have to make our own choices and I respect that about people just like I respect nature. I don’t let peoples' choices effect how I treat them. 

LBN: Those are great policies, Paul. Alright, let's end on a light note. Do you have a favorite bird? And if you were a bird, what would you be and why?

PP: I do not have a favorite bird. I love them all. The warbler and sparrow families are my favorites though. And as for what bird I'd be? I'd say A Golden Eagle. I would love to soar and hunt for food. I have spent many hours watching them in Colorado, and they look like they have the best life.

LBN: Well, thank you, Paul! I'm sure I'll see you around on the trails soon. 

Snowy Plover by Paul Poronto (who is also the one who found this rarity at Stony Creek!)

I'll leave you with a few last thoughts about Paul, from my personal experience: 

• He has a dry sense of humor and quite the sarcastic streak. 
• He has strong opinions but open ears for others'. 
• As he explained above, he's a huge advocate for helping others in their birding journeys while encouraging them to do their own research and grow their birding skills. 
• He's always talking about his wife and 3 kids, with a mixture of gratitude, warmth, pride, or concern for their wellbeing. 
• His stories about the past are often hilarious.
• He's just one of those people who, when I see him on the trails, I light up. I look forward to either our lighthearted teasing and joking, or sometimes, that digging deeper to the heart of things, the sometimes dark things, the real things people talk about in between birds...

Me manning Paul's Jeep when we "weren't stuck" in snow

Paul shows up and toughs it out in all conditions

Winged Verse - Cardinal

So, I recently made a post on my Facebook page (click here to follow!) asking for suggestions of birds you'd like me to turn into poems. As the post states, these prompts could come simply in the form of the bird name, or they could be more specific, including a photo, a characteristic, a memory, or a specific vibe you'd like me to capture. I work well with prompts, and I need your help! So send me your ideas through my Facebook page, and I'll get to work writing more "winged verse".

This project of turning birds into words is part of my longing these days to weave everything together, all my Loves in one place. I have always had the heart of a poet, the urge to turn words into art. And, of course, I Love birds. Thus, this idea was born.

My first poem comes from a request by Diane Dossin, who included this photo and a few supporting details

Diane Dossin: Cardinal that visits when I sit on my screen porch. My father died this summer (age 95); I like to think he's keeping me company via that brilliant bird. 

I sat out in the woods to write this one, with Diane's words and photo in mind. Here is what came out!

Winged Verse - Cardinal

Before you passed, I asked for a sign

How to know you were with me

Once your body was gone.

I sat on the porch,

Cup of tea in hand,

And waited for that sign to come.

It didn't take long for me to know.

I sensed it first by ear.

A metallic chirp, 

A cheerful tone,

As if to say, "Hey! Over here!"

His feathers were brilliant in the morning sun,

Eyes masked with a hint of mystery.

He sat there perched, on fire and curious,

Watching me as I sat watching him.

We stayed like this, eyes locked for a while,

As I finished that slow cup of tea.

And once I took that final sip

He took flight, whisking away.

I smiled, setting down my empty cup.

My heart full, radiant and red.

I knew already that'd be our sign,

I felt it in all of me.

~

After you passed, there was a void

Were you still with me, 

Now that your body was gone?

For days I cried and got lost in the pain

In a sea with no land and no anchor.

Until one morning I returned to my porch,

A warm cup of tea in hand.

It didn't take long for my fears to dry,

As my sign reappeared once again.

Northern Cardinal,

Father Spirit,

North Star,

My Guide.

Every day now he comes to me.

With the same cheerful, tinny hello.

Those brilliant reds,

That patient gaze,

Each morning a grateful return.

I take longer and longer to finish my tea,

Delaying the moment he flashes away

But whenever I finish and set my cup down,

I smile, knowing you never left.

Origins and Stories

It's been a while since I've posted (a while being a bit of an understatement), and for that I apologize. I'm also kind of apologizing to myself, for while I always find time to attend to my professional writing endeavors, this project, my personal project, falls to the side.

I spent quite a while (like way too long) considering what my next topic should be:

• End-of-year recap for 2017?
• New birds seen in 2018?
• Birder interview?
• Update on my nature photo journal?

I tossed ideas back and forth, even starting a few drafts, but would inevitably sidetrack and abandon each attempt. After a whole bunch of this, I realized I was spending way too much time worrying about what to write instead of just writing (which seems to be a classic writers' problem, doesn't it🤣).

When I loosened my grip on the outcome, the topic finally came.

When, why and how did I become a birder?

I've always appreciated birds, but until a few years ago I didn't know much about them: how many species we have locally, what they're named, how they sound - you get the gist. I was a nature lover but not yet a bona fide bird nerd.

That all began to change the first time I saw a Cedar Waxwing, a Rose-breasted Grosbeak, then other birds I'd never seen before. I wondered,

    How could I coexist with such beautiful creatures and not even know they're there?

    Is it possible to find them again? 

    And, What else is out there for me to discover?

Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum)

Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus)
Don't judge the lack of rosy breast; this is a female and she's beautiful in her own right😁

After seeing these birds and asking these questions, I embarked on a mission to pay more attention. I searched more so I found more; noticed more, so I discovered more. I bought my first field guide (a Peterson if you're curious) and started making little check marks next to the birds I saw - my first official Life List.

I took the next step in my birding journey during summer of 2014; but not without help. You see, there's this magical thing about my partner, Jason, where he seems to always lead me toward the things I cherish most. It's never in a forced way but more like a soft nudge in the right direction. It's like he sees sparks in me that I don't see, and helps me find substance upon which to ignite my inner fire.

In this case, we found that substance at Red Oaks Nature Center during a seminar on how to use eBird. Jason was the one who discovered the event and suggested we go. I remember that night vividly, sitting at Red Oaks learning about eBird; savoring corny "birder jokes" I didn't yet understand, because I knew someday I would. I was excited and intrigued to learn about this new way to track my sightings and learn more about the birds around me. In case you don't know, eBird is an online birding community created by Cornell Lab of Ornithology to collect sightings from birders all across the globe. Anyone can use it to record sightings, search for birds nearby, look at historical data, and access articles and other resources (click here to set up your own eBird account!).

♥ Jason hand-feeding a White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) ♥

I opened my eBird account that summer and haven't stopped birding since (and I mean that pretty literally. I'm basically always birding except when I'm inside with no windows, thinking about birds 🤣). This passion of mine is so pervasive and persistent, it's hard to believe it started just a few years back - but it's true. What was once a vague inkling now has life of its own, and guides me through my days.

Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) on Jason's hand. Life is good.

This seems like a good time to mention one last thing. I recently uncovered stacks and stacks of my old diaries. While reading through them, I was surprised to find so many references to birds. I'd forgotten how long ago my appreciation for them started, stretching way back into childhood. Those days, I didn't know the science nor specifics of birds, but the Love was clearly there. I wrote about birds with a sense of admiration and awe I still feel today. It was within a loving space those early seeds took hold; then much later, and again fueled by Love, my passion for birds would blossom.

Here's a few photos of those old diary pages, in order from oldest to most recent:

Age 6

Age 6 (I'm thinking this is a Cardinal and a
Canada Goose but can't be certain)

Age 13 (I'm impressed with this one, and some day need to figure out what birds these were)

Age 13

Age 14

Age 21

Age 23 (Okay, so this one isn't very accurate
in terms of  bird migration timing, but hey, you get the point 🤣)

And one year after this last note, I sat inside Red Oaks Nature Center, becoming a bona fide birder.

Happy birding!! (')< ♫
Love,
Little Bird Nerd