On Wednesday, February 11, I was assisting BLM geologists in the field when I witnessed a marvelous behavior: the male Anna’s hummingbird courtship display. The tiny bird, less than four inches in size, would hover over a burned manzanita bush then quickly ascend into the air, rising at least 50 feet, and possibly quite more according to bird guides. When he reached altitude, he would pause, then dive in a dramatic, arcing fashion. The speed was tremendous for something so small. At the very bottom of his arc, he would emit a loud ‘squeak!’ which I learned is made by his tail feathers – I still do not understand the mechanics of the sound. Then he would return to hover above the shrub before repeating the cycle. This was one of those wonderful moments when I realize how little I know and see everyday in the world around me, and it was awesome to witness just this one special action.
On a similar note, on Tuesday, February 10, I was hiking for work in the Sacramento River Bend Outstanding Natural Area when I heard an echo of history: sandhill cranes trumpeting to each other as they flew overhead. Even from a great distance, these are magnificent birds, and I wish every visit to the Bend could be accompanied by their bugling call.
For more information about Anna’s Hummingbird or the Sandhill Crane, visit the embedded links or search for The Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Have a happy Friday the Thirteenth, Valentine’s Day (may your courtship dances be seen and your bugles be heard!), and weekend!
A clairvoyant gift from my parents when they visited in November; they must have known I would be smitten with hummingbirds!
When our plan to see American Sniper was foiled by a sold out show, we decided to see Birdman instead. I had been on the fence about seeing it, but given the situation, and in light of its Oscar nomination, I was willing to try.
The movie is strange from start to finish. Surreal moments of telekinesis and imagined movie plots are woven into the larger movie fabric, leaving you to ask: did that really happen? With movies such as Beasts of the Southern Wild, this approach has left me feeling disconnected and confused, but this time, I left the theater feeling mostly entertained and like I “got it” a bit more.*
Another feature of the movie that set it apart from many others I have seen was the camera work: the angle and movement gave the impression that you were on the set, another actor/professional in the theater. I enjoyed moving through the backstage labyrinth of the theater in this way, and it felt right given the strangeness of the movie.
My overall impression of Birdman was it presented the driving desire to be recognized and special in a world where we are mostly irrelevant and unknown. It literally gave voice to the ego of the main character, and who hasn’t experienced a nagging voice in their head? I also appreciated the diversity of the relationships between the characters; they were all over the map. I’ll be thinking about this movie for days to come, and though it does not make my all-time favorites list, I am glad I saw it.
*I think this was partly to do with having watched Birdman in the theater where there were almost zero distractions compared to when I watched Beasts at home.
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Gossamer clouds drift
and cloak valley trees in their
mysterious mist.
Monday, February 2: from where I placed my yoga mat for class, I was able to watch the low clouds drift over nearby ridges and valleys. The calming effect was greatly appreciated after a busy week and weekend. I was also pleased to note the lengthening daylight hours that made the view possible. I wish I had a picture to show you; instead, I would like to encourage you to go out and see the clouds – and sky, and sun, and moon – sometime this week.
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Belonging: The Wildlife Society Western Section Conference
I published my previous post from the Western Section conference over a week ago, and at the time, I had every intention of summarizing the conference in a haiku. Since then, I have realized the experience was just too big and too varied to squeeze into 17 syllables (nor was I keen on the idea of writing multiple haikus, because how would I pick which experiences to highlight?), so I will say this: I had a phenomenal time. This was by far my favorite conference experience because for the first time, I felt like I truly belonged, like I was among “my people.” I made connections with professionals that I hope to maintain and grow throughout my career. I left feeling excited by the possibilities and the future. I hope this was only the first of many Western Section conferences.
Have a great week!
Bear hug! Full disclosure: this photo was taken at the Sensory Safari, which was present at the Logging Sports Expo – they were throwing axes!
Running Consensus:
One map. Millions of workouts.
Collective Wisdom.
Last week, my wonderful mother sent me an article that was about favorite places to run in Philadelphia; being a runner and from the greater Philly area, I was naturally intrigued. The map was similar to ones I had seen before with thicker/brighter lines indicating higher usage, but what is special about this map is that it is not limited to Philadelphia – instead, you can see the whole United States!
