April 26, 2019 (Friday)
April 26th is designated as National Audubon Day. This day is set aside to honor the birth of John James Audubon (April 26, 1785 – January 27, 1851).
Audubon was a French-American ornithologist, naturalist, and painter noted for his extensive studies of American birds and his detailed illustrations of the birds in their natural habitats. Audubon’s greatest work was The Birds of America which is considered one of the finest ornithological works ever completed. His work in this book contains more than 700 North American bird species with 435 hand-colored, life-size prints of 497 bird species.
There used to be certain places here in Rockport and nearby that attracted bird watchers in big numbers. When I told a friend I had not seen in years that I lived in Rockport, I did not know he was a bird watcher. But I learned immediately when he excitedly almost shouted, “Rockport! That’s our Mecca!”
Most of us who live here, I think, are not totally dedicated bird watchers, but we love to watch them anyway. We are always surrounded by birds of various kinds, small and large, local and migratory, young and old, solitary and part of a flock, wild and almost domesticated in some instances, colorful and bland, you name it. I was thrilled the day I heard a flock of Sandhill Cranes headed toward my location. I had never heard a sound like that. I cannot begin to describe it. Soon they passed overhead and went on their way to settle down somewhere for the night.
Bird watching is an interesting hobby. Perhaps “fascinating” would be a better word. Or “captivating.” There are so many different kinds of birds.
Dale and Ann Pogue are bird watchers. They have led many others to become avid watchers, among them a number of children who rapidly made names for themselves for spotting so many separate species. Robert Edwards, retired missionary to Colombia, and Dale were good friends and along their wives added many different birds to their list of recorded sightings.
Everywhere we look we see the hand of God in nature. From the tiniest to the largest critters, we are surrounded by life. And it is interdependent. Human beings are gradually beginning to understand that humans are a part of this grand equation, and we have not always treated life in all its forms with respect. Hopefully, we are learning to do better.
HOW TO OBSERVE
Grab the binoculars, the bird book and see how many birds you can identify. Use #NationalAudubonDay or #Audubon Day to post on social media.
HISTORY
National Audubon Day is sponsored by the National Audubon Society. For more information click here.