It was 1962. I was eight years old. One slightly moist spring afternoon (it
had just rained) I was bored. No friends to play with. The Foit twins next
door were unavailable. As I often did in such circumstances I went out back
in our suburban Columbus (Whitehall) woodlot to play Tarzan or engage in
some similar boyhood fantasy. I liked to climb trees, and back there we had
plenty of them.
I was stabbing at the ground with a sharpened stick, probably spearing the
remnants of a rotten log, acting out a primal hunter role. I remember I was
standing next to the huge red oak in the center of the "woods." I
distinctly remember the moment.
A hooded warbler flitted out and perched within eight feet of me. I stood
spellbound by the sudden spectacle, frozen in wonder.
This was my introduction to spring migration. I already liked to draw
cardinals, easily the most spectacular bird I saw regularly. My mother
nurtured this interest in nature and bought a feeder so we had plenty of
birds to watch.
After the encounter with the hooded warbler I ran inside to tell her about
it. I described it in exotic detail. She remarked that maybe it was an
"escaped canary." That didn't seem right to me, since I knew what canaries
looked like. At my next opportunity at the local branch library I looked it
up, showed it to Mom, and learned there were many more warblers to watch
for. The rest of that spring, and every spring since, I have been on the
lookout.
This morning on our farm in Muskingum County, up the east bank of the
deepest ravine, a hooded warbler popped out, and it all came back to me, as
it does every year when the hooded warbler returns.
I am delighted that they actually nest here!
Full circle, fifty years...
Bob Evans
Geologist, etc.
Valhalla Acres Fiber Farm
Hopewell Township, Muskingum County
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