In a recent post on Bird Light Wind, a blog by photographer Walter Kitundu, images of Red-winged Blackbirds brought an immediate string of memories to my mind. I stumbled upon the blog when it was featured with other nature blogs to celebrate Earth Day, but I didn’t anticipate it would elicit such a strong reaction from me. Kitundu’s image helped me to recall not only my associations with birds, but more broadly the connections we make with the creatures and places that inhabit our everyday lives and bring beauty to our day-to-day experiences. I wrote:
My mother and I have fond memories with these birds. Canoeing on the Mississippi. Drifting by a wild rice paddy. Startling these beautiful birds. Listening to their many wings brushing by the grain. Losing our breath in sheer awe. Thank you for bringing me back to those memories.
As memories tend to go, the first remembrance of the Red-winged Blackbirds led me to an endless number of bird memories. As I share some of my memories, I invite you to share your own earth experiences.
I thought of what my family called our “Happy Bird-day,” a day that didn’t actually end so happily after we saved a baby bird, met a hawk, stopped for turkeys crossing the road, spotted feasting herons, and finally… ran over a low-flying sparrow. Continue reading →
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Tags: Bird Light Wind, black-capped chickadees, Central Park, Chicago, Earth Day, Fantail, Kea, Kitundu, Kiwi, Mississippi, narratives, New Zealand, Ontario, Red-winged Blackbird
