A Remembered Moment at Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary

I am NOT an expert on birds but I do love watching them at my feeder.  I can identify my feeder birds.  I have a bird book by the window. I love hearing the birds especially at this time of year because they are singing their Welcome to Spring songs. I feed them mixed seed, thistle and suet. As I write this I am seeing chickadees, English sparrows, a white breasted nuthatch and a goldfinch.

My Wasband (ex-husband) IS an expert on birds. Everything I know about birds I learned from him. For the 20 years that we were married we trekked through the woods almost every weekend looking for elusive birds you couldn't find at the feeders. When the children were born we took shorter walks with them and started driving along the coast looking for shore birds.

The Wasband is also an awesome bird photographer.  One of his favorite places to bird watch when he visits us is, of course, Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary. Last October I went there for the first time with my daughter and granddaughter. They were having an evening walk for parents and children.  Ghost stories around a fire were involved along with toasting marshmallows and drinking cider. Needless to say my 2 1/2 year old granddaughter loved it.

I couldn't go on the walk because I am disabled so I sat under the stars at a picnic table.  It was a beautiful starry night and as an amateur astronomer I had my eyes to the heavens. Within a few minutes the two resident barn owls were circling above me. I couldn't hear a sound as they glided effortlessly through the evening sky. Somehow the owls and I had made a connection. I knew then that I was in a moment of time that I would remember forever.  The owls stayed with me for about 2 or 3 minutes and then something won their attention and I was alone again.

A moment like that just happens.  You can't look for it. You can't make it happen. You can only enjoy it when it does.

Felix Neck's resident barn owl pair has their first egg. The female will lay additional eggs every few days (up to 10 is possible) and will brood them for 32-34 days. You can watch their progress at the Barn Owl Cam in the Nature Center.

Please check out my other blog Whatever I Think.