Monthly Archives: June 2012
Playing Possum
When a opossum is frightened, it stops all movement and pretends to be dead in the hope its predator will move on. “Do not be afraid” or a form of the phrase appears more than 100 times in the Bible. With such repetition God instills an important part of the Christian walk. When an enemy […]
With an Ant’s Focus
While in a Panamanian rainforest, our birding group came across a long trail of leaf cutter ants. The ant highway was proof of determination. A clean swath four inches wide and as slick as a newly waxed car lay across our leaf-littered walking trail. Even our big, human feet didn’t stop the insects from their […]
Peregrine Power
One evening during a Caribbean cruise, I wandered the top deck in the darkness of a late, spring night. Millions of stars formed my canopy. I welcomed the solitude after a busy shore excursion. A shadow crossed my path and above me I watched as a falcon circled in and out of the lights catching insect […]
Painted Bunting: A Coat of Many Colors
Every birder remembers the moment he or she became hooked. And, we don’t forget the bird that caused it. I became addicted to birding when I saw a Painted Bunting nibbling seed heads in a field of grasses. Stalks of native grasses swayed in the breeze and when I raised my binoculars to get the details […]
A Wolf Disguised as a Mouse
Living in Western North America, the grasshopper mouse is a wolf wrapped in cuteness. This creature is not only carnivorous, it’s a tough opponent. It stalks its prey as stealthily as a cat and then has the audacity to howl triumph over its victims. Despite being just over five inches, it has an audible howl […]
In The Jungle
My latest for Christian Women Today: http://powertochange.com/blogposts/2012/06/16/in-the-jungle/
The Value of a Vulture
Turkey vultures, often called TVs by birders, are not the prettiest of birds. Yet, they do serve a purpose. As a scavenger, they are a cleanup crew. The area of its brain responsible for processing odors is larger compared to other birds. He has the ability to pinpoint the odor of a fresh carcass. How […]
Desert Penguins Just Like Me
Normally hearing the word “penguin” brings visions of gleaming snow and ice with temperatures dipping below freezing, but the Humboldt penguin contradicts this picture. They survive in the deserts of Peru and Chile. These 26-inch penguins endure the dangers one would expect in a dry, harsh environment. In addition, they negotiate an obstacle course to […]
Chase Day – Antpittas and Cock-of-the-Rock
To calm a period of upheaval in my life, I started chasing* birds beyond my backyard. In 2011, after years of gathering a life list*, I had the chance to travel to the Mindo Nambillo Cloud Forest, a birding mecca for serious listers*. Since 2005, birders have flocked to Refugio Paz de las Aves. Why […]
Hiding like an American Bittern
The American Bittern takes on an odd stance when spooked. It stretches his body as thin as possible, extends its neck and tilts its head with beak pointed to the heavens. This stance can make it difficult to find as it blends with its usual habitat of marshy reeds. It can often go undetected. There […]
