Jan. ’10-A think tank gathering for people interested in sharing views on human health, soil and agriculture prompted Tom and I to travel to Florida on my 40th B-day.

Ding Darling Wildlife Preserve on Sanibel Island, we visited twice. I step out of the rental car and I’m woozy from the blend of air travel and the intoxicating aroma of mud. Mud that shouts thawed ground is near. Spoonbill birds are lazying in the mid afternoon sun. Osprey are prevelant and seem to fly over and fish all the day long.  The osprey fish in the waters and I’m hearing their cries as they settle back onto their nests. Nests just a mish mash hodge podge conglomeration of assembled sticks to cradle the chicks.

I’m awash with the hallowedness of this place.  Church- like manners are followed meticulously with the religion of birding being the source and drive to the shrine of birding paradise.  Dear God I could’ve walked and walked forever and drawn out every beautiful bird and critter. I sang the ancient song over and over.I sang so soft the birds couldn’t resist. Fluttering wings abound and they really shouldn’t have been so close. So very close and so very rare to see and imagine that Tom and I were there. I smiled knowingly to nature and just observed the fluttering of  bird wings and gawking people. A sweet desireable silence and just a God- like presence descends in nature. People observed a great respect for the birds and refrained from talking above a whisper. They heard the whispers of the world in the flapping of a wing.  A monk made his way up the steep observation tower and cast a long look upon creation and he floated in his brown robe down the wooden stairs with a solemn face and a pair of binoculars.

Tom and I stepped out of our car and I couldn’t resist two darling mature ladies that were intent birders. One lady had binoculars and roamed about pointing out birds. The other lady adorned in white was wholeheartedly birding with  a fancy scope. I just stood next to her and she pointed out all the rare birds she was seeing. Then she looked @ us, ” You guys know the birds. Now these spoonbills-the park ranger comes 1 evening a week and they have to count them. Then the ranger marks them with white paint on their back before they let them go.” I’m just beaming @ this dear lady and said, “I don’t believe you.” She nudged her friend and said,”She’s sharp and the quickest yet to respond.” I believe the sweet ladies are still there to entice people to look in their scopes and then play a good joke!

Have you been to Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge?

Fly high with osprey wings,

Sue Roskos