Ellipsis: Dancing In The Wind

Sunday, December 02, 2018

Dancing In The Wind

"Autumn colors remind us, we are all dancing in the wind."

~Lorin Morgan-Richards

As we are in the last month of the year, and I may not be able to do as much photography outdoors as I would like, I thought I would visit this year's archived photos, to have a second look at all the amazing things I photographed, but never got the chance to post. I love photographing birds, and this little guy was just too beautiful to let fly off and never seen again. Look at him! There are a ton of these birds, or ones similar to him, but the autumn sun was shining down on him, in such a way that it nearly took my breath away.

Why hadn't I never noticed how absolutely stunning these tiny birds are?

He is a Rusty Blackbird, and I spotted him near the rock wall, at Lover's Park, in Pacific Grove. We were there in October, and the air, even near Monterey Bay, was still warm, and the October sun was just beginning to turn that amazing shade of gold, that we only get to see in autumn! I was so happy that day, because the Monterey peninsula has always felt so much like a second home to me. All that natural beauty, right along my beautiful Pacific. It's second only to my gorgeous, vibrant San Francisco!

San Francisco. Oh my. I haven't spent nearly enough time there this year! We spent a little time there, while we were on vacation, but I need to see it again, before we cross over into the new year! The holidays in San Francisco always meant so much to Alan and I, because there is so much to do and see. The move to Stockton, inn 2015, changed some things for us, and one of them is being able to hop across the bay any time we want! San Francisco simply isn't as easy to visit as it once was, but it's not going anywhere. That's a comforting thought, it is waiting for me, well, for us, just over the hills!

Anyway, back to this lovely bird! He is identified as a Rusty Blackbird (Breeding Male) and unfortunately, while he had seen like a fairly common black bird at first glance, they are actually one of the most rapidly declining species of birds. They have declined between 85-90 percent over the last 40 years, according to Cornell Lab Of Ornithology. That fact truly saddens me... deeply. How many more species of birds, and wildlife in general, do we have to lose, before something is done to correct the damage already done to the planet? I am glad I took the time that day to photograph this lovely bird, and to look up the information about him! Who knows if I will even be able to find one, should I make it back to Monterey Bay next year? I am sorry for all the time I took his species for granted.

Take my advice... stop and look at as much natural beauty around you as you can. Birds. The leaves. Flakes of snow. Lady bugs. Spiders. If it's a part of the natural world, really look at it. Maybe photograph it, but certainly take time to enjoy it, because you never know if you will ever get a chance to see it again! The earth is changing, and not for the better. Sometimes, it feels like earth is in the winter of it's life, but God I hope I'm wrong!

Rusty Blackbird

Cornell Lab Of Ornithology