I am deep into the task of processing files. 5800 photos (keepers) from two and a half weeks on the road. Of course the client is already asking me when their’s will be done.
Today though I had a break. About six weeks ago I was birding at the Fill, and ran into an elementary school class in a field trip. I became a momentary bird guide and pointed out the Vaux’s Swifts overhead and the Pied Billed Grebes in the water.
The other day I got an email from the teacher, saying they’d be back at Montlake Fill today, and could I join them? I got there early and scouted out what was about: five different kinds of ducks on the main pond, but practically no passerines. Soon a herd of kids showed up, extremely well behaved and very serious about their task. An orderly queue soon formed at my spotting scope, aimed at a line of Double-crested Cormorants on a log offshore. I started to explain about cormorants and why they held out their wings, and a girl said, "It’s because they don’t have oil glands like other birds." Wow, I got the advanced class.
There were Cackling Canada Geese to compare with the local race, and a pretty flock of Hooded Mergansers on the pond. A raft of Shoveler ("Northern Shoveler," corrected another precocious youngster) were feeding en masse and stirring up food. A Great Blue Heron croaked loudly and flew into the scene. The kids were all quiet and serious, working hard on their drawings and lists. I was able to point out a Flicker in the grass and a Ruby Crowned Kinglet in the poplar, but otherwise these kids were quite content to be in the moment on their own. I was way impressed.
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