Dear Readers:
My wife and I traveled to Lake Erie this weekend for some R & R, and we checked out a bird sanctuary in a nearby marsh. It was migrating season, and warblers, some a brilliant yellow, flitted from branch to branch, high in the trees. They were hard to see with the naked eye, but my wife's binoculars brought them right up to my nose. Imagine perfectly-formed yellow balls of fluff. We saw other birds also: several eagles, an owl, and a whip-poor-will, to name a few. Serious birders were everywhere, clutching cameras and tripods, and wearing khaki outfits and broad brimmed hats. We quickly discovered if birders grouped together and pointed their cameras in the same direction, it meant there were good sightings ahead.
As I walked along the wooden walkway, I noticed something moving on the ground. A turtle, her head sticking high and sporting a bright yellow throat, was navigating over twigs and leaves. I stopped and watched her while people walked past me. They seemed disinterested in her and were focused on the air-borne creatures. But I stayed longer. Finally, a male birder walked up, and I pointed toward the turtle. He became excited and invited others to take a look. It was a Blanding's Turtle, an unusual find, and considered threatened or endangered in several states. Another man, a naturalist, stopped to give his commentary. He took some pictures and talked into a recorder. People collected around him and lingered. Soon, a crowd formed and telescopic camera lenses and tripods were all around me. I had to move away to allow a camera man a better angle for his turtle picture.
At last, my turtle found her moment of glory and her honor was restored. If only she had wings.
Until later.
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