As I went into work yesterday (I work alone, outside..typically), I was reminded the world moves on. I knew this really; I just saw it all over again. Rain falls, mud is wet, grass grows.
Species of this earth have faced much. They always did, and found a balance, struggled again and balanced reached. Remaining species of this earth have faced much, at the hands of us. Unnatural. Without mutual reason. No time to balance.
In spite of all obstacles combined, avian migration continues; atleast so far as I can tell in this particular hemisphere. In my very locally important existence on this patch of earth, scissor-tailed flycatchers, upland sandpiper, a first buzz-by of a likely black-chinned hummingbird. All the leading edge of migration that continues in spite of the obstacles we have placed in front of it.
This morning, while scoping the mostly fallow, still lowland-moist fields a few miles from here, a few of the broken stub corn straw cobble scrabble patches moved.
Remember how earthworms were an indicator of good soil? Watch the first plover that comes in from the left of frame.
These birds, at the time of this typing, have avoided wind turbines, buildings of reflective glass and otherwise, feral cats, light pollution, etc., to land on this patch of earth not yet concreted over.
Like many shorebird species, this plover is heading to the top of the continent to nest in the tundra regions of the Northwest Territories, Yukon territory, and Alaska. Some of the coldest places in the winter, are some of the most diverse and rich in the Spring/Summer. Thousands of miles of obstacle-avoidance, energy taken in versus energy expended, yet to go.
Yellow: Migratory range
Orange-ish: Summer range
*Map from birdsoftheworld.org
Not bad for around 5 ounces per being.
Well north of 5 ounces sitting in this old farmhouse, hammering out some words to the sound of Eastern Meadowlark, among a community-state-country-planet wide member of a species isolating and “self-distancing” and maybe even being humbled (one can hope) as we face… an obstacle.
Pardon the plover, if it continues indifferently on its ancient journey. Maybe when we find ourselves on the other end of this difficult moment, we can try not to add to other’s. Existence is plenty difficult as is. And mutually worthy.
matthew-york.com 