“Well, I heard…..”

If I had begun any portion of the oral defense of my graduate work with “Well, I heard that (insert conjecture, rumor, hearsay, myth, conspiracy theory, latest youtube prophet)…” I would have been shot down with no hesitation, metaphorically speaking.

I was greeting the morning yesterday at a large reservoir in my county of residence, in an effort to monitor the well-being of a young Brown Pelican that has found it’s way far inland of the coast. Kids.

While in the almost-mud approaching the cattails I heard something. Right? Only once. I was going to attempt an audio recording if it vocalized again.

Silence.

“Well I heard…”

I hear more in the Silence; more so than when it’s noisy. When the wind died down, I heard. Heard movement in the shallow shadows.

Birds, or any wildlife, are not obligated to show themselves to us. Whether for photo, or easy observation. They are not our court jesters.

“They said I dance now at every chance and honky tonks. For drinks and tips.” Mr Bojangles, Jerry Jeff Walker.

They are not minstrels. They owe us nothing, … quite the opposite.

So, in my walk.. it is up to the rail.

With a rising Sun at my back, this fellow Earth-being and more recent traveler than I, gave me a minute’s moment of opportunity.

When I have good days, I try to store its memory in my back pocket. To recall it, when experiencing bad.

When a secretive species give me a semi-precious moment of opportunity and observation…

I take it with me for all the days it does not afford me such indulgences, and there are many.

For those mornings where I never saw, never photographed, never was entertained with dance and foolery; those mornings where I just heard, I can walk on …

… with equal satisfaction.

And reverence.

And respect.