Early in my birding “career” I was sitting in my car – with the flashers on, so no one would hit me from, behind – when suddenly I saw flashing lights in my rearview mirror. I rolled down my car window and smiled at the officer who appeared seconds later. “Is there a problem?” one of Westerly’s finest asked me. “Nope” I said. “Just birding.” I pointed to the Great Blue Heron that had been standing about five feet from the road and was now, thanks to the officer’s flashing car lights, making a hasty though beautiful exit, soaring away from me across the marsh. The officer followed my sad gaze abashedly and apologized. A few weeks later, I was again just hanging in my car (again with the flashers on) when two morning joggers trotted up to the window of my car and asked if I was okay. Last week, as I was just about to snap a shot of a new find, a couple more Westerly do-gooders struck again, The Red Shouldered Hawk I had my camera site on spooked and took flight with a whoosh! and I missed it. I know they all mean well and I should probably be grateful. On the streets of NYC, I would not be the recipient of such concern. So rather than complain, I purchased a magnet for my car, as a kind of gentle warning, a polite Please, Do Not Disturb message. It reads: I Brake for Birds. Truer words were never written. And it seems to be working. Or maybe the sight of my car on the side of the road, flashers flashing away, is becoming one that locals recognize. People still stop every now and then and ask if I need help, but that’s a function of living in a small town. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Comentarios