Nature Connection: Thankful For Nature

As I write, the low-lying winter sun is streaming brightly through my window. My rain gauge shows we actually got some measurable precipitation, and the wind has quieted a bit. Two song sparrows dig in the leaves in the backyard and a blue jay is hopping from branch to branch above them. For a moment, all seems peaceful and good.

Walks on the beach at this time of year are lovely and life affirming, for me, anyway. There is the quiet leaving and returning of the waves, the sanderlings running along the dampened sand, and the gulls standing watch like grumpy feathered guards. The fluffy seedheads of seaside goldenrod nod in the breeze and goldfinches flutter about, feeding gustily.

The beach itself is littered with the shed shells of horseshoe crabs and many mollusks. Where I walk most frequently it is easy to find scallop and whelk shells as well as many jingle and boat shells. I may find numerous skate egg cases, whimsically called mermaid’s purses, and the long strands of whelk egg cases as well. Bay beaches turn up lots of surf clam shells as well as the odd-looking sea pork, a tunicate that is common but causes a lot of consternation among some beach walkers as it is unfamiliar to them.

The woods can seem quiet at this time of year but there’s plenty of activity. On a recent walk we came upon trees and bushes full of feeding robins and cedar waxwings. Both these species love berries of all sorts, and on this morning they seemed to be focused on the abundance of green briar berries. 

We were also treated to the sight of a small flock of golden crowned kinglets, tiny birds that feed at the tips of tree branches, sometimes hovering in the style of hummingbirds. Often the high-pitched calls kinglets make as they travel through an area are heard before the birds themselves are seen, so if you hear this sound, look up and be patient. They are tiny and fast but once you focus on them, you’ll see some of the sweetest, loveliest birds around.

Most leaves have fallen now but some shrubs and trees are holding onto their color for a bit longer. Marshes have faded from gold to beige and at their edges most of the shrubs and trees are now leafless and various shades of gray. Watch for northern harriers soaring low over the marshes. Red foxes and coyotes can also be seen as they make their rounds, especially at dawn or dusk.

The winter ducks are here. Most of us are familiar with the small black and white buffleheads that seem to pop up and down in the water without warning. Look for hooded mergansers, often called “hoodies” by birders, which can often be found in mixed flocks with buffleheads on area ponds.

The handsome gadwalls and pintails are here though they have preferred areas they return to each year. If you’re lucky you might spy some American wigeons, ruddy ducks, and even a shoveler or two, but you may have to check out more than one or two local ponds to do so.

One lovely thing about this time of year is that the crowds of humans have thinned, and you can get out and enjoy nature in a relaxed, uncrowded fashion. Beaches are often completely free of people these days, though there are some local favorites that always have walkers, with or without dogs. This is also nice to see and to share as it is a chance to visit with friends and neighbors in a relaxed, unhurried way.

I find myself thankful to be surrounded by the sea, the trees reaching for the sky, the birds gathering and chattering wherever I may be. I have deep gratitude for the grasses and dirt, the rushing of streams that are filled with herring in the spring and the rocks where turtles take in the sun on warm fall days. I am humbled daily by the largesse of nature.

There’s a lot to worry about, always, but perhaps more now than ever before. However, I’m thankful for all those who work for conservation, who work for equality and tolerance. As fall fades into winter we humans enter a time to contemplate all the things we are thankful for, all the gifts we’ve been freely given by nature and all the gifts we share with each other every day. There is much to be grateful for, not the least of which is this day we find ourselves living.