39. Signs of Spring

My walking buddy Kit calls me and invites me for an afternoon walk at one of her favorite spots, a designated "bird walk" out in the State park. I enthusiatically accept. I fill my thermos with coffee, grab my sunglasses and we're off. I am pleasantly surprised that we drive for a mere 20 minutes and we're already in pristine underutilized park preserve. I often forget how the valley town of El Big is basically a huge plateau surrounded by several State park camping areas.







































The weather is sunny and 65 degrees; a very welcoming temperature after an El Big winter. Kit reminds me that I shouldn't get too used to it since they've had small snow showers as late as April. I'm impressed with the brand new boardwalks and hand hewned benches placed strategically throughout the path. Stone markers set along the path stating "P1-P-10" denote poems from a book published by poets who're inspired by the walk.

We don't see very many birds yet— a bald eagle, a single robin, and a few thrushes. On our way back we spot a few signs of activity, such as this gnawed tree trunk by the river. Apparently El Big has beavers!





This tree appears to be alive.


























Kit and I are not discouraged. After our walk, we decide to drop in to visit "the bird man of El Big", a friendly, owl-like 30ish man named Tarrence, who owns and operates a charming birding/ artisan beer shop in downtown. Tarrence gives us detailed directions to crane nesting spots as well as sells me an updated Siblie Field Guide of Western North America. "Oh yeah, it's too early for much variety. Come May-June it'll be like La Guardia." Apparently, El Big is one of the prime migrating paths for several North America species. "5th in the nation!" Tarrence boasts.

I am able to gather a partial list of common and uncommon species that migrate and often breed in the El Big Valley's unique Gadd Marsh:

pelicans
herons
cranes
geese
ducks
swans
grebes
vultures
hawks
grouse
quail
pheasants
partridge
coots
gulls
terns
owls
hummingbirds
kingfishers
swallows
jays
thrushes
nuthatches
wrens
tanagers
finigers
sparrows
woodpeckers
flycatchers
larks
and shorebirds of all kinds including long billed curlew, sandpipers, killdeers...
whew...

***

I come home to receive an email that my anti war scroll painting in an upcoming book on Asian Americans and war. The editor had seen it when I had it exhibited it in SF in 2003. It's a shame that the politics of my work are still very relevant four years later.