Towheeblog

I feel fortunate to be in suburban Oregon right now.  In some parts of the land it’s every person for his or her self, and in others parks and trails are closed.  We visited spacious Wennerberg this morning.  Circling overhead was a Cooper’s Hawk that I took for a migrant, and a trio of circling red-tails as well.  A Violet-green Swallow was another reminder that the move is on.

BUT WE MUST BE INSIDE
And that can mean time for reading.  Click here for nice essay on nature writings you might sample.
I am familiar with about half of the books the writer recommends above.  I gotta add my two mills worth.
I began reading natural history works in the late 20th Century and poured over many of the fine writers at work from 1930-1960.  Hal Borland in New England; Helen Hoover on the northern edge of Minnesota and Sigurd Olson among the Minnesota lakes as well; George Sutton on birds; Jacques–an artist of great allure.  Earlier I would say start with journals from Lewis & Clark.  Lewis was a bipolar genius, and when he is on, he is superb.  Then John Burroughs in the east, John Muir here in the west.  Townsend’s Narrative of his trip across America in the 1830s with Thomas Nuttall beckons.  But you can forget all the above if you have chores to do…and only delve into Thoreau’s journals.  Her may be the most important writer and thinker this nation has produced or ever will.  From civil disobedience to conservation to minute observation his was mind ablaze…and he can still light up yours, dear reader.

You don’t need Amazon, find some journals by clicking here.

Wennerberg Park, Carlton, OR, Yamhill, Oregon, US
Apr 5, 2020
12 species

Anna’s Hummingbird  1
Turkey Vulture  1
Cooper’s Hawk  1
Red-tailed Hawk  3
Acorn Woodpecker  X
Downy Woodpecker  X
Northern Flicker  X
American Kestrel  2
American Crow  X
Common Raven  2
Violet-green Swallow  1
American Robin  6