Mahnomen Trail offers XC Sking Thanksgiving Day

Just barely enough snow covering the trail for reasonable XC Ski outing. But it was fun and fast enough to keep us warm as we skied along, occasionally stopping to review an animal track or pick up a downed branch on the trail.

http://www.exploresherburne.org/

Snow Buntings !

October 31, 2010
Zimmerman, MN

In an earlier entry for today entitled "Serenity" I mentioned that this was a very quiet day on the Wildlife Drive. In the chill of this frosty morning even the usual small winter birds were hiding somewhere. I thought the water fowl and a few raptors would fill out the mornings birding.

But as has been said so often about the natural world, "You never know what's around the next bend." Today it was a wonderful surprise: snow buntings. . I felt the thrill of discovery. These birds are not even included in the "Uncommon" column of the Sherburne Refuge bird list even though my field guide says they are common in this area.

A group of these small sparrow-like birds was pecking in the gravel road just beyond the Big Bluestem Pool. In my four years in the Zimmerman area I have seen only one solitary snow bunting. That in itself was unusual because, like juncos, they usually travel as a flock. Now at last I was seeing a small flock.

Snow Buntings Through The Windshield

As I tried to slowly drive closer to them to have a better view and take a picture they would burst into flight, then settle back into business as usual further down the road. Finally I took my foot completely off the accelerator and idled very slowly toward them at a snails pace. This time they ignored my approach until I was reasonably close.

What handsome birds they are with their buffy cheeks, white breasts and contrasting brown and black wings. This first impression would probably fade into familiarity if flocks of snow buntings were common here. But they would still be handsome.

Snow Bunting, Side View

Snow Bunting, Front View

Snow Bunting, Rear View

I pulled off to the side then sat and watched these buntings doing nothing more than hopping around and pecking at the gravel. It was a very relaxing fifteen minutes until a car came by at full speed (twenty per) and scattered them into the distance. The people in that car were probably not aware of what they were missing as they hurried on. But once more I found joy in the small stuff.

Serenity

Sunday October 31 brought a beautiful morning to the Wildlife Drive. There was a chill in the still air, the sky was clear, and the streaming sunlight illuminated the frost clinging to the prairie grasses as though they were lighted from within.

I stopped to chat with one of our regular visitors. We noted that the summer birds were all gone, leaving the refuge particularly quiet, and that on this peaceful morning we hadn't seen much wildlife beyond a collection of trumpeter swans near the entrance and a red tailed hawk stationed in a distant tree.

As we parted the visitor said "It's time to get on with today's dose of serenity. I love this place. It keeps my life from getting too complicated."

Immediately I was reminded that underlying all of our nature-oriented activity is a quest for serenity. We often overlook serenity when we talk about our nature connections, yet it is is the most potent cure nature offers the flagging human spirit.

The dictionary defines serenity as being calm and tranquil. I experience it as a kind of floating above the details of life's busyness, a complete state of relaxation while still being aware of my surroundings but not much else. This is a step beyond the active searching, observing, thinking parts of the mind. Our nature-oriented activities such as hiking, photography, drawing, or driving bring us close enough to serenity that we can feel it rubbing out some of our cares. But true serenity means letting go of even these activities and basking in a feeling of being alone with ones self and being at peace.

So the next time you're driving around fruitlessly searching for a turn-on in a nature venue that really reaches out to you, stop. Try floating in the ambiance of the place. Just enjoy being here at this moment in a place that holds off the bustling concerns of your usual life. With a little exploration you'll probably find a special spot where you can experience serenity at Sherburne Refuge. It will be your secret hide-out from the rest of the world.