When you stop looking

Early this year my cousin sent me an anonymous quote, in Spanish, that basically translates to "Sometimes things come when you stop looking".   I adopted it as my mantra, and have attached it to my signature line in my emails.  It reminds me of C. S. Lewis's "Surprised by Joy". 

Then yesterday I saw another similar quote that prompted this blog:

We're conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments.  But great moments often catch us unaware-beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one. -- Kent Nerburn

To say that it has applied fully to my birding experiences over the past year is an understatement.

Last winter there were Snowy Owls -- for the first time I was tempted to "chase" - that is, to get in the car and drive to wherever one had been spotted so I could see it for myself.  When we heard about one down near Florence, we did just that -- and "dipped" -- that is, no owl.
 

River Otters

But while we were looking, we saw movement along the Siltcoos River bank - a family of RIVER OTTERS were climbing up out of the water.  They rolled and played as we watched in awe. 












When we got home, I laughed at myself for succumbing to the temptation and decided to enjoy others' Snowy Owls vicariously.  Five days later, on a cold cold December day, I was walking the trail at Salishan and ran into a lady with a camera - we chatted for a bit, then she said, "I came to see if the Snowy Owl is still here".  My jaw dropped - apparently she had discovered it the previous day and came back to see it and get pictures.  "May I walk with you?"  She looked dubiously at my flip-flops and shrugged.

Snowy Owl, Siletz Bay

My first-ever live glimpse of a SNOWY OWL.  What a heart-stopping moment of joy!  How wonderful that she was willing to share her discovery with me!

Snowy Owl

She asked me not to share the location, and I didn't - but eventually word got out and many people came to see the gorgeous bird.  I went back a few times, both to get better photos and to just sit and enjoy watching him!







Walking back along the trail the same day, I startled a GREAT BLUE HERON - but rather than flying away, he circled and settled right above my head.

Great Blue Heron

Later that December, I was walking alone through another of my favorite locations, Clay Myers State Natural Area at Whalen Island - there's a point along the trail, about halfway, where there's a bit of a climb and I'm generally out of breath.  For some reason, I looked up:

Cooper's Hawk

A beautiful COOPER'S HAWK was having lunch on a branch above the trail.  It was the closest I'd been to a Cooper's Hawk since moving from my home in Keizer, Oregon, where they were regulars.











In the springtime, I had another "Surprised by Joy" day when I decided to photograph vacant nest holes in trees.  What a treat to have various homeowners not only home, but surprisingly conspicuous (see blog for the story).

Hairy Woodpecker

More recently, my Wandering Tattler experience was another great example - yes, I was out looking for it, but wow did it surprise me (you have to read the blog)!  I'm not going to recount my whole year -- these memories are just examples of many wonderful moments of living my mantra. 

I love being able to wander around the coast, discovering new spaces, revisiting old favorites - it is nearly an "embarrassment of riches" that God has given -- I am truly blessed.  Two days ago, I was driving slowly up a narrow, winding road toward Mount Hebo Lake, a new place that I've been wanting to try.  I noticed a small lump in a dead shrub -- a second glance told me it was an owl. An OWL?  It couldn't have been more than 6 inches tall.  Could it be a PYGMY OWL?  Do we have them here?

Northern Pygmy-owl (uncropped)

I snapped photos through my car window -- yes, I stopped in the road (the good news is that no one else was using it)!

So, it really is true -- "Sometimes things come when you stop looking" and even sometimes when you weren't looking at all!