10.28.15 - Bird Nerd Moment - Yarmouthport, MA

Living today is financially daunting.  Parenting will level you flat at times, and when doing your best to balance family life & care with work, part-time, full-time... It is often overwhelming.  Life is complicated in 2015!  Cape Cod life is filled with beautiful beaches and sunrises and sunsets and ocean views and wildlife, but that doesn't mean it isn't filled with the same challenges that exist wherever you may be.  Seven years ago I decided to quit my full time job in broadcasting and work part time hours so that I could be at home with my kids as much as possible, without going insane.   When we used to vacation here on the Cape when I was young, our family's big dinner out, and my FAVORITE, was the annual family dinner at Thompson's Clam Bar... which sadly is no more.  Every local, and former Cape Cod visitor knows the jingle by heart.  In fact, another local restaurant has adopted the jingle... but that's another story, not for a bird nerd blog!   When we'd be enjoying the sights, sounds and flavors at Thompson's, my parents would always ask the server, undoubtedly a college student, which school they were studying at, where they were from, what they loved to learn...  I remember deciding from listening to this conversation that working in a restaurant would be a good life skill to have.  So I got my first server gig when I was 20, and I've worked in countless places.  Why am I telling you this, and how is it related to birds?!?! I'm getting to it.  

I currently work at the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History, as well as the Old Yarmouth Inn and I continue to work on cape cod bird nerd as much as time will allow, all part time. What I learned quickly about my coworkers at the Old Yarmouth Inn is that they are animal lovers, animal-loving-FREAKS!   I found more of my people!  Most of us have rescued animals and have no shame posting and sharing photos of them both on social media and with each other.  The animal love does not end with the creatures who've adopted us right back and stolen our hearts, they are wildlife lovers and protectors of the fluffy, scaly & feathery.  SO much so, that one of the owners, Sheila FitzGerald, has the IFAW logo as a tattoo on her ankle!!!  (Yes, IFAW is aware.  Their international headquarters is right around the corner...)

OK - here is the connection...  When I got to work today... a couple minutes late because of a bird walk at the museum... my boss Sheila happened to be on the phone and seemed to be gesturing for me to NOT punch in, so I waited 'til she was off the phone to see what was up.  She hung up the phone and said, "Wanna see an OWL?!".  "YUP!", said I!  So we jumped in her car and drove a short distance through tall trees and through gorgeous Yarmouthport neighborhoods, 'til we got to a sturdy old tree, with a nice sized hollow... and there she was!!!  A sleepy-looking, sunning herself, sweet little Eastern Screech-Owl (red morph) perched oh so perfectly in the protection of an ivy-embraced tree.  See Sheila's photos below. 

There is so much that goes on in one single person's life in one single day, sometimes in one hour!  We connect of course through media of all sorts and texts and phone calls, if you're lucky, and in so many ways.  When you have a moment, when you can connect with someone else over the spectacular beauty and simplicity of nature just being itself, a beautiful little owl in a tree... well, I just don't know how else to put it.  It's a moment.  You never forget it, and that's why I wanted to share it with you.  

Thanks for sharing the owl with me Sheila!  I'm so glad you love the critters the way you do. I will never forget it.  (double click photos to enlarge)

Eastern Screech-Owl (red morph)

May you share a moment with a nature lover today!

Happy Birding!