Something I do to lessen my angst is to walk and bike at Estabrook Park. I ALWAYS have a few good wildlife encounters, whether it’s with a woodchuck, snapping turtle or just a baby bunny or chirping frog. Yesterday particularly rocked because I luckily viewed a great blue heron as it was fishing for minnows in the Milwaukee River. It was literally just a few yards away from me, and it never budged as I crept closer. Normally I trot down the rock stairs just to watch the people fishing and the water cascade, but watching the heron was much more engaging. Its legs are so super skinny and spindly; its beak is long and wide. I must have peered down at it for a good 20 minutes. It only flew away when an obtuse jogger ran by not even noticing it, but even then it only flew out to the middle of the river. I had to fight the urge to intentionally startle it--I love to watch them fly, because they are so awkward yet majestic with their huge wing span and prehistoric features. But I resisted my stupid, selfish human urge and just watched. No matter, because another heron sat underneath the low branches at the pond on the other side of the park, and as I was engaging in my routine of scaring frogs so they’ll chirp and leap (juvenile, yes, selfish, yes, but also very enjoyable), I excited it and it flew off, again, so close. I felt bad, but I didn’t see it there.

Of course I saw about fifteen rabbits like I always do, and a few were the tiny ones. They are so skittish and adorable! Lots of robins, a few kingfishers--I saw one dive straight down, head first into the pond but I don’t think it retrieved a fish--mallard ducks, crows, and seagulls. Plenty of squirrels, no woodchucks this time though. When I was lingering behind the pond, I heard a huge screeching noise. It wasn’t a squirrel or chipmunk (saw two of those); I thought maybe it was a bird but it sounded really peculiar. So I crept closer to the trees separating the pond from the bike trail and caught a glimpse of a red squirrel. CUUUUUUTE! Those things are smaller than half of a grey squirrel’s size, and they move much faster. This thing was just racing from branch to branch, wailing at the top of its lungs. I’m not quite sure what was provoking it, maybe it was me, but it was loud before I even came close. Discovering it was a nice surprise.

I really could just sit and observe wildlife all day. Someone should pay me to do it. I’d be a much more relaxed person! My original intent upon entering college was to major in environmental science, because I was very adamant about protecting the environment, but I scrapped it because I am dumb at science and math. It’s really unfortunate, as I could be doing something more active and less stressful right now. But I can still be an old lady bird watcher, and that works too.