Nature vs Naturalist

“May my heart always be open to little birds, who are the secrets of living.” ― e.e. cummings

I love nature but in no way would I consider myself a naturalist. I wouldn’t call myself an environmentalist either, but I do my best to preserve our environment. Being in nature is a practice for living….. (spiritual….mental….physical….emotional) for me. It gets me out of myself (less ego), makes me curious (want to know more), gets me hiking (good cardio), brings me joy (gratitude, awe).

On both hikes this weekend  bright flashes of blue and cheeky song entertained the dogs and I. The grasslands and even the river dike had a multitude of blue birds flashing, flitting and flirting with us. They were quick but easy to spot with their bright blue feathers. Precursors of what is to come!

I hadn’t realized that their abundance relied on a multitude of people. My enjoyment was the result of the  hard work of the naturalists in the region and that at some point we were at risk of losing this wonder.

It pulls on my heartstrings. I definitely have a black-belt in codependency with a desire to fix or join things. Just doing a little research had me inclined to join. My expertise in fundraising makes me a valuable member of all volunteer and non-profit organizations. I forget that no is a complete sentence.

Good thing I have my own little piece of nature to come home to and I could resist the temptation to save blue birds. I will just enjoy and try to keep safe the hoards of chickadees in my yard (including the one who insists on hanging upside down).

The Southern Interior Bluebird Trail Society (SIBTS) is a non-profit volunteer organization, formed to promote recovery of Mountain and Western Bluebirds.We are located in British Columbia and have members throughout the province. We establish nestbox trails, monitor them, compile statistics and educate others about this important cause.To date, SIBTS members have placed over 6,000 nestboxes. Since reaching an all-time low in the late 1970s, Mountain and Western Bluebird populations are increasing in numbers. The success of our program is a reflection of the dedication of our members.

 BC Nature mission; “Know Nature and to keep it Worth Knowing”.