An Unexpected Kindness

In the birding world I am pretty much an outlier; always  been interested, always excited about them, haven't gone anywhere without binoculars since I have been an adult.

Which, as it happens, is quite a while.

However, while we were dairying, which we did together for all of our marriage up until six years ago, and separately on different farms for a good while before that, there wasn't much time to be serious about it.

Kept the bins in the car, stopped at good ponds or tooled through Montezuma, but nothing like the real deal.

In retirement I have making up for lost time. However, between the above history and being more than slightly introverted, I never got to know other birders. Over the past few years that has been changing. We keep running into cool people, particularly at Schoharie Crossing, a popular hot spot, and making their brief but delightful acquaintance. Seems as if I learn something from every single one of them too.

Saturday we were checking out the geese and  ducks there when a gentleman pulled up behind us and introduced himself. We had corresponded online but had never met. It was really nice to put a face to our pleasant virtual conversations.

However, I wanted to check out the local farm ponds and so we took off quite soon.

Way up back of beyond in the southern part of the county, my phone pinged with a text. It was from another birder, from NJ, whom I had met in much the same manner a couple of years ago. He was asking if he could give my phone number to the gentleman we had just met.

Seems he had found a Greater White-fronted Goose down in town.

Yowsa! You betcha!

We headed for Dunkin' as fast as traffic and our ancient conveyance would allow. The nice man who found the goose waited for us so he could get me on it too. Thanks John! Also, thanks David for taking time to relay messages so I got there in time to see the bird.

And a very good thing too, as it left only minutes later.

Wasn't it nice of both of them to make sure we got to see this rare and exciting bird? Made my week, and with all that has been going on recently it was a week that needed it.

Thanks again to all involved, including the boss who transports me to the wild and not so wild places where the cool chicks...and geese....hang out.