My conclusion is that I do not have that feeling for any specific bird. I do believe that birds offer a connection to a reality that is greater than our own. Quite often, encounters with birds produce what I call “near-occasions of being,” when I’m unexpectedly exposed to a realm beyond myself. That is one of the reasons I like birds.
listen live
watch live
There have been some especially memorable encounters, of course. A number of years ago, my dear friend Mary Margaret Frank asked if I could show her a meadowlark. We drove into the landscape northwest of Grand Forks, parked the car, rolled down the windows and listened. Within moments, a meadowlark appeared and began to sing. Mary Margaret’s reaction was pure joy.