Shorebirds in the Misty Morning | Surveying the St. Marks Refuge
It’s a little after 6:00 am, and all I can see in my headlights is tall grass. In that tall grass is the car I’m following; off to the sides is darkness, water. My car struggles to stay straight on the overgrown levies of the Saint Marks Refuge, and my hands stay busy on the wheel. Soon, Don Morrow and I are standing in the dark hearing least bitterns and frogs, and a distant barred owl. We’re in position to count shorebirds.
Don does this roughly twice a month, based on the tides. “I’m looking for a 2.5 foot tide, at least, at the mouth of the St. Marks River,” He explains. High tide today, September 11, 2020, is at about 7:50 am. The high water on the coast will drive shorebirds to the Refuge’s interior ponds, where they’re easier to count. It’s a few weeks into winter migration, and Don is seeing more and more birds with every survey.
trusting in him who can go with me and remain with you and be everywhere for good let us confidently hope that all yet will be well. to his care commending you as i hope in your prayers you will commend me i bid you an affectionate farewell. with those words 149 years ago today abraham lincoln stepped onto a train in springfield, illinois to take him to washington and his destiny. as we await the cardiologist s news conference let s play oddball. to the st. marks river near tallahassee, florida with 30-year-old drew gregory who was quietly fishing when a goose hanging around his kayak all afternoon suddenly did this. mr. gregory, amazed over why the goose attacked him though he says it s possible it really liked me, the attack caught on video with a camera mounted on the kayak because mr. gregory has a website and wants his own tv show about fishing or maybe kids in run away balloons. philadelphia, pennsylvania.
here i have lived a quarter of a century and have passed from a young to an old man. here my children have been born and one is buried. i now leave not knowing when or if ever i may return with a task before me greater than that which rested upon washington. without the assistance of the divine being whoever attended him i cannot succeed. with that assistance i cannot fail. trusting in him who can go with me and remain with you and be everywhere for good, let us confidently hope that all yet will be well. to his care commending you as i hope in your prayers you will commend me, i bid you an affectionate farewell. with those words 149 years ago today, abraham lincoln stepped onto a train in springfield, illinois, to take him to washington and his destiny. as we await the cardiologist s news conference let s play oddball. to the st. marks river near tallahassee, florida, with 30-year-old drew gregory who was quietly fishing when a goose
if ever i may return with a task before me greater than that which rested upon washington. without the assistance of the divine being whoever attended him i cannot succeed. with that assistance i cannot fail. trusting in him who can go with me and remain with you and be everywhere for good let us confidently hope that all yet will be well. to his care commending you as i hope in your prayers you will commend me i bid you an affectionate farewell. with those words 149 years ago today abraham lincoln stepped onto a train in springfield, illinois to take him to washington and his destiny. as we await the cardiologist s news conference let s play oddball. to the st. marks river near tallahassee, florida with 30-year-old drew gregory who was quietly fishing when a goose hanging around his kayak all afternoon suddenly did this. mr. gregory, amazed over why the goose attacked him though he says it s possible it really liked me, the attack caught on