Woodpecker wonder

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Today it started to rain as I was on my way home from work, without an umbrella. I decided that since I was carrying groceries, I had no free hand for an umbrella, anyway, and it wasn't raining that hard, and so I was going to have a happy walk home.

Which is about when I saw a bird that looked exactly like the logo of my county, Hordaland's birding site.

It is the endangered white-backed woodpecker (in Norw., hvitryggsspett), aka dendrocopos leucotos.

Even if it should turn out to be the far more common (and likely) great spotted woodpecker (in Norw., flaggspett), aka dendrocopos major, it was still an amazing moment in time and space. I was surrounded by apartment buildings, other people passing me by, never noticing why I was stopped in the path, and never noticing the pretty black-and-white-and-red bird exploring the bark of a birch tree only 10 feet away from me. But I noticed. And I realized as I watched the little woodpecker that had I had an umbrella, I never would have seen the bird.

Comments

Anonymous said…
One of the amazing moments of Life.
A little present of Mom nature that you can carry around to warm your heart :)

I saw my first Ladybug in Kuwait yesterday, it landed on my shoulder.
When I showed it all exited to a Lady that stopped by to pet my dogs she almost crunched it and threw it of my shoulder. It got away though, I saw it flying.
Some people are just plain lost.

Sigh.
April 11, 2008 7:23 AM
Sparkling Red said…
I will stop in the middle of the sidewalk to stare at a bird or a butterfly. Probably people think I'm crazy, as I never see anyone else pause for any reason. But that's their problem!
April 11, 2008 9:16 PM
Keera Ann Fox said…
Some people are too adult, have grown too far out of their childhood wonder.

The day before I stood on the path around our local pond for a long time, watching a gorgeous egret standing at the water's edge. I was passed by several people; nobody else ever saw the bird.

At least the three of us can appreciate the specialness around us!
April 12, 2008 9:57 PM
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