Rain was pouring in a Peruvian cloud forest as we made our way to a large wooden blind to seek an amazing creature. Would it be there, even in this rain?
We heard several as we got closer to the blind. They gave loud squeaks and grunts, which doesn’t come close to describing the unusual, raucous sounds they make.
These were males of a bird species called the Andean cock-of-the-rock, the national bird of Peru.
It’s a wonder we didn’t see them first. Males show off an intense red on their heads, chests, back and belly, in communal leks, scattered about the trees, for the onlooking, mostly hidden females. A crest of disk-like, red feathers covers most of the bird’s yellow bill giving it an unusual large-headed look. The intense red is contrasted by the bird’s mostly black with large silvery-white patched wings, black tail and orange legs.
The males show off those colors while bowing, flapping their wings, snapping bills and giving their unusual calls. Though it was raining, there were enough trees to keep the birds from getting wet. They found perfect exposed perches underneath the tree canopy for their performances. I’ll always be grateful for having experienced this natural wonder.
This time of year, I think of many experiences I’ve had in nature, and how grateful I am to have witnessed them. Some have been far away, like in Peru, or in Africa, where we saw upward of one million wildebeests migrating with lesser numbers of zebras on the Serengeti. Our experienced guide was even astonished at the numbers that we could see for 10 or 15 miles in any direction.
But there are just as many wonderful natural experiences close to home for which I’m just as thankful. One example is the black rail that likely nested at Illinois Beach State Park last summer. This rare rail, about the size of a mouse with a bright red eye, black body and silver speckling on the back, is much more often heard than seen. Endangered as a nester in Illinois, the black rail gives a most pleasing and easy-to-recognize song, “kikee doo,” with the first two syllables higher than the last.
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Just like trying to describe the mating rituals of the Andean cock-of-the rock, it’s difficult to explain what it’s like to be in the midst of wetlands hearing the black rail sing at dusk. We even heard the rustling as it walked among the wet vegetation. We did keep our distance, as we always try to do when enjoying these special natural moments.
It’s not just avian experiences that make me thankful. I love seeking rare botanical treasures close to home. One March, we went looking for pasque flowers that grow in native prairies and are found mostly in the northern part of Illinois.
Finding them wasn’t easy. They bloom close to the ground and among the many emergent brownish-yellow grasses just shooting up in the prairie as spring arrives. We found our hidden treasures hugging the ground and showing off their purplish white petals and yellow centers. Easter lilies pale in comparison to the lovely pasque flowers.
One backyard nature experience I’ll never forget is when three different mammals entered the backyard within minutes of one another. First a coyote sauntered into the yard, then curled around a huge silver maple for a nap.
Moments later, a red fox entered the arena and unbelievably walked to where the coyote was sleeping. The fox hopped on an old shed next to the maple and proceeded to take a nap as well. I was stunned.
Then, along came a raccoon, who headed toward the fox and coyote, then hoisted itself into the silver maple and settled high within the branches, also apparently to get some sleep.
Three disparate mammals shared the same space quietly and peacefully, each leaving on its own time without interacting.
We all have witnessed natural moments for which we are grateful. Send me your close-to-home natural experiences and I’ll share them with readers.
Sheryl DeVore has worked as a full-time and freelance reporter, editor and photographer for the baiduhai and its subsidiaries. She’s the author of several books on nature and the environment. Send story ideas and thoughts to [email protected]