On the Road: southern Tennessee to northern Florida

I woke up to sunshine. Vultures were wheeling in the skies and robins foraging in the fields behind the motel. I got gas and headed south on I65 for about 60 miles when I saw a sign for Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge. This was adjacent to the Tennessee River, and there was a lot of spread-out water that I could see from the road. It was only three miles off the interstate and I love NWRs, so I made a quick visit. It was a beautiful place, such a contrast from the surrounding busyness of traffic and commerce. These refuges are always serene and sane places for me: understated, well managed, very little zuzu and true havens for birds and other critters.

I stopped at the Visitor Center and looked over the pamphlets while listening to the rangers catch up since it was obvious they had just reported for work for the day. One lady ranger was telling all about her snakes and what she gets to feed them. I could have eavesdropped much longer because she had a wonderful southern drawl. Like she was talking about "maahs" which we in the northern states call "mice."

There were a dozen whooping cranes in the refuge, they told me, nine of which were in a release program, and three which came from the skies to hang out there. There were feeders all over the place with Carolina chickadees and white-throated sparrows. I walked to the observation tower on an idyllic little path through early spring foliage and sunshine, with no bugs, but a small trailside sign telling me about the three poisonous snakes I should know about. The open water area was visible through the trees with hundreds of ducks. I watched a brown thrasher vigorously poking through leaf litter, oblivious to me, closer than I've ever been to a thrasher and could easily see its yellow iris and large curved bill. I was the only one in the observation tower. I saw half a dozen great egrets but no whooping cranes. Maybe at Aransas in Texas.

On through Birmingham and then, because I had googled a Starbucks, I got off in Alabaster, Alabama. I had had it with interstate driving, but I did cover 150 miles which is good for me. I got coffee, juice and frosted lemon pound cake and then opted for some other roads, heading generally south and east, and for the most part these were a good choice. Into Georgia with areas of striking red dirt, more greenery, blue skies, tall long-leaved pines and what I think were pecan groves.

It was dark by 7 and I stopped east of Tallahassee in a nice Day's Inn. Except I have no food and am to lazy to venture out.

Speaking of food, I did stop before the NWR this morning at a McDonald's and then had a nice little bird deal. I had ordered two breakfast burritos and coffee. Burritos are always dripping sauce so I drove to the back of the parking lot to the trucker area and parked behind a semi next to a field to eat. I immediately saw and heard birds and several popped up from the weeds but then flew off. So I did my zen thing which is to be quiet and let the birds come to me. I waited 15 to 20 minutes, watching cardinals and a song sparrow before the small bird/sparrow flock came back and perched on various weeds very close to my open car window. They were field sparrows with their generally soft and muted rusty and grey faces, pink bills and clear, slightly buffy breasts. And nice white eye ring. I have noted that birds often perch on weeds that barely support their weight and one sparrow did just that right in front of the car, teetering and dipping while getting the weed seeds.

I saw very few other birds while driving. Far fewer than yesterday when I forgot to note that I also saw several hundered sandhill cranes in a field in southern Indiana. There was a wimpy margin so I was half on the road, but I quickly scanned thinking how amazing it would be if one of the cranes was a hooded. As they usual are, the cranes were in the distance, and for a second or two, I thought there was a dark one, but there wasn't.

Maria just called and told me there is going to be severe weather tomorrow and to get on down there. I will leave early. She gave me very specific directions and warned me about the slow-moving tourists and congestion and commerical traffic on the Tamiami Trail, so I am prepared.

Wednesday - the horrible prison fire in Honduras
Thursday - Jeremy Lin
Friday - the untimely death of Anthony Shadid

The news this week while on the road....