Saturday, June 18, 2011

In Honor Happy Father's Day

Today I was on the south end of Jekyll. The smoke from the Okefenokee fires were burning my noise. I was looking for Wilson' Plovers. It is my weekly search. Today, I found 5. One pair was nesting! Will they make it? Will the other pair at the point nest? Good questions.



Every year I get deeper and deeper into bird conservation. If you read this blog on a regular bases, you know I am attempting to set up a beach docent program on Jekyll. If we do this will some other beach nesting birds come back to nest on Jekyll. Will this help people appreciate nesting shorebirds? Time will tell.


But how did I get here watching a pair of Wilson's Plovers? Well, that is a question I can answer, my father. He spent 50 years growing trees. He started with the US Forest Service. The service sent him to Mississippi where his job was to persuade cotton farmers to take their tired farm land and put into pine treees. That was his start. At the end he was working to bring back the Red-cockaded Woodpecker. He believed in what he did. He was like a bulldog. It was amazing to see him work. There were good days when people listened and helped. There were bad days when no one listened or cared. He keep his focus right up to the day he died. He believed in what he was doing. I am my father's daughter. I believe we can bring back a small beach nesting bird colony. I believe that we can care. Thanks Dad.

3 comments:

Becky Valentine said...

Lydia, what a beautiful tribute to your father! Thanks for sharing it.

Joy Window said...

Hooray for your Dad! I'm grateful to mine, too. He was just an ordinary man, a plumber by trade, but he instilled his love of the sea in me and now I am a professional science editor, and natural history blogger, passionate about the natural world. One person can make a difference!

Lydia said...

It is important to remember those who came before you and helped you, then remember to pass it on. It sounds like you are. Thanks Joy