Yesterday I took the day off. Well, for the most part I did (I thought it would be wise to go check on my boat). I got some things done – pictures set out, things put away, tossed a few things away – that I had not gotten done yet but needed to do.

At the marina I saw many different birds down there – mergansers, buffleheads, Canada geese, and others. It is always fascinating to see the different species. All the different colors and their different behaviors and mannerisms.

I came back up and I sat up on the upper deck, looking out over the mountains and paging through a magazine. While sitting there minding my own business I heard a hummingbird pretty close by. He was actually right in front of my face about 6 inches away when I looked up, hovering in mid-air as they usually do, just staring at me for about five seconds, as they don’t usually do.

Sure… birds don’t have opposable thumbs, but then again they don’t have to open jars or roll their own smokes. Just think about it… they can fly! Do you ever just sit and watch a bird and think about what it would be like to physically be able to fly? No, it’s not the isolation of being on this island getting to me – I have thought about this when I was over at the spit watching the birds over there. It has to be such a feeling of freedom to be able to fly like that.

I do notice a difference with the bird behavior here. Since the island is closed to the public they do act differently here without that constant interaction with lots of people. As I sit here in my recliner looking out the window, I can watch the different things that the gulls do. Many people complain about them, but the gulls are actually very interesting to watch if they don’t think they are being watched.

I wonder if they think the same thing about us…