The finger resting on my camera's shutter release had already lost feeling, numb from exposure to the frigid January morning. But morning is one of the best times to photograph birds which is why we were at the Billy Frank Jr Nisqually Wildlife Refuge - we were photographing birds.
It had been a few years since my last visit to the refuge and I'd had a bit of a hankering to get back down there, but I also wanted to schedule a trip during high tide in hopes of seeing more duck closer in. After checking the tide charts for the area, I decided to run down on the last Sunday in January. Then I thought it would be fun to invite a few people to join me and opened up an activity through the Seattle Mountaineers.
I was joined by my sister, a couple of our friends, a hiking buddy and a few new people in my life. Most were naturalists of some type who had no problem telling this non-birder about the birds we were seeing. One participant drew my attention. He is the the director of the State Parks Foundation, the fundraising partner for the Washington State Parks Commission. A person of interest for a photographer writing a book about the state parks.
We chatted a bit about birds and a little about the book. He even gave me a few ideas on finding a boat or two to get me to the smaller islands in the San Juans. And when he and another fellow had difficulty with their cameras, I was able to step in with my expertise and help them make the necessary adjustments.
By the end of the morning, my spirit took flight with hope and joy that my project has support and I will be able to finish.
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