A Fascination With Maps And Streams

Ever since I was a kid I've had a sense of curiosity. I'd explore the woods for hidden trout streams, search the night sky with a telescope, look for hidden creatures in pond water using a microscope, look for antiques at a tag sale, or use a metal detector to search for hidden treasure. 

  These days, my biggest hobby has been birding, but I'm still searching for that secret spot where the prize bird might be hiding. It's a lot of fun for me to look for birds where no one else is looking. I will look through map books for ponds and streams tucked away in a wooded area hoping to discover that magic spot.

At the same time, I check these little streams to see if they hold any wild brook trout that usually grow to no more than 8" long. I don't want to catch them all. It's enough for me to know that they're there.

These secret spots can't compete with whatever my imagination has already conjured up, and that prize bird may turn out to be no more than a Carolina Wren. Sometimes we lose that sense of wonder we have as a child. A good map and and a little trip to search for a hidden stream helps whet my appetite for birding and keeps my imagination alive.