A rare bird is as thrilling as the most precious gem. Birds come in all colors, and in this country they range in size from the 3.25-inch calliope hummingbird to the California condor with its wingspan of nearly 10 feet. Whether a bird's song is short and sweet or long and musical, virtually all bird songs are memorable and stirring. Birds, in short, show nature's diversity in all its glory, and watching birds is nothing less than a celebration of life. But I think the real fascination with birds is that, more than any other creatures, they embody the freedom and wildness about which we humans can only dream.
Birds are a living fantasy.
I watch them fly in disbelief. These colorful, almost mythical feathered sprites defy gravity at will. They go wherever they want, whenever they choose, some at lightning speed. They are more beautiful and exotic than any extraterrestrial being Hollywood could concoct, and yet they are here, at our doorsteps, for us to enjoy. Birds are a living fantasy.