The TowheeTHE TOWHEE
Exclusive Sunday Review Sketch by Dennis Puleston of Brookhaven
Focus on
Nature
(Today Keith McKenna is our
guest writer. He teaches Eng-
lish in Riverhead and has a
poetic hand that I am sure you
will enjoy. —P.S.)
A Bird Watcher's Manifesto
By . Keith McKenna, Brookhaven
The other day I was driving
home from school with my reg-
ular companions who have by now
grown accustomed to interrup-
tions in whatever conversation
might be going on while I exclaim
over some bird which happens by
at that moment.
"There's a Towhee," I ex-
claimed. "That's a great l i t t l e
bird!"
My friend, heaving a sigh at the
now lost train of thought, turned
belligerently to me and asked,
"Would you mind telling me
what's `great' about it ?"
I mumbled some embarrassed
reply, recognizing that the word
certainly seemed a little exces-
sive when considered in retro-
spect; nevertheless I was moved
to think about the reasons I must
have had somewhere in the back
of my mind to cause me to- apply
the word. What is written here is
the result of my reflections.
Well, then, what is "great"
about a Towhee? It's a personal
matter, I suppose. First, he's a
handsome little creature. H i s
colors are bright, and n a tu r e
seems to have combined them in
the best of taste.
He presents an admirable pic-
ture of industry, for he is always
busy, and even when I see him
eating I have the thought that he
is only prudently keeping up his
strength for the work which lies
ahead.
Finally, he is an altogether
Courteous individual, as anyone
by Paul Stoutenburgh
Cutchogue
can tell when he is heard in the
woods inviting everyone around to
"have some TEA."
What is "great" about a
Towhee? It must be obvious by
now that it's an emotional thing.
He touches a sensitive chord in
my own makeup. To borrow from
Emily Dickinson —
"I feel for him a transport of
cordiality —"
The real question is ,not,
"What's `Great' about a Tow-
hee?" It is, rather, "Wh a t 's
great about any bird ?" or,
"What's great about any living
thing ?" or "What's great about
Nature in her relation to God and
Man ?"
.Once again it is a matter of
feeling. It can be stated simply.
I love the Towhee. My "transport
of cordiality" is, properly inter-
preted, a feeling of passionate
devotion.
But let me go on. S cience
provides me with an excellent
tool. Through its works I may
learn and have learned. I may
discover that all sorts of things
can be found about the Towhee's
habits and movements. I read and
° I file the information in my
memory.
The trouble is that science
doesn't answer my self- searching
question. It can't. What is
"Great" about a Towhee ?, I still
ask, and only my feelings answer.
Perhaps a poet is needed here.
Just now the woods around my
home are filled with wonderful .
little birds called warblers. They
come in many colors and they
brighten the scene considerably.
But look back a second = the
warblers may be colorful a n d
they certainly do brighten a n y
scene — but I used the w or d
"Wonderful" to mean "f u l 1 of
wonder."
There we are. I am filled with
amazement and wonder and awe
that such a creature can exist
or even come about in - the ap-
parently random order of nature.
Is it after all not random? Is
there a higher order, an eternal
plan? These questions are not for
science. These are questions of
beauty and love and the soul.
They are a matter for the spirit
and not for the mind.
This then is my man
shall observe Nature in
courses. I shall learn and
her body of factual infor
I shall regard her with i
tual curiosity and comm
as well as I can my findi
others. When all this is done'and
I may be concerned only `i t h
myself, then I shall love he'annd`
worship at her feet.
FIELD OBSERVATIONS
Dennis Puleston reports: Brook-
haven — May 25 - Blackpoll Warb
ler, Pine Warbler, Wilson 's
Warbler.
Brookhaven — May 31 - Bobolinks
Brookhaven — June 1- Tennessee
Warbler
Brookhaven — June 2 - Blackpoll
Warbler, Red Crossbills
Dennis Puleston, Arthur Cooley, .
Jennifer Puleston, Peter Puleston
report: Quogue — May 30 - West-
ern Sandpipers, Knots, Whit e-
rumped Sandpipers, Nor t her n
Phalarope.
Philip Hubert reports: Brook-
haven — June 2 - Red Crossbills
Henry Halama reports: Brook-
haven — June 2 - Pine Grosbeak
L R Ernest reports: Southamp-
ton — May 28 - Green Herons,
Lady Slippers have been bloom-
ing, Broad - winged Hawk, Purple
Finch, Warbling Vireos