Outdoors

There are sights and sounds from the past that trigger memories I can’t help but long to see return. When we turn on the news and see all the turmoil taking place in our country, I want to see the return to those days of innocence, peace and tranquility. I want to be able to walk out into the field and see a meadow lark explode under my feet, its undulating flight transporting it to a fence nearby where a few yards down the fence line sits a shrike, or as we called them, “butcher bird.” I haven’t seen either of these two species in years. What happened to them? The absence of another bird hurts my heart more than missing the meadow lark and shrike. It wasn’t too many years ago when I would leave my home for an early morning walk down the road and hear the plaintive whistle of a bobwhite quail. It’s been years since I heard one. Where did they go and why don’t I get to hear them any longer? There is nothing I can do to bring back the meadow lark and shrike but I am optimistic about something being done, not only nationally but locally to work to bring back the quail. An organization, Quail Forever, is pulling out all the stops to try and help fashion the recovery of these beloved birds. Sabrina Claeys is a field biologist for the national organization who works tirelessly to promote the return of quail to our world. The mission statement of Quail Forever is “to conserve quail, pheasants and other wildlife through habitat improvements, public access, education and conservation advocacy.” “The main problem as we see it for the loss of quail has to do with habitat; we’re losing it faster than we can create it,” said Claeys. As a biologist, Claeys had heard it all when it comes to possible explanations as to why quail numbers had plummeted.

I just finished reading an outstanding book, “ Bayou D’Arbonne Swamp,” written by retired wildlife biologist, Kelby Ouchley and it got me thinking about the swamps and woods I grew up around in rural Natchitoches Parish.

I was listening to a song from recently departed songwriter and singer, the late Tom T. Hall. The song, “I Love …” got me to thinking about all the things, people, events, happenings that have garnered a special spot in my storehouse of memories. In his song he mentions loving things like “ little baby ducks, old pickup trucks, slow m o v i n g trains, and rain”. In another verse, h e l ov e s “ little country streams, sleep without dreams, Sunday school in May, and hay”.

I just read on Facebook that August 24 marked the anniversary of the death of Mississippi comedian, Jerry Clower. He died 24 years ago at the age of 72.