Sometime in the winter of 2002-2003, my sons and I went on a roadtrip across various coastal locations in Rhode Island looking for seals. We found ourselves at Sachuest National Wildlife Refuge on the southwest tip of Newport Island checking out the wildlife on the many rocks.
Also on the observation platform was a college student peering through a spotting scope, making notes on a clipboard. He was studying the Harlequin Ducks that wintered off Sachuest. We watched as the group of chocolate diving ducks disappeared under the breaking surf, only to pop on the water's surface like fishing bobbers after a strike. They surfed the waves, chased each other, jumped off rocks. The student let the boys look through his scope for closeups of the silly white circles on the impossible brown feathers.
While his brothers were quickly back on the hunt for seals, Paul stayed talking to the student about the Harlequins and other Eiders, Teals, Scaup and Scoters that wintered there. Once home, Paul picked up our Peterson's Guide and began reading and reading about the birds of our area. His interest in birds has continued to grow since then, having seen almost 400 species of bird throughout North America in four years.
Also on the observation platform was a college student peering through a spotting scope, making notes on a clipboard. He was studying the Harlequin Ducks that wintered off Sachuest. We watched as the group of chocolate diving ducks disappeared under the breaking surf, only to pop on the water's surface like fishing bobbers after a strike. They surfed the waves, chased each other, jumped off rocks. The student let the boys look through his scope for closeups of the silly white circles on the impossible brown feathers.
While his brothers were quickly back on the hunt for seals, Paul stayed talking to the student about the Harlequins and other Eiders, Teals, Scaup and Scoters that wintered there. Once home, Paul picked up our Peterson's Guide and began reading and reading about the birds of our area. His interest in birds has continued to grow since then, having seen almost 400 species of bird throughout North America in four years.
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