I wandered away for a bit on World Series Day to spend a couple minutes with Tom while he banded birds. This is his second spring at Sandy Hook and Saturday found his nets overflowing with migrants! Canadas, like this one, were everywhere… as were Magnolias and Wilson’s.

I hung around taking photos and waiting for the rest of the crowd to amble away… finally Tom asked me if I’d like to hold a Magnolia that he’d just finished processing.

Gasp!

I felt strangely hesitant and scared… I’d held birds before, hawks, even tiny hummingbirds, but only injured or window-strike dazed birds. These wide-awake and eager-to-go warblers frightened me with their flutterings and protests.

Silly me… it’s just a little bird!

I’m sure my face was as giddy as this lady’s was… to feel those feathers in my hand, that tiny beating heart beneath my fingers and its trembling…

A sweet unexpected gift.

: )