Last winter a particular bird that had never been seen in this area, I think even North America, was spotted here on the westside. I could look up the specifics but really, it is all still too personally painful.

I heard a rumor of this bird and did some quick research, learned about a birder newsgroup and began following the stories coming in. People were really really excited. Reports poured in almost hourly. And it was all happening in my neighborhood. Surely I could see the critter myself.

That began my month of birding hell. I am not a birder myself, I don't know the official terms for things, I don't have a camera or binoculars. I do appreciate the natural world though and I thought, mistakenly, that I too could participate in this.

So the list would say that the bird had been spotted in this type of tree at this address doing this thing with these birds at this moment. I'd stroll out there and find a large group of people all relaxing after having just seen it. The bird that was now gone.

So it went for weeks. Other people saw the bird, I never did. Folks came from Seattle. Portland. From all over, and they saw it.

I never saw the bird, but I did see birders. Driving slowly with intent expressions. I saw a tall guy pacing energetically through the neighborhood with full camera gear including tripod over one shoulder. Jogging clusters of birders, solitary birders, birders with all sorts of nifty equipment.

Friends found out about my failure, they personally weren't that interested in chasing a bird through the cold winter, but they did help by making jokes. We discussed what would happen if a neighborhood cat left me a gift on my door mat and the gift turned out to be.....you guessed it......the bird.

I finally for my own sanity gave up the quest. Certain that very likely the bird was perched in a tree outside my window, laughing.