Garth Nature Area is a landscape of ponds, wetlands, floodplain woodlands and hillside forest in north Columbia, Missouri. As one might expect, it is an excellent destination for naturalists and an appropriate location to celebrate Earth Day.
On this cool, sunny morning, my wife and I walked along its network of graveled trails, noticing the handiwork of beavers along the way. We first encountered two pair of Canada geese herding their fuzzy goslings and soon observed a prothonotary warbler, the first warbler I have seen this spring; other sightings included turkey vultures, blue-winged teal, a red-tailed hawk, painted turtles and the usual mix of resident songbirds. But the highlight of our visit was a remarkable number of ruby-crowned kinglets, spaced along the main loop trail. These tiny, active songbirds are fairly common in the Midwest during April, traveling from wintering sites in the Southern States and Mexico to their Canadian breeding grounds; usually observed alone or in pairs, their congregation was an unexpected treat.
On this annual commitment to conservation, it is best to meet nature on her terms. Festivals, speeches and political declarations have their benefits but they cannot replace immersing oneself in a natural ecosystem, where we witness the diversity, fragility and interdependence of life on our planet.
