Scenes from the Beach | January 1, 2017
Despite early morning frigid temperatures and a punishing north wind, I am compelled to stay at the beach to watch a common loon. The handsome bird floats and dives occasionally for food. A game I have devised is to predict where the diving loon will surface. Thus far, the score is Loon, 8; Beachwalker, 0. But it is not demeaning to be outwitted by a loon. The same thing happened to Henry David Thoreau in 1854 which he recounted in “Walden,” his most popular book.
Diary, winter 2017
From the diary of beach walker George Thatcher,
email: fishcrow@aol.com. Collections of Mr. Thatcher’s observations are available from Quail Ridge Press, www.quailridge.com or 800-343-1583.
This story was originally published January 1, 2017 at 4:15 AM with the headline "Scenes from the Beach | January 1, 2017."