Batty Bird


Photo from adannells.blogspot.

As I cooled my trail-weary feet in a Colorado mountain stream, I noticed a small creature flitting above the water about tree top height. A glut of recently hatched gnats no doubt inspired the critter’s erratic hover.  The flier was bat-sized, a little small for a bird, and its flight was bat-like as well.  Yet the evening seemed too early for bats.  I watched for several minutes trying to distinguish bat or bird and finally got the right angle to see that the head was bird-like.

Shortly after that, as I sat beside our camper, something flew just over my head and apparently clung briefly to the side of the camper.  I kept still so as not to startle it, and it, a small brown bird, dropped onto my knee for several heartbeats.  Much as I’d like to believe it, I know that bird didn’t perch on me knee to show me for certain that it wasn’t a bat.

It was trying to decide whether I was person or yeti.


About breathtakebyways

Ann Williams’ travel articles have appeared in publications all over the country including The Washington Post, Roads to Adventure, and Jack and Jill. Between researching and writing books, she specializes in creative lectures.