Birding in the Apocalypse

Tuning In to Silence

Silence takes many forms…

The morning quiet before the world has awoken. The inner stillness of presence. The moment of anticipation. The expanding universe in your love's eyes. Entering a sacred grove deep in the forest. The edge of darkness before the coming dawn.

And when the light begins to grow and the dawn chorus erupts, it beautifully pierces the silence.

There are few greater joys than witnessing the praise songs of birds welcoming the day. And there are few greater sorrows than the absence of that resplendent symphony when it should be there.

All I Want for Christmas

Darcy and I closed out our Big Year at the 2024 Christmas Bird Count (CBC). We volunteered in our home county and were paired with an experienced birder. Galen was an absolute treat to go birding with. He was patient, optimistic, passionate, and had an amazing ear.

Galen taught us how to better differentiate the sparrows we spotted (Song, Chipping, Field and White-throated), how to tell which woodpecker was speaking (Pileated, Downy, Red-bellied, Hairy and Northern Flicker), and how we might be more successful in spotting ducks (Mallards and Mergansers). Overall, we tallied 40 species including two new ones for the year (Pine Siskin and Common Merganser). It was a special day.

If I paid attention, I would tell you this was a Song Sparrow - photo by Darcy

After the Floods

Our section for the CBC was primarily in Fairview, North Carolina, in the southeastern part of Buncombe County. When Hurricane Helene came through in late September, it tore through much of the eastern part of the county. Asheville was bad, but places like Swannanoa, Bat Cave, and Fairview will never be the same. Anywhere there was a river, tributary or creek saw historic flooding.

We started our day at a carp pond where we saw Mergansers, Mallards and our first of four Great Blue Herons. The pond was in great shape, in fact when we finished our day there and logged our 40th species (Mourning Doves), there were about 20 people fishing. Because of the conditions at the pond, we were not at all prepared for what was to come. The further out we traveled the greater the destruction we witnessed.

One of our early stops was the Spring Mountain Community Center. The suggestions left to us from previous birders was to park and walk the trails and scan the creek. The only problem was that there were no trails. In their place were mounds of sediment, debris, trash, and some signs of what once was a beautiful spot.

We walked the former trails, mouths agape, scanning for signs of life, and only hearing the sounds of our feet tromping through the rubble. Even though we knew we were not going to see anything, it felt like we had to complete the circuit as a way to somehow honor this sacred land that had been completely transformed. We made our way back to the car and nary a word passed between us, each lost in our own thoughts.

Will the Echo Return?

We had a few stops following that in which we were on high ground and where everything almost seemed normal again. After walking into a flock of a dozen or so Dark-eyed Juncos and then finding Sparrow heaven in which we saw four different types, we were feeling pretty high again. We all got really excited because our next stop was Echo Lake. According to our information, this was the jewel of our route and should be waterfowl paradise.

The instructions suggested that we drive out onto the dam and park and set up a scope and marvel at all of those ducks. The problem was that there was no lake. What once had been a beautiful body of water was now a giant mud pit. It was eerily quiet and the only sounds I could hear were the gears turning in all of our minds as to what was going on. We could not quite grasp this reality.

Echo Lake in Fairview, North Carolina after Hurricane Helene - photo by Darcy

I went through the five stages of grief in a matter of minutes - No, this could not be it. (Denial) That freaking Hurricane and climate change is enraging! (Anger) This has to be the wrong place, right? (Bargaining) Nothing matters, it will never be the same, oh my. (Depression) Well, I guess that’s the way it goes, the world changes every day. (Acceptance)

The moment of acceptance was everything. It helped me to begin to truly take in the day and all of the destruction we were witnessing. Through all of the trauma of the storm, denial of our shared reality may have had the greatest impact on me. I was protecting myself from experiencing reality. Each and every time I ventured out to witness, it was extremely painful, and at the same time, it allowed me to grow my capacity to feel and listen and be of service.

We continued on our journey and took small victories where we could and allowed the bitter defeats to not destroy, but instead edify. The Garren Creek Fire Station looked like a war zone and could have sent us spinning, but amidst the rubble was a mutual aid hub, signs offering support and supplies, and a crew of firefighters ready to help. That brought in more feelings of hopefulness.

On one of our final stops, I took a turn off of Garren Creek Road next to a trailer that had been severely damaged. There were volunteers there from Samaritan's Purse doing the best they could to help the residents. We climbed the road that ran along a pine forest and were greeted at the top by eight cute goats. They followed us and whinnied for attention the entire time we walked the road. We spotted a reclusive Brown Thrasher and Galen zeroed in on a Pine Siskin. When we got back to the car, the goats were waiting to say goodbye. What a sweet way to finish such an emotional day.

Our goat friends saying goodbye - photo by Darcy

Redrawing the Map

On New Year's Day, I wanted to start off the year right by taking some time for myself and go birding. The grandkids spent New Year’s Eve with us (we had the best time ever!) and I was tasked with delivering them home. They live an hour northeast of us in Yancey County and so I scanned eBird to see what spots I might find on my drive back. We played all morning, and after lunch we headed out.

Safely delivered, I checked out my map and decided to try each place on my route home. The first was the Toe River Campground. I had been hiking there before and I love the South Toe River, so I was excited to see what I might discover. I took the turn at the Poplar Grove Convenience Store and started down the road to the entrance. As I wound my way, the road got tighter and more gravel strewn. My spidey senses kicked in and when I rounded the last bend, I discovered that the road was gone. It just ended. I let that sink in, took some deep breaths, turned around and re-started the five stages of grief, fast-forwarding straight to depression.

Tears were softly flowing as I made my way back to the highway. The highway passes through the town of Burnsville. Burnsville and Yancey County had the highest recorded rainfall during Hurricane Helene. Weeks after the storm, they still had not reached every house that had been cut off by the storm. Driving down a major road, you sometimes don’t have any idea how bad things are on the other side. The fast food chains, pharmacies and grocery stores block your view of where the people in the community live.

I was heading to Cane River Park, a major birding hot spot in the county. According to eBird, 155 different species have been documented in the park. It is a beautiful park with sports fields, an epic playground, and wonderful nature located on the banks of the beautiful Cane River.

Or it was…

Before I took the final turn I could see in the distance what lay ahead. The giant lights they install at soccer and baseball fields were in various states of leaning, falling over or down. There were massive dirt, trash and debris piles to rival any that I had seen in the last three months. When I pulled onto the road leading to the entrance, there were keep out and warning signs posted everywhere. There was not one single speck of the park left. I pulled into the dirt lot and just went into shock. This amazing place was gone in the blink of an eye.

Cane Creek Park in Yancey County, NC after Hurricane Helene

I drove towards home in silence, feeling a bit empty inside.

There was one more spot I wanted to try, but was not sure I had the heart left to do it.

Begin Again

I pass the Beech Glen Community Center dozens of times a year going between our house and our daughter’s. I have stopped in the parking lot to meet people, but never explored the grounds. I know it is on Little Ivy Creek, so I am sure it flooded and now I am feeling a bit shell shocked. As I approach, I am pretty sure I can’t handle any more devastation, but then I spot a family walking along the nature trail. They seem happy, not like they are out doom spectating.

I pull into the parking lot and head straight to the trail. It doesn’t look like the other trails because there is actually a trail. That sinks in as I start walking and the silence finally breaks. I immediately hear one of the sweetest sounds - Golden-crowned Kinglets. The sounds of these sweet, little, talkative birds is enough to melt even the Grinch’s heart. I sat and watched three Kinglets chase each other and play in some young trees and brush by the creek for about 20 minutes. I felt lighter and lighter by the second.

I walked the trail stopping to wish the family that drew me in a Happy New Year and chat about the fish in the creek. After they left I saw Towhees and Song and Field Sparrows, Bluebirds and some chatty Starlings. I felt a lightness in my heart again after such a difficult day.

Acceptance is trickling in. It’s not as loud as the roaring rivers or heavy equipment cleaning up after the storm. And you have to listen really hard to hear it, but the faint sound that is breaking the silence is a gentle reminder that we can begin again.

End Note: My wife jokingly suggested I change the name of my Substack to Birding in the Apocalypse and I have somewhat seriously considered it. But more seriously, many of the places I visited and a whole lot of special and sacred places people love were destroyed by Hurricane Helene. I have linked to a few of them here, and there are a lot more out there, maybe even in your community. If you have the time or the means consider sending some support or volunteering.