Big Bird

The inspiration for today's post came from Growing Wild on Waverly Lane's post about Ichabod the Snake.  I suggest you read her post for yourself, but basically it tells the story of a snake who was named Ichabod (a very appropriate name for a snake) and how each subsequent snake since the first Ichabod has been called Ichabod as well (trust me, it's much more eloquent in her post).
How many more times can I use the word post in this post?

Over in Deltaville on Sturgeon Creek, we have Big Bird.  And no, I'm not talking about a large 8 foot yellow bird, I'm referring to a Great Blue Heron.

I've mentioned many times how my great-uncle and surrogate grandfather PePop was a nature lover and Superintendent of Patapsco State Park in Maryland.  Growing up, he taught me and all my cousins about the natural world around us.  I know he is instrumental in giving me my love of the outdoors and all the creatures in it. 

PePop is the person who gave Big Bird his name.  Through the fall and winter, PePop would send cards and letters.  In his letters, there were always drawings of the animals that had recently visited the creek.  And along with the drawings were the names PePop had christened them with.  The Great Blue Heron was dubbed Big Bird because, well, he's a big bird.  Every Great Blue Heron that I have seen since the age of about 7 is named Big Bird.  My younger siblings grew up calling the herons Big Bird and my children call the herons Big Bird. 

And when I traveled to Deltaville after the Tornado, it was a welcome sight to see Big Bird feeding in his usual spot in the creek.

I have a passionate hatred an aversion to change, so it's reassuring to see the same bird fishing in the same spot the way I have for 30-some years.

Just because everything is different doesn't mean anything has changed.

~Irene Peter