A Professional Birdwatcher
“I sat bolt upright hearing nothing. No movement. No footsteps. No breeze. No earthquake.” He explains that the trees would have been shaking for at least several seconds in the aftermath of a shock that violent.
“So my heart is racing, my palms sweating, and I am completely freaked out by this. I’m thinking that someone or something that shook the vehicle was perhaps under it. I was afraid to touch the ground.”
Finally he managed to open the cab door from the bed of the truck and slither into the front seat.
“I locked the doors and fell asleep.” He found no sign of anything in the morning.
Hey, Elias, now describe something really scary!
“In the early part of the career I was doing a lot of surveys deep in the forest.” To identify the birds early when they are the most active, he had to be out on the trail before sunrise. On this particular day Elias had started at 2 a.m. to hike the five miles down a slope from his ridge-top camp. It was still pitch dark and he was walking with a headlamp.
“I was in the very dense tan oaks near where I was going to spend two hours counting birds. And then the hair literally stood up on the back of my neck.” He had a vague sense that something was very close and making faint noises right next to him. So he stopped to listen, and then said out loud, “I do not want to see any bears.” That had always worked in the past — but not this time.
“It keeps making noises, cracking branches and breathing around me. So I immediately turn to climb a tree, any tree.” It was still pitch black and the headlamp was on his head. As he climbed Elias heard it louder, now just on his right, very close.
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Today
Winter Classic Table Tennis Tournament
sports / 11:30 a.m. Arcata Community Center, 321 Community Parkway. Compete in 12 and under, beginners, intermediate, advanced or seniors groupings. Prizes for winners. $10/$5 kids 12 and under. 601-5447.
Audubon Society Field Trip
outdoors / 9 a.m. Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge, 1020 Ranch Road, Loleta. Meet at Refuge Visitor Center off Hookton Road. Leisurely, two- to three-hour trip intended for people wanting to learn birds of Humboldt Bay area. 822-3613.
Open Celtic Music Session
music / 3 p.m. Cafe Veritas/Mosgo's, 180 Westwood Center, Arcata. Informal monthly gathering of musicians playing Irish and other Celtic music. Hosted by Seabury Gould. seaburygould.com. 845-8167.
Nonviolence Action Camp
etc. / 10 a.m. Chinmaya Mission near Piercy. Weekend-long direct action orientation features workshops, role playing, seminars, ceremonies and field trips. Bring food, bedding, warm clothes, signs, banners, bikes, drums, acoustic instruments. Pre-register. saverichardsongrove.org. 932-5898.
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