Date: 5.19.2024

Time: 6:30 am to 11:00 am

Location: Visitors Center, Quicks Point and the Indermuehl Island floating walkway

Birds Spotted: 20 different birds! I think it might be easier to link my ebird  checklist where you can see pictures with the list
Animals: Turtles, chipmunks, dragonflies and maybe a muskrat
Photos Taken: 474
Keepers: 107

We all have those unwritten desires. Me? I’ve penned down most of my dreams, leaving very few uncharted. I’m someone who likes to voice my aspirations and chase them down. One of those rare unwritten dreams—until now, thanks to Horicon Marsh—was to capture a photo of a wood duck. The emotions of that moment are hard to put into words. I found myself whispering excitedly to my sister and niece, “Woooood Ducks,” as my long-awaited moment unfolded. How did it turn out, you ask?

Let me paint the picture: like all true dreamers caught in their moment of fulfillment, I froze, awestruck, and overwhelmed. I managed to snap four photos. Are they perfectly sharp? No. Are the Wood Ducks captured in majestic poses? Not exactly. But are they beautiful beyond words? Did I capture that elusive image? Absolutely, yes. I have never cherished mediocrity in my photography more than I do right now. This moment was fifteen years in the making, and what brought it to fruition? Simply showing up.

So today, in this blog, you get a color photo because you showed up. Showing up is an occasion we should all celebrate, whether rewarding ourselves or extending a simple gesture of gratitude, like sharing a color photo to commemorate the moment or to thank you for joining me on this journey.

Believe it or not, this journey is theoretically 17% complete already. The trees are lush, the grasses vibrant, flowers bloom, and the bird migration is nearing its end. Time passes, and this very thing—time—makes showing up so challenging. Today’s lesson? Showing up is worth every second sacrificed.