On-the-trail etiquette is a bit skewed these days because of COVID pandemic restrictions. Midwestern native that I am, I’m usually one to say “hello” or “good morning” or to wave to passersby.
Nowadays, each encounter with an oncoming pedestrian triggers the questions, do I put my mask on, and will the runner/walker do the same? Usually, my answer to the former is yes, even when on a path that’s wider than the six-foot standard for social distancing.
With more and more people getting vaccinated, I expect to see masking expectations and the accompanying tensions ease a bit. That’s good.
This morning at the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm, I came across two women who not only said hello, but upon seeing my camera, wished me good luck in shooting and even asked where I post my images. Surprised and flattered, I mentioned that I had started this site yesterday. (Ladies, if you’re reading, thank you for that and for brightening my morning.)
A bit later, I encountered a gentleman birder whom I’ve chatted with a few times before. He comes down from a county north of here, and each time we’ve crossed paths, he’s taught me something new. Today, he spotted a blue-gray gnatcatcher, and I was able to get a nice view through my binoculars. He also helped me identify the call of the field sparrow (“like a dropped Ping Pong ball“), which I’d been hearing all along my walk.
While I venture out to commune with the birds and other critters in the woods, it’s a bonus to encounter birders like those above, freely and amicably giving advice and trading notes on what we’ve seen or hope to see.
The Jersey Birder 