Great Dismal Swamp

Today I had the privledge of going on a birding expedition with a Dr. Lytton Musselman, the head of the ODU biology department and possibly one of the coolest people I know, as well an ornithologist from the Smithsonian into the Great Dismal Swamp here in Virginia and had a blast. The Great Dismal Swamp is a huge tract of swampland in Eastern Virginia that has been abused for centuries by humans and is just recently recovering its wild status. It was only my second time into the swamp and I had a blast, especially since I was surrounded by people excited about nature and willing to listen about what is happening in this diverse area.

The weather was absolutely beautiful for the area (which typically means bugless) and I got to see some flora and fauna that I had never seen before or that I had not seen in many years. Some of these included the prothonotary warbler (a first sighting for me), wood ducks (birds I haven't seen since I was 6 years old), black gum, red maple, and bald cypress trees, as well as numerous traces of bear and otter. It was also very interesting going with several either former or current biology students because they were always turning up things like snakes or tadpoles, as well as being fascinated with some of the tiniest elements of creation.

I think the best part however was being able to spend more time with Dr. Musselman. I had already gotten to know him through my church as well as through the university, but I had never gotten to spend time with him in the field. It is so neat to see someone so interested in the world around us and willing to engage others in his fascination. "Take a look at those ferns! What type of tree is this? Everyone gather round! This flower only blooms for one week a year! Taste this! It tastes just like asparagus!" He was constantly engaging all of us in our surroundings and showing us the many intricacies of what appeared on the surface to be just a boring swamp. What a blessing to be able see creation in a brand new way!

I always enjoy going out into the creation and learning and experiencing new things, but today I really was challenged to learn and understand rather than just experience and soak in. I definately will still take time to simmer, soak, and experience creation, but who knows, maybe this will spark a new interest in me to pursue God and his creation in a new way.