Watching the White-breasted Nuthatch more carefully this morning (what choice did I have–he was the only bird in sight) I wondered why he pecked at the bark of the oak. Was he digging for bugs? Then he skittered down the tree, snatched a seed from the seed platform, and skittered back up, depositing the seed in the hole he had just dug. Who needs books to teach them about birds (says the librarian) when you can just watch them and learn! Actually, I’m not being scornful of books, for they are the culmination of many people’s observations and represent far more than just one person could observe in a lifetime. But I’m championing the observations of one person. Sometimes one person can get a take on something that others are mistaken, misled, or blinded about. Don’t scorn the work of others consider it carefully and compare it to your own thoughts, observations, and experiences. Someone may benefit from your insight.
How can I turn these thoughts into a library lecture? As I tell students (after reading my little “bird blurb” to them): This is what you do when you begin a research project. Your have your ideas, whether vague or set in concrete. Then you pursue the thoughts of others on the same subject. Consider your sources. Are they reputable? That’s another subject we’ll consider at our next lesson.