Mother Nature is always around us even if we are blind to it, and she can take on multiple forms. These include, but are not limited to, trees scattered randomly around a city block, birds singing songs in someone’s backyard, a local park with bike trails, or an entire national park that fills tourists in awe with each visit. In our seemingly rapid-paced and money-chasing society, it can be easy to forget to slow down and appreciate her beauty. Spending time in nature allows us to relax and process the world around them, both externally and internally, as well as learn new things about ourselves and the natural world.

The Arboretum

I made my own nature-based observations while traipsing through Geneseo’s Arboretum, which was located just beyond the residence halls on the south side of campus. Upon entry the trails were all hidden from view, but next to a wooden bench, I found the entrance to a trail marked by yellow arrows. I attempted to follow the trail completely, but about a quarter of the way down, the path was covered in mud. My shoes, lacking the proper traction, made it hard to continue, until I found a drier trail at an intersection. Despite this, it was a very quiet and peaceful escape from college.

The majority of my observations were of animals, especially birds. I found it surprising that, although the nature trail itself was not too far away from civilization, there was quite an abundance of wildlife. Watching them required me to focus inward on my immediate surroundings and ignore the road just beyond the trails. Every time a truck drove by, producing a cacophony of sound, or I took out my phone to take a picture, the animals would disappear entirely and I would lose track of them. These animals were: three turkey vultures circling above the tree canopy, a goldfinch, with winter plumage, flying from one tree to another, two crows ducking in an out of the trees following each other, a rather adorable and small garter snake from underneath a wooden bridge, and two 2 robins hopping in the shrubbery with near perfect camouflage.

Specific (and fascinating) animal obervations

The two crows were probably the most fascinating to watch. They were following each other through the treetops silently, twisting and turning through the branches. If I was really quiet, I could hear the flapping of their obsidian wings, which only added to the wonderful display. It was truly mesmerizing to watch these black birds carry out their airborne ritual, though I was unable to record it. Unfortunately, the experience was cut short by a truck thundering along on the road behind me, which distracted me completely from the birds. When I looked back at the trees, I could not find them at all. However, I heard the calls of crows throughout my hour-long nature-walk, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they were hiding somewhere in the trees, talking to each other.

While wandering around, and seeing where the path led, I found another entrance to the Arboretum down the road near Suffolk Hall. It was located on a downhill path that curved towards the bottom, before leading to a small bridge made of wooden planks flowing over a small stream, as shown above. When I re-entered, after seeing what lay beyond the exit, I crossed the same bridge to return to the trails. When I was halfway across, I heard a strange rustling sound from beneath me. What greeted me, or crept away from me, was a little garter snake fleeing from the noise my feet made. I’ll admit that I found it adorable to watch the tiny snake, who was probably afraid of the two-legged giant, slither towards the jungle of dead leaves and tree-roots that surrounded the stream. However, after looking away to open the camera app on my cell phone to snap a picture of the small creature, I completely lost sight of it, unsurprisingly.

In conclusion

If there is one thing I’ve learned from this hour-and-fifteen minute excursion, it is to live in the moment. It is so easy to be distracted by loud noises, or do actions that unintentionally pull one away from their surroundings. That said, it is nearly impossible to be in complete control of one’s surroundings and any given moment; I had no control over the loud truck driving behind me and producing a loud noise that disrupted my observance of the two crows. However, the memory of that experience and the serenity I felt while taking time to relax and watch the natural world go by is one I will not soon forget.