======Birdwatching======
**Date:** 1868.04.12
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<#ann: Ollie sneaks a wounded sparrow into the orphanage to heal. When the bird has recovered, it decides to nest in the tower. Celeste is fascinated. She becomes very interested in birds and birdwatching and spends a lot of time during the spring and summer observing various birds and taking notes on them. Abner gets word of this and offers to let her use his binoculars one day. They (and anyone else interested) spend a Sunday afternoon peering around and talking about birds. When the days get shorter with the onset of winter time there is less daylight during free hours for Celeste to go birdwatching, and gradually she stops even trying. By the time the next spring has rolled around she has lost the passion. She will still comment on the first migratory birds to arrive every spring, and watches over the sparrow that nests in the tower every year, or occasionally talk with Abner about an unusual bird she saw, but it stops being an active hobby. #>

<#bill: Cole joins her a few times, but always seems to bring some quiet activity with him (cards to practice, something to read). Cole is how Abner got "word" about the birdwatching. Cole knew he had binoculars (by now he's inventoried pretty much all of Abner's stuff) and he asks Abner to allow Celeste to borrow the binoculars. #>

<#court: Jeanne will also often join.  She loves being outside and active.  She learns from Celeste about many kinds of birds, and in turn offers to take her to a swampier area one time to show her what she knows of the water birds.  (She is not extensively knowledgeable, but knows the calls and look of the birds that tend to live in the bayou). #>

<#ann: I suspect that this is less Jeanne learning from Celeste and more Celeste learning from Jeanne. She doesn't have a handy copy of Audobon lying around, so she's basically just asking people if they know what birds are which and then making detailed observations about what they're doing, tracking their movements, etc. She's interested and hopefully learns a bunch from Abner, but I think she'll also be relying on Jeanne and Ollie, who have greater experience, to help her out with names and things.  #>

<#jonah: Ollie seems mostly disinterested in birds and birdwatching, but will come along if it's something to do.  He gets most excited when there's a cat stalking a bird, and is quite demanding that HE be the one with the binoculars at that time (if they're currently borrowed from Abner).  He'll watch that interaction intently, eerily still, and with eyes wide. #>

<#court: One day, Jeanne takes Celeste (and possibly others) out to a swampy area to watch birds.  They sit lazily in the sun for a while, and then Jeanne pokes Celeste in the arm.  "Look, do you see?" she says, pointing across the marsh.  It looked as if a black snake was gliding upright (vertically) through the water. #>

<#court: She lets Celeste watch for a moment and then explains.  "It is a snakebird, an anhinga.  Its wings are under the water, and it is hunting for fish."  She smiles.  "The swamp is full of swimmers."  They watch the bird for a while, and eventually it flutters up out of the water and perches on a piece of driftwood that is caught by the shore.  It fluffs its tail feathers out, turkey-style, spreads its wings, and poses like that, awkwardly, staying still for a long time.  "He is wet and has to dry," explains Jeanne. #>
<#ann: Celeste is intrigued, and notes all of this information. She asks about other types of swimming swamp birds, and they discuss the subject. #>

NeedsKelly