A Game That's Always Afoot

Every walk outside is an opportunity to play Sherlock Holmes. There are mysteries under every leaf and around every corner. Of course, few of them are profound or world-altering; in fact, many of the mysteries may be of no interest to anyone other than myself. But a a bit of curiosity combined with some close observation can yield hours of free entertainment.

 Black-legged Meadow Katydid (Orchelimum nigripes)
Found (eventually) after following the sound of its singing.

There are the most basic questions: what is that bird/flower/bug? What left that track in the snow? These are generally simple to answer given the proper resources. You see a flower that looks interesting. Take some photos of the flower, and be sure to get some of the leaves and stem, too. Consult a book or website, or perhaps an app on your phone. Scrolling through a Google image search can be surprisingly helpful too, with a few basic keywords. If all else fails, there are numerous online forums populated with experts who can generally quickly ID anything you come across.

Next are secondary questions: what is making that noise? Why is that flower shaped like that? What does that bird usually eat? What left that *shudder* mouse's face laying in the middle of the trail? What the heck is making lace out of all those birch leaves? These can sometimes be solved by observation. Listen carefully and slowly close in on the katydid singing in the grass (this can require a bit of stealth to prevent spooking your quarry). Watch the woodpecker glean bugs out of a snag, or see the goldfinch nipping seeds off a coneflower. It's like fitting together a couple of puzzle pieces when you see the way nature works.

Other questions may be more complex, or require a bit of hypothesizing. Where did all the red-winged blackbirds go? What are all those swallows doing when they swarm around the neighborhood?  Why is that tree growing like that, bent over even though nothing is touching it? Is this yellow flower related to that one--how could you tell? And why are so many flowers yellow, anyway?

Why are so many flowers yellow
this time of year?

The more questions you ask, the more evidence you collect, the more you will become a part of the community. You will know where the standing water collects, even if you can't see it, because of the water-loving plants that grow there. You will know what time of year a photo was taken based on the flowers you see in the background. You will perhaps feel smug when pointing out that a scene in a movie is supposed to take place in September, but has spring peepers singing in the background.

There is so much information at our fingertips that we can find the answers to most questions within minutes, if only we take the time to ask. It's amazing!