“Hearing a cerulean in front of the mausoleum.” Bird Watcher’s Digest editor Dawn Hewitt texted me a 6:35 AM update from her neighborhood birding patch, knowing that I had visited that same graveyard the weekend prior and was sorry to have missed a cerulean warbler sighting. I assumed this message was a kind gesture rather than a taunt. And opted not to journey out into the morning, although the spot is only four minutes of driving and a short uphill walk on decently maintained pavement away from my home. Spring warbler watching is an extracurricular activity with a deadline that makes demands on even the earliest non-working hours, but so too is online coursework. Questionable priorities, most definitely.
