Yellow Warbler : A Lesson from Hooded Warbler

This is a Yellow Warbler. He’s part of a spring migratory cohort of billions of birds. I live in a fortunate place, where these birds stop along their journey to refuel. And there’s a particular park that for various reasons is especially attractive to warblers. Each year this season fills the trees with rarities and brief visitors, birds that locals see the rest of the year only in photos or on expeditions. But during one brief window, our trees are full of them. And as you might guess, the park is full too - full of Birders, Bird Watchers, and Bird Photographers all looking for a special encounter. This year I joined them. I saw many of those “rare and special” birds, but it was this Yellow, a more common sight, whose photo most spoke to me.

I am often struck by the centrality of humility among Judaism’s greatest figures. Abraham’s welcoming hospitality to the visiting - but unrecognized - angels reveals his inner sense of graciousness. Moses, our greatest prophet, is equally recognized for having been the humblest man who ever lived. And look at the distinction between King David and his son King Solomon. David was enormously accomplished and received great rewards but was ultimately not given the honor of building the Temple. Solomon’s one request of God reflects his sense of self: the necessary wisdom he lacked to judge between people’s claims. His humble plea was answered with wisdom - together with riches, power, and long life. And the Temple.

I re-learned humility that morning from a giant of the bird world. He’s nicknamed Hooded Warbler. He’s taught Presidents and Royals. And me. At the park to see the migrants, he also rhapsodized about so-common - so beautiful! - birds he’d recently seen. Yes, yes, he’s a globetrotter. But I was powerfully struck by the unassuming way he lit up - like this photo - when describing a “plain” species’ inherent beauty. I had the honor of handing him a copy of my book, which he complimented. I had the far greater honor of learning from him the power of appreciating innate beauty and meaning, not bound up in exoticism. This humble - spectacular! - Yellow Warbler is offered in appreciation to the Hooded Warbler.