By Nico Arcilla and Maren Hackmann-Mahajan

When human concerns seem overwhelming, or even when they don’t, we seek inspiration in birds and what they embody: the ancient and transcendent connections that unite us all. As a reminder of this, we are contributing a “birdwatcher’s corner” to the website, where we will post photos of birds and nature on an ongoing basis.

We are both longstanding admirers and supporters of Norman’s work, and have found each other through him. Birds of a feather flock together!

Nico is a conservation biologist who grew up in California and is currently based on the Platte River in the Great Plains. Maren is an editor and translator who grew up in Germany and is currently based in the San Francisco Bay Area.

1_Sunset full of blackbirds (Red-winged Blackbirds)2_Blackbirds flying across the moon

3_Blackbirds filling the afternoon sky4_Blackbirds flying over cottonwoods at dusk

6_Cranes watching day break over the Platte River7_Cranes flying in a dust storm at dusk8_Cranes taking off in a purple sky9_Cranes flying over the sunset10_Cranes standing in the river at dawn11_Cranes dancing at dawn12_Cranes flying under heaven13_Cranes under a red sky14_Crane pair flying into the sunrise15_Cranes in an amber sky