When I walk the trails around Sulzburg I am never quite sure in advance what I am going to see. Each day, it seems, my eyes are opened to something new.

On Tuesday, for the first time, I realized that I had walked past many times past portions of the Berlin Wall, without realizing what they are. I wrote about that yesterday if you missed it.

In many ways, I am a creature of habit. Are you?

I walk daily for exercise, and there are hundreds of trails to choose from in this area. But with all that variety I find most of the time I choose the same two or three. I know how long each takes, how steep the climb will be, what distance I will cover. And what I will see on the walk.

Except I don’t always. There are still surprises.

Wednesday afternoon I took a route I have walked literally hundreds if not thousands of times. Through the vineyards to the town of Ballrechten-Dottingen, then back to Sulzburg alongside the Sulzbach, the stream that runs between the two villages. I’m not sure I could do it blindfolded, but I would be willing to try.

Good thing I wasn’t blindfolded – I saw something I had never seen here before. Walking in the stream was a grey heron. I’d never seen one around here before.

Most of my experience with birds is at the dinner table – chicken mostly, with some turkey. I was impressed that I was able to correctly identify the bird. I must have remembered it form elementary school.

There was only the one. I don’t know if there were others elsewhere, or whether Sulzburg is a stop on some migratory route. I got the impression it was aware of my presence, but unconcerned as long as I stayed on the path.

I wonder if it will still be there today.