Brian Dennehy's conversion, a special moment in film

I was thinking the other day about the role that actor Brian Dennehy played in this movie and how it seemed somewhat special given his age and given the types of roles he has played in past movies. If you are old enough to remember "Never Cry Wolf" for example, you will remember Brian's classic role as the greedy, anti-wildlife corporate type, "wolfing" down caribou meat while discussing plans to develop the arctic, threatening wolf habitat.

And so here we see in the end of "The Big Year", a man aging and perhaps on the verge of death. A man noted throughout his film career for playing macho characters rather than sensitive males, suddenly converting at the last moment to a softer, gentler, more compassionate self. A personal statement or a last ditch attempt to atone, to show the world he is really a tree hugging liberal at heart? No, maybe not, but he is at the end of his career now and in his 70's. People change. So, but to those that have followed his career in film, it may have been a touching moment or gesture on his part - to take to the woods in search of a bird and to do it for his son. Brian Dennehy? Brian Dennehy the raper of the arctic wildlife refuge? Brian Dennehy, a birder....???