tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71961917965796612832024-03-13T15:53:54.768-04:00Birding! A Growing Obsession!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger126125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196191796579661283.post-3306140668391108992013-02-09T20:51:00.001-05:002013-02-09T20:51:22.536-05:00The Amazing Saw-whet!For a while now, time has not been on my side and unfortunately, I haven't had much time to blog. Actually, I haven't really had much time to do anything to blog about but, recently, the Indiana Young Birders took a trip to Lafayette, IN to see one of the most secretive owls known - the Saw-whet. This amazing owl has finally given me something to post about. <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u7dFfx0TANU/URb6ikeBroI/AAAAAAAABsI/BP4fP0w7m0w/s1600/Saw-whet+Owl+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u7dFfx0TANU/URb6ikeBroI/AAAAAAAABsI/BP4fP0w7m0w/s320/Saw-whet+Owl+2.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a>We visited the property of Dr. Delano Arvin on January 19th and were among approximately 25 other participants anxious to see these amazing birds in their natural setting. Dr. Arvin's property has attracted these owls for many winters and this year has hosted 6 six. Saw-whet's are cool for a lot of reasons but mostly because they are so cooperative. Standing only about 7 inches tall, Saw-whet's have little fear of humans, most likely because they rarely have encounters with us. They are so small that they are rarely seen and for most of the year, the reside in areas that have little human activity. </div>
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The owls on January 19th were very cooperative. We were able to get some amazing looks at 3 and a fair look at one that was pretty well hidden - 4 in all. Yes, that is four Saw-whets in a single morning! The young birders were amazed at the chance to see these marvelous creatures and were even more excited that they could get virtually eye to eye without the owls making a single flinch. The adults were equally amazed and most had not yet seen a Saw-whet owl, so this trip offered not only some terrific views but also an addition to many life lists.<br />
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To make the trip even better, participants also had a chance to see a Barred Owl and a number of other woodland birds including Northern Flicker, Hairy Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Yellow-rumped Warbler and a copious number of Carolina Chickadees. I couldn't imagine a birding adventure without a chickadee.<br />
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A BIG THANKS to the Arvin family for hosting another amazing trip for the Indiana Young Birders Club!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196191796579661283.post-17911014237064864822012-05-20T19:55:00.002-04:002012-05-20T19:55:57.686-04:00Our Biggest Day at the Biggest Week!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gtPJklTolMc/T7l0UEPLtZI/AAAAAAAABlc/1g-Te9CtBVU/s1600/American+Woodcocks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gtPJklTolMc/T7l0UEPLtZI/AAAAAAAABlc/1g-Te9CtBVU/s320/American+Woodcocks.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i><b>American Woodcocks... at this particular location along the boardwalk, there were two families totaling 8!</b></i></div>
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My son and I made a last minute decision and a mad dash north after deciding we couldn't take hearing about and/or reading one more person's post on Facebook about what a good time they were having or the awesome birds they were seeing at the Biggest Week in American Birding. It seemed as though everybody in the U.S.(and from around the world) that had any passion for birds was there and by golly, we were going to be too! If for only one day.</div>
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We arrived late Friday night and after getting some essential nutrition (Taco Bell and Oreos) to fuel us up for our Big Saturday we headed to bed ready to dream about the warblers to come...</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3sm-Z8D-1Ts/T7l0XaVbYPI/AAAAAAAABlk/WDETSq-BiGM/s1600/BW2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3sm-Z8D-1Ts/T7l0XaVbYPI/AAAAAAAABlk/WDETSq-BiGM/s320/BW2012.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i><b> A massive assemblage of birders taking their turn to see the very rare Kirtland's Warbler.</b></i></div>
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Saturday came early but we were ready. Not having much time, we headed straight for the main drag, the boardwalk at Magee Marsh. This boardwalk serves as a resting spot for migrants that are heading farther north over Lake Erie as well as a final destination for other migrants that are ready to stop and nest. It twists and turns through several acres of woodland habitat making it very appealing to birders of all ages and abilities. Warblers and other migrants often seem to be "dripping" from the trees and at times double digits of species can been seen without hardly moving an inch - often, within minutes. No, I am not exaggerating.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CjK3oHL7mSU/T7l0ZTPBstI/AAAAAAAABls/9DSK09ZatnQ/s1600/Baltimore+Oriole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CjK3oHL7mSU/T7l0ZTPBstI/AAAAAAAABls/9DSK09ZatnQ/s320/Baltimore+Oriole.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><i>Baltimore Oriole. This awesome bird was everywhere!</i></b></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wWF2Y0ZQONY/T7l0bVbny5I/AAAAAAAABl0/_qI87J5xf4E/s1600/Barn+Swallow+at+Magee+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wWF2Y0ZQONY/T7l0bVbny5I/AAAAAAAABl0/_qI87J5xf4E/s320/Barn+Swallow+at+Magee+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><i>Barn Swallow. One of many at the Magee Marsh Bird Center entrance.</i></b></div>
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My son and I spent most of our day on the boardwalk and never left the Magee Marsh area. In our short time, we racked up 17 species of warblers along with a multitude of other cool birds that were at times, only a few feet away from our face. Baltimore Orioles, Bald Eagles, American Woodcocks, Swainson's Thrushes, Red-eyed Vireos, Great Egrets, Trumpeter Swans, and Eastern Kingbirds came into view constantly throughout the day to remind us that we were definitely in a real-life fantasy!</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AlUKu37v2PQ/T7l0fbKggOI/AAAAAAAABl8/BUbKdlx8kHo/s1600/Magee+Marsh+Lake+Erie+Shoreline.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AlUKu37v2PQ/T7l0fbKggOI/AAAAAAAABl8/BUbKdlx8kHo/s320/Magee+Marsh+Lake+Erie+Shoreline.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><i>View of Lake Erie from the parking lot of Magee Marsh.</i></b></div>
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We took only two breaks during the day. One, to have a quick lunch and the second, to track down some of the great people of the Black Swamp Bird Observatory. We lucked out and were able to catch up with Karen Zach, Kim Kaufman, and Ken Keffer. Because these amazing folks were so busy we were unfortunately not able to chat long but, we were able to exchange a few handshakes and hugs and it is this that made our day complete!</div>
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Our long trip home wasn't really long enough. In one day we were able to bank enough bird stories to last us a lifetime. Memories that my son and I will have forever. Memories of our Big Day during the Biggest Week. <u>Memories that we would not have if it were not for birds!</u></div>
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<b><i>Prothonatary Warbler. We watched as this very tenacious bird remove mouthfuls of moss from the base of many trees to build her nest under the stairs of the boardwalk.</i></b></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--rGkAZeH2E8/T7l0nT5a7zI/AAAAAAAABmU/NqHS9n9xiaE/s1600/Trumputer+Swans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--rGkAZeH2E8/T7l0nT5a7zI/AAAAAAAABmU/NqHS9n9xiaE/s320/Trumputer+Swans.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><i>Trumpeter Swans. Always adding a touch of class to the marsh.</i></b></div>
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<a href="http://www.bsbobird.org/" target="_blank">For more information on the area, please start at the website of the Black Swamp Bird Observatory.</a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196191796579661283.post-75445191365128610392012-05-10T21:49:00.001-04:002012-05-10T21:49:37.810-04:002012 IAS Spring Festival at Mary Gray<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><i>Indiana Young Birders showing off their fantastic artwork!</i></b></div>
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Every spring, IAS members come together to celebrate birds, birding, and nature at the annual Spring Festival at the Mary Gray Bird Sanctuary in Connersville, IN. It's a casual festival that's loosely structured - on purpose. You see, this festival is unique because it celebrates a gorgeous 700+ acre nature preserve owned by the IAS that hosts old forest, new forest, meadows, creeks, and ponds which are home to a wide diversity of birds, wildflowers, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals. But, most of all this festival celebrates the members who care about the property and gives these same members a chance to come together and enjoy what they love the most - nature! </div>
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<i><b>Sarah proudly displaying her new Crossley guide that she won for her outstanding work on a weekend field notebook!</b></i></div>
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<b><i>Sophia showing off her new Kaufman Guide for her outstanding bird identification abilities!</i></b></div>
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One of our annual highlights is being able celebrate the property with our youngest generation of bird lovers, the members of the Indiana Young Birders Club. This year the festival was filled with youth who not only birded and chased amphibians but also painted bluebird box doors, documented their weekend in field notebooks, and tested their knowledge with an I.D. quiz.</div>
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Our I.D. Quiz winner was Sophia T., an awesome young birder that even helped her dad band birds! Sarah S., won a Crossley guide for her work on our weekend field notebook contest. Another cool young birder highlight was a great presentation given by Scarlett Arvin who did an outstanding job presenting on her experience last year in Maine. We do have a great group of kids!</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u9xCcX8RzEo/T6xEMLdg1tI/AAAAAAAABlQ/iUeIxvSFzzM/s1600/Young+Chickadees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u9xCcX8RzEo/T6xEMLdg1tI/AAAAAAAABlQ/iUeIxvSFzzM/s320/Young+Chickadees.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><i>Is there anything more cute than five little Carolina Chickadees?</i></b></div>
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And the birds! Oh, the birds! From Cape May Warblers to Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, festival participants documented 110 species over that included not only spring migrants but local nesting birds that make the sanctuary their home. Family life was everywhere including an opportunity for some quick looks at nesting Carolina Chickadees and Eastern Bluebirds feeding their "teenage" kids sitting on the branches of trees. </div>
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Everywhere you looked there was something to do. Tim Tolford., was banding birds, which is always a nature festival hit. Doug Gray was on site to express the importance of diversity in birding, and each night we were even able to relax and watch a late night movie, about birds, of course.</div>
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But, like with all good times, we eventually had to say goodbye and on Sunday afternoon we did. Driving away smiling because we knew next year, we'd be back.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y_Xd0yj_MD0/T6xDr98TkrI/AAAAAAAABkA/SYGLruFWLHs/s1600/Artists+at+work+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y_Xd0yj_MD0/T6xDr98TkrI/AAAAAAAABkA/SYGLruFWLHs/s320/Artists+at+work+2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<b><i>Artists at work!</i></b><br />
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Many thanks to Amy and Carl Wilms (resident managers), Trevor and Natalie Abernathy (resident caretakers), and all of the volunteers that worked so hard to make the event wonderful!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196191796579661283.post-18138574394689236172012-03-25T21:27:00.007-04:002012-04-01T10:12:16.740-04:00Wild Violets!<span ><span style="font-size: 100%; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Cro369Y3Gew/T2_GUvyssxI/AAAAAAAABjg/3BwCMIZsaH4/s400/Purple%2BViola.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724011711139984146" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></span><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span ><i>Common Blue Violet</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span ><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span >Last weekend, I decided to take a walk through Southwestway Park in Indianapolis to see what wildflowers were enjoying our early spring. I was amazed to find many!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span ><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span >There were May Apples, Trillium, and others beginning to put on their spring show but more than any, I noticed the Violets. Honestly, I haven't paid much attention to them before. In fact, I learned right away that I had been taking them for granted, never really showing much appreciation for their individual beauty. This trip, I felt somewhat moved (I am sure God had some involvement with this) to focus on the violets as a reminder that it's okay to periodically pause. So, for the remainder of my hike I decided to get down on my knees and appreciate the violets at eye level.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span ><br /></span></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EPUNz2u_aCw/T2_GVeTyTCI/AAAAAAAABj0/jZiUo9PzV2w/s1600/Yellow%2BViola.jpg" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EPUNz2u_aCw/T2_GVeTyTCI/AAAAAAAABj0/jZiUo9PzV2w/s400/Yellow%2BViola.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724011723626794018" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Yellow Violet</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span >At eye level, I was even more amazed when I rediscovered that violets were not only blue (mostly purple) but also yellow and white. Each amazingly distinct and incredibly gorgeous.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span ><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span >After I got home, I looked up violets to see what I could find on the internet and was immediately disheartened to learn that violets are under-appreciated and considered a weed by most. Typing in wild violet will mostly pull up ways to eradicate this lovely plant since it enjoys showing its beauty to the world via our yards. I have never been one to worry too much about grass versus weeds in my yard so long as it's green but, apparently most do providing me a new theory that that most yard fanatics don't spend much time on their belly actually looking at what they are killing. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span ><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span >I'm not judging but, I am on a violet kick right now, okay!</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><br /></div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I8wnLwGceC8/T2_GUwm-1OI/AAAAAAAABjs/VJIY9z84gLg/s1600/White%2BViola.jpg" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I8wnLwGceC8/T2_GUwm-1OI/AAAAAAAABjs/VJIY9z84gLg/s400/White%2BViola.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724011711359276258" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>White Violet</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span >My guess is most people reading this blog have taken the time to look at a violets just as I have and have equally appreciated what they offer to our landscape - especially in a woodland setting. But, if you haven't please do.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span ><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span > I am now convinced that this orchid-like flower was designed for attention and so deserves a moment of our time to appreciate it not as a an ordinary flower but as a gift. One for which I am personally thankful.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><span ><br /></span></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Pk_xHJTxIg0/T2_GUO9OlPI/AAAAAAAABjU/m5oQGMNGwok/s1600/Creekside%2BViola.jpg" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Pk_xHJTxIg0/T2_GUO9OlPI/AAAAAAAABjU/m5oQGMNGwok/s400/Creekside%2BViola.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724011702325777650" /></a><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196191796579661283.post-29617852507413278802012-03-10T08:57:00.003-05:002012-03-10T09:22:36.992-05:00IYBC 100 Guide Giveaway!<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kQRNxNy8ppA/T1teNM_mjjI/AAAAAAAABjI/x2mBa-CquuQ/s1600/Ceth%2Bpreparing%2Bfor%2BOBX.jpg"></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kQRNxNy8ppA/T1teNM_mjjI/AAAAAAAABjI/x2mBa-CquuQ/s1600/Ceth%2Bpreparing%2Bfor%2BOBX.jpg" style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MYL9HJK_1OM/T1teMppBgOI/AAAAAAAABi8/y_BtPrygmB0/s400/100%2BIYBC%2BGiveaway%2BFancy%2BLogo%2B4.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5718267723306336482" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 316px; " /></a><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span ><u><br /></u></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span >The Indiana Young Birders Club is on a mission. That is, a mission to get as many kids interested in birds and nature as possible and to provide opportunities for them (and those already interested) once they become interested. It's not an easy task but, we are committed to the challenge.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span ><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span >The IYBC is especially excited about our newest program - the IYBC 100 Guide Giveaway! Yes, you read correct. The IYBC is giving away 100 Kaufman Field Guides to Birds of North America in 2012 to young birders/ nature lovers, scout leaders, and educators in an effort to introduce them and others to the world of birds or sharpen their current skills to become better birders.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span ><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span >Guides will be given away at IYBC/ IAS events, through online contests, and by applying online. However the guide is won, each guide will be free of charge. The only thing the IYBC is asking in return is a picture of the winner with their guide and permission to share the photograph to help spread the enthusiasm of youth birding.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kQRNxNy8ppA/T1teNM_mjjI/AAAAAAAABjI/x2mBa-CquuQ/s1600/Ceth%2Bpreparing%2Bfor%2BOBX.jpg"><br /></a></div><span ><span style="font-size: 100%; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kQRNxNy8ppA/T1teNM_mjjI/AAAAAAAABjI/x2mBa-CquuQ/s1600/Ceth%2Bpreparing%2Bfor%2BOBX.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kQRNxNy8ppA/T1teNM_mjjI/AAAAAAAABjI/x2mBa-CquuQ/s400/Ceth%2Bpreparing%2Bfor%2BOBX.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5718267732796280370" /></a></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span ><i>Ceth doing his research</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span ><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span >Of course, a program like this would not be possible without support. The IYBC is extremely thankful for the generosity of the Indiana Audubon Society, Ohio Ornithological Society, Midwest Birding Symposium, and Kenn and Kim Kaufman for making our initiative possible.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span ><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span >For more information on the 100 Guide Giveaway, please visit: <a href="www.indianayoungbirders.org">www.indianayoungbirders.org</a>.</span></div><div><div><div><div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span ><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196191796579661283.post-828587897200457562012-02-12T21:08:00.021-05:002012-02-19T14:39:58.563-05:00Singing the Blues over a Tropical Memory<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--tZHBtnStio/T0FLD71EZRI/AAAAAAAABiw/dtDzVgJKD38/s1600/Blue%2BJay.jpg" style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--tZHBtnStio/T0FLD71EZRI/AAAAAAAABiw/dtDzVgJKD38/s400/Blue%2BJay.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5710928333454468370" /></a><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><u><br /></u></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><div>For as long as I can remember, the Blue Jay has been my favorite bird. I can't say for sure what initially did it for me. Its nagging personality, dominant behavoir, striking coloration - I'm not sure. But, whatever it was, I have loved this bird for a long time.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left; "><div style="text-align: center; ">Almost everyday I put out a hand full of peanuts for no other reason than to make sure my Blue Jays are happy. If I rush off to work and forget to put out the peanuts, I worry all day about what my Blue Jays must be thinking about me. Nothing could ever replace my Blue Jays.</div><div style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center; "><br /></div></div></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NmGnWAJ42I8/Tzhx0vjwowI/AAAAAAAABik/h-jfS-cH7DI/s1600/Green%2BJay%2B3.jpg" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-505EbTc3kFI/Tzhx0MAJ9rI/AAAAAAAABiY/pAknn1j5mUg/s400/Green%2BJay%2B10.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708437669081118386" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a><div style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; ">And then it happenned. My first dose of true temptation on December 30, 2010 at Laguna Atascosa near South Padre Island, TX. My wife and I were at the feeders for about two minutes when it showed up. My heart dropped, my blood pressure went up, and I became instantly still. I became infatuated with "another bird". The guilt was terrible but, I could not stop looking. The green feathers, the blue feathers, the tinge of yellow - oh, the excitement! I knew the bird would be cool but I had no idea it would be THAT COOL!!!</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; ">I was infatuated to a point of tunnel vision, no other bird mattered. It was all about the Green Jay for the remainer of the tri<span>p.</span></div><div><div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NmGnWAJ42I8/Tzhx0vjwowI/AAAAAAAABik/h-jfS-cH7DI/s1600/Green%2BJay%2B3.jpg"><br /></a></div><div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; ">The day I said goodbye to South Texas on January 2, 2011 was hard. On the way to the airport, on the plane, and as I was driving home, all I could think about was that entrancing green that I saw in Texas. But, on January 3 I realized that I was only infatuation as I looked out my living room window and instantly realized, my Blue Jays could not be replaced and that they needn't worry.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KkWenwBLbWA/TzhxzjdupzI/AAAAAAAABiA/PcrtsaB2Ij0/s400/Green%2BJay%2B1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708437658199303986" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; ">But...</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; ">It happenned again. This time on January 2, 2012, my first day of a weeklong birding adventure in South Texas with my friends Rob and Eric Ripma. Just like before, the Green Jays arrived and instantly, nothing else mattered - at least not as much as the Green Jays. There were Hooded Orioles, Altamira Orioles, and Great Kiskadees everywhere. The Salineno feeders were a hub of colorful activity. But it didn't matter, all I wanted was the Green Jays.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; ">We stopped at a number of cool destinations and saw some very cool birds throughout the trip but my heart had turned green and no matter where we went I was always hoping a Green Jay would make its appearance - and, it almost always did.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; ">The trip home was much like before, I was sad to be leaving such and extroidinary bird but I knew once I saw a Blue Jay again, I would remember the species that owned my heart. But this time, it has been different. My Blue Jays are making me smile as they always have but I feel like something is missing.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span><span>Something </span>gaudy<span> and green with a lot of Texas hospitality.</span></span></div></div></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><div><div style="text-align: center;"><u><br /></u></div></div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196191796579661283.post-63441472191104777152012-02-05T09:47:00.019-05:002012-02-05T13:41:17.264-05:00Texas, Part 2. Estero Llano Grande and South Padre Island<div style="text-align: center;"><blockquote></blockquote><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PlGqTb765XE/Ty62fr0VoRI/AAAAAAAABho/pklkAIC4fSw/s1600/Least%2BGrebe.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PlGqTb765XE/Ty62fr0VoRI/AAAAAAAABho/pklkAIC4fSw/s400/Least%2BGrebe.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5705698433379442962" /></a><div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Least Grebe and Northern Shoveler... Estero Llano Grande</b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal" align="center">I've decided that it is next to impossible to write about Texas in a blog. One single birding trip to this state could easily transform into a novel. This will be part 2 of at least 4 blogs posts on our trip this past January. Of course, I am going to have to speed up the posting so that I can also write about something else before the end of theyear! This post is going to highlight <a href="http://theworldbirdingcenter.com/estero.html">Estero Llano Grande State Park</a> and <a href="http://www.theworldbirdingcenter.com/Spi.html">South Padre Island (specifically, the World Birding Center)</a>.</p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center">Both places are my favorite. Just like Salineno and Falcon Lake - my favorites. Yes, I am one of those people that just can't make up my mind. Just like my ongoing dilemma between a Blue Jay and a Green Jay - I can't decide which is my number one favorite bird. I mean, it has always been the Blue Jay so how can I put this gorgeous bird on the back burner? I can't! So, I now have two favorite birds; The Blue Jay and the Green Jay! In fact, as I type this I am smiling at the sound of a Blue Jay outside the window making his normal obnoxious racket before his approach to snatch his favorite food - a peanut.</p></div><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VdJe8ZjLwTw/Ty61vRgKizI/AAAAAAAABgI/P8BEQLpNo5c/s400/Estero%2BLlano%2BGrande%2B2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5705697601681787698" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Let me get back on track! Estero Llano Grande State Park is a World Birding Center in Weslaco, TX. A very birder/nature lover friendly park, Estero has great trails that will guide you around ponds, creeks, and Texas woodlands allowing you to capture a number of birds in a variety of habitats. From Buff-bellied Hummingbirds to Green Kingfishers and Least Grebes to Northern Shovelers, your eyes will never slow down from the excitement! Estero is also a great place to see the Common Pauraque. Like so many parks in the Rio Grande Valley, Estero is also a location for rarities which tend to pop up all year long. During our visit we were blessed with some great looks at a Rose-throated Becard - thank goodness for the great bird finding ability of Eric Ripma! Now, off to South Padre... </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mCSKy-iKMIY/Ty61wxmYnRI/AAAAAAAABg4/oEV3SA9NmUE/s1600/Wigeon%2Band%2BNorther%2BPintail.jpg"></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rZ8TX0HIeV4/Ty62eynBh4I/AAAAAAAABhQ/SXzJHNLj0ko/s1600/Tri-colored%2BHeron%2B3.jpg"></a><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LgEj5pxkN2I/Ty61wLUQy4I/AAAAAAAABgg/Ui32FCYpwX8/s400/Least%2BSandpipers.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5705697617201122178" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Least Sandpipers... Estero Llano Grande</b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b><br /></b></i></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mCSKy-iKMIY/Ty61wxmYnRI/AAAAAAAABg4/oEV3SA9NmUE/s1600/Wigeon%2Band%2BNorther%2BPintail.jpg"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xne5b7dMSPY/Ty61vg2h_-I/AAAAAAAABgU/NhAhdsPoT94/s400/Green%2BJay%2BTrail.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5705697605802131426" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><u><br /></u></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mCSKy-iKMIY/Ty61wxmYnRI/AAAAAAAABg4/oEV3SA9NmUE/s1600/Wigeon%2Band%2BNorther%2BPintail.jpg"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vB0eF4iZRZ0/Ty66b20ggSI/AAAAAAAABh0/JC8zhX9WCnQ/s400/Wigeon%2Band%2BNorther%2BPintail.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5705702765659980066" div="" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Northern Pintail and Wigeon... South Padre WBC</b></i></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mCSKy-iKMIY/Ty61wxmYnRI/AAAAAAAABg4/oEV3SA9NmUE/s1600/Wigeon%2Band%2BNorther%2BPintail.jpg"><div style="text-align: center;color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><br /></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "></div></a><div></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mCSKy-iKMIY/Ty61wxmYnRI/AAAAAAAABg4/oEV3SA9NmUE/s1600/Wigeon%2Band%2BNorther%2BPintail.jpg"></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rZ8TX0HIeV4/Ty62eynBh4I/AAAAAAAABhQ/SXzJHNLj0ko/s1600/Tri-colored%2BHeron%2B3.jpg"></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PcqRnsDc6ZM/Ty62fGwj9MI/AAAAAAAABhc/WB9MP8xBrD8/s1600/Snowy%2BEgret%2B1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PcqRnsDc6ZM/Ty62fGwj9MI/AAAAAAAABhc/WB9MP8xBrD8/s400/Snowy%2BEgret%2B1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5705698423431492802" /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><i><b>Snowy Egret... South Padre WBC</b></i></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" align="center">The World Birding Center at South Padre Island is a birders/photographers dream. Just like Merritt Island or Ding Darling in Florida, the birds seem to enjoy being subjects of photography. If the sun is just right, great pictures can be taken with almost any type of camera. So, at this place don't be intimidated by the big lenses, I promise your $100 camera will take just as many good pictures as your neighbor's $10k camera.</p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center">Ok, back on point. This destination will give you a chance to utilize a boardwalk system that will get you up close and personal to a wide variety of waterfowl, shorebirds, and marsh birds. For us this included: Northern Pintail, Wigeon, Tri-colored Heron, Little Blue Heron, Snowy Egret, Great Egret, Great Blue Heron, Roseate Spoonbill, Red Head Duck, Reddish Egret, American Oystercatcher, Gull-billed Tern, Marsh Wren, Sedge Wren, and Marbled Godwit. The list goes on and one. Oh, did I mention all of these birds were RIGHT THERE!!!</p><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rZ8TX0HIeV4/Ty62eynBh4I/AAAAAAAABhQ/SXzJHNLj0ko/s1600/Tri-colored%2BHeron%2B3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rZ8TX0HIeV4/Ty62eynBh4I/AAAAAAAABhQ/SXzJHNLj0ko/s400/Tri-colored%2BHeron%2B3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5705698418022778754" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Tri-colored Heron... South Padre WBC</b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Kol8VGikSEE/Ty61wXOZmLI/AAAAAAAABgs/ejgfpqSBPEw/s1600/Roseate%2BSpoonbill%2B1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Kol8VGikSEE/Ty61wXOZmLI/AAAAAAAABgs/ejgfpqSBPEw/s400/Roseate%2BSpoonbill%2B1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5705697620397758642" /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Roseate Spoonbill... South Padre WBC</b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center">Whether it be Estero Llano Grande or South Padre Island World Birding Center you should plan for a full day at each location. You can rush but you'll only be stressed that you did. So take your time and be ready for a LOT of birds!<o:p></o:p></p></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196191796579661283.post-25173722450061577282012-01-21T11:47:00.012-05:002012-01-21T23:13:18.398-05:00Starting Off Right in 2012. Texas, Part 1.<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vln7aHXviGk/TxuG0xecgQI/AAAAAAAABfw/8zleQS3_RMo/s400/Salineno%2B1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5700297994559848706" /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Salineno</span>, TX.</i></b> Mexico on the left, U.S. on the right.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PkXEPcjC6IE/TxuG0lhtdUI/AAAAAAAABfk/A1_Mxjxd0n0/s400/Salineno%2BSign.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5700297991352317250" /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div>I guess I can call it a tradition now, making my yearly birding adventure an adventure that starts in Texas. Last year, I started the new year birding such places as <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Aransas</span> National Wildlife Refuge and South Padre Island. Some of my first birds of 2011 included: Clapper Rail, Royal Tern, and Brown Pelican. By January 2, I had added Whooping Crane and Snow Goose among many others.</div><div><br /></div><div>This year, I was invited by my friends Rob and Eric <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Ripma</span> to join them on an aggressive birding adventure that would begin in San Antonio and follow the border of Mexico to Brownsville, then north to South Padre Island, even farther north to Corpus Christi and ultimately back to San Antonio. During the week long excursion we birded some outstanding destinations including <a href="http://www.stateparks.com/falcon.html">Falcon Dam SP</a>, <a href="http://www.fronteraaudubon.org/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Frontera</span> Audubon</a>, <a href="http://www.missiontexas.us/life-in-mission/attractions/world-birding-center"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Bentsen</span> SP</a>, <a href="http://www.fws.gov/refuges/profiles/index.cfm?id=21551">Santa Ana <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">NWR</span></a>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Salineno</span>, <a href="http://www.fws.gov/refuges/profiles/index.cfm?id=21553"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Laguna</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Atascosa</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">NWR</span></a>, <a href="http://theworldbirdingcenter.com/estero.html#"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Estero</span> Llano <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Grande</span> SP</a>, the <a href="http://theworldbirdingcenter.com/Spi.html">World Birding Center at South Padre Island</a> and <a href="http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/mustang_island/">Mustang Island</a>. Each of these destinations alone could easily be rated as one of the best birding destinations in the world!</div><div><br /></div><div>Our first goal was to get what I would consider the golden bird of the trip - the Brown Jay! This particular bird had been making daily appearances at the feeders at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Salineno</span>, smack on the U.S./Mexico border so the feeders at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Salineno</span> become our first destination. Unfortunately, the Brown Jay did not show up during our first four hour wait but, the feeders did not disappoint. They were full of Great <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Kiskadees</span>, Altamira Orioles, Hooded Orioles, Audubon's Orioles, and many other gorgeous birds including the Green Jay - which has to be one of the most beautiful birds in the United States.</div><div><br /></div><div>Since we missed the Brown Jay the first day, we headed back to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Salineno</span> again the next morning. Fortunately, this awesome bird made an early morning appearance for us with some great looks. So, we immediatly headed out to get some other great Texas commoners including: <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Pyrrhuloxia</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Verdin</span>, Inca Dove, Ladder-backed Woodpecker and some breathtaking views of a Zone-tailed Hawk.</div><div><br /></div></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VPatUWwk2C4/TxuG1ag-VZI/AAAAAAAABf8/zvzoI_c8GuA/s1600/Brown%2BJay%2B1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VPatUWwk2C4/TxuG1ag-VZI/AAAAAAAABf8/zvzoI_c8GuA/s400/Brown%2BJay%2B1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5700298005576308114" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Brown Jay</b>... the Golden Bird! <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Salineno</span>, Texas.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-URGwQd0QW70/TxuG0EwkpkI/AAAAAAAABfY/3sdKhAnDQ0c/s1600/White-winged%2BDove.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-URGwQd0QW70/TxuG0EwkpkI/AAAAAAAABfY/3sdKhAnDQ0c/s400/White-winged%2BDove.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5700297982556284482" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>White-winged Dove</b>... <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Salineno</span>, TX</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sFBJLxVJLP8/TxuGz4LspZI/AAAAAAAABfM/nQ0nMx4eDqM/s1600/Altamira%2BOriole%2B2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sFBJLxVJLP8/TxuGz4LspZI/AAAAAAAABfM/nQ0nMx4eDqM/s400/Altamira%2BOriole%2B2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5700297979180393874" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Altamira Oriole</b>... <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Salineno</span>, TX</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">And this was just the first two days... </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196191796579661283.post-38187516388575277502011-12-28T21:23:00.025-05:002011-12-30T23:47:22.061-05:00La República Dominicana<img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v-I2c4emPCk/TvvP8iaLkCI/AAAAAAAABdI/HloYFnvvdXA/s400/Dominican%2BCloud%2BForest.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691371193048469538" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /><div style="text-align: center;"><div><i>Dominican Cloud Forest</i></div><div><i>___</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><span>Yet, another late post from Chad. To not be late would be a post by someone other than myself.</span></div><div><br /></div></div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-omIA-ugE3MQ/Tv6MyhuTFmI/AAAAAAAABe8/oRAC_Hzhkug/s1600/Hispaniolan%2BWoodpecker.jpg"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-omIA-ugE3MQ/Tv6MyhuTFmI/AAAAAAAABe8/oRAC_Hzhkug/s400/Hispaniolan%2BWoodpecker.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5692141778716792418" /></a><div><div style="text-align: center; "><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Hispaniolan Woodpecker and Antillian Palm Swift... this is one my favorite pictures!</i></div></div><div></div><div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e-EJHjKXZsM/TvvP803gVBI/AAAAAAAABdU/NEi5qedBzNE/s1600/Hispaniolan%2BParakeet.jpg"><br /></a></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r3G0LpxlcGI/TvvU0uInbFI/AAAAAAAABeY/y_p_1MZmJmY/s400/Thin-billed%2BTody.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691376556315208786" /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Narrow-billed Tody (endemic)... Ebano Verde Reserve</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>___</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span>This past September, my best friend John and I went to the Dominican Republic for our annual birding trip. More specifically, we went to the Santo Domingo and Boca Chica area. As with all of our trips, we were excited to go and could not wait for the plane to land! I mean, we were heading to hot weather and sunshine in the tropics! Not to mention an island that has 31 endemic species. Yeap, 31! I wonder how come you don't hear much about the Dominican Republic or the island as a whole - Hispaniola? Not a clue.</span></div><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZjjW5gEKPKQ/TvvU0B_xJNI/AAAAAAAABeQ/ZdivAaH2OEY/s400/Nutmeg%2BManakin.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691376544466937042" /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Nutmeg Manikan... a common bird but always fun to stop and watch.</i> </div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZjjW5gEKPKQ/TvvU0B_xJNI/AAAAAAAABeQ/ZdivAaH2OEY/s1600/Nutmeg%2BManakin.jpg"></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e-EJHjKXZsM/TvvP803gVBI/AAAAAAAABdU/NEi5qedBzNE/s1600/Hispaniolan%2BParakeet.jpg"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-joknUDBL3t8/Tv6MybXu3DI/AAAAAAAABe0/iloPzmzyNNE/s400/DSCF6773.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5692141777011530802" style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "></div><div><div><div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Boca de Nigua... gorgeous grounds of trash.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>___</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span>John and I, along with a very willing and anxious Dominican resident, Steve Brauning birded three primary areas: Santo Domingo National Botanical Gardens, Ebano Verde (Science Reserve), and Boca de Nigua. All three places, full of great birds! The botanical gardens (as with most botanical gardens) was easy to bird and in addition, provided some great scenery of a very well kept garden. Highlights were Red-legged Thrush, Hispaniolan Parakeet, Antillian Mango, and Black-whiskered Vireo. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span>Our next stop was Boca de Nigua, a wetland area that hugs the coastline just outside of Santo Domingo. This place is nothing short of a success story that will continue to improve and flourish so long as the restoration continues. Prior to the restoration, the area served as a garbage dump. Finding this large reserve was no easy task as nobody in the very nearby vicinity seemed to know anything about it. We finally found one local taxi driver that knew exactly where we needed to go.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span>As we approached I became quickly in awe at the beauty of the large marshland which included a pristine blue ocean acting as the backdrop. Instantly, we saw Great Egrets, Cattle Egrets, and Green Herons all birds that signify the beauty of a wetland. I knew right away we were in a great place. As we left the car and started to bird the marsh edge, it was obvious that the area used to be a garbage dump. Everywhere we went, we walked on trash - none of which you could see unless you looked straight down. The plant growth covered most of the unsightliness. But, the birds didn't seem to care what the area used to be, they seemed to be very content with what it now was. Snowy Egrets, Tricolored Herons, Smooth-billed Anis, Black-necked Stilts, and Lesser Yellowlegs all seemed to forage in harmony. One very cool highlight for us was the White-cheeked Pintail. The area is apparently a very reliable spot to find this species of duck. Actually, we thought we were skunked until the very end. And then, they appeared - seven I think.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_90OaOrMmes/TvvUzyCldRI/AAAAAAAABeA/M0kCEagwVmQ/s1600/West%2BIndian%2BWhistling%2BDucks.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_90OaOrMmes/TvvUzyCldRI/AAAAAAAABeA/M0kCEagwVmQ/s400/West%2BIndian%2BWhistling%2BDucks.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691376540183786770" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>West Indian Whistling Duck... Santo Domingo Botanical Gardens. Gorgeous!</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>___</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span>Our last destination was Ebano Verde. A mountain reserve west of Santo Domingo about 2 hours away. We left at about 4:30a and arrived just before light. At our arrival, we were welcomed by the tiny sound of multiple Black-faced Grassquits. The original plan was to walk down the mountain about two miles and have a car bring us back up. This plan changed when the gate was locked at the top of the trail. Guess what this means? Yeap, you guessed it, we had to start at the bottom. Now, I am not complaining but, walking up a mountain is tough for anyone, especially if you are 60 pounds overweight. The strenuous journey up began, complete with an armed security guard (a first).</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span>The reserve was gorgeous. Lush and green, just as you would expect it to be in the tropics. The exception to this would have been about another 3 hours west in the land of Haiti where (from what I am told) the tree line ends. Very sad. Anyway, we weren't in Haiti, we were in the DR so I'll keep it lush. One of our first birds was the Hispaniolan Trogan and endemic Trogan that like most others is as gorgeous as any parrot or parakeet. It would seem all down hill after starting with this bird but thankfully it was just the opposite. Like magic, birds such as the Narrow-billed Tody (endemic), Hispaniolan Spindalis (endemic), Antillian Piculet (endemic), and Hispaniolan Pewee (endemic) all appeared to ensure excitement throughout the hike and to make this big man forget all about the strain of walking uphill.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wkjHcOceCbg/TvvUzzaefEI/AAAAAAAABd4/LGJ9w_f16PI/s1600/Black-crowned%2BPalm%2BTanager.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wkjHcOceCbg/TvvUzzaefEI/AAAAAAAABd4/LGJ9w_f16PI/s400/Black-crowned%2BPalm%2BTanager.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691376540552428610" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wkjHcOceCbg/TvvUzzaefEI/AAAAAAAABd4/LGJ9w_f16PI/s1600/Black-crowned%2BPalm%2BTanager.jpg"></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Black-crowned Palm Tanager (endemic)</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>___</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span>The everyday birding location was our hotel grounds. We stayed at the Bellvue Dominican Bay in Boca Chica. All I can say is it was a good thing that we were there for the birds because the hotel itself was NASTY! The two most abundant birds that were almost everywhere you looked were the Antillian Palm Swift and Hispaniolan Woodpecker. I could have watched either species for hours. The Antillian Palm Swifts were very active around the hotel and were most likely feasting on the bugs flying in and around the luxury hotel grounds. Other highlights on the hotel grounds inlcuded: Palmchat (endemic), Gray Kingbird, and the very awesome Hispaniolan Lizard-cuckoo!</span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><u><br /></u></span></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1598AJNgLuc/TvvP9XPLl9I/AAAAAAAABdw/MFQJb8tzooc/s1600/Hispaniolan%2BEmerald%2B4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1598AJNgLuc/TvvP9XPLl9I/AAAAAAAABdw/MFQJb8tzooc/s400/Hispaniolan%2BEmerald%2B4.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691371207229413330" /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Hispaniolan Emerald (endemic)... Boca de Nigua Reserve</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j9V37Kwav7Q/TvvP9EMjqUI/AAAAAAAABdc/jByzpVNBQZs/s400/Hispaniolan%2BTrogan.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691371202118134082" /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Hispaniolan Trogan (endemic)... Ebano Verde Reserve. Beautiful!!!</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e-EJHjKXZsM/TvvP803gVBI/AAAAAAAABdU/NEi5qedBzNE/s1600/Hispaniolan%2BParakeet.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e-EJHjKXZsM/TvvP803gVBI/AAAAAAAABdU/NEi5qedBzNE/s400/Hispaniolan%2BParakeet.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691371198003303442" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e-EJHjKXZsM/TvvP803gVBI/AAAAAAAABdU/NEi5qedBzNE/s1600/Hispaniolan%2BParakeet.jpg"></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left; ">Hispaniolan Parakeet (endemic)... Santo Domingo Botanical Gardens</span></div><div><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DFpTnUAsWjc/TvvP8SJHHcI/AAAAAAAABc8/UuNRiPGdWVQ/s400/Bananaquit.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691371188681907650" /><div style="text-align: center;color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><i>Bananaquit... very common but always cool!</i></div><div style="text-align: center;color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><br /></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UrFnircXqlo/TvvU0iIrCOI/AAAAAAAABeo/-_Nyb2mU4fQ/s400/DSCF6171.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691376553094220002" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></div><div style="text-align: center;color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><i>Boca Chica Beach... as sad as it looks!</i></div></div><div style="text-align: center;color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><i>___</i></div><div style="text-align: center;color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center; ">Probably the worst part of the trip was the cleanliness of the Santo Domingo and Boca Chica area. To the locals, trash either goes on the street or on the beach - yes, I said the beach. I was so upset at the conditions of the beach that I had to drink just to make the trash disappear! The area is also a haven for prostitution which is legal in the area. Everywhere you look you will see men and women in their 50's and 60's with young men and women who are probably no older than 21. So, while most visitors in the area were focused on their prostitution needs, John and I remained focused on the birds. The safe, moral, and much cleaner alternative.</div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; ">In all, I ended the trip with 27 new birds. Only 11 of which were of the endemics. And, although I would have loved to have gotten more of endemics, I left the island mostly perturbed that I did not get the Vervain Hummingbird. This hummingbird, the second smallest in the world, is allegedly very common. John saw it and Steve could not believe I hadn't seen it. He assured me if I sat next to some flowers long enough that it would show. But for me, it never did.</div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; ">In the end, I left the island Vervainless and with 20 endemics to go so I guess I will have to put on my prostitute repellent and go back someday very soon!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><u><br /></u></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196191796579661283.post-33589491035997971222011-11-19T21:46:00.010-05:002011-11-20T00:12:20.188-05:00OYBC Annual Conference - Columbus, OH<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BZfhiSXDlK4/TshqtBAGAnI/AAAAAAAABbc/gO0TmnjK3SU/s400/Grange%2BAudubon%2BCenter%2B3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5676904651895997042" style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Grange Audubon Center...</b> Columbus, Ohio. The location of the coolest birding event of 2011.</i></div><div><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oRYw4CyXQWU/TsiHDExA5bI/AAAAAAAABck/uWY30N1SE9g/s1600/Waitiing%2Bto%2Bsee%2BPie-billed%2Bat%2BGrange.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oRYw4CyXQWU/TsiHDExA5bI/AAAAAAAABck/uWY30N1SE9g/s400/Waitiing%2Bto%2Bsee%2BPie-billed%2Bat%2BGrange.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5676935817189189042" style="text-align: center;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Young birders...</b> looking through Kenn's scope at a Pied-billed Grebe.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>---</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal">I am embarrassed that it took so long to write about such a great event but it had to be done, no matter how irresponsibly tardy. The event, the 2011 Ohio Young Birders Club Conference in Columbus, OH was without a doubt, the highlight of my birding year! I repeat, the HIGHLIGHT of MY birding year! I would not consider myself a hardcore birder but would say that I am an intense birder to the very extent of my abilities – in 2011 I officially birded Indiana, Florida, Texas, California, North Carolina, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic. I say this to say that I had many great birding experiences over the past year and many individual highlights that could easily qualify as the “best” of 2011 but none of these events remotely compared to the one single event that I attended in Columbus, Ohio on November 5, 2011. <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><div><div><div><br /><div><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zDDfLbXjn9U/Tshqtm4LqDI/AAAAAAAABb0/opJfVQk3S9g/s400/Speaker%2BGroup%2Bat%2BOYBC%2BConf.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5676904662063360050" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>A great group of young birders...</b> from the left (Kathleen Seeley, Lukas Padegimas, Robert Reynard, Rachael Butek, and Jessie Barry). Jessie represented the Cornell Lab of Ornithology with a very cool presentation about careers in the world of birding.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">---</div><div style="text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">It is honestly quite difficult to sum up such an awesome event in just a few short paragraphs but I am going to try my best. The event is inspirational and touching in a way that cannot really be described. Kim Kaufman, along with her team of staff and volunteers were able to wrap this event in a package that would surprise and impress the Grinch himself. From logistics to door prizes and bird banding to presentations – the event rocked! Seamless and smooth in every way, it was obvious the event was something more than just an event; it was more like a gem that had been polished with a lot of obvious care. As Kim stated at the event, the OYBC is her “baby” and it was evident she was telling the truth!<o:p></o:p></p></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8VdhBEIH_Gg/TsiHDSOweGI/AAAAAAAABcw/iFeOtrgt54A/s400/Hermit%2BThrush%2Bat%2BOYBC%2BConf.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5676935820803602530" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Hermit Thrush...</b> being shown during a morning bird banding demonstration.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xsEtkgOjgPE/TshquDokPZI/AAAAAAAABcE/NiCgAClYWNI/s400/Rachel%2BButek%2Bat%2BOYBC%2BConf.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5676904669782490514" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Rachael Butek (ABA Young Birder of the Year)...</b> This young lady gave to date what I would consider the best overall birding presentation that I have ever seen! I wanted to jump up for an encore.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>---</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal">The highlights of the event were the presentations given by the young birders – each outstanding and very professional. Presentation topics included Artic Shorebirds, Lake Erie Water Snake recovery, Bird Banding, and Service Learning. The keynote presentation was: No Scope, No Car, No Problem! The Keynote Speaker, Rachael Butek (ABA Young Birder of the Year) gave a flawless presentation that had the entire audience almost speechless and picking their jaws up off the floor. From her first words to her amazing presentation layout, Rachael showed an entire room that seniority in the world of birding is no longer necessary and that the number of years birding DOES NOT make you the top dog. I am not sure Rachael came to Ohio to prove anything but she definitely did, whether she intended to or not. She instantly became my newest mentor – she just does not know it. <o:p></o:p></p></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div></div><div></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vDYuH0UFyqU/TshqvA1JT3I/AAAAAAAABcM/duGO1StYmwQ/s1600/Monarch%2Bat%2BGrange.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vDYuH0UFyqU/TshqvA1JT3I/AAAAAAAABcM/duGO1StYmwQ/s1600/Monarch%2Bat%2BGrange.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vDYuH0UFyqU/TshqvA1JT3I/AAAAAAAABcM/duGO1StYmwQ/s1600/Monarch%2Bat%2BGrange.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8pteFBR6FJo/TshqteTufXI/AAAAAAAABbo/fWLj9kMUvbA/s400/Ceth%2Bassisting%2BKim%2Bwith%2Bdoor%2Bprizes.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5676904659762969970" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: center; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Kim Kaufman and friends...</b> giving out some great door prizes. Nobody leaves the OYBC Conference empty handed.</i></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><u><br /></u></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vDYuH0UFyqU/TshqvA1JT3I/AAAAAAAABcM/duGO1StYmwQ/s1600/Monarch%2Bat%2BGrange.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vDYuH0UFyqU/TshqvA1JT3I/AAAAAAAABcM/duGO1StYmwQ/s400/Monarch%2Bat%2BGrange.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5676904686209814386" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Emerging Monarch...</b> a bonus on the grounds of the Grange Audubon Center.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>---</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal">I could go on and on but I won’t. Anyone that knows me knows that I do not please nor impress easily but when I am impressed or excited I have to make sure the world knows about it. If you are reading this and you attended the event, I know you are on my page and agree with everything I have said. If you have not attended and you call yourself a birder you have to make the conference a priority next year. Trust me, if you don’t you will be left behind by a generation of birders that will be ruling the birding world very soon and will sadly regret that you had a chance to meet them and did not – don’t do this to yourself!</p></div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196191796579661283.post-5944986782740774622011-09-20T19:40:00.008-04:002011-09-21T19:53:31.322-04:00Midwest Birding Symposium 2011<div><br /></div><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aX6AgQR-6y0/Tnkk1BhCv8I/AAAAAAAABak/8XlJRXdfgQM/s400/Bald%2BEagle.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5654591300499062722" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Bald Eagle</b>... I took this picture of a captive eagle that was injured to the extent it will never be returned to the wild. I love how the picture turned out! What a great symbol of our nation!</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3W0f6SC8uJs/TnklNtcMLTI/AAAAAAAABbU/mmGyrQ_fpLY/s400/Lake%2BErie%2Bshoreline.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5654591724606729522" /><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Lake Erie</b>... the gorgeous shoreline across from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Magee</span> Marsh.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Its been a while since I have posted anything here as I have simply not spent much time birding this year. In fact, I haven't had much time to do anything outside of keeping up with the requirements of life. Although I do believe birding to be a requirement in life, the others such as work, family, school, and bills always tend to trump the birds. But, all of the hard work has paid off and finally, I was able to get some time to bird and spend some time with others who enjoy birding as much as I do.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">This past weekend I was able to attend the <a href="https://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/mwb2011/speakers2011.php">Midwest Birding Symposium</a> - an event sponsored primarily by Birdwatcher Digest. The event is a place for birders across the nation to come together and attend workshops, talks, etc. all to feed our love of birding and to raise money for bird conservation. In addition to a ton of great information, the symposium is loaded with vendors that cater to birders. From birding trips and spotting scopes to t-shirts and field guides, you can buy almost anything you can think of as it related to birding.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yHXwQTriPBA/TnklNE6R2HI/AAAAAAAABbM/LwgpvATIOSs/s1600/Ottawa%2BNWR%2B2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yHXwQTriPBA/TnklNE6R2HI/AAAAAAAABbM/LwgpvATIOSs/s400/Ottawa%2BNWR%2B2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5654591713727076466" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Great Egrets...</b> what would a marsh be without egrets? This picture was taken at Ottawa <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">NWR</span>.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DZ-CEIrR6qU/Tnkk3lVviiI/AAAAAAAABbE/QQsJIsVjUWk/s1600/Magee%2BMarsh%2BBoardwalk%2BMBS.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DZ-CEIrR6qU/Tnkk3lVviiI/AAAAAAAABbE/QQsJIsVjUWk/s400/Magee%2BMarsh%2BBoardwalk%2BMBS.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5654591344475081250" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>The Birders of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">IAS</span>...</b> doing what we do!</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">A major incentive to the event is having a chance to see the famous people in the world of birding. Authors, speakers, field trip leaders, etc. are always present mingling among the crowd sharing their stories and knowledge freely and leaving all of us bird people star struck to have shared their presence. <a href="http://www.bsbobird.org/">Kenn and Kim Kaufman</a> are the best examples of this. Kenn is one of the most well known birders in world and is the author of an entire series of popular field guides along with other great works of writing. Kim and Kenn both have many regular writing gigs that now also include Birds and Blooms. They are always present and always willing to share their stories! Other great speakers and guests included: Bridget <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Stutchbury</span> (speaker, author and overall advocate for birds), Al <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Batt</span> (very funny nature comedian), Julie <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Zickefoose</span> (author, artist, and nature lover), and Wyatt Miller and Sarah <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Winnicki</span> (future conservation leaders and members of the Ohio Young Birders Club. In one way or another, all of these presenters fight to conserve the birds we love each and every day!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Speaking of the birds we love, if you haven't been birding to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Magee</span> Marsh or Ottawa <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">NWR</span> on the shoreline of Lake Erie, you are missing one of the best birding destination in the Eastern United States. Although fall doesn't remotely compare to spring, the birding is without question, simply phenomenal. Warblers, swans, egrets, and ducks along with a backdrop of pristine wetlands and an ocean-like shoreline - it's hard to beat. Am I painting a picture here?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uariZ1UOL9M/Tnkk29-Q5aI/AAAAAAAABa8/p_kUBFZuKJQ/s1600/Trumpeter%2BSwan.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uariZ1UOL9M/Tnkk29-Q5aI/AAAAAAAABa8/p_kUBFZuKJQ/s400/Trumpeter%2BSwan.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5654591333907621282" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Trumpeter Swan...</b> we saw a number of while birding Ottawa. We also saw some Mute Swans. Both - very gorgeous!</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_24cNX4cVBk/Tnkk2uv-OLI/AAAAAAAABa0/rjW5ORd0olc/s1600/Me%2Bwith%2Bthe%2BKaufmann%2527s.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_24cNX4cVBk/Tnkk2uv-OLI/AAAAAAAABa0/rjW5ORd0olc/s400/Me%2Bwith%2Bthe%2BKaufmann%2527s.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5654591329821145266" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Me posing with the SUPERSTARS of the birding world - Kenn and Kim Kaufman. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Yeap</span>, I was <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">cheesin</span>'!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-myG7i0oU_U8/Tnkk14nweBI/AAAAAAAABas/PRSdzT0GzOc/s1600/Audubon%2BGang%2Bat%2BMBS.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-myG7i0oU_U8/Tnkk14nweBI/AAAAAAAABas/PRSdzT0GzOc/s400/Audubon%2BGang%2Bat%2BMBS.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5654591315291174930" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>The fine folks of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">IAS</span></b>... tired after a long weekend but always happy for family time!</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Just like any event, this one too had to come to a close. I was sad to leave but very happy to have attended not only for the birding or great events but mostly because I was able to spend time with the great people and friends of the <a href="http://www.indianaaudubon.org/">Indiana Audubon Society, Inc</a>. They are a small group in an overall small birding circuit where I can always talk about the the things that make me nerdy without the fear of ever feeling like a nerd.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I'm ready to go back in 2013!</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196191796579661283.post-84184322937868095382011-05-15T17:05:00.007-04:002011-05-15T17:53:12.111-04:00It's All About the Kids!<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FaRzYtFok6w/TdBCLdEZxuI/AAAAAAAABZ4/qZegVt7s6-I/s1600/May%2B1%2BMary%2BGray%2B2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FaRzYtFok6w/TdBCLdEZxuI/AAAAAAAABZ4/qZegVt7s6-I/s400/May%2B1%2BMary%2BGray%2B2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607054300625356514" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>A group of Indianapolis teenagers </b>from the group "Can We Help?" came out to help the Indiana Audubon Society install Bluebird boxes during the annual Spring Festival. They were a HUGE help and did a fantastic job!!! Thanks girls!</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>---</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">It feels like forever since I last posted. Actually, it has been forever - since February anyway. So much has been going on that making any time for anything other than day to day life has been almost impossible. To catch up... I have survived yet another job restructure, took a short birding trip to Florida, finally - FINALLY graduated with my Master's Degree, and just recently watched my daughters' take their first communion. In between all of this I have been working, working, and guess what else? Working. The story of our lives, right?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Amongst all that has been going on, I have not been able to do much birding. In fact, I have only been able to see a handful of Warbler's this spring, which in itself could cause any birder to go into a spiraling depression. But, I have been able to avoid this type of health condition the only way that I know how and that is that on the few days that I have been able to get out - I celebrated nature with kids!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Over the past few weeks, I have been able to take a group of kids birding and on another occasion been able to coordinate a project with a group of awesome teenagers to install some new bluebird boxes at the Mary Gray Bird Sanctuary. Both events were nothing short of absolutely wonderful. Being able to see kids in a setting other than a movie theater, in front of a TV, or even playing structured sports is so rare nowadays that to experience it feels like IT should require an admission fee.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I could go on and on about the importance of us as adults ensuring that our kids have adequate time in nature but I will save my many random thoughts and opinions for other posts. For now, I am just happy that the few times I have been able to be in nature this spring has been times when I could do it with kids - the ones that will ensure its protection when I am long gone.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YO7ObPWhzUQ/TdBB0Bh1ghI/AAAAAAAABZw/jHBGrUFa5SU/s1600/Barred%2BOwl.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YO7ObPWhzUQ/TdBB0Bh1ghI/AAAAAAAABZw/jHBGrUFa5SU/s400/Barred%2BOwl.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607053898095624722" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Barred Owl... </b>not the best picture but not bad for being in the woods. An awesome bird on any day of birding, this bird made itself present right after the kids were given a presentation of a captive bird of the same species - as seen below.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OjvLdd6nNXM/TdBBz2VFwzI/AAAAAAAABZo/XkN0-ubecSA/s1600/Eagle%2BCreek%2Bwith%2BBarred%2BOwl.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OjvLdd6nNXM/TdBBz2VFwzI/AAAAAAAABZo/XkN0-ubecSA/s400/Eagle%2BCreek%2Bwith%2BBarred%2BOwl.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607053895089374002" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Posing with Kevin Carlson </b>at the Eagle Creek Ornithology Center after learning all about the Barred Owl.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QUqXF5ntHY4/TdBBzRheapI/AAAAAAAABZg/aYxhuZ0SPwk/s1600/Fungus%2B2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QUqXF5ntHY4/TdBBzRheapI/AAAAAAAABZg/aYxhuZ0SPwk/s400/Fungus%2B2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607053885209209490" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>An unknown woodland fungus</b> - gorgeous in its own right!</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kHERj3W9hCI/TdBBy5WETKI/AAAAAAAABZY/iFU71brzvWI/s1600/Frog%2Bat%2BEagle%2BCreek.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kHERj3W9hCI/TdBBy5WETKI/AAAAAAAABZY/iFU71brzvWI/s400/Frog%2Bat%2BEagle%2BCreek.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607053878718909602" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>The victim of a child curiosity. </b>We released this frog shortly after giving everyone a chance to experience its uniqueness.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UIrMpbv-e2Y/TdBByhor0eI/AAAAAAAABZQ/1tPmtDND-jE/s1600/Kids%2Bat%2BEagle%2BCreek%2Bwith%2Bfrog.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UIrMpbv-e2Y/TdBByhor0eI/AAAAAAAABZQ/1tPmtDND-jE/s400/Kids%2Bat%2BEagle%2BCreek%2Bwith%2Bfrog.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607053872354546146" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Studying the frog. </b>This is what its all about. Who needs a TV?</i></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196191796579661283.post-65283986961041112862011-02-26T22:21:00.007-05:002011-02-27T21:48:20.724-05:00Santa Cruz Island, California<img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aQzp-6YQ2Ok/TWnF73xHqdI/AAAAAAAABYA/qisc1_aExGg/s400/Channel%2BIslands%2BNational%2BPark.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578207245847996882" /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ha0cjENS1ps/TWnHIbwKWLI/AAAAAAAABZA/rclHLYVPyc8/s1600/Santa%2BCruz%2BIsland%2BNC%2Bsign.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ha0cjENS1ps/TWnHIbwKWLI/AAAAAAAABZA/rclHLYVPyc8/s400/Santa%2BCruz%2BIsland%2BNC%2Bsign.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578208561177712818" /></a><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><u><br /></u></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ha0cjENS1ps/TWnHIbwKWLI/AAAAAAAABZA/rclHLYVPyc8/s1600/Santa%2BCruz%2BIsland%2BNC%2Bsign.jpg"></a><div style="text-align: center;">I can't wait to go back to California! In my short time in the state, the weather was sunny and warm and the birds were plentiful. When I left the snow-covered state of Indiana I had no idea what to expect. As mentioned in a previous post, my thoughts of California were very <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">stereotypical</span>. My head was filled with images of traffic, smog, and frivolous behavior - the exact opposite of the images I left with.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My favorite spot was Santa Cruz Island - one of a string Islands known as the Channel Islands. Santa Cruz Island is about 20 miles off the coast of California just west of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Ventura</span>. We decided to take the trip to the Island with the specific intent to see the Island Scrub Jay - a bird endemic to this one Island. So, we booked a trip with Island Packers and before we knew it we were on a boat in the Pacific Ocean. A BEAUTIFUL Pacific Ocean I might add. Thank goodness for the little miracle patch behind my ear!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">On our way out to the island, we were entertained by some breathtaking fauna, including: Dolphins, Whales, Seals, Gulls, Cormorants, Grebes, and Ducks. And... as exciting as all of these animals were, the star of the show was none other than the Island Scrub Jay.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uoQbe5ZlZIU/TWnHIEwfEyI/AAAAAAAABY4/fDYOZ-XQlJk/s1600/Lilac%2Bon%2BSanta%2BCruz.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uoQbe5ZlZIU/TWnHIEwfEyI/AAAAAAAABY4/fDYOZ-XQlJk/s400/Lilac%2Bon%2BSanta%2BCruz.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578208555005055778" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Lilacs</b>... everywhere you looked were breathtaking reminders of God's creations!</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uoQbe5ZlZIU/TWnHIEwfEyI/AAAAAAAABY4/fDYOZ-XQlJk/s1600/Lilac%2Bon%2BSanta%2BCruz.jpg"></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vvtclu5CU1A/TWnHH2sqQmI/AAAAAAAABYw/9dA75e0r42o/s1600/Santa%2BCruz%2BIsland.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vvtclu5CU1A/TWnHH2sqQmI/AAAAAAAABYw/9dA75e0r42o/s400/Santa%2BCruz%2BIsland.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578208551230915170" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Santa Cruz Island</b>... gorgeous!</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZtQwsuUlQzY/TWnHH31njLI/AAAAAAAABYo/Mdc5eCOOb1k/s1600/Santa%2BCruz%2BIsland%2B3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZtQwsuUlQzY/TWnHH31njLI/AAAAAAAABYo/Mdc5eCOOb1k/s400/Santa%2BCruz%2BIsland%2B3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578208551536921778" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Santa Cruz Island.</b>.. home of the Island Scrub Jay. Could you live here?</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ooAQL9Kw5KA/TWnF8TxJWyI/AAAAAAAABYQ/yx7PWlxnZnc/s400/Island%2BScrub%2BJay%2B6.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578207253364300578" /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Island Scrub Jay</b>... the star of the show in an Oscar winning pose! These Jays NEVER leave Santa Cruz Island.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ceO62vOHuAI/TWnF8oOfK7I/AAAAAAAABYg/88dAsnKlGHM/s1600/Island%2BScrub%2BJay%2B9.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ceO62vOHuAI/TWnF8oOfK7I/AAAAAAAABYg/88dAsnKlGHM/s400/Island%2BScrub%2BJay%2B9.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578207258856074162" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Island Scrub Jays</b>... a pair actually picking up twigs, etc. working on a home for the next generation. Notice the bands on their legs? This helps scientists identify them as individuals.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">---</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ceO62vOHuAI/TWnF8oOfK7I/AAAAAAAABYg/88dAsnKlGHM/s1600/Island%2BScrub%2BJay%2B9.jpg"></a><div style="text-align: center;">Once we arrived to the Island, we were orientated by an Island Packers Naturalist about the Island. He gave us a short history and then gave us the option of going on our own on the National Park side of the island or with him to the Nature Conservancy side of the island. We opted to go with him as the Island Scrub Jays are reportedly more reliable on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">TNC</span> side. So off we went UPHILL to find the Island Scrub Jay! The bad news is that I quickly realized once again how out of shape I was but determined, I lifted this 260 pound body up the hill to see the Jay! The good news is that the Jay made a presence known pretty quick once we got up the hill. I was instantly in love with this bird and the island. The even better news is that not only did we see two Jays rather instantly, we saw several more - at least 6-7 in total. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cSz0SnQz6LA/TWnF8UuXMmI/AAAAAAAABYY/CKIqVOwGfIg/s1600/Lupine%2BSanta%2BCruz.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cSz0SnQz6LA/TWnF8UuXMmI/AAAAAAAABYY/CKIqVOwGfIg/s400/Lupine%2BSanta%2BCruz.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578207253621060194" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Hillside Lupine</b>... the beauty of Santa Cruz Island.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cKztkXx32_o/TWnF8C4C2oI/AAAAAAAABYI/o4TAYLzgfU8/s1600/Bewicks%2BWren.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cKztkXx32_o/TWnF8C4C2oI/AAAAAAAABYI/o4TAYLzgfU8/s400/Bewicks%2BWren.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578207248829831810" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Bewick's</span> Wren</b>... relatively plain as compared to the Island Scrub Jay but this bird was singing with such passion that I had to make sure I gave him credit. He was loving life one Santa Cruz Island!!!</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>---</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">I spent most of the remainder of my time on the Island watching the Jays and simply enjoying the views from all directions. We were only on the island about 3 hours before our ferry was back to pick us up but our short visit was definitely worth every moment. To see a bird such as the Island Scrub Jay in the setting of Santa Cruz Island is memory that I never want to forget!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196191796579661283.post-28829191886721591552011-02-19T17:15:00.008-05:002011-02-19T18:23:49.902-05:00Pismo Beach, California. Monarchs, Monarchs, Monarchs!<img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oGfWmpl1WVc/TWBEiikJoMI/AAAAAAAABXg/3MxshHIIgx4/s400/Pismo%2BBeach.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575531698869346498" /><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pGCAvuEFKlw/TWBEi2uL49I/AAAAAAAABXo/qnKR3GxWX-k/s400/Monarch%2B18.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575531704280146898" /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">Until now, I had never been to California. In fact, anytime the word "California" came up, the image that I had of the state was nothing more than a land of complete chaos and corruption - something I had no desire to be a part. I was invited by my two friends, Amy and Sally to join them on their already planned birding trip. I instantly (and probably imposingly) accepted the invitation and met them about mid-week into their vacation just two weeks ago. I arrived on a late flight so it wasn't until the next morning that I knew I had a made a mistake. Instantly, I knew that I had messed up - I should have come sooner! The mountains that surrounded the hotel said, "Welcome to California" in a way that I never expected. The state is absolutely beautiful!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Our first stop was a park in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Pismo</span> Beach, just north of Santa Barbara - a location known for its magnet attraction to Monarch butterflies. It was only a matter of seconds after our arrival before we knew were someplace special. Monarch's by the thousands were coming to life as the sun warmed the air. They seemed to be dripping from the trees, mostly Eucalyptus, from all directions. If you are a butterfly lover, you would feel as though you were in heaven. If you have yet to come to appreciate butterflies, I am certain that this amazing place would be your changing point. If not, well... we have some work to do!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Oh, and the birding at this park? Fantastic! But, I will talk about that more another day!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8uMUXQyRbBM/TWBCzRNdXOI/AAAAAAAABW4/Zkwu55OaIbM/s400/Monarch%2B3.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575529787245288674" /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0rgKXVZ_Dpc/TWBEjA2uq7I/AAAAAAAABXw/TOc22-fHJaY/s1600/Monarch%2B24.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0rgKXVZ_Dpc/TWBEjA2uq7I/AAAAAAAABXw/TOc22-fHJaY/s400/Monarch%2B24.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575531707000335282" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>A low-light picture but I think you get the idea!</i></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0rgKXVZ_Dpc/TWBEjA2uq7I/AAAAAAAABXw/TOc22-fHJaY/s1600/Monarch%2B24.jpg"></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QFlFqwWWoDI/TWBC04YLw6I/AAAAAAAABXY/IJMo3hL3Mjw/s1600/Monarch%2B14.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QFlFqwWWoDI/TWBC04YLw6I/AAAAAAAABXY/IJMo3hL3Mjw/s400/Monarch%2B14.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575529814939124642" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>At times, they seem to become a permanent part of the tree.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uDJPrjqQgkg/TWBC0vzWUiI/AAAAAAAABXQ/WIFmMi7JAbI/s1600/Monarch%2B17.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uDJPrjqQgkg/TWBC0vzWUiI/AAAAAAAABXQ/WIFmMi7JAbI/s400/Monarch%2B17.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575529812637143586" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Enjoying the sun!</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zla_A8qEcus/TWBC0d-dhuI/AAAAAAAABXI/j2iFia1XdHQ/s1600/Monarch%2B1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zla_A8qEcus/TWBC0d-dhuI/AAAAAAAABXI/j2iFia1XdHQ/s400/Monarch%2B1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575529807851914978" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n0WYi2gs1DE/TWBC0LjHomI/AAAAAAAABXA/DfuKGWkOpR0/s1600/Monarch%2B25.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n0WYi2gs1DE/TWBC0LjHomI/AAAAAAAABXA/DfuKGWkOpR0/s400/Monarch%2B25.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575529802905395810" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Not for innocent eyes! I was extremely uncomfortable with the amount of frivolous activity going on!</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196191796579661283.post-74430247276694730752011-01-31T21:29:00.008-05:002011-02-03T21:54:35.510-05:00Aransas National Wildlife Refuge - 2011<img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TUd0LkuLMqI/AAAAAAAABWE/sInsUoWqMr8/s400/Aransas%2BSign.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568547206451638946" /><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TUd0KcKezuI/AAAAAAAABVs/zpYgGdGimlo/s400/Aransas%2BNWR.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568547186974576354" /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Aransas NWR... </b>How gorgeous is this? Waaaayyy out in this picture was actually two Whooping Crane</i>s!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">---</div><div style="text-align: center;">This is the last of my posts from my recent trip to Texas. It has been a depressing day so I figured a little reminiscing of this trip would do me some good! Just a short drive from Corpus Christi, TX, <a href="http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/texas/aransas/whoopingcranes.html">Aransas NWR</a> is just one of many places in the area that require much more than just a few hours to <i>bird</i> properly. It is, in short, one of many Texas birding locations that I would consider my favorite. Well, actually, every stop we made in Texas was my favorite. So, what made this stop so special? Birds, of course!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The target bird for the day was the Whooping Crane and the Whooping Crane was the first priority. After a quick stop to the visitors center, we made a trip to a location where two Cranes had been reliably seen. Thankfully, they were on location as I had hoped. Next, it was anything and everything. Highlights were everywhere you looked. They included: Northern Pintails (tons), Snow Geese (tons and a life bird), Green-winged Teal, Blue-winged Teal, Lesser Scaup, Redhead's, Crested Caracara's, American Kestrals, Sandhill Cranes, Eastern Phoebe's, and Bufflehead's to name just a few. We even saw three more Whoopers!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My time at this location was short but it just gives me one more reason to go back. Perhaps this November for the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TUd4U3ZZjjI/AAAAAAAABWc/W_pr-ESFrL4/s1600/Great%2BEgret.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TUd4U3ZZjjI/AAAAAAAABWc/W_pr-ESFrL4/s400/Great%2BEgret.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568551764130106930" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Great Egret... </b>if this bird wasn't present, the experience would not be complete.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TUd2P7Gp-ZI/AAAAAAAABWM/9X2pJSQISoA/s400/Ruby-crowned%2BKinglet.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568549480202631570" /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Pine Warbler</i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TUd0LUUubcI/AAAAAAAABV8/B0KWVuY64x0/s400/Aransas%2BNWR%2B3.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568547202049928642" /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Ducks and Geese... </b>Mostly Snow Geese and Northern Pintails... this raft of ducks stretched forever!</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TUd0K3vxEcI/AAAAAAAABV0/vlW41e0VOPA/s400/Aransas%2BNWR%2B2.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568547194378719682" /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Alligator Pond... </b>actually one of the best stops. A fantastic diversity of ducks were present in a very small area... as you can see for yourself!</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TUd0J___qpI/AAAAAAAABVk/dKkqZY9SgZk/s400/American%2BAlligator.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568547179414399634" /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Alligator... </b>at Alligator Pond!</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TUd4Ulavm0I/AAAAAAAABWU/EIe2fuRTeeU/s1600/Royal%2BTerns.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TUd4Ulavm0I/AAAAAAAABWU/EIe2fuRTeeU/s400/Royal%2BTerns.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568551759303908162" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Royal Terns... </b>this was not taken at Aransas. It was actually taken in South Padre but since I had to get my 250 pound body on the the ground to take this picture I wanted to be sure and share it! The sun was almost down but for the lighting I had, I like the picture!</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196191796579661283.post-56904762355996932722011-01-23T18:50:00.010-05:002011-01-23T20:28:46.794-05:00Turkey Run State Park<img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TTy_mKJTQRI/AAAAAAAABU8/ZRiP4aRUVQs/s400/Blue%2BJay%2B2.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565533901802389778" /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Blue Jay</b>... my all-time favorite. I have come across some awesome birds over the years but this one continues to stay in the number one position! The entire family of Jay's are my favorite group of birds so I might occasional allow another Jay to tie for first place - but, this one will always be a tiny notch closer to the top!</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>---</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">This weekend was all about the birds but with little time to actually go and "bird". This past Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, I, along with the other wonderful Board of Directors for the Indiana Audubon Society came together to kick off another great year of educating the public about birds. We covered allot of ground. I am especially excited about what we will continue to do in support of Indiana's Young Birders via the Indiana Young Birders Club. The IYBC year will kick off with the Great Backyard Bird Count at Eagle Creek in February. From this point, we will be having "Let's Go Birding!" hikes all over the state.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">As far as birding goes, Saturday night we spent a little time listening for owls. Just as we thought we were skunked, a Barred Owl began to call. Unfortunately, it never came into view, but, it was close, and its presence was all we needed.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">On Sunday, after our meeting adjourned I was finally about to spend a few hours watching the feeding stations at the nature center. I was very pleased with the assortment of feeder birds present which included: Purple Finch, Red-headed Woodpecker, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Red-bellied Woodpecker, both Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers, White-breasted Nuthatch, American Goldfinches, Tree Sparrow, Mourning Dove, Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Wren, and my favorite - Blue Jay.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I spent most of my time photographing Blue Jay's with little success. They seemed to know that I was targeting them because the refused to hold still long enough for a picture. In the process, I was able to snap a few shot of some of the others species and did capture some decent pics. After a few hours of fun frustration it was time to head home. Now that I am here, I am ready to go back to Turkey Run. I don't want to go to work tomorrow! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TTzAP5SXYgI/AAAAAAAABVc/Qv7ZRv86fhw/s1600/Red-headed%2BWoodpecker%2B2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TTzAP5SXYgI/AAAAAAAABVc/Qv7ZRv86fhw/s400/Red-headed%2BWoodpecker%2B2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565534618831512066" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Red-headed Woodpecker</b>... this is THE true Red-headed. Many people think some of the other woodpeckers are Red-headed Woodpecker because so many have read markings on their heads but as you can see - this is the real deal!</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TTzAP5SXYgI/AAAAAAAABVc/Qv7ZRv86fhw/s1600/Red-headed%2BWoodpecker%2B2.jpg"></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TTy_nJANrmI/AAAAAAAABVU/16Oyv_LxjTw/s1600/Red-bellied%2BWoodpecker%2B3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TTy_nJANrmI/AAAAAAAABVU/16Oyv_LxjTw/s400/Red-bellied%2BWoodpecker%2B3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565533918675709538" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Red-bellied Woodpecker</b>... another awesome bird. See why some may think they have a Red-headed here? Once you see them both, you will never forget which is which.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><u><br /></u></span></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TTy_maaPtuI/AAAAAAAABVE/pK22rA7VVCc/s1600/American%2BGoldfinch.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TTy_maaPtuI/AAAAAAAABVE/pK22rA7VVCc/s400/American%2BGoldfinch.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565533906168428258" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>American Goldfinch</b>... even in the winter they are cute. I appears that this one may already be on his slow road to having all of his bright yellow feathers back in time for the season of love.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196191796579661283.post-76410782908922053292011-01-16T20:34:00.005-05:002011-01-16T22:02:52.287-05:00South Padre Island Birding Center, TX 2011<img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TTOg_b68tqI/AAAAAAAABUs/xWqLnm7Y9dU/s400/South%2BPadre%2BIsland%2BBirding%2BCenter.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562966976419903138" /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I'm getting there, my second to last blog on my late 2010, early 2011 birding trip to south Texas. I wasn't planning on blogging tonight but once again, the stress of life has overcome me so I decided I would take the best medicine out there for me - to talk about birds!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The <a href="http://www.southpadrebirdingcenter.com/">South Padre Birding and Nature Center</a> is yet another location that is a must see for anyone who enjoys the outdoors - especially birds! Situated on the Laguna Madre Bay just a jump across the street from the Gulf of Mexico, this birding center is absolutely spectacular. The center itself is an interpretive center that not only teaches you about the birds and natural surroundings, but also has a outlook 5 stories in the air that offers a very scenic view of the island. Unfortunately, I never had time to make the climb. There is also a nice gift shop in the center.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TTOeEH1OEcI/AAAAAAAABUU/9liqTLz_NMo/s400/South%2BPadre%2BBirding%2BCenter.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562963758391628226" /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">After you pay admission, $5 - you are able to walk outside into a world of coastal birding. There is a 4800 ft boardwalk that carves its way through the marsh and seaside habitat allowing visitors an up close look at the wildlife that make the area home. Tricolored, Little Blue, and Great Blue Herons were visible from all directions. Western Sandpipers, Black-bellied Plovers, Willet's and Greater Yellowlegs worked the muddy sidelines foraging for critters and Yellow-rumped Warblers kept your peripheral vision working non-stop!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">For those of you that really like challenges both Gulls and Terns will keep you looking at the sky in mind boggling confusion as you try to figure out each species. Caspian and Royal Terns along with Laughing Gulls made up a bulk of my observations. Brown Pelicans also put on a great show of fantastic fishing displays. Some great ducks were also present including Red-head's (in numbers), Northern Pintails, American Wigeons, and Blue-winged Teal.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TTOg_vs_puI/AAAAAAAABU0/SBZMebY6jPs/s1600/Tri-colored%2BHeron%2B2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TTOg_vs_puI/AAAAAAAABU0/SBZMebY6jPs/s400/Tri-colored%2BHeron%2B2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562966981730084578" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Tricolored Heron</b>...one of my favorites for obvious reasons but also because like many herons, this bird is very sleuthy and is a blast to watch hunt!</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">--</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TTOg_vs_puI/AAAAAAAABU0/SBZMebY6jPs/s1600/Tri-colored%2BHeron%2B2.jpg"></a><div style="text-align: center;">Aside from the birds, it is just great to be in an area that seems to have an overall awareness of birds and wildlife throughout. Although South Padre is definitely a very modern area full of hotels that in no way can be compared to an untouched environment - it is clear that the island recognizes birders and the birds as having some value.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">If you have yet to make your way to South Padre or the Rio Grande Valley, I would suggest that you make this must see spot a definite part of your agenda. You will be glad you did!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TTOg-3ni-bI/AAAAAAAABUk/5J4Br3sYCSg/s1600/Watch%2Bfor%2BPelicans.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TTOg-3ni-bI/AAAAAAAABUk/5J4Br3sYCSg/s400/Watch%2Bfor%2BPelicans.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562966966674848178" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>I love this sign!</b> Love it! A great sign that birds dominate the area!</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TTOeC591MbI/AAAAAAAABT8/EHdO-PHA3QQ/s400/Brown%2BPelican.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562963737489781170" /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Brown Pelican</b>... one of several during the trip. Another bird that is so much fun to watch. Also, the icon birding the shoreline.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TTOg-kDj3eI/AAAAAAAABUc/SAUHA_coavE/s1600/Willet%2Band%2BGreater%2BYellowlegs%2B2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TTOg-kDj3eI/AAAAAAAABUc/SAUHA_coavE/s400/Willet%2Band%2BGreater%2BYellowlegs%2B2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562966961423637986" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Willets and Greater Yellowlegs</b>... basking in the afternoon sun.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TTOeDo18III/AAAAAAAABUM/W137rxaaL0s/s1600/Clapper%2BRail.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TTOeDo18III/AAAAAAAABUM/W137rxaaL0s/s400/Clapper%2BRail.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562963750073147522" /></a><b><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "><i><b>Clapper Rail.</b>.. a lifer for me. I saw two of these along the boardwalks. A cool bird</i>!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "><br /></span></div></b><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TTOeDWtSCXI/AAAAAAAABUE/jS6XC9kDdJU/s1600/Black-bellied%2BPlover.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TTOeDWtSCXI/AAAAAAAABUE/jS6XC9kDdJU/s400/Black-bellied%2BPlover.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562963745204996466" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Black-bellied Plover</b>.... yet another gorgeous shorebird.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TTOeCvtvnbI/AAAAAAAABT0/Un-j6mudQGA/s1600/Tri-colored%2BHeron%2B3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TTOeCvtvnbI/AAAAAAAABT0/Un-j6mudQGA/s400/Tri-colored%2BHeron%2B3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562963734737952178" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Tricolored Heron</b>... plumage fluffed and by the look on his face, excited about his next meal.</i></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196191796579661283.post-39543251060611303852011-01-11T22:23:00.004-05:002011-01-11T22:52:14.564-05:00The Brutal Buff-bellied!<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TS0fPZgXiKI/AAAAAAAABS8/tb899PdmlhQ/s400/Buff-bellied%2B7.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561135464277575842" /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal">The more I look at my pictures of this Buff-bellied Hummingbird, the more I realized I wanted to write something more about them.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>After all, such a cute bird deserves to be acknowledged. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">A little over a year ago, I had the pleasure of hearing Kenn Kaufman describe the reality of a cute little chickadee and I thought the same thing applies to this cute little hummingbird.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">As you look at these pictures, what do you see?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Probably exactly what I do – a gorgeous little bird full of color and cute personality, doing nothing more than bathing in the sprinkler and enjoying his little hummingbird life.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I was amazed actually at how long this little bird allowed me to photograph him.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He stayed in place at least 5-10 minutes and was seemingly <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">okay</span> with me watching him bathe.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>As I look at these pictures, I wonder<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>what this tiny creature was really thinking.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>What was going through his tiny little brain as he enjoyed the rays of sun shining through his personal rain shower?</p></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TS0fQPPTU9I/AAAAAAAABTM/zZexxTgWMXA/s1600/Buff-bellied%2B14.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TS0fQPPTU9I/AAAAAAAABTM/zZexxTgWMXA/s400/Buff-bellied%2B14.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561135478701511634" /></a></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">The reality is he is likely thinking about how he can completely dismantle the next cute little hummer that makes his way into the area.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>You don’t see them in these pictures but there were three feeders within just a few feet of where he was bathing and this hummer believed that they are all his property and can’t be shared.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>You see, in the hummingbird world sharing is not permitted.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Cuteness is nothing more than a disguise of complete selfishness.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>If and when another hummer approaches the area, this bird will readily and and viciously dive bomb him hoping to inflict enough damage that he will never try again.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>When you do witness harmony, it is likely more a result of temporary exhaustion.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It will only be a matter of moments before the acts of attempted murder resume.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>And they will continue!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Day after day and fight after fight the ruthlessness will never cease.</p></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TS0fP2bsIoI/AAAAAAAABTE/6h7-9uCah-0/s1600/Buff-bellied%2B8.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TS0fP2bsIoI/AAAAAAAABTE/6h7-9uCah-0/s400/Buff-bellied%2B8.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561135472042582658" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal">So, the next time that you see a hummingbird just know that although he may be cute, his thoughts are something entirely different.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I’m not trying to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">de</span>-glorify these jewels of the sky I am merely making a point that looks can be deceiving.</p></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196191796579661283.post-79496045917697616402011-01-06T22:18:00.004-05:002011-01-06T23:32:42.456-05:00Estero Llano Grande State Park, Texas, 2010<img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TSaKhLggWGI/AAAAAAAABSY/SPEit6hGqXM/s400/Buff-bellied%2BHummingbird.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559283092664899682" /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Buff-bellied Hummingbird</b>... bathing under the sprinkler!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">---</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center; ">I guarantee you that <a href="http://www.worldbirdingcenter.org/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Estero</span> Llano <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Grande</span> State Park</a> is one birding spot that you will immediately fall in love with. It was very hard to leave! I am not sure exactly what made me fall in love with this outstanding state park so instantly. Perhaps it was my first Black-chinned or Buff-bellied Hummingbird, or possibly my first Common <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Pauraque</span> or maybe it was the copious number of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks that were resting throughout the park. Whatever it was, I want to go back.</div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; ">No matter where you went, there were birds. The morning started with a gorgeous Altamira Oriole. It then faded into a large number of Great <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Kiskadees</span>, Ruby-crowned <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Kinglets</span>, and Plain <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Chachalacas</span>. Late morning brought on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Paraque's</span>, Hummingbirds, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Fulvous</span> Whistling Ducks, and a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Bewick's</span> Wren. The remainder of the day brought such highlights as Green Kingfisher, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Anhinga</span>, and Curve-billed Thrasher. The last highlight was an unusual Buff-bellied Hummingbird complete with a substantial amount of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">rufous</span> in the wings. All I'm trying to say is this place is the bomb! I must visit birding destination at least once in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">anybody's</span> lifetime!</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TSaKhvsGLDI/AAAAAAAABSg/4N1g9KLiKKw/s400/Common%2BPauraque.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559283102377192498" /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Common <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Pauraque</span></b>... this is one of the most amazing birds I have ever seen. It doesn't move and blends in so well that you are likely to never see it. This particular one was alongside one of the trails.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TSaUo3puwnI/AAAAAAAABSw/Sb4xLW4hmAw/s1600/Reptile.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TSaUo3puwnI/AAAAAAAABSw/Sb4xLW4hmAw/s400/Reptile.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559294219890115186" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><b>A cute but nameless lizard</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TSaUoQGE_8I/AAAAAAAABSo/NQJMbPSHKFw/s400/Plain%2BChachalaca.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559294209271594946" /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Plain <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Chachalaca</span>... </b>these birds are everywhere and can be compared to chickens. Very wild, but very common.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TSaHVqIGQ9I/AAAAAAAABSQ/y11tUFKk1IQ/s1600/Black-bellied%2BWhistling%2BDucks.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TSaHVqIGQ9I/AAAAAAAABSQ/y11tUFKk1IQ/s400/Black-bellied%2BWhistling%2BDucks.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559279596190712786" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Black-bellied Whistling Ducks</b>... all over the place!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TSaHVHc_TnI/AAAAAAAABSI/q_5vPfnJfEA/s1600/Softshell.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TSaHVHc_TnI/AAAAAAAABSI/q_5vPfnJfEA/s400/Softshell.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559279586883096178" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Softshell</span> Turtle</b> alongside the trail... not really in a good location.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TSaHU2qZdsI/AAAAAAAABSA/GUwZL7-w-zI/s1600/Snowy%2BEgret.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TSaHU2qZdsI/AAAAAAAABSA/GUwZL7-w-zI/s400/Snowy%2BEgret.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559279582375933634" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Snowy Egret</b>... one of the most beautiful sights in the south. Not many birds are so picturesque against the water.</div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196191796579661283.post-88138778474997022742011-01-03T20:31:00.003-05:002011-01-03T21:45:54.242-05:00Laguna Atascosa - Texas 2010<img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TSJ7uYwUoiI/AAAAAAAABRA/aZdQaNeSX4k/s400/Laguna%2BAtascosa%2B2.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558140926977942050" /><div><div style="text-align: center;">I just returned home from my first birding trip to Texas. Finally, I was able to spend a few days birding locations such Corpus Christi, South Padre, and the Rio Grande Valley. To see as much as I could in just a few short days, the trip had to be in fast motion but it was still very much worth every moment. I will be dividing the trip up into several parts because there is just too much to say at one time.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The first stop was <a href="http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/texas/STRC/laguna/Index_Laguna.html">Laguna Atascosa NWR</a>, an outstanding refuge just northwest of South Padre Island. This would be one of those places that words really can't describe. Simply wonderful! Whether you want a great experience just birding the area around the visitor's center or you want to bird the 15 mile auto-tour, it is impossible to be disappointed. From Green Jays to White-tailed Kites, birds are everywhere - plentiful enough that you won't know what direction to look at times.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Below are a few pictures from the day!</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TSJ7uHbS-_I/AAAAAAAABQ4/miIOws5fB4I/s400/Green%2BJay%2B2.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558140922326350834" /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>And the winner is... Green Jay.</b> By far my favorite bird of the trip. I saw my first one in my first 5 minutes of birding. This is now my second favorite bird next to the Blue Jay.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TSJ_ZVqWOBI/AAAAAAAABR4/B1P1Zq4tGWk/s1600/Yellow-rumpbed%2BWarbler.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TSJ_ZVqWOBI/AAAAAAAABR4/B1P1Zq4tGWk/s400/Yellow-rumpbed%2BWarbler.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558144963416832018" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Bathing, this <b>Yellow-rumped Warbler</b> was just too cute to not credit!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TSJ_Yy9duCI/AAAAAAAABRw/WpdadIWJ4XI/s1600/Olive%2BSparrow.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TSJ_Yy9duCI/AAAAAAAABRw/WpdadIWJ4XI/s400/Olive%2BSparrow.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558144954101774370" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Olive Sparrow</b>... another new bird for me!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TSJ_YRYHUEI/AAAAAAAABRo/xSg9s742wtI/s1600/Great%2BKiskadee%2Band%2BNorthern%2BCardinal.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TSJ_YRYHUEI/AAAAAAAABRo/xSg9s742wtI/s400/Great%2BKiskadee%2Band%2BNorthern%2BCardinal.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558144945086746690" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Great Kiskadee and Northern Cardinal</b>... a colorful couple.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TSJ_XxDPxyI/AAAAAAAABRg/Vmuq7ycpCwg/s1600/Orange-crowned%2BWarbler.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TSJ_XxDPxyI/AAAAAAAABRg/Vmuq7ycpCwg/s400/Orange-crowned%2BWarbler.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558144936409286434" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Orange-crowned Warbler</b>... and an annoying piece of grass! I wanted to include this picture because it shows why this bird is called "orange-crowned" - a part of the bird seldom seen.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TSJ7voaX8JI/AAAAAAAABRY/Gf8cetKNvV8/s1600/Crested%2BCaracaras%2B3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TSJ7voaX8JI/AAAAAAAABRY/Gf8cetKNvV8/s400/Crested%2BCaracaras%2B3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558140948360720530" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Crested Caracaras</b>... and I think a torn up snake. Great birds!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TSJ7voaX8JI/AAAAAAAABRY/Gf8cetKNvV8/s1600/Crested%2BCaracaras%2B3.jpg"></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TSJ7u-wodII/AAAAAAAABRQ/8eyMNWlDAjA/s1600/Long-billed%2BThrasher.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TSJ7u-wodII/AAAAAAAABRQ/8eyMNWlDAjA/s400/Long-billed%2BThrasher.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558140937179788418" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Long-billed Thrasher</b>... one of my new favorites! Doesn't this bird just look like he is full of happiness? Gotta love the grouch look!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TSJ7ungW0PI/AAAAAAAABRI/dmzMUASCnmw/s1600/Long-billed%2BCurlew.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TSJ7ungW0PI/AAAAAAAABRI/dmzMUASCnmw/s400/Long-billed%2BCurlew.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558140930937508082" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Long-billed Curlew</b>... yet another new bird. Check out the beak!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196191796579661283.post-54813104477995623222010-12-27T21:47:00.004-05:002010-12-27T23:14:37.536-05:00The Meaning of a Tree Sparrow (Rest in Peace Shelly Shepherd)<img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TRlR5lSIsSI/AAAAAAAABQg/gYW1HOV50f4/s400/Tree%2BSparrow%2B3_edited-1.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555561665040789794" /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">At first, I thought I'd be content taking a few pictures this weekend through my parent's family room window. After all, it was much warmer in the house and I wasn't at all eager to stand outside in the cold just to take a few photographs. But, as normal, the excitement of the bird activity at the feeders overtook me. I had to get outside to take some better pictures but first, I had to select a location that was more presentable than the feeder itself. About 20 feet from the feeder, my mom has a cement bench and on it sits a cement angel. The spot seemed perfect so I baited it with seed and almost instantly, the angel became a hub of bird activity. At the time, I had no clue why this spot would be so special.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">After about 20 minutes, I went outside and sat near the angel in hopes that any bird would find my presence a non-issue. A few stopped briefly but the only bird willing to do any type of pose for me was a Tree Sparrow. I was shunned by most others so I decided I would take advantage of this particular bird's willingness to be photographed and took several shots. I then waited a little longer only to find myself staring contently at the angel on the bench. The angel was sad and so was I. I took a picture of the angel not knowing what I would ever do with the picture. The picture had a purpose.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TRlR5WJhpgI/AAAAAAAABQY/Xbk54gKGVPI/s400/Angel%2B12-26-10.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555561660978144770" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I received the news later that night from my friend Derek that our friend from High School, Shelly Shepherd died earlier in the day after a short battle - I, unfortunately, had not clue she was sick.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Shelly was one of few people on earth that could make you laugh with the least effort. She was outspoken, funny, and a great spirit. Just knowing that I can call her a friend is a gift that I will never forfeit. Our paths didn't cross as often as I now wish they had but when they did, I always walked away smiling and was always glad we were friends. I always knew, always had faith that if I needed Shelly, she would be there.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Now I know. I know why I picked the area I did for the pictures, I know why the Tree Sparrow posed, and I know for sure why the angel was sad. Shelly, "his eye is on the sparrow" and I will never look at a Tree Sparrow the same. This bird now holds the memory of one the greatest people I have ever know. Rest in Peace my friend.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Shelly Shepherd, June 1976 - December 2010.</b></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TRlR6eIt6AI/AAAAAAAABQo/X3HP0wbJ4CM/s1600/Tree%2BSparrow_edited-1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TRlR6eIt6AI/AAAAAAAABQo/X3HP0wbJ4CM/s400/Tree%2BSparrow_edited-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555561680302106626" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196191796579661283.post-16181822126813801442010-12-16T21:58:00.004-05:002010-12-16T23:20:30.486-05:00His Eye is on the Sparrow<img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TQrTXquqi7I/AAAAAAAABPc/_4ztlB0B0UU/s400/Savannah%2BSparrow.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551481894248025010" /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Savannah Sparrow</i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span>I have been thinking all day about what I could write about. I wanted it to be something wonderful, something joyful, and something to describe how great life has been lately. Yet, I can't come up with anything. The day started out as most days normally would - great! I was happy to be blessed with the breath of life and as always thankful for those sharing it with me! Unfortunately, today progressed a little differently than I had imagined, it took a turn, and without my permission, it veered in the direction of disappointment.</span> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span>As I think about my trip to Goose Pond yesterday, I can't help but to think about the copious numbers of Tree and Savannah Sparrows that graced us with their presence. By the hundreds, these sparrows seemed to follow us everywhere we went, as if their mission was to keep an eye on us! With every step we took, the flocks flew just far enough away to land in the grasses and commence their post of staring back at us. At times, I wondered who was counting who!</span> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span >One of my favorite songs is "His Eye is on the Sparrow". It become on my favorites many years ago at the funeral of one of my dearest friends, Laverna. Although the song has a special memory to me, I believe it is just recently that I realize the importance of its words. It made me realize, once again, of how important it is to know that when things aren't going right and it seems as nobody cares - God is always around. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span >Why should I feel discouraged,<br />Why should the shadows come,<br />Why should my heart feel lonely<br />And long for Heav'n and home,<br />When Jesus is my portion?<br />A constant Friend is He:<br />His eye is on the sparrow,<br />And I know He watches over me;<br />His eye is on the sparrow,<br />And I know He watches me.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span >So even though I can’t seem to reach the world right now, I know that things will be better because his eye is on the sparrow and I KNOW, I BELIEVE he watches over me!</span><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196191796579661283.post-68374366859713900752010-12-11T20:49:00.004-05:002010-12-11T21:33:45.158-05:00A Harris's Sparrow in Indiana! An Awesome Lunch Break!<img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TQQr63Fjr2I/AAAAAAAABOc/dSfXhXwBHQw/s400/Harris%2527s%2BSparrow.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549608931046960994" /><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Harris's Sparrow... Paynetown SRA, IN. In the company of two GORGEOUS Cardinals, this was my 539th bird.</b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b><br /></b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">On December 9th, I was fortunate enough to be in the vicinity of Paynetown SRA on Lake Monroe in Bloomington, IN. This being the case, I decided to detour from my usual route back to Indianapolis and spend my lunch hour birding vs. gaining more unnecessary weight by sitting in a Taco Bell. So, I went through the drive-thru first and then headed down to Paynetown!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Forty minutes later along with a coat completely smeared with sour cream I was able to spot the Harris's Sparrow immediately near a brush pile where seed is tossed daily. The bird was extremely handsome and stood out in a crowd of Junco's, Chickadees, Titmice, Tree Sparrows, and a lovely Gray Squirrel. A bonus visitor was a very talkative Red-bellied Woodpecker.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My visit was short and sweet. I had to sit on a snow covered picnic table and it was extremely cold - not to mention the snow was soaking through my pants! But, wet pants or not, I got a Harris's Sparrow! Not a bad trade!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b><br /></b></i></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TQQs3QEIYzI/AAAAAAAABO0/IouaSZcRdMY/s1600/Tufted%2BTitmouse.jpg"></a><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TQQs3QEIYzI/AAAAAAAABO0/IouaSZcRdMY/s1600/Tufted%2BTitmouse.jpg"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TQQs3QEIYzI/AAAAAAAABO0/IouaSZcRdMY/s400/Tufted%2BTitmouse.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549609968544015154" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Tufted Titmouse... a forever favorite!</i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TQQs3BMApuI/AAAAAAAABOs/QL329yTpo_0/s1600/Squirrel.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TQQs3BMApuI/AAAAAAAABOs/QL329yTpo_0/s400/Squirrel.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549609964550530786" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Eastern Gray Squirrel... we tend to get mad at these animals for dominating our feeders but I couldn't imagine a world without them.</i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TQQr7WV9w4I/AAAAAAAABOk/aqS1HuXc_vg/s1600/Northern%2BCardinal%2BFemale.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TQQr7WV9w4I/AAAAAAAABOk/aqS1HuXc_vg/s400/Northern%2BCardinal%2BFemale.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549608939437278082" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Northern Cardinal... in the bird world, one of the most beautiful females.</i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TQQr6rpwSRI/AAAAAAAABOU/GOr7JCuyJYo/s1600/Red-bellied%2BWoodpecker.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TQQr6rpwSRI/AAAAAAAABOU/GOr7JCuyJYo/s400/Red-bellied%2BWoodpecker.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549608927977556242" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Red-bellied Woodpecker</i></b></div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196191796579661283.post-36929356563172031052010-12-05T10:44:00.008-05:002010-12-08T21:50:12.631-05:00Why Birds?<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TQA8PWW9x4I/AAAAAAAABN8/FgpOA3JmaNI/s400/Fox%2BSparrow.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548500975318058882" /><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><b>Fox Sparrow</b>... two of these GORGEOUS sparrows showed up in my backyard this past weekend. Who could not feel a connection to this bird? If only for a second.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i>---</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span >It goes without saying that life has its ups and downs. I personally don’t know anyone who has gone through life without at least a few occasions of frustration, hurt, or disappointment. In fact, most people I know have unfortunately had more than just a few points of unhappiness. I for one have had more than I could ever care to try and recall. From tragic events, death, sudden losses of friendships and just days where hurt and confusion run so deep that life feels all but almost over. Life is great, but sometimes, life hurts.</span></b></span></p><div style="text-align: center; display: inline !important; "><p class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; "><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span ><o:p> </o:p></span></b></span></p></div><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span >As I look back over the years, I can’t help but wonder sometimes, what has kept me going? What prevents me from falling into a rut so deep that I can’t get out? Where do I go and where can I turn when things aren’t moving in my direction? What brings me back into the world of reality?</span></b></span></p><div style="text-align: center; display: inline !important; "><p class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; "><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span ><o:p> </o:p></span></b></span></p></div><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span >Naturally, like most people, I have my family and a few good friends that are always willing to help me when I’m in a troubled state of mind. Unfortunately though, sometimes, this doesn’t work. This is where the birds come in. Yes, selfishly, I sometimes use birds for personal gain.</span></b></span></p><div style="text-align: center; display: inline !important; "><p class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; "><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span ><o:p> </o:p></span></b></span></p></div><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span>It’s only been recently that I’ve realized why I have been so eager to get to such places as Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, and Florida, etc. to see the creatures I love so much. I’m going because these creatures, the birds, mean something to me. Just like a stranger is able to wash away a problem with nothing more than a smile or the way that one of my children can make me feel like the most important person on earth just by saying the words “daddy” – birds take me away. Their beauty, their song, their simple presence can all be compared to that of the presence of God. I believe that they are MY connection to God – the line that he has </span></b></span><b><span>given me to “let it go”.</span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span><span class="Apple-style-span" >So, while I know that there are many people out there that may laugh at me, talk about me, or disregard my passion for birds as a complete and ignorant waste of time, I personally don’t care. Sometimes life hurts and when it does I need my connection to something greater than me – I need my birds!</span><i style="color: rgb(42, 42, 42); "><o:p></o:p></i></span></b></span></p></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic; "><br /></div><div><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TQBA7DPY3PI/AAAAAAAABOE/LNtg0Sw-m_I/s400/Carolina%2BWren.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548506124146760946" /><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Carolina Wren... </b>I took this picture this past summer. I remember spending a good deal of time trying to get this bird out in the open enough to get the picture. It never stopped singing.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7196191796579661283.post-69105323105642700032010-12-02T20:16:00.014-05:002010-12-02T21:23:28.538-05:00Vermilion Flycatcher! Marshall County, IN<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TPhT0-W-vaI/AAAAAAAABN0/4bP1ofai4OY/s1600/Vermillion%2BFlycatcher%2B10.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TPhT0-W-vaI/AAAAAAAABN0/4bP1ofai4OY/s400/Vermillion%2BFlycatcher%2B10.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546275110664453538" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Vermilion Flycatcher</i>.... </b>Marshall County, IN. Northern, IN.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">I spent Thursday, December 2, on road trip to Northern Indiana in hopes of getting a look at a bird that has only been confirmed in Indiana 2x prior to this recent sighting. This bird, the Vermilion Flycatcher, is slightly out of place in Indiana. Its normal range is Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and south into Latin America - a warm weather bird, it's normally associated with hot days and sunshine. This particular bird must have been tired of the desert heat!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My friend Rob and I arrived to the site at approximately 9:30a </div><div style="text-align: center;">and was lucky to spot the bird within about 30 minutes. It's color against the snow was a huge plus! The bird seemed in good shape and was very active. It wasn't long before we found out its food source. The property had several holes dug for the purpose of discarding carcases of livestock. It was in these open pits of death that the flycatcher was feeding on insects (probably dead maggots) that had died on the rotting flesh as the weather turned cold! I must admit, this wasn't the most attractive site to find such a beautiful bird but I was VERY happy to see the bird had figured out a way to survive - at least for now.</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TPhGIazzD0I/AAAAAAAABNM/SgFk3JfJzMY/s400/Vermillion%2BFlycatcher%2B2.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546260051556241218" /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>The bird was taking a "bath" in the snow.</i></b></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TPhNSKq5DAI/AAAAAAAABNs/t4CNGsphNh4/s1600/Lake%2BMichigan.jpg"></a></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TPhNSKq5DAI/AAAAAAAABNs/t4CNGsphNh4/s1600/Lake%2BMichigan.jpg"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TPhNSKq5DAI/AAAAAAAABNs/t4CNGsphNh4/s400/Lake%2BMichigan.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546267915604003842" /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><u><br /></u></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TPhNSKq5DAI/AAAAAAAABNs/t4CNGsphNh4/s1600/Lake%2BMichigan.jpg"></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TPhNRkXCJ0I/AAAAAAAABNk/XMgplNrQ7ZY/s1600/Ring-billed%2BGull.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TPhNRkXCJ0I/AAAAAAAABNk/XMgplNrQ7ZY/s400/Ring-billed%2BGull.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546267905320167234" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Ring-billed Gull</b></i>... tagged.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">After the Vermilion Flycatcher, we decided to head north to Lake Michigan to see what was happening on the lake front. Unfortunately, there wasn't alot of activity but, the few birds that we did see were good ones - Peregrine Falcon, Common Loon, Belted Kingfisher, Horned Grebe, and Pied-billed Grebe. The BIG deal was a new life bird for me that we saw on our way to the Indiana Dunes State Park - <b>Northern Shrike!!!! Congrats to me!</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GA9AiFU0UMc/TPhNRDOGwhI/AAAAAAAABNc/Y31ABa2Eabw/s400/Sand%2BFormation%2BLake%2BMichigan.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546267896424350226" /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Sand sculpture...</b> Lake Michigan.</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2