I can't quite remember when I was first realized that I absolutely needed to visit the Rio Grande Valley, but the seed was planted some time ago. The reputation of this region's birds and birding locations is iconic. Admittedly, the Brownsville Dump scene from "The Big Year" also planted a seed ("ketchup- potato chips?")! As... Continue Reading →
Six weeks, 6143 miles, 243 species of birds, 26 lifers.....and only ONE blog post! And, yes, I realize that it is now October...but I am not going to let any of that stop me from sharing some of the most memorable experiences from what was an epic summer trip. I think the ship has sailed... Continue Reading →
I just simply could not fit all of the warbler wonderfulness into one single post! In the 9 days I spent in NW Ohio, I observed 27 different species of warblers! I wrote a bit about the wonder of warbler migration in a previous post, but wanted to highlight a few more of my favorite... Continue Reading →
"It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!" - Mark TwainSpring has always been an exciting time for this nature-loving girl.... Continue Reading →
The San Diego Bird Festival was a fantastic few days of exploring San Diego and its birding hotspots. Despite living just a short distance north of San Diego, I seldom explore this portion of Southern California (instead, tending to indulge that constant northern pull on my heart strings). I arrived just in time to hop... Continue Reading →
The thing about pursuing birds is that it takes you places you would otherwise not go. For example, a green patch in a random city park that I would otherwise never explore or a continent on the other side of the world. I'm not quite sure if I would've ever had the gumption or inspiration... Continue Reading →
"For most of my life, I didn't pay attention to birds. Only in my 40s did I become a person whose heart lifts whenever he hears a grosbeak singing or a towhee calling and who hurries to see a golden plover that's been reported in the neighborhood, just because it's a beautiful bird, with truly golden plumage, and... Continue Reading →
We spent the New Year holiday at the Salton Sea. The morning of New Year's Day was a lazy one but we discussed, with great anticipation, what our first bird of the year would be - an important omen for the upcoming year, according to many birders. I jokingly warned that I would close my... Continue Reading →
I've been dreaming of Snowy Christmas...as soon as I started hearing reports of this year's Snowy Owl irruption. Ah, the resplendent Snowy Owl! Sidekick to Harry Potter, this magical bird captures the whimsy of birders and non-birders alike. Snowys are the largest of North American Owls - a pound heavier than Great Horned Owls and 2X... Continue Reading →
Gillian Welch was referring to a man when she sang those lyrics, but I'm thinking back to wildflowers. To winter rains and superblooms and majestic California landscapes. 2017 has been.....oh goodness...well,many things to many people. The part I choose to reflect on is the spectacular blooms following those winter rains that brought some relief after... Continue Reading →
Feathers & Flora 