Weekend Snapshot: Birding

If pre-calculus is my most dreaded class; ornithology was my favorite. Childhood days were marked by my mother (an accomplished species enthusiast) continually pointing out members of the various avian “communities.” With many bird feeders strewn about our yard during the spring months, there were often nests nearby. This frequently resulted in us being awakened at sunrise by the sound of a zealous mama bird calling her children out of the nest (followed by my overzealous mom calling us out of ours to witness these feathery fledglings’ first flight).

While I am not the enthusiast my mother appears to be (she always insisted on taking out her “spy glasses” to check on everything with wings that moved in our yard), I jumped at the chance to take an ornithology class in college. Much of our time was spent on the college grounds, newly acquired binoculars “at-the-ready” to watch and identify the various creatures. Class trips to a nearby refuge were plentiful, and I enjoyed them so much it became frequent personal haunt. Returning to this wonderful atmosphere and scenic view always evokes a sense of joy and peace. One of the best times to visit is during the spring migration. On a visit last year, I observed over 30 different species of birds!

A trip this weekend yielded 14 various ornithological finds. With this in mind, I am anxious for this year’s spring migration, where the warmer weather will again find the refuge teeming with birds.

Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Muted Swan
Great Egret (more on these later)
Snow Goose
Red Winged Black Bird
Great Blue Heron
Canada Goose
"Osprey"
Laughing Gulls
Cormorant
American Oystercatcher
Sandpipers
Common Merganser

Feminus Homosapius Occularus (woman with binoculars)

(For all my photo friends, I promise to purchase a tripod, as I know this will result in sharper pictures.)