Birds of a Feather

Do I love birds? Yes

Do I read field guides like novels? Yes

Do I own binoculars? Yes

Do I feed birds? Yes

Do I bore others with bird trivia? Yes

Do I talk to birds? Yup

Do I still think I can befriend the crows in my neighborhood? For sure

It is no secret that I am into birds. However, I confess I am a lazy birder. I prefer to observe birds at my feeder or through happenstance moments. In an attempt to change my lackadaisical ways, I am challenging myself to be more intentional with my bird quests. Which means, I must go to the birds. There are several birding "hotspots" in our area so I am starting with them. A true birder would be tsk-tsking right now because they know the best times to go birding are during the migration seasons of spring and fall. I say, a true birder keeps plugging away, no matter the calendar page.

I win a gold star for bad decision making when I went out on a muggy evening to a wooded area. With sweat literally dripping off my brow, I attempted to see what I could see. My sound recordings from my bird app were promising but the little birdies were tucked up in the trees making it difficult for a sighting. I won another gold star for most bug bites in one evening. I am still scratching the welts on the back of my neck.

Alas, all was not lost. A red-breasted grosbeak and a cedar waxwing made their presence known, along with the usual suspects of robins, chickadees and starlings. As I trudged my way back to my car, a flock of very acrobatic birds caught my eye near a small pond. Their mannerisms were similar to the barn swallows of my youth but their characteristics were not identical. They refused to land so I had to literally observe them on the fly. My quasi-expert opinion identified them as tree swallows. They were my favorite bird of the evening, not only because I had not identified them before but because they were eating bugs, bugs and more bugs! Extra credit to them.

I got a little smarter for my next foray and went out early in the morning. Cooler breezes and fewer bugs made for a much better outdoor experience. My destination was a slough that I hoped would share a few duck sightings with me. Number of ducks I saw? Zero. I did hear a mallard honking its way through the sky, off to better waters I assume. The slough was host to many noisy yellow-headed blackbirds and their cousins, the red-wingers. About the time I was ready to abandon ship and head home, I spotted a bird hovering over the pond. It was moving its wings like it was treading water in the air. Just as I raised my binoculars up, the bird dive-bombed into the water. Whoa, instant replay, please. The bird obliged me with a little more time hovering so I was able to identify my new friend, a belted kingfisher. His crested head gear was a dead giveaway.

I hope to continue my bird quests and stock up on calamine lotion. Look out marsh wren. I'm comin' for you!