Birding By Butt Day at New River

I'm still in a twirl trying to process my pictures and memories of my week at the New River Birding and Nature Festival in West Virginia but I'm WAY behind in posting so I decided to just jump right in. (For some reason I'm not able to build links, sorry.)
Look at these beautiful Kathies! That's Kathie from Sycamore Canyon in Tuscon on the left and Kathi the Katdoc on the right. About every third woman at the festival was a Kathie/Kathi/Cathy/Kathleen etc. Coming from Tuscon poor Kathie was always cold.


Susan, Mary and Tim.
Susan is an old friend since we met last October in Cape May. Mary could make me dissolve into a fit of tear-squirting giggles just by looking at me. Tim is hilarious. He flew into Charleston a bit ahead of me but waited for my flight so we could caravan on to Opossum Creek Retreat. When I came around the corner toward the baggage claim area and I saw his smiling face I could have just melted. Out of everyone, I was most nervous about meeting Tim. I needn't have worried- Tim is wonderful.


Birding by Butt included a banding demonstration by Bill Hilton Jr. from Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History near York, South Carolina. I have subscribed to This Week at Hilton Pond longer than any other blog.

Bill has done extensive work banding and researching Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. I took many photos of Bill banding birds that day but found this photo particularly moving. Look at this hummingbird's tiny foot grasping the lead on his mechanical pencil.

After each bird was banded Bill chose someone to release the bird. Look at the priceless expression Kathie's face. Her joy was a delight to share.

BITE that finger!

Jane, Susan and I took a quiet stroll and found a great birding spot on our own. This Scarlet Tanager looked like a Christmas light in the tree-top.

Another shot of the Hooded Warbler which I believe was my first lifer of the trip.

Earlier in the afternoon on a birding walk Geoff Heeter pointed out this Blue-gray Gnatcatcher working on her nest. She would fly in with bits of lichen and gently tamp them down into place with her chin.

I spent time every day on the big covered porch out back at the Meadows. This day someone spotted this Eastern Bluebird baking in the sun on the lawn. Not sure if he was anting (do Bluebirds do that?) or just soaking up the sun. Maybe he knew that rain was going to be coming later in the week.

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Art and I are headed up north to Hasty Brook tomorrow morning. We're hoping to talk to our builder again to firm up our plans for moving forward with building this spring.