2008 Was About Meeting Friends and Learning About Life

Don't look for any bird pictures in this post. It's all about the wonderful people I met in 2008 that share my love for birds. I was very fortunate to be able to take several birding trips last year. The first one was to the Sax-Zim Bog Birding Festival last February. That's when I got to meet Ruthie. Ruthie and I hit it off right away and laughed and talked for miles and miles. I was amazed to learn that Ruthie can knit in the dark!

Mike Hendrickson was the festival coordinator- he built it from scratch and did an outstanding job. Mike is also a Minnesota blogger. He's lots of fun and a really skilled birder and guide.

Luckily I found out today that my vacation request from work was granted so I'll be able to attend the Sax-Zim Bog Festival again this year in Ferbruary!! Yahoo!

Another Minnesota blogger I met was Jeff from Ecobirder. Jeff is an amazing photographer. Be sure to check out his blog.

Yet another Minnesota blogger I met at the Sax-Zim Festival was Laura Erickson. Laura is working her dream job at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. If you're looking for some terrific bird podcasts check out For the Birds.

When Ruthie and I left the Sax-Zim bog to star driving south for home we made a slight detour to visit Deb from Sand Creek Almanac at her home in the pines of northern Minnesota. I've been lucky to meet Deb several times both birding and just to visit and I count her as a good friend. I love this picture at Deb's with Sally jumpung up to join the girls at the last minute!Last June I exchanged a few emails with Linda from Erie's Argonaut. She and her husband were going to be in Minneapolis and I was so excited to meet her for a morning of birding. Unfortnately that was one of the buggiest mornings ever and we called the birding quits and wound up talking and laughing at a nearby coffee shop for several hours. It was such fun! I asked a lady at the next table to take a quick picture of Linda and me to remember the day. Later that week Linda and her husband stopped off to visit us at Hasty Brook. Art and I had a great time and we hope they'll come back again.

Speaking of Art, somehow I talked him into going on my next birding trip with me in September. Art is not a birder but he had a good time as the designated "chummer" on a Duluth pelagic trip.

It was COLD.

The first weekend in October brought me to Milbank, South Dakota to a three day sparrow workshop. I carpooled out with strangers and spent a three day weekend with no one that I knew. Kind of a jump for me, but you all probably know by now that I make friends pretty easily. (too easily Art said) That was a pretty intense workshop with not alot of down time but I sure learned alot and it was really good for me to have time just to myself.

Then, at the last weekend of October came Cape May New Jersey. A BIG trip. Flying off alone, renting a car and driving across the state to stay in a condo with two other women I'd never met before. Good grief what women they were!

Kathi, Susan and me.

All I can do is shake my head remebering the jumble of laughter, stories, laughter, workshops, laughter, food, laugher and, ok, a few good birds.

I love this picture. This salt marsh boat tour was my favorite field trip of the weekend. We all had such a good time. Kathi, sweet Laura, Jay from birdJam Hi Jay!, Susan and me.

We had a dinner out that brought lots of bloggers together. There was John from A DC Birding Blog.
Delia and Birdchick and their thousand watt smiles.
Sharon, Beth, Kathi and me. Beth was a new friend (she's old now?) just that day. Staring up a conversation with a stranger during a field trip has brought me another good friend. Can you see how lucky I am?
This picture of Laura, Susan and me, taken by Jay will aways bring a lump to my throat.
Such a bittersweet night that was.

In November I got a wonderful gift when I met Hap in New Hope. Can't say enough about what a kind fellow Hap is. Hap doesn't have a blog (you should have a blog Hap!) but has commented here for a while.

So my bloggy life list grew quite a bit in 2008 and I can't wait to see who I get to meet this year.

_

Bloggy Life List

-

(friends through blogging)

Mike from Colder by the Lake Birding

Laura Erickson

Sharon the Birdchick

Ruthie the Nature Knitter

Deb from Sand Creek Almanac

Linda from Erie's Argonaut

Jeff the Ecobirder

Susan from Susan Gets Native

Kathi the Katdoc

Laura from Somewhere in NJ

Delia from Beginning to Bird

John from a DC Birding Blog

Jay from birdJam

Beth from Pennsylvania

Hap in New Hope

~~~~~~~~~~

There's still time to join us in West Virginia at the New River Birding and Nature Festival April 27- May 2, 2009. The field trips sound great, the birding fantastic and I'm sure there will be non-stop fun. (as in bring the Depends!)

I hope to add to my bird life list and there should be plenty of opportunity for that.

But what I'm REALLY looking forward to is adding to my Bloggy Life List.

~

I hope to spot these new bloggies:

~

Mary from Mary's View

Nina from Nature Remains

Susan from Lake Life

Jayne from Journey Through Grace

Tim from From the Faraway Nearby

Kathie from Sycamore Canyon

Julie Zickefoose

Bill Thompson from Bill of the Birds

~

and spend time with old friends:

~

Delia from Beginning to Bird

Kathi the Katdoc

Laura from Somewhere in NJ

Susan from Susan Gets Native

and

Beth from Pennsylvania!

Think about joining us- it'll be a blast!

There's a link on my sidebar with more information.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To all of you who come here to visit-

I wish you a happy, healthy, safe and peaceful New Year

and I'll keep my eyes open- maybe I'll be blessed to meet you this year.

Merry Christmas Friends

Lincoln Pays a Visit

I had time for a quick scan of my back yard before heading in to work this morning. I was looking for the Tree Sparrows that Hap in New Hope said were in the area. No Tree Sparrows, but I did spot this Lincoln's Sparrow! At least I thought it was a Lincoln's so I fired off an email to Hap with a few photos for a consultation.
Yahoo! Hap confirmed it! I sent a copy to Bob Janssen, one of the sparrow workshop leaders from last October and he agreed, stating that it's a rare sighting in Minnesota in winter.

Poor thing, it looks pretty cold. He should have left for warmer southern climates in early November.

Maybe he'll stick around a while. I'll be sure to keep the feeders full and spread some on the ground too.

What do you MEAN you don't have time to blog?

This is one of the education eagles from the Raptor Center that I photographed last September at Carpenter Nature Center

Sorry folks, I haven't been in a blogging state of mind lately. I've been working extra hours at the lab, thankful to have a job as my employer laid off 380 people last week. Winter up here in the north land means much shorter days so it seems there is not much daylight left by the time I get home from work. I can't remember the last time I even took my camera out of the case. I'm not complainin', just explainin'.

Don't forget me!

I read this fun meme at Leedra's blog and thought it was fun. The things I have done are in bold.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band (school band...)
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain (actually hiked up a mountain)
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang/played a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill (I hope no one from work reads this...)
24. Built a snow fort (Hello! I live in Minnesota!)
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping (Me? Are you kidding?)
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse (both solar and lunar)
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David in person
41. Sung karaoke (it wasn't pretty...)
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt (kind of stinky if I remember correctly)
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight (with Laura, Susan and Jay in Cape May, an all time favorite memory)
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing (Does Lake Superior big deep water count?)
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater (too many times to count)
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Gotten flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma (I'm a blood banker)
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check (sadly, more than once in my younger days)
68. Flown in a helicopter (a little bitty two-seater in the Black Hills and NEVER again thank you very much)
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House (From across the street. Does that count?)
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (I've caught and cleaned fish)
88. Had chickenpox (shingles too)
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous (1. I got a kiss from Harry Chapin after a concert and 2. I sold a bag of candy-circus peanuts- to Marlo Thomas when I worked at Woolworth's in high school)
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Made a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake (even I couldn't sink)
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Gotten a speeding ticket (two speeding tickets, in the same place, one week apart)

Looking over my list there's nothing too exciting here. I seem to be a little deficient in the travel department.

Does anyone else want to play?

Fat Squirrels and Birds that are Black

Richard posted a picture of his fat gray squirrel so I had to try and out-do him with this round ball-o-squirrel. Don't you love how he has his little fingers curled up in his chest fur? I am over-run with squirrels right now. My feeder poles are baffled but these buggers can jump from the lilac hedge to the old wooden swing set frame that I now use for feeders. They hang on those metal, supposedly squirrel-proof feeders and pig out. The ground under that feeding station is always hopping with squirrels catching the seed that falls---

until Rusty the Red Terror shows up. I love this little tyrant. He has a huge attitude and is positively fearless. The gray squirrels out-number him by about twenty to one and they out-weigh him by a long shot but when Rusty blows into town- they scatter!
This lone grackle is still hanging around in the hedge. Doesn't he look cold?
Get outta town grackle!

Every morning the crows fly across my yard from east to west, coming from their communal roost, headed out to forage for food for the day. Every evening they reverse the flight for the night. One of these days I'd like to find their roost. When we have stale bread or old fruit I toss it into the back yard for the birds and critters. On this morning I tossed the old bread buns out early enough to catch the attention of the crows. One crow spotted the bread, swooped down to keep an eye on it and cawwed to his buddies to let them know about the bounty.

First there was just the one on the fence. Within a few minutes there were twenty or so crows raising a ruckus. I love watching crows think. I've read that they are very smart birds and it shows.

They seem to behave as a family, sharing the loot.

Got any butter?

Minnesota's Long Dark

I took a little time off from blog posting around Thanksgiving. Art and I spent our days off cleaning house, trying to unclutter a bit. Where does the stuff come from? With the warm weather definitely gone until spring it was time to think about the long winter spent mostly indoors. My nesting instincts really kick in. Cooking and baking become more satisfying. Soups and Minnesota "hotdishes" are the basis of comfort food to me. I don't mind the cold of our long winters but the shortness of our days is hard. We leave for work in the dark and honestly by 4PM when I get home it's starting to get dark. It's completely dark by 6PM when Art gets home. That doesn't leave any time for birding or picture taking unless I have the day off. I was surprised when I downloaded the last pictures from my camera and saw that the date on the last photos taken was 11/20/2008! Moving to the day shift for my job has certainly put a crimp on my birding time. I am NOT complaining though.

So, all I have to show are pictures from 11/20. Pine siskins had arrived just the day before. Pine siskins are a new yard bird for me here in New Hope. There were many that spent the summer at Hasty Brook but I had never seen them here before. They stayed for a few days and then seem to have moved on.
I noticed there were fewer house finches around the yard this summer and I've only seen a handful so far this winter too. I wonder why the numbers dropped? I like their summer song and the flash of color is a treat in our colorless winter landscape.

I try to keep the peanut wreath filled but these blue jays find them quickly and empty it within a few hours. Even with the windows closed you can hear these brash birds announce their arrival. Whole peanuts in the shell are the only things these guys will take from my feeders. It's worth a few dollars to bring them to my yard.
I noticed a common grackle and a pair of red-winged blackbirds hanging around the feeders. When they weren't gorging on oilers they huddled puffed up, low in the lilac hedge. They've moved along now. Maybe they're lounging on a beach somewhere.

The lovely city of New Hope made us remove our brush pile over the summer. I was pretty upset as I think that brush pile was more instrumental in bringing birds to my yard than anything else. BUT, I immediately noticed that once the brush pile was gone the number of house sparrows dropped drastically. I could handle that. But now that the colder weather is here and since I think I'm the only one feeding birds in my neighborhood, the house sparrows have come back in droves. I don't have any issues with folks that trap them, I just can't do it. (wimp).

I'm Thankful for You All

Thanksgiving is the appointed time for focusing on the good in our lives.

In each of our days, we can find small blessings, but too often we overlook them,

choosing instead to spend our timepaying attention to problems.

We give our energy to those who cause us trouble

instead of those who bring peace.

Starting now,

let’s be on the lookoutfor the bits of pleasure in each hour,

and appreciate the people who bring love and light

to everyone who is blessed to know them.

You are one of those people.

On Thanksgiving, I’m thankful for you.

Happy Thanksgiving!

By Joanna Fuchs

The Nicest Thing Happened Today

The nicest thing happened to me today. Art and I made a quick trip to the big grocery store to pick up a few things we needed. I was walking along when a gentleman stopped me and said he knew me. (Sound familiar Beth?

He said "You're Hasty Brook."

I got goose bumps.

He smiled and said "I'm Hap in New Hope!"

Well, I was absolutely flabbergasted! Hap in New Hope lives in my town and has commented on my blog for quite a while. I'm not the only blogger who looks forward to Hap's comments either. I have to say, Hap knows his birds. He's ALWAYS been helpful and kind in his comments here. When I've been wrong in an id he's gently suggested the correct answer. He's been generous in his help and has offered encouragement when I've figured it out on my own.

I was so happy to meet Hap, I almost hugged him!

I saw Art walking up and I couldn't wait to introduce him to Hap because Art has heard me talk about Hap in New Hope. We chatted with Hap for a few minutes and then we had to run off to pick up one of the kids. I wish we could have spoken longer.

I am so delighted and feel so lucky to have met you Hap.

I hope we can meet again in New Hope.

Wordless Wednesday- Memories

Falling Off the Edge of the Earth

I've been under the weather for the last few weeks. Actually I came home from Cape May feeling pretty puny and it's been up and down since then. Thursday night I went to bed, with a headache and I wioke up a little after midnight with the room spinning. Spinning HARD. Everything I looked at was rolling from top to bottom. Needless to say the nausea came in waves. The only relief I got was lying flat on my back with my eyes closed. Art had to come home from work to haul me in to the doctor. After a brief neuro exam and observation of my eyes twitching from top to bottom (nystagmus) the kindly MD told me I had BPPV. He sent me home with a prescription for meclizine and a transdermal scop patch. Finally this morning it eased off. I'm grateful to be feeling still. I would not wish that vertigo on anyone.

So- while the rest of the Cape May Flock has moved on to other post topics, I still have some photos I'd like to share. Most of the readers of this little blog know of my love for Turkey Vultures. Imagine my delight when we saw this trio of TV's hanging out in the marsh.

This isn't a terrific picture but it show the Black-crowned Night Heron that Katdoc spied in the marsh out back of our condo. Way to go Katdoc!

We saw quite a few Sanderlings scooting back and forth following the waves on the beach.

Adorable.

Last year when I couldn't make the trip because of my Mom's passing Mojoman offered this comment:
Maybe, next year at Cape May, you will be greeted by a most beautiful bird, unlike any you have seen before.
Well Mojoman, here's that bird. The Black Skimmer was my most wanted bird for the trip and fortunately Kathi and I found a flock of them on the beach. What a cool, cool bird. Watching them skim the surface of the waves was magic.

Skimmers in flight could not be any more graceful. At one point we were surrounded by the flock of them (with some Forster's Terns among them) balancing effortlessly on the wind. It was one of several teary moments for me. Thanks Mojoman.

I liked the black stockings on this Laughing Gull. I was able to approach quite close while he snoozed.

Another special gift bird was this Northern Mockingbird. In an email from my brother Charlie he told me that on this trip I would hear a bird singing a particularly pretty song and that it would be Mom telling me to have fun and not be sad. I haven't seen too many Mockers but the ones I have seen have had a pretty harsh sounding song but this one sang softly and beautifully. Even the field trip leader commented on the beautiful song of this Mockingbird.

Living in Minnesota, the Land of 10,000 Lakes you might think I'd be pretty comfortable with ducks but I got two new lifers in Cape May. These Northern Pintails have such long elegant necks.

These American Wigeons were lifers for me too. They have a really pretty call- not quacky.

I've seen plenty of Bald Eagles but this one was very scary. Its head was sort of dangling and cracked. Maybe it should go see Susan at Raptor.

And There Were Birds...

I don't think I've posted any bird photos yet so I'd better get started. I'll admit that the primary focus of the weekend for me was social. But sprinkled in among the laughter and talking and eating we did see some birds. I went on two guided field trips with Kathi and we all went together on a salt marsh tour aboard a boat called the Osprey. This trip was terrific, relaxing and fun.

Laura couldn't believe I was so excited to see a Greater Black-backed Gull. Dime-a-dozen out there but a lifer for me.
Susan was thrilled to see this Peregrine Falcon munching on its lunch atop an osprey platform. We saw two more Peregrines on this boat trip.

Another lifer for me was this Brant. Brants are smaller geese with a kind of gurgling honk. It was a nice, soothing sound.

We saw both Snowy and Great Egrets. This one is a Snowy with its black bill and yellow feet.

During dinner at the C-View someone mentioned that they're really wanted to see an Oystercatcher. Beth mentioned that she saw one on the salt marsh tour and that we'd probably see one too. There were several feeding on this mud flat. Such neat little birds- and very vocal. Lifer!

Double-crested Cormorants like this one were common on the piers but I did get a decent look (but no picture) of a Great Cormorant flying over.

By the end of the weekend I had fourteen new life birds but better than that, I had some amazing new friends.