You can call me a Led Zeppelin fan if you want. I wouldn't . . fan, after all, is short for "fanatic".
I have, however, appreciated the music of Page, Plant, et al since way back in high school. A neighbor, Kevin Byrd (I hope he doesn't mind being made famous), had a great collection of 1970's classic rock music, and he generously allowed me access to it while I babysat his kid. It was then that I discovered Houses of The Holy, and its opening track "The Song Remains The Same". I tell you all of this hoping that you'll forgive me for so blatantly plagarizing the title to this post, which will eventually be about something totally unrelated to Led Zeppelin or their music.
It does have something to do with another partially plagarized title with which you're all familiar . . the title of this blog. I can say with conviction that there were only two books that I read during high school which ever were scanned by my retina any time after that. The first was Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston, and I only re-read it because in a discussion about it years later I realized I had absolutely no recollection of what the book was really about. The second, of course, was The Hithchikers Guide to The Galaxy, by Douglas Adams. I have re-read The Guide at least ten times since Ms. Wilson's AP English class, and it gets funnier every time. I think it just resonated with my personality . . strange, sarcastic, and often incomprehensible. I chose the name Stay-at-Home Dad's Guide to The Galaxy not because I intended to teach anyone anything, but because I thought it was clever. I stand by that decision.
With that foundation laid, we arrive at the point of this post. As of Wednesday of this week I am gainfully employed and, therefore, no longer exclusively a stay-at-home dad. I have taken a position with the YMCA as Sports Program Coordinator, a job I think fits my skill set nicely.
Communication skills? I'd like to think so.
Experience managing teenagers? Unfortunately, a lot of it.
Ability to effectively handle complaints? Depends on how effective "stuff it" is . .
Essentially, I'll be running the sports leagues for kids age 3-13, including soccer, flag football, baseball, basketball, and whatever else comes along. It was time to get Daddy out of the house a few days a week, and this came along with perfect timing.
Fear not though my loyal reader(s) (really depends on the day), even though its accuracy could now be called into question, I will not be changing the name of the blog. I figure since it was never really that accurate of a name to begin with, it shouldn't cause too much of a stir if I stick with it after changing "titles". Any complaints with this logic can be sent straight to the head of our customer care department. That address is haywoodyabuzzoff@stayathomedadsguide.com.
26 September 2008
22 September 2008
Write It In Pencil
When making important decisions in life, one of the smartest things an individual can do is exercise patience. Anything that has the potential to define who you are deserves this type of prudence.
Take, as an example, a couple whose lifelong dream it has been to own their own restaurant. What steps do they take? They probably spend a year or two saving up the money, picking out a location, and deciding on the menu. They may spend half a year building the restaurant, six more weeks hiring staff and managers, three weeks training them, and the next 15 years turning their dream into their legacy.
With that in mind, a question arises. What's in a name?
In the words of William Shakespeare, "That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet."
But is that really the whole story? Or is it possible that a flower, or even a restaurant, could be forever tainted by its name. In a word . . I'm pretty sure it can.
I offer you this example as a case in point. I was at the gym today when something struck me. It was a t-shirt, worn by someone exercising directly in front of me. People wear all kinds of things to the gym, certainly not the worst of which are t-shirts advertising restaurants they frequent. Remember the lady with the leopard print and the house shoes?
This shirt, in comparison, was benign. It didn't dawn on me until the third or fourth time I read the shirt how completely unfortunate the name of this particular restaurant was. Again, not offensive or absurd to the point that it stood out like a sore thumb, just something that after processing it a few times seemed truly, well, not good.
Yep, you read it right . . the name of the establishment is Sanitary Fish Market and Restaurant. Now doesn't that just smack of a comfortable and relaxing place to unwind after a long day at work? I mean seriously . . how many bevnaps did you go through writing down possible names for your life's ambition before you came up with "Sanitary"? Was it an oversight . . you did EVERYTHING else, were ready to open the doors, and when the sign painters came and asked you what you wanted on the monument sign you were just dumbfounded.
"Well hell Mable, I hadn't given that a lick o' thought."
"Me either Paw."
"Well, what should we go with?"
"I don't rightly know Paw."
"The health department said the place was mighty sanitary. You think that might would make folks feel at ease on days when the buffet ain't holdin' temp?"
"Heck yeah Paw, that dog'll hunt!"
Whatever the case, I think the name you give your establishment deserves at least a night's sleep worth of consideration. Write it down, in pencil, and come back and look at it again in the morning. Does it say everything you want it to say about you? Who knows, maybe the sanitation's the only selling point of this particular fish camp (besides the t-shirts, that is). If not, I suggest giving it a little more thought.
Take, as an example, a couple whose lifelong dream it has been to own their own restaurant. What steps do they take? They probably spend a year or two saving up the money, picking out a location, and deciding on the menu. They may spend half a year building the restaurant, six more weeks hiring staff and managers, three weeks training them, and the next 15 years turning their dream into their legacy.
With that in mind, a question arises. What's in a name?
In the words of William Shakespeare, "That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet."
But is that really the whole story? Or is it possible that a flower, or even a restaurant, could be forever tainted by its name. In a word . . I'm pretty sure it can.
I offer you this example as a case in point. I was at the gym today when something struck me. It was a t-shirt, worn by someone exercising directly in front of me. People wear all kinds of things to the gym, certainly not the worst of which are t-shirts advertising restaurants they frequent. Remember the lady with the leopard print and the house shoes?
This shirt, in comparison, was benign. It didn't dawn on me until the third or fourth time I read the shirt how completely unfortunate the name of this particular restaurant was. Again, not offensive or absurd to the point that it stood out like a sore thumb, just something that after processing it a few times seemed truly, well, not good.
Yep, you read it right . . the name of the establishment is Sanitary Fish Market and Restaurant. Now doesn't that just smack of a comfortable and relaxing place to unwind after a long day at work? I mean seriously . . how many bevnaps did you go through writing down possible names for your life's ambition before you came up with "Sanitary"? Was it an oversight . . you did EVERYTHING else, were ready to open the doors, and when the sign painters came and asked you what you wanted on the monument sign you were just dumbfounded. "Well hell Mable, I hadn't given that a lick o' thought."
"Me either Paw."
"Well, what should we go with?"
"I don't rightly know Paw."
"The health department said the place was mighty sanitary. You think that might would make folks feel at ease on days when the buffet ain't holdin' temp?"
"Heck yeah Paw, that dog'll hunt!"
Whatever the case, I think the name you give your establishment deserves at least a night's sleep worth of consideration. Write it down, in pencil, and come back and look at it again in the morning. Does it say everything you want it to say about you? Who knows, maybe the sanitation's the only selling point of this particular fish camp (besides the t-shirts, that is). If not, I suggest giving it a little more thought.
21 September 2008
Goals Achieved
I'm home. The drive back was quick and painless, and I had plenty of time to reflect on my weekend of solitude and birding. I went into the trip with a few "soft" goals, and I met them all.
Goal number one was to exceed the 150 species mark on my Big Year list. As of this evening, the number stands at a respectable 162 species identified. I'm happy with that number, and I expect it will climb a bit higher as migration continues throughout the area.
Goal number two was to see AN owl in the field. I saw 4 this weekend, 3 Eastern Screech Owls and one Great Horned Owl. The look at the Great Horned wasn't great, but nonetheless I saw it. The Screech Owl might just be the cutest bird in existence.
And goal number three was to see all three of the falcons prevalent in the United States. This one looked like it might not materialize, as my stop at the Hawk Watch platform was on the windiest day of the weekend, and the numbers were way down. I managed to see numerous American Kestrels and Merlins, but the final falcon remained an enigma. My Eleanor, if you will.
Then, this morning, as we were making our way back to the parking lot after a 3-hour hike at Wise Point, a medium-sized raptor unlike any we were accustomed to seeing came overhead. Four of us looked and looked as it soared on a thermal, all unable to ID the bird. Then, as if it had sensed our discouragement and just felt sorry for us, it dove down to near tree-top level to give us a better look. Long, pointed wings? Check. Pushes its wings forward when diving? Check. Large, unmistakable black "mustache"? Check. Ahh!! Peregrine Falcon! I called it first, everyone else immediately agreed, and I had done it . . all three goals had been achieved! The Peregrine Falcon is one of the most amazing animals in the world, capable of achieving speeds in flight of over 160 miles per hour, and to see one at that moment added a marvelous exclamation point to the end of my otherwise exhilarating (and slightly exhausting) weekend.
Goal number one was to exceed the 150 species mark on my Big Year list. As of this evening, the number stands at a respectable 162 species identified. I'm happy with that number, and I expect it will climb a bit higher as migration continues throughout the area.
Goal number two was to see AN owl in the field. I saw 4 this weekend, 3 Eastern Screech Owls and one Great Horned Owl. The look at the Great Horned wasn't great, but nonetheless I saw it. The Screech Owl might just be the cutest bird in existence.
And goal number three was to see all three of the falcons prevalent in the United States. This one looked like it might not materialize, as my stop at the Hawk Watch platform was on the windiest day of the weekend, and the numbers were way down. I managed to see numerous American Kestrels and Merlins, but the final falcon remained an enigma. My Eleanor, if you will.
Then, this morning, as we were making our way back to the parking lot after a 3-hour hike at Wise Point, a medium-sized raptor unlike any we were accustomed to seeing came overhead. Four of us looked and looked as it soared on a thermal, all unable to ID the bird. Then, as if it had sensed our discouragement and just felt sorry for us, it dove down to near tree-top level to give us a better look. Long, pointed wings? Check. Pushes its wings forward when diving? Check. Large, unmistakable black "mustache"? Check. Ahh!! Peregrine Falcon! I called it first, everyone else immediately agreed, and I had done it . . all three goals had been achieved! The Peregrine Falcon is one of the most amazing animals in the world, capable of achieving speeds in flight of over 160 miles per hour, and to see one at that moment added a marvelous exclamation point to the end of my otherwise exhilarating (and slightly exhausting) weekend.
20 September 2008
I'm Your Wing Man
I saw one of the most amazing things today, and there's not a single witness who can prove it.
I was early for my 3:00 hike at Savage Neck Dunes, a trail leading through an evergreen dune forest to the shore of the Chesapeake Bay. Like an hour early. And I am not a patient person when there are birds to be watched. So instead of waiting around for the rest of the group, I headed out on my own. No single decision I've made on this trip has worked out more in my favor than that one.
The trail leading down to the beach is sandy and close to a mile long, and at about the 3/4 point I had made up my mind that I wasn't heading back to meet the group at 3:00. I'd come his far, I don't need their help ID'ing the birds, so I just went. Well, part of that backfired, as a small group of shorebirds I watched had 2 species I knew and 1 that I didn't. So I missed out on that, but . .
As I watched this group of Sanderlings, Semipalmated Plovers, and the mystery birds foraging on a small section of beach, I got annoyed with my inability to ID the third species. Determined, I kept staring at them, until all at once all ten or twelve birds flew away. Hoping I could use in-flight field marks to help ID the mystery bird, I kept my binoculars trained on one of them as it flew horizontal to the shoreline.
Then, out of nowhere, I saw the reason for their abrupt departure. From my left, a juvenile Merlin came racing into view, doing his best to chase down this mystery bird. The chase went on for nearly a minute, which doesn't sound like much, but to a falcon is a very long time. They went back and forth along the shore line, maneuvering back and forth in a way any jet fighter pilot would be envious of. Repeatedly, the Merlin would make his attack, the small bird would swerve at the last second to avoid him, and it would start again. I am amazed by the speed of these animals, as well as their agility. This was nothing short of a scene from Top Gun. Finally, the Merlin gave up, and the shore bird flew down the shoreline to rejoin his flock. The first thought that went through my mind (after "Holy crap did that really just happen?") after putting the binoculars down was "Sometimes it pays to be impatient!"
Overall, on the day, I added 3 new birds to my Big Year list . . Semipalmated Plover, Great Horned Owl (that's right baby, owl #2!), and Black-throated Blue Warbler. I've got another trip tonight to search for more owls, and my final trip of the weekend is tomorrow morning. I'll be packing up before the trip in the morning, so you most likely won't see a wrap-up post until Monday. I truly enjoy camping, but I also long for my bed. There's just no substitute for a good night's sleep.
Wish me shorebirds tomorrow morning, and a safe drive home. I hope your weekend's been as fruitful as mine!
I was early for my 3:00 hike at Savage Neck Dunes, a trail leading through an evergreen dune forest to the shore of the Chesapeake Bay. Like an hour early. And I am not a patient person when there are birds to be watched. So instead of waiting around for the rest of the group, I headed out on my own. No single decision I've made on this trip has worked out more in my favor than that one.
The trail leading down to the beach is sandy and close to a mile long, and at about the 3/4 point I had made up my mind that I wasn't heading back to meet the group at 3:00. I'd come his far, I don't need their help ID'ing the birds, so I just went. Well, part of that backfired, as a small group of shorebirds I watched had 2 species I knew and 1 that I didn't. So I missed out on that, but . .
As I watched this group of Sanderlings, Semipalmated Plovers, and the mystery birds foraging on a small section of beach, I got annoyed with my inability to ID the third species. Determined, I kept staring at them, until all at once all ten or twelve birds flew away. Hoping I could use in-flight field marks to help ID the mystery bird, I kept my binoculars trained on one of them as it flew horizontal to the shoreline.
Then, out of nowhere, I saw the reason for their abrupt departure. From my left, a juvenile Merlin came racing into view, doing his best to chase down this mystery bird. The chase went on for nearly a minute, which doesn't sound like much, but to a falcon is a very long time. They went back and forth along the shore line, maneuvering back and forth in a way any jet fighter pilot would be envious of. Repeatedly, the Merlin would make his attack, the small bird would swerve at the last second to avoid him, and it would start again. I am amazed by the speed of these animals, as well as their agility. This was nothing short of a scene from Top Gun. Finally, the Merlin gave up, and the shore bird flew down the shoreline to rejoin his flock. The first thought that went through my mind (after "Holy crap did that really just happen?") after putting the binoculars down was "Sometimes it pays to be impatient!"
Overall, on the day, I added 3 new birds to my Big Year list . . Semipalmated Plover, Great Horned Owl (that's right baby, owl #2!), and Black-throated Blue Warbler. I've got another trip tonight to search for more owls, and my final trip of the weekend is tomorrow morning. I'll be packing up before the trip in the morning, so you most likely won't see a wrap-up post until Monday. I truly enjoy camping, but I also long for my bed. There's just no substitute for a good night's sleep.
Wish me shorebirds tomorrow morning, and a safe drive home. I hope your weekend's been as fruitful as mine!
19 September 2008
New Birds at Every Turnstone
Sorry, I couldn't help myself. That pun has been in my head since the moment I laid eyes on a group of Ruddy Turnstones at the pier in Cape Charles tonight.
I showed up at 6:00 for the reception, which had been moved from the theater to the art gallery next door. We got preempted by, of all things, a showing of High School Musical that apparently took precedence over the large group of money-spending tourists that had travelled to town for the Birding and Wildlife Festival. It wasn't a big deal to me really . . I'm not much of a mingler, anyway. The plan was that we'd leave the gallery at 6:45 and walk 4 blocks to the local Presbyterian church, where Pete Dunne would deliver his keynote address. Me? I left the gallery at around 6:20, right after a few plates of cheese and fruit, and headed down to the beach. That, of course, is when I discovered the Ruddy Turnstones, as well as this precursor to a sunset.
A few minutes before 7:00 I made my way to the church, which was quite possibly one of the ugliest houses of worship I've ever laid eyes on. I mean I know God doesn't care and all, but for Pete's sake, the curtains look like you cut them out of Grandma's old couch, and the white wicker backdrop with Christmas lights intertwined and large gold balls atop the posts have just got to go.
Anyway, Mr. Dunne gave a really engaging speech titled "25 things that changed birding". I felt bad leaving before he was finished, but I had an Owl "Hoot" to get to, and I didn't want to be late.
What's that they say about "The best laid plans of mice and men"? Yeah, I was the mice tonight. I got to the location for our outing at about 8:50, as did another couple. We sat in the dark and waited patiently for more than half an hour, at which point we decided to just call it a night. They left, and I decided to take one more shot at an owl. There was another "hoot" going on just a quarter of a mile away, and I was going to attempt to join it. Keep in mind, it's pitch dark, I have no flashlight (I opened my cell phone and used it, actually), and I have no idea where the trails go. Luckily, I could see the flashlights of the other birders in the group and I was able to catch up with them. Less than 20 minutes later and Eastern Screech Owl responded to a recorded call, and I spotted it flying into a tree just above the path. The guide shone his red spotlight on the tiny bird, and I was able to get a really good look at him. It was a cute little bird, far smaller than what you envision when you think "owl". I guess I just always picture the big majestic owls like the Snowy or Great Grey. Nonetheless, he looked at us for a moment, then turned and flew away. It was fleeting, but dammit it counts.
I'm off tomorrow morning early, with a walk at a private home at 7:30 am. The property has apparently been in the same family for close to 250 years, and it's been conserved beautifully. Let's hope tomorrow yields me another 13 new birds like today did. I'll be sure to keep you posted.
I showed up at 6:00 for the reception, which had been moved from the theater to the art gallery next door. We got preempted by, of all things, a showing of High School Musical that apparently took precedence over the large group of money-spending tourists that had travelled to town for the Birding and Wildlife Festival. It wasn't a big deal to me really . . I'm not much of a mingler, anyway. The plan was that we'd leave the gallery at 6:45 and walk 4 blocks to the local Presbyterian church, where Pete Dunne would deliver his keynote address. Me? I left the gallery at around 6:20, right after a few plates of cheese and fruit, and headed down to the beach. That, of course, is when I discovered the Ruddy Turnstones, as well as this precursor to a sunset.
A few minutes before 7:00 I made my way to the church, which was quite possibly one of the ugliest houses of worship I've ever laid eyes on. I mean I know God doesn't care and all, but for Pete's sake, the curtains look like you cut them out of Grandma's old couch, and the white wicker backdrop with Christmas lights intertwined and large gold balls atop the posts have just got to go.
Anyway, Mr. Dunne gave a really engaging speech titled "25 things that changed birding". I felt bad leaving before he was finished, but I had an Owl "Hoot" to get to, and I didn't want to be late.
What's that they say about "The best laid plans of mice and men"? Yeah, I was the mice tonight. I got to the location for our outing at about 8:50, as did another couple. We sat in the dark and waited patiently for more than half an hour, at which point we decided to just call it a night. They left, and I decided to take one more shot at an owl. There was another "hoot" going on just a quarter of a mile away, and I was going to attempt to join it. Keep in mind, it's pitch dark, I have no flashlight (I opened my cell phone and used it, actually), and I have no idea where the trails go. Luckily, I could see the flashlights of the other birders in the group and I was able to catch up with them. Less than 20 minutes later and Eastern Screech Owl responded to a recorded call, and I spotted it flying into a tree just above the path. The guide shone his red spotlight on the tiny bird, and I was able to get a really good look at him. It was a cute little bird, far smaller than what you envision when you think "owl". I guess I just always picture the big majestic owls like the Snowy or Great Grey. Nonetheless, he looked at us for a moment, then turned and flew away. It was fleeting, but dammit it counts.
I'm off tomorrow morning early, with a walk at a private home at 7:30 am. The property has apparently been in the same family for close to 250 years, and it's been conserved beautifully. Let's hope tomorrow yields me another 13 new birds like today did. I'll be sure to keep you posted.
18 September 2008
11 New Species Added
I added 11 new species to my Big Year list today, and it's barely 4:00 . . dayum!
I woke up early this morning, at around 5:00, and could not go back to sleep. My phone had died during the night, and when I plugged it in I couldn't get a signal. Uneasy about being out of touch with the family, I decided just to shower before the rush (ha ha, just kidding, there are a total of about 11 people camping in this entire mammoth facility) and get started. With events not starting until 9:00, I decided just to bird the campground. I stuck to the area in the general vicinity of my tent and just birded a big loop. The camp site itself is in a big stand of old-growth pine trees, and just to the North is a small cove, and the Chesapeake is beyond the cove. I chased songbirds through the trees with very little luck, as the sun hadn't fully lit the tree tops yet, and then headed up toward the sound of the Canada Geese squawking in the cove. When I arrived they flew out, along with 6 or 7 Great Blue Herons. I saw a Great Egret fishing, and in one of the dead trees along the shore I spotted two Northern Flickers, one actually hammering at the tree like a typical woodpecker would. I found that behavior only slightly odd, as they are, after all, a type of woodpecker. I've only ever seen them forage on the ground though, so it gave me pause.
On my way back to the tent site I saw a big mixed flock of sparrows and warblers foraging on the ground. They let me get unusually close for really good looks, and I even captured a few of them. In all I saw Chipping Sparrows, Yellow-throated Warblers, Pine Warblers, Palm Warblers, and a single Black-and-white Warbler. Pretty good for 7:00 in the morning. Of the group, only the Palm Warbler was a new bird for me.
Above, the Yellow-throated Warbler.
And the Palm Warbler.
And the Pine Warbler.
After a quick breakfast I drove into Cape Charles to seek out the festival headquarters I was so woefully unable to locate the night before. After asking a jogger and a mechanic that were of absolutely no help, I finally located a local restaurateur who was able to direct me to the fire station, where the event would kick off from. That was a great example of a time where leaving early really paid off. I got my packet-o-materials, organized my directions and got everything situated, and then it was off to the first field trip of the day. 25 of us loaded up on a school bus and headed to Fisherman's Island NWR, near the end of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-tunnel-bridge-tunnel-bridge.
When we got to the island and got out of the bus, the first bird an of us saw was a majestic Bald Eagle, hovering over the marsh in front of us. He was quickly joined by numerous vultures, Osprey, and a Northern Harrier. A few steps down the path and we added Broad-winged Hawk, Sharp-shinned Hawk, and Red-tailed Hawk to the tally.
There were some songbirds as well, including an American Redstart and a female Rose-breasted Grosbeak. We made our way down the sandy trail to the beach, and the view was pretty incredible.
Along the beach we saw a majority of the new birds I was able to add to today's list. Most interesting of the group was a Black Skimmer, Sanderling, Royal Tern, and Forster's Tern. I also added 3 gulls to the list, but quite frankly gulls bore me to death, so we're not going to talk about them. This next photo is a Sanderling, which is a really cute little black and white shorebird that has a habit of chasing breaking waves up the beach to uncover invertibrates to eat. They were fun to watch.
There were also quite a few of these little Ghost Crabs on the beach. I wanted to pick one up and bring it home to Lily, but the lady from the park services department scolded me, so I decided not to. Plus, I worried it would stink up my car.
We made our way back to the bus, stopping along the way to try to lure more warblers out of the trees, but the windy conditions (gusts in excess of 30 miles per hour) kept the songbirds out of sight.
After a quick pit stop and lunch, which consisted of a chef salad from the Food Lion deli, it was off to Kiptopeke (KIP-toe-peek) State Park for an hour at the hawk observation platform. Two species I really hoped to add on this trip were Merlin and Peregrine Falcon, and another birder reported seeing both of them at that location just yesterday. As it turns out, my luck wasn't quite so good. We did see 8 Merlins, as well as 8 American Kestrels and a Sharp-shinned Hawk fly by, but no Peregrines. Truth be told, the looks at the Merlins were pretty disappointing, as the birds were flying at about 60 miles per hour over our heads from North to South, not bothering to stop and pose for photos. Rude ass birds.
Overall I'd call it a pretty successful first 2/3 of a day. The "Official" opening reception, with a keynote address by noted birder Pete Dunne, is scheduled for 6:00 tonight, a little more than an hour from now. Afterwards I'm signed up to go on an owl and bat "hoot" at 9:00, which I hope yields more owls than bats. I've still got a grand total of zero owls on my Big Year list, and this will certainly be one of my only opportunities for nocturnal birding for the rest of the year. So that's all for now, look for updates either tonight or tomorrow afternoon, as sleep will once again determine the schedule.
I woke up early this morning, at around 5:00, and could not go back to sleep. My phone had died during the night, and when I plugged it in I couldn't get a signal. Uneasy about being out of touch with the family, I decided just to shower before the rush (ha ha, just kidding, there are a total of about 11 people camping in this entire mammoth facility) and get started. With events not starting until 9:00, I decided just to bird the campground. I stuck to the area in the general vicinity of my tent and just birded a big loop. The camp site itself is in a big stand of old-growth pine trees, and just to the North is a small cove, and the Chesapeake is beyond the cove. I chased songbirds through the trees with very little luck, as the sun hadn't fully lit the tree tops yet, and then headed up toward the sound of the Canada Geese squawking in the cove. When I arrived they flew out, along with 6 or 7 Great Blue Herons. I saw a Great Egret fishing, and in one of the dead trees along the shore I spotted two Northern Flickers, one actually hammering at the tree like a typical woodpecker would. I found that behavior only slightly odd, as they are, after all, a type of woodpecker. I've only ever seen them forage on the ground though, so it gave me pause.
On my way back to the tent site I saw a big mixed flock of sparrows and warblers foraging on the ground. They let me get unusually close for really good looks, and I even captured a few of them. In all I saw Chipping Sparrows, Yellow-throated Warblers, Pine Warblers, Palm Warblers, and a single Black-and-white Warbler. Pretty good for 7:00 in the morning. Of the group, only the Palm Warbler was a new bird for me.
Above, the Yellow-throated Warbler.
And the Palm Warbler.
And the Pine Warbler.
After a quick breakfast I drove into Cape Charles to seek out the festival headquarters I was so woefully unable to locate the night before. After asking a jogger and a mechanic that were of absolutely no help, I finally located a local restaurateur who was able to direct me to the fire station, where the event would kick off from. That was a great example of a time where leaving early really paid off. I got my packet-o-materials, organized my directions and got everything situated, and then it was off to the first field trip of the day. 25 of us loaded up on a school bus and headed to Fisherman's Island NWR, near the end of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-tunnel-bridge-tunnel-bridge.
When we got to the island and got out of the bus, the first bird an of us saw was a majestic Bald Eagle, hovering over the marsh in front of us. He was quickly joined by numerous vultures, Osprey, and a Northern Harrier. A few steps down the path and we added Broad-winged Hawk, Sharp-shinned Hawk, and Red-tailed Hawk to the tally.
There were some songbirds as well, including an American Redstart and a female Rose-breasted Grosbeak. We made our way down the sandy trail to the beach, and the view was pretty incredible.
Along the beach we saw a majority of the new birds I was able to add to today's list. Most interesting of the group was a Black Skimmer, Sanderling, Royal Tern, and Forster's Tern. I also added 3 gulls to the list, but quite frankly gulls bore me to death, so we're not going to talk about them. This next photo is a Sanderling, which is a really cute little black and white shorebird that has a habit of chasing breaking waves up the beach to uncover invertibrates to eat. They were fun to watch.
There were also quite a few of these little Ghost Crabs on the beach. I wanted to pick one up and bring it home to Lily, but the lady from the park services department scolded me, so I decided not to. Plus, I worried it would stink up my car.
We made our way back to the bus, stopping along the way to try to lure more warblers out of the trees, but the windy conditions (gusts in excess of 30 miles per hour) kept the songbirds out of sight.
After a quick pit stop and lunch, which consisted of a chef salad from the Food Lion deli, it was off to Kiptopeke (KIP-toe-peek) State Park for an hour at the hawk observation platform. Two species I really hoped to add on this trip were Merlin and Peregrine Falcon, and another birder reported seeing both of them at that location just yesterday. As it turns out, my luck wasn't quite so good. We did see 8 Merlins, as well as 8 American Kestrels and a Sharp-shinned Hawk fly by, but no Peregrines. Truth be told, the looks at the Merlins were pretty disappointing, as the birds were flying at about 60 miles per hour over our heads from North to South, not bothering to stop and pose for photos. Rude ass birds.
Overall I'd call it a pretty successful first 2/3 of a day. The "Official" opening reception, with a keynote address by noted birder Pete Dunne, is scheduled for 6:00 tonight, a little more than an hour from now. Afterwards I'm signed up to go on an owl and bat "hoot" at 9:00, which I hope yields more owls than bats. I've still got a grand total of zero owls on my Big Year list, and this will certainly be one of my only opportunities for nocturnal birding for the rest of the year. So that's all for now, look for updates either tonight or tomorrow afternoon, as sleep will once again determine the schedule.
Day 0.5
My drive up to Virginia this morning was as uneventful as one would hope. The best part was the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, which should actually be renamed the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel-Bridge-Tunnel-Bridge, as that's the true order of the structures one must travel to reach the other end. Every single lamp post on the bridges was adorned by at least a single gull. I'm terrible at identifying gulls, so I have no idea what kind they were. I did see a Double-crested Cormorant, 2 Osprey, and some sort of tern on the bridge too, but they're hard to ID at 60mph.
After checking in at Cherrystone Camping Resort and heading over to my tent site I began to hear an unfamiliar bird "talking" nearby. I looked around and saw 3 of these little Brown-headed Nuthatches going in and out of this tree cavity, a mere 4 feet from my car! Add that to the incredible number of egrets, herons, and vultures I've seen since hitting the peninsula, and I think this might end up being a very birdie weekend.
Today wasn't a full day at the festival. In fact, it couldn't even be counted as a half day. The "kickoff" events, hosted by the town of Onancock, VA (pronounced ah-NAN-cock, at least by the one person I heard actually risk saying it), were nothing spectacular. From the look of their "tent", they didn't put a lot into the kickoff, save for inviting the Virginia Beach Wildlife Resources people out for a short flightless-raptor demonstration.
The rest of the events today centered around bringing revenue to their quaint little town, which was actually quite cute.
The buildings have a lot of charm and character, and the residents were, well, characters. I'll put it this way . . the only place you're gonna see more granola is Ithaca, NY. This place is CRUNCHY! No worries though, everyone I encountered was very friendly, including this woman in the red, who interviewed me for the local newspaper. I guess I just looked like an easy mark. Ooh, and I can't forget the humanity. Anytime Mandi and I see something that's just grossly misplaced, we cry out "Oh the humanity!" If she was here, I promise you she would have called this one first. I mean seriously . . you really wore that shirt?
There were lots of kids running around the little park playing during the demonstration, and one in particular made me really miss Lily. She was sick this morning when I left, and as of this posting is still not feeling well. I'll bet you can't guess why this kid made me think about her?
I left the raptor demonstration a little bit before it was over in search of food. I found a Subway nearby in a dilapidated strip mall then headed back to my campsite. My plan was to stop in Cape Charles (I assume none of you need a pronunciation key on that one) before dark to get my bearings, as that is where the events will embark from tomorrow morning. As is the case with most of these towns, there's really just one main area where anything could go on, so after cruising the "downtown" of Cape Charles I headed out to the beach. My intention was to scope out gulls and shorebirds, but it quickly turned into a photography session.
I haven't attempted to ID these birds yet. That obviously was not the point of the first photo. I did see another tern fly right past my head, but I couldn't ID it because I was taking a photo at the time. He was much smaller than the gulls, had the long forked tail, and was mostly white. I'll check out the field guide tomorrow morning.
There was a really cute family picnicking and swimming at the beach. I couldn't resist this shot of the little boy playing in the gentle surf of the Chesapeake Bay. Later, his dad had me take a family shot of them with his Canon. I was hopelessly lost with anything other than my Nikon. He set it for me, and I think the shot turned out well. They were a really cute family, and the dad thanked me for my services with a crisp new million-dollar-bill with Ronald Reagan's face on it. Who does he think he is, the FED?
This group of guys was enjoying some afternoon volleyball on the beach. Aside from the family, these guys, and myself, the beach was empty for as far as the eye could see. You ain't in Jersey anymore!
Before heading back to camp I took what seemed like a hundred pictures of the sun setting over the bay. Apparently it was only 14 or so. Regardless, here are my two favorites. I took a series where the sun appeared to "melt" into the water as it set, but I'm going to put a slideshow together with them at a later date. Enjoy these, and check back for an update tomorrow, after Day 1.
Oh, and in case you're wondering . . I'm blogging from inside my tent. Seriously. My tent site is right behind the "Cafe", which offers free wireless internet. I have had no trouble picking up a signal from anywhere at the site, so I come to you tonight from inside the bug-free confines of my tent. Ain't technology grand?
After checking in at Cherrystone Camping Resort and heading over to my tent site I began to hear an unfamiliar bird "talking" nearby. I looked around and saw 3 of these little Brown-headed Nuthatches going in and out of this tree cavity, a mere 4 feet from my car! Add that to the incredible number of egrets, herons, and vultures I've seen since hitting the peninsula, and I think this might end up being a very birdie weekend.
Today wasn't a full day at the festival. In fact, it couldn't even be counted as a half day. The "kickoff" events, hosted by the town of Onancock, VA (pronounced ah-NAN-cock, at least by the one person I heard actually risk saying it), were nothing spectacular. From the look of their "tent", they didn't put a lot into the kickoff, save for inviting the Virginia Beach Wildlife Resources people out for a short flightless-raptor demonstration.
The rest of the events today centered around bringing revenue to their quaint little town, which was actually quite cute.
The buildings have a lot of charm and character, and the residents were, well, characters. I'll put it this way . . the only place you're gonna see more granola is Ithaca, NY. This place is CRUNCHY! No worries though, everyone I encountered was very friendly, including this woman in the red, who interviewed me for the local newspaper. I guess I just looked like an easy mark. Ooh, and I can't forget the humanity. Anytime Mandi and I see something that's just grossly misplaced, we cry out "Oh the humanity!" If she was here, I promise you she would have called this one first. I mean seriously . . you really wore that shirt?
There were lots of kids running around the little park playing during the demonstration, and one in particular made me really miss Lily. She was sick this morning when I left, and as of this posting is still not feeling well. I'll bet you can't guess why this kid made me think about her?
I left the raptor demonstration a little bit before it was over in search of food. I found a Subway nearby in a dilapidated strip mall then headed back to my campsite. My plan was to stop in Cape Charles (I assume none of you need a pronunciation key on that one) before dark to get my bearings, as that is where the events will embark from tomorrow morning. As is the case with most of these towns, there's really just one main area where anything could go on, so after cruising the "downtown" of Cape Charles I headed out to the beach. My intention was to scope out gulls and shorebirds, but it quickly turned into a photography session.
I haven't attempted to ID these birds yet. That obviously was not the point of the first photo. I did see another tern fly right past my head, but I couldn't ID it because I was taking a photo at the time. He was much smaller than the gulls, had the long forked tail, and was mostly white. I'll check out the field guide tomorrow morning.
There was a really cute family picnicking and swimming at the beach. I couldn't resist this shot of the little boy playing in the gentle surf of the Chesapeake Bay. Later, his dad had me take a family shot of them with his Canon. I was hopelessly lost with anything other than my Nikon. He set it for me, and I think the shot turned out well. They were a really cute family, and the dad thanked me for my services with a crisp new million-dollar-bill with Ronald Reagan's face on it. Who does he think he is, the FED?
This group of guys was enjoying some afternoon volleyball on the beach. Aside from the family, these guys, and myself, the beach was empty for as far as the eye could see. You ain't in Jersey anymore!
Before heading back to camp I took what seemed like a hundred pictures of the sun setting over the bay. Apparently it was only 14 or so. Regardless, here are my two favorites. I took a series where the sun appeared to "melt" into the water as it set, but I'm going to put a slideshow together with them at a later date. Enjoy these, and check back for an update tomorrow, after Day 1.
Oh, and in case you're wondering . . I'm blogging from inside my tent. Seriously. My tent site is right behind the "Cafe", which offers free wireless internet. I have had no trouble picking up a signal from anywhere at the site, so I come to you tonight from inside the bug-free confines of my tent. Ain't technology grand?
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