Fifth Day

I've moved

2012-01-26T11:48:00.002-06:00

Digitally, at least. I decided to move my blogs over to WordPress because they seem to have some nicer features and I'm getting tired of Blogger changing stuff on the "back end" so often.

You can now find Fifth Day at birdingchaplain.wordpress.com/

I've transferred over everything here as well. This site will stay here until....something happens to it.

Thanks.

Snowy Owls

2012-01-18T15:59:00.001-06:00

So I had read on the NNYBirds Listserve that Snowy Owls were being seen pretty reliably at Hancock International Airport just north of Syracuse. I stopped by yesterday, but it was raining and everything was covered in snow. Struck out. Today I stopped by and had a look around. That's a funny looking clump of snow....

No, that's a Snowy Owl! I didn't get any better pictures, but with a scope I was able to get a good look at it. So I headed home to grab my daughter, who has an interest in owls. We came back and he had moved. Fortunately, to an easier to see spot on top of the parking garage.

After we had stood and admired as long as we could stand (single-digit windchill kept that time pretty short!) We started to head home. But, I spotted what looked like another on top of a light on the way out.

We were able to divert into a parking lot and get some good looks at this immature one as well. Again, we didn't hang around too long. As we were driving away, this one flew, which was cool to catch a glimpse of.

First lifer of 2012!

Lake Ontario Oldsquaws

2011-12-16T15:34:00.000-06:00

I was reading e-mail last night, when a post on the CNY birding list server mentioned someone trying to find an eider that had been seen previously, but had no luck scouring flocks of hundreds of Long-tailed Ducks for it. (These were known as Oldsquaws until about 10 years ago when it was decided "long-tailed Duck" was a less derogatory name. Can't even look at birds without political correctness showing up.)

I stopped, backed up, and realized what that meant. There were hundreds of Long-tailed Ducks within an hour's drive. I have never seen a Long-tailed Duck! I had a free day today. off I went!

It wasn't overly cold, but it was windy. Here's a picture of the surf coming in on Lake Ontario.

So I tried to find places with protected harbors to search, because I knew I wasn't going to have much look trying to see anything on those breakers. I had my first luck at Henderson Harbor, where I found one, but I really scored at the harbor in Oswego.

I also found, and managed to catch an in-flight shot of a Lesser Black-backed Gull.

To give an idea of the wind a waves, here's a shot of the waves breaking over the breakwater at the Oswego Harbor.

Overall, a good day. I saw a lifer and managed to get several good pictures of them. Thankfully, all of my stops I could either bird from the car or they were a short walk. That wind just cut right through you!

Navarre Beach, Florida

2011-11-26T19:52:00.000-06:00

A week's vacation over Thanksgiving to celebrate my in-law's 50th wedding anniversary found us on Navarre Beach, Florida. Unfortunately, baggage policies and prices being what they are, my scope and good camera had to stay at home.Nevertheless, I managed a few pictures of the majestic creation of God during the week with the pocket camera. A walk along the gulf netted me a Willet.

Of course, Sanderlings were abundant.

It was rather windy several days, kicking up some rough conditions on the gulf.

Our rental was on the sound side, and we had some very serene sunsets.

Monarch

2011-09-04T14:36:00.000-05:00

Captured this Monarch on digits the other evening on some Purple Loosestrife in my back yard. Too pretty not to share.

Montezuma NWR

2011-08-29T20:12:00.000-05:00

Since my short Summer break was winding down, I decided to take last Monday and go birding at Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge and it's surrounding area. It was a nice day, and I saw quite a few birds.

Yellowlegs were the bird of the day. I spent a good deal of time looking at them because the staff at the visitor's center informed me that a Wilson's Phalarope had been seen the day before. They are quite similar in size and color, so every yellowlegs got a good look, and as many as possible got photographed.

At the end fo the day, and after reviewing lots of photos of yellowlegs, alas, no phalarope.

This grass is common here in central New York, mostly in damp areas. I think it is beautiful with it's purple seeds. I just wish I knew what it was...this stand is just outside the visitor's center. [update: it is phragmites, or the Common Reed, and is an invasive species in North America.]

Rose Mallow next to one of the pools.

Several immature Pied-billed Grebes were actively feeding.

I enjoyed watching a Great Blue Heron trying to figure out how to gulp down a fish that was a bit big for him....

Gulp!

Maybe a drink will help.

Great Egrets were present in abundance.

Tundra Swan

And finishing with something completely different, a Downy Woodpecker I saw near the Audubon Visitor's Center.

Onieda Lake

2011-08-12T09:35:00.001-05:00

I am blessed to live within a stone's throw of Onieda Lake, the largest lake wholly within the borders of New York State. Yesterday being a beautiful day of partial clouds and temperatures hovering around 70 degrees all day, I spent most of the morning sitting in my backyard watching birds at my feeder and the neighboring woods. After lunch, I decided to see what I could see at Onieda Shores County Park and a fishing access where Interstate 81 crosses the western end of the lake.

At Onieda Shores I found several Caspian Terns, along with Black Ducks, both of which were firsts in the state for me.

Near the Arrowhead Shelter, there were several Ruby Meadowhawks around a stagnant pond. Very inquisitive, I had several come and land on my shirt as I walked around.

A Pearl Crescent landed at my feet, so I felt obliged to take its portrait.

Over at the fishing area, a mother Mallard was napping with some of her offspring.

An Eastern Pondhawk feasting on an unfortunate damselfly.

Spotted Sandpipers were feeding along the shore.

Despite the 10-15 mile per hour wind, I managed a decent shot of an Eastern Forktail (female).

Overall, a gorgeous day.

Niagara Falls

2011-08-12T09:17:00.000-05:00

Living in Central New York, it is pretty well obligatory to make a pilgrimage to Niagara Falls to see the western four Great Lakes making there way down the 167' drop toward Lake Ontario. So, this past Saturday, off we went.

Well-known as a gull hotspot in the winter, in the summer, Niagara hosts an enormous number of Ring-billed Gulls. They were the only type of gull I saw all day.

Amidst all the gulls, I was able to spy a Spotted Sandpiper feeding along the rocks in the Niagara River.

Having the batteries give out in my camera, and the spares back at the car, I had to hike back to get them. On my return, I came across a Song Sparrow kind enough to pose as reward for my troubles.

He was also singing, as his name would imply.

There were Canada Geese as well.

Hamlin Marsh

2011-07-31T20:28:00.000-05:00

To celebrate the AOU giving me a new lifer this weekend....

(The 52nd Supplement to the check-List of North American Birds is out, they decided to split Snowy Plover from Kentish Plover. I am fortunate to have seen both, so +1 for me!)

...I decided to spend a little bit at Hamlin Marsh. Birds were scarce, but I did see a few winged creatures that I could grab in my viewfinder.

Judging by the conditions of the wings, this Whiteface has had a long and hard life....

The always photogenic Blue Dasher

A female Fragile Forktail resting on some European Frogbit. (The leaves are about the size of a half-dollar.)

The male Fragile Forktail.

Black-eyed Susan.

Pratt's Falls County Park

2011-06-21T21:52:00.001-05:00

A Sunny day with no classes just begs for some exploration...so my lovely wife and I headed out to see Pratt's Falls County Park.

We didn't see any personal injury lawyers, though we saw signs of them....

We heard several birds, but the full summer vegetation made seeing them a real challenge. We did find a nice little pond with some ode activity.

Onieda Shores County Park

2011-06-17T18:28:00.002-05:00

Well, I have managed to make birding part of my "homework" for my statistics class this summer. (It's all in how you write the project proposal!) So, I headed out this morning for a few hours to Onieda Shores County Park to see what was hopping.

A couple of Great-crested Flycatchers were out.

A fledgling Blue Jay was quite photogenic (despite his parent's loud cries).

After walking a trail, that included a short slog through calf-deep water, I found a Song Sparrow singing. (Who would have thought?)

An Eastern Wood-Pewee was hawking from a fire hydrant and its sign. (A subtle reminder that they get a fair bit of snow around here--the sign sits up higher than the hydrant so you can find it in a drift, should the need arise.)

After the Pewee, I sat for a minute and listened to the frogs croaking and examined my mucked shoes.

Then back to the car and home for lunch. (You'd be making a face too, if you're sandals were full of muck and you were covered with mosquito bites!)

Hamlin Marsh Wildlife Management Area

2011-05-28T16:10:00.000-05:00

Noticed this area the other day and was able to go spend a couple of hours birding it this morning. The area was covered with Red-winged Blackbirds. Not five minutes after I arrived 2 flew in with another bird. I was able to locate the oddball and it was a Least Bittern! I was able to watch for a few minutes before it descended into the grass beyond sight. Unfortunately, I was unable to locate it with my camera.

Walked back from the observation platform on a short trail and saw these two.

Yellow Warblers were in abundance.

This one was back-lit, but I was able to edit it enough to make him visible.

I need to bring my kayak back here.

A few damsel and dragonflies were about.

Finally, an Eastern Kingbird.

Spring is Here

2011-05-07T20:57:00.001-05:00

Noticed an Eastern Wood-Peewee in the tree out back during dinner tonight. That led me outside after I cleaned up, to sit on the front porch and stroll about the yard. Several firsts for the year, including Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Common Nighthawk and Chipping Sparrow.

The highlight of the evening was an Eastern Towhee that perched up on a tree nearby and sang and sang.

E. G. Simmons County Park

2011-02-02T16:07:00.004-06:00

Spent a couple of hours at this nice little park. This has to be the best disguise I've ever seen for anyone--sure looks like a Loggerhead Shrike to me.

One of the nice things about Florida, is you can find butterflies year-round most generally.

Great Horned Owls continue to use Osprey platforms to nest on.

Ruddy Turnstones have been practically the only shorebird I've seen this trip.

Do I need another photo of one of these guys? Probably not, but they are so photogenic.

A little odd that one of my best shots of the day was of a woodpecker--at a beach. You can't tell from the photo but she was on a tree right at the water's edge.

North Beach, Fort DeSoto, Florida

2011-01-31T21:19:00.002-06:00

Went to Fort DeSoto, one of my favorite birding places in the world this afternoon. I was amazed at the total lack of sandpipers and plovers. Even the long-legged waders were not in their typical numbers. I have no explanation for their absence.

I was able to get some good photos regardless, and it was a beautiful sunny and 74, so I can't complain too much.

Cockroach Bay

2011-01-29T19:37:00.004-06:00

Unappealing as it sounds, Cockroach Bay, just south of Tampa, Florida, is a good birding spot. It is listed on the Great Florida Birding Trail. It gets its name from the small crabs that are common in the bay at low tide.

There are a few fresh-water ponds along this stretch of road and they attract a good variety of birds. I saw 33 species this afternoon in a couple of hours. They have recently added a shallow pond near the start of the road on the south that was quite productive for waterfowl (I added 2 new state birds) and also had Roseate Spoonbills. This area is consistent for Glossy Ibis in numbers as well. It is still a little early in the year, but this is also a good spot for Scissor-tailed Flycatchers.

Here's some highlights of what I was able to get with my camera.

Big Piney River

2010-09-06T21:26:00.003-05:00

The Big Piney River runs through Fort Leonard Wood. We took a short trip on a section of it Saturday with some friends. I purchased a Pelican 1150 box for my camera so I can take it on my kayak without fear of it getting drowned.

Didn't take a ton of pictures, but a Green Heron cooperated with me for a few shots.

After reading up on my camera's manual some this week, I'm learning how to use the zoom and focus features I want, so I was able to capture this female American Rubyspot on a twig.

It was a pleasant float, on a very serene stretch of river.

The Spectacle Continues

2010-08-31T18:30:00.004-05:00

Activity has been frenetic at our hummingbird feeder. I suspect they are fueling up for migration. I shot some pictures this evening through the door onto our deck, so the quality is a little off, but I caught some great action.

Yes, hummingbirds can open their beaks--

The above picture shows off the new perch of dominance. They aren't perching on the hanger as much but instead are sitting on the high side of the feeder "flowers" as their perch to guard the feeder from each other.

I was blessed, and when reviewing pictures I saw that I caught one with it's tongue out as well. They are quite long, which allows them to get nectar from those far-down-in places.

My wife thinks they are looking a little broader as they "bulk up" (seems odd to say of a bird that weighs less than ounce). What do you think? Does her butt look big?

I don't want to leave the impression that any sort of peace has broken out around the feeder, however. Plenty of action abounds as this final shot shows.

Dueling Hummers

2010-08-21T17:13:00.002-05:00

We had 5 hummers all eating at our feeder at once for a moment the other morning. A sixth upset the uneasy detente and they were back to their aerial acrobatics again. Often the "dominant" hummer (it seems to rotate) will perch on the hanger on top of the feeder. This is cool, because I have seen them stick their very long tongues out while doing this. (Unfortunately I have not captured it with my camera yet.)

I don't know if they are trying to cool off (like dogs) or if they are taunting each other (that's probably an anthropomorphism). I've also noticed when I have been out there with them, they can fly "noisily" when they want. They seem to do this to try to intimidate each other--brrrrrrrrr--they come whirring in. Other times, they are very quiet, like when one came to check on me last night as I was refilling the feeder. Just hovered about 3' in front of me for a moment to see what I was doing with the feeder.

Happy Hollow

2010-08-07T17:12:00.003-05:00

Went to the "Happy Hollow" area of Fort Leonard Wood this morning. Nice little park along the Big Piney River.

I didn't see much for birds, but had a good day of odes and some butterflies as well. A Hackberry Emperor gave me nice views of both top and bottom side of wings.

Pipevine Swallowtails were abundant.

And now onto the odes--first the damselflies. Many Powdered Dancers were perched along the river's edge.

A Stream Bluet:

Dusky Dancer:

And just a couple of inches over on the same twig, a Blue-ringed Dancer.

Finally, two dragons. First, a Black-shouldered Spinylegs, a common river denizen.

And the highlight of the day for me, a dragon I've been after for a few years, a Dragonhunter. (Dragonhunter has been my screen name on several message boards for years, reflecting my interest in odes in general.)

Lake of the Ozarks Recreation Area

2010-08-06T22:20:00.003-05:00

A Chaplaincy anniversary celebration picnic took me to the Lake of the Ozarks today. I, of course, brought along my new camera. I had the best luck finding butterflies.

This Eastern Tailed-Blue confused me with it's apparently dark wing-tip. This was a one-shot-and-gone butterfly, so all I had to work with was this picture and my field guide as I sat on the couch tonight.

Common Buckeyes were, well, common. I began to notice a trend, namely, they seem to like rather, shall we say nasty, stuff to hang out on. Like fish heads...

or Canada Goose exhaust....

Here's one in a more benign setting.

This one really threw me. Took me quite a while to get over its wing markings and focus on it's odd front-end. American Snout, indeed.

An ever-beautiful Eastern Tiger Swallowtail.

Barn Swallows resting on a small helipad.

And finally, a crow that was perched in a dead tree by the boat ramp.

New Camera!

2010-08-05T20:58:00.003-05:00

After looking and thinking for a long time, I finally bit the bullet and ordered a Canon Powershot SX20IS. So far, I am very impressed. Just took it out back and took some snapshots to see what it could do.

This thing can zoom. (20x optical!)

The exposure isn't perfect on this next one, but I'm hopeful with what it can reach out and grab.

I'm looking forward to more posting on here now that I've got a new shooting platform!

Catching Up

2010-08-04T18:29:00.003-05:00

On the trip from South Carolina to Missouri, I went by way of Ohio and visited my parents. We spent an afternoon at some local preserves looking at birds and butterflies. Here's what I found.

Cabbage White

Eastern Comma

Hackberry Emperor

Damn

2010-07-24T19:19:00.002-05:00

Part of my life involves moving. It has benefits, namely it gets me to new and different habitats to see new and different birds and such.

This last move had a bad downside. The movers lost a box. Just one. Box 136-Green.

Box 136 had almost all of my bird books in it. It had 3 binders in it. One was service-related records (which fortunately had all been scanned a few months previous) and 2 full of bird records that had not.

Now, I still have my life-list in digits. But I lost a bunch of trip reports and other bits of written data pertinent to my birding over the last 20 years.

Books are now arriving from Buteo Books and Amazon.com. The check came in the mail. Still, I'll never have the second edition National Geographic Guide that was well-worn that I bought that first spring of birding at Bosque Del Apache NWR. A few titles were so out of print they could not be found.

I picked up a few titles I'd been wanting. Birding on Borrowed Time being one of them. Started reading it today and am enchanted with Phoebe's record keeping she's describing.

It all makes me think again of my records, and how to keep them.

My life list is an Excel spreadsheet. Fairly portable and compatible. But it's getting big enough that it is less so. Having lost hard-copy records reinforces the idea of remote backups as well.

The good news, on a less introspective scale, I think, maybe, I've defeated the Carpenter Ants who had been ravaging my hummingbird feeder.

First Time

2010-04-13T19:47:00.004-05:00

We recently took a quick trip to Florida, which, of course, included some time spent at Fort DeSoto County Park. I enjoyed my time watching waders, of course. Unfortunately, there was a fresh southwesterly breeze so any trans-gulf migrants were pushing farther inland or hiding in lower branches to stay out of the breeze.

Saw this interesting combination of trees near the entrance to Arrowhead Picnic Area.

My daughter took a few pictures of me birding.

After the kids tired of the beach, I took them back to Grandpa and Grandma's and made my way to E.G. Simmons County Park. More shorebirds.

Willets were in number everywhere.

Finally, I had my first. Not a new bird, per se, but a new birding experience. I saw a Gray Flycatcher. I had previously seen them in the Bahamas in 2005. This was a first for my US list, though. Therefore, it was the first bird to be a "country bird" in the US without being a lifer.

As I was pondering all of this back at my in-laws, a Swallow-tailed Kite flew over their backyard, eventually there were 6 of them circling about in the evening sky. These were lifers.

His Eye is on the Sparrow

2009-12-15T13:51:00.005-06:00

I've been reflecting on my experiences in Iraq, pretty much ever since I got home. One keeps coming back to me. I came across it in my journal today--

We serve an awesome God. You already knew that, but let me tell you about my day. Yesterday and last night the evil one was really trying to throw fear at me. We went out to ____ today. That is the route where we’ve had our 2 KIAs on.

I had a good day yesterday, I got caught up on some stuff, I got a package ready to send to home. The enemy starts trying to twist all that to “putting your house in order, eh? Good thing….”

Prayed last night, prayed this morning. I know it is in God’s hands....., I’m sitting there waiting for it to start and a gull flies overhead. I get a pretty good look at him, jot some notes in hope that I can identify him later. After the change of command I look, sure enough, Black-headed Gull. Lifer.

We go over to link up with the patrol. What am I riding in the back of? An up-armored MRAP. Take the already enormous and armored MRAP and put some great big armor plates on the sides of it. I was smart enough to catch that that was a God thing.

Make it out there fine, .... I wander around a bit and see some big mud puddles in an open area. Well, what do you know? There are birds feeding there. Grab my binoculars, watched, took notes. It’s good just to see birds.

....Come back safe and sound. I’m exhausted. Riding around just wears me out anyway, I think it’s the subconscious stress…which today wasn’t quite so "sub."

Come back here and pull out my notes and start looking through my bird book….3 more lifers. Ringed Plover, Little Stint and Common Redshank. As I am sitting here thinking wow…not quite what I was contemplating last night, it finally hits me. “See…I know the plans I have for you…they are for good.” Thank You, God. You want us to have joy, not fear. You are beautiful.

In sort of a variation on one of the verses from Psalm 63, which God has been using to speak to me the past several days, I took a picture of a House Sparrow in the shadow of an MRAP. You an see him on the left tire. And he was singing. Here’s the verse—

“Because You are my help, I sing in the shadow of Your wings.” (63:7)

God was almost yelling at me today, wasn’t He?

Serenity

2009-08-02T18:10:00.006-05:00

On our recent vacation, among the many places we visited, kayaked and birded, one of them was Fort DeSoto County Park near Tampa, Florida. This park has long been one of my favorites, especially the north beach area. If you are there at low tide, there is a spot that is great for shorebirds and waders.

Here are some White Ibis feeding.

This was my first time at DeSoto with my kayak, however...this opened up whole new areas of the park to explore, like this great sand bar that was literally covered in waders. Here's a Reddish Egret I was able to drift up close to.

That's it for now...I will probably continue to post some things from this trip for a while...we saw a lot!

Lampasass River

2009-06-16T16:01:00.002-05:00

We loaded up the kayaks and decided to try a more riverine experience with them last Friday. We put in on the Lampasass River and paddled upstream for a while then floated back, and had dinner on the way. It was rather peaceful.

We had a flock of Northern Rough-Winged Swallows in a tree by where we ate. We could see a few nest holes in the opposite bank.

We saw these Neotropical Bluets enjoying themselves on a floating log....(Props to my lovely wife for taking this picture for me.)

Looking forward to our big trip here soon....I hope I'll have lots to share with you all from that...until then...keep floating!

Back in the Green and Blue

2009-05-28T18:23:00.002-05:00

Well, I am back from Iraq....yeah!

We've bought a couple kayaks (Manta Ray 12's from Lakeline Watersports) and I'm enjoying seeing grass and trees and bodies of water again.

I have officially been to Ireland now, speaking of green....what makes it "offical" you ask? Why adding Hooded Crow to my life list, of course! That was a productive refueling stop!

Enjoying regularly seeing the central Texas regulars again--Scissortailed Flycatchers, Northern Mockingbirds, Great-tailed Grackles, Northern Cardinals....yes, it is good to be home again in so many ways.

Gotcha....Now What Are You?

2009-03-31T07:52:00.005-05:00

This little damselfly came and visited me last Sunday....it was quite lethargic....I finally set it outside and eventually it went away...I don't know if it was under its own power or it became lunch for something else....hopefully someday, I can find a guide that will let me identify this little beauty.

On the off chance an odonata expert is reading this...I was near Al-Amarah, Iraq.

Take a Closer Look...

2009-03-15T12:37:00.001-05:00

When Jesus tells us to "Look at the birds of the air," (Matthew 6:26) the Greek word translated "look" carries more force than the way we typically look at things. Both the meaning and the tense of the verb imply a detailed look, consideration, even study.

I mention this because recently I was back at "the pond" at LSA Adder in Iraq, and for some reason (I don't know why) I had got in my head that there might be another black and white kingfisher in Iraq besides the Pied Kingfisher that I regularly see here. So I was looking at the kingfishers. I took notes, I sketched the patterns of the breast-bands (very similar to Belted Kingfishers by the way) the markings on the top and bottom of the tail, bill length, shape….I was studying these birds. I was doing this, of course, because I wanted to be able to prove to myself that I had or had not seen this other fictional kingfisher I had dreamed up, when I got back and checked with my field guide.

God, of course, was setting me up. I love it when He does that, most of the time.

I was also reading a devotional written by Amy Carmichael while I was out there at the pond. It was short and she talked about how God can speak to us through a single word in His Word sometimes. How it will jump out, catch us, and we will get to know it, and Him, better if we take the time to consider it.

So, I get back to my room later in the day, I flip open my field guide to the kingfishers and….there is only Pied Kingfisher. Nothing else black and white. Not even close. Huh, well, why did I think there was? My answer is, sometimes I'm just a bonehead. I'll see something and it will trigger something else in my mind and…well, you get the idea.

But, almost as soon as I looked up from the page, God said, "Yeah, well, you know that bird a lot better now, don't you?" He, of course, was right. Now I knew the Pied Kingfisher better, appreciated it's subtle details more, because I had taken the time to really look at it.

The same thing applies to our study of His Word. I've been reading the Bible for over 20 years. I've taken courses on it, studied it, and taught it. There becomes a real danger of treating it like I was treating those kingfishers. Glance up, "kingfisher, black and white, it's a Pied," and move on. How often have a done the same thing with His Word?

I got really convicted a couple of years ago on this. I think this was just a reminder. I had got into the habit of sort of skimming scripture quotes in books I was reading. You know…you're reading along and the author quotes a few verses of scripture to support a point. Yeah, I'd just sort of skim them with a "yeah, got it" attitude. Until God smacked me upside the head (metaphorically speaking, of course) and convicted me that I was skipping the most important part of the book. After all, it's His Word that brings us life, not someone else's commentary on it.

So, I am challenged to find ways to prompt myself to see the familiar anew. To read the scriptures as if they might say something different than I thought, even if I come to find they say what I think they say, I will know that truth better for the process.

And isn't that the point of reading it in the first place?

While I'm Waiting....

2009-01-25T12:12:00.004-06:00

Just hanging out waiting to fly home on leave. It's a nice break, for the most part.

Crested Larks are rather ubiquitous. The remind me of mini Roadrunners as they do just that--run
.

Spanish Sparrow that was with a flock of House Sparrows.

Look at the Birds

2009-01-09T06:05:00.000-06:00

I have said on and off throughout the years, somewhat tongue-in-cheek, that my favorite Bible verse is Matthew 6:26, "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?"

Now, obvious to those who know me the "look at the birds" injunction appeals to me because I enjoy looking at birds. But, there are spiritual lessons to be learned by observing the physical world around us. David recognized that when he said, "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands." (Psalm 19:1)

I was sitting by a pond the other day, waiting on both the birds and our common maker. I saw that God makes different birds with different temperaments. There was a Little Egret standing on the bank for some time and then he began his day's work of wading around the edge hunting for food. A Pied Kingfisher was hovering and hunting and caught a small fish. Then it ate it and sat on a rock by the waters edge. Eventually it was joined by another, and they sat together, quietly.

I try to resist the tendency to anthropomorphize wildlife, at least immediately, in order to learn what they are really doing. As best as I can see, the kingfishers were content. God had provided for them, and the received. What was going through their minds I have no way to know. If I project myself onto them, I imagine perhaps they were offering thanksgiving to their Creator for another meal, another day.

I sat by the pond for a few hours. I even napped a bit. God does not always show up with power, but He is always present. I felt that the "lesson for the day" was that sometimes it is just good to hang out with a friend. Especially when He is the Alpha and Omega. And that is what I felt like I did for those hours. We enjoyed the pond, this little oasis in the midst of a dry and thirsty land.

And as I started to think about leaving, onto other tasks, He showed off a little. He called forth 4 lifers, one by one, in the space of maybe 30 minutes, saving the most spectacular looking one for last, a Common Kingfisher, bathed in the rays of that bright middle eastern sun. Look at the birds of the air, indeed. If we miss them, something is wrong with us, I think.

Why Did God Make Wings?

2008-12-02T01:30:00.002-06:00

10 September 2008

It had never really occurred to me until recently. When God has allowed His prophets a glimpse of the heavenly realms, often, there are beings with wings. Of course, the church has picked up on this and we see winged angels in our artwork throughout the ages.

On the fifth day, we read, God created the flying things, as well as the swimmers, which many are actually fliers, just buoyant ones in a different ether than we are accustomed to. Then, He waited and made the land animals. Almost as if He checked Himself a bit. Perhaps knowing He must wait to give us something to aspire to. Knowing that we would need something to capture our imagination, cause us to look up, and dream of Heaven.

When God came to earth as flesh and blood in the incarnation, Jesus entreated His followers, "consider the birds of the air." We tend to rush on to the lilies of the field and all that, because we think we understand the illustration. He again reminds us that not a sparrow falls to the ground that our Father is unaware. Our Savior spoke of the flying things.

We, as a people dreamed of flight for hundreds of years. To experience the freedom and the perspective of a bird on the wing. As our understanding of the physical word around us increased, eventually, we were able to take to the skies. Unfortunately, as we were learning more and more about the physical, I think, we began to lose the spiritual.

Now we could fly, but, by and large, we forgot why we wanted to. It had gone from a dream born on the creativity of God and visions of His splendor to a pursuit. A problem to be solved. Once we made that shift, and the "problem" was solved, we were left to figure out what we had, in fact, solved. As with most of our pursuits, it became about profit and loss, and now, after almost one hundred years of being able to take to the skies, actually doing it seems to be one of the most pedestrian things we do.

We are able to fly much faster and much higher than any creature. But we find ourselves increasingly wondering "why?" If we take the time to pause in field or forest, along lake or stream and watch the flying things, not those designed and profaned by ourselves, but those crafted by the hand of God. If we are quiet, and let the song of the bird enter not just our ears but our souls. If we ask, "Why does he sing when he flies?" Then, maybe, perhaps, the spirit within us might awaken and remember. Might remember when we dreamed of flying—not to get somewhere, but simply to be flying. Simply because it looked like it would be wonderful. Because we saw visions of cherubim and angels, and they had wings and they were near God.

Perhaps we shall have wings on the new earth. I do not know, and God has not seen fit to let us know yet. I cannot help but think that there will be wings around us if not on us. The Father seems to enjoy them, and He created them to be here, and to be where He is, or where He shows Himself to be.

Can there be a more striking vision, if we truly consider the birds of the air, of the Kingdom of God, of the good news that God loves us and desires us with Him, than to see a heron wading, take a few steps, elegant and breathtaking, then bow it’s head, spread it’s wings, and take to the air. I think it no mistake that we are told that Jesus, when He returns and all is made right again, will meet us in the air.

As the hymnist reminds us, "One glad morning when this life is over, I’ll fly away." Not walk, run or swim. I’ll fly away. O glory!

Beside Still Waters

2008-09-02T02:50:00.005-05:00

I have been out for a while at a new outpost without much of anything. Most days I see sand, gravel and sky. I did get a chance to go back to the "main FOB" for a few days though. A real shower, porcelain toilets...the little things in life.

I woke up at 0530 because, well, that's when I wake up normally and I'm getting to that stage in life where my body just doesn't get the whole "sleep in" thing. So I got dressed and walked over to the pond to see what I could see. On the way, I was praying, and was tempted to ask God for a lifer, but, slowly learning my lesson over the years, I changed my mind and just asked Him for whatever He had for me this morning.

It was a pleasant, sunny morning. Lately, where I am, the winds have shifted and we have been getting air from off the Persian Gulf--full of humidity. So, reluctantly, I have to admit there is something to this "dry heat" thing. 98 with 12% humidity felt rather nice this morning.

It was a wonderful couple of hours...I ended up with six life birds. I can't remember the last time I had 6 life birds in such a short span of time. God came through (as if that's a surprise.) It had been a tough couple of weeks before I came back so this was some real soul feeding for me.

Here's my list for the morning:

Little Egret

Squacco Heron

Cattle Egret

Little Bittern

Water Rail

Black-winged Stilt

Red-wattled Lapwing

Common Sandpiper

Rock Pigeon

Eurasian Collared-Dove

Pied Kingfisher

Eurasian Hoopoe

Crested Lark

House Martin

White-cheeked Bulbul

Red-backed Shrike

Woodchat Shrike

House Sparrow

There were a couple that got away too...a thrush-like bird I saw on the opposite shore that could have been any of about half a dozen species and then there were several "lbjs" in the reeds along the pond too. (little brown jobs) which, from the 2 glimpses I caught, could have been almost anything....

But, the Water Rail I was able to watch for probably 5 minutes. That just doesn't happen with rails normally, they like to skulk in the reeds, but this one seemed content to feed along the shoreline for a while. Then the Little Bittern that not only was out in the open, but let me get cose enough to take some pictures with my little pocket camera.

I have to admit, by the time I got to this one, and stood their marveling and snapping, I had some tears in my eyes. Truly,
"The LORD is my shepherd,
I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
He leads me beside quiet waters,
He restores my soul."

Not the first time I've quoted that Psalm recently, but the first time for those particular verses. Thanks, God, I needed that.

Praise for the Tough Little Guy

2008-06-24T06:39:00.002-05:00

To the average birder, there are some birds that we tend to see as worth little more than a tick mark on the checklist. They tend to be a given, they are common, they may even be introduced (that is, not a native species). Depending where you are, they vary, but they are birds like Mallards, European Starling, Rock Pigeons, and, of course, the ubiquitous House Sparrow Passer domesticus.

They are found on all 6 inhabited continents. To say that these little feathered creations are controversial is an understatement. Ornithologists can't decide if they are related to Weaver Finches or some other family. Conservationist consider their introduction into North America and Australia a huge mistake. They are aggressive cavity-nesters and compete (quite successfully) with many native species.

They are considered the most abundant bird on the planet, however. They thrive in areas where man has altered the landscape. Walk into almost any large retail store with a warehouse-type ceiling and you will probably find some. Lately, I have been amazed just to see them in the deserts of Kuwait and Iraq. They find our camps, our outposts, and they manage to live off the water we spill and the food we drop, or so it seems.

I was bemused to see one today perched underneath the exhaust vent on a shower trailer, trying to stay cool. No easy task, with the temperature hovering around 116 and a firm breeze creating the effect of having a hair dryer pointed at you while sitting under a heat lamp.

Yes, I understand there are lots of issues around this species. But largely, they are not its fault. They did not ask to be crated up and sent around the globe in centuries past. They just did what they always did once they were released. And they do it well: adapt, overcome and survive. So even if the reasons to dislike them are long, they still deserve a measure of respect as being, in terms of numbers and range anyway, the biggest bird in the world.

In Asia, Again....

2008-06-21T01:11:00.003-05:00

Well, after 364 days stateside the Army decided that, once again, I should go birding in Asia on their dime. This time, though, it's southwest Asia, aka Iraq.

So far the birding hasn't been too bad. Kuwait only netted 2 birds, House Sparrow (it there anyplace they don't live?) and Crested Lark. Mostly, Kuwait was a non-stop sandstorm for the 5 days I was there.

Now that I am in-country, the sand storms have subsided and birding has picked up. On the FOB I am on right now, we are blessed with a small pond. This, of course, is a bit of a bird magnet, which suits me just fine. The past two mornings I have spent some time birding around it before breakfast.

Just having some open water, having that wonderful fresh water lake smell, takes me back to the Midwest in the states. It is incredibly refreshing, dare I say, on a spiritual level. But then, God has wooed me through nature for most of my life.

Well, toting around my pocket camera, I managed a few pictures this morning where you can actually tell they are birds...I'll share a few.

Here is a Black-winged Stilt that I watched for quite a while this morning.

Eurasian Collared Dove and Pied Kingfisher.

And then a picture of a White-cheeked Bubul from yesterday taken near the chow hall.

I also saw a Snowy Plover, Common Sandpiper, Crested Lark and the ever-popular Rock Pigeon. Finally, an interesting bird that frequents the pond is the Red-wattled Lapwing. This is a large plover-like bird with a striking tan, white and black plumage and yellow legs. It likes to fly around calling out "did-he-do-it, did-he-do-it, did-did-he-do-it" rather loudly. Unfortunately, they don't stay still long enough, near enough for me to get a picture yet. It's gets its name because it has a red eye-ring that has a little bit extra (the "wattle") toward the front. It's not terribly easy to see, but it makes for a good name, I suppose.

Well, phooey....

2008-01-06T15:19:00.001-06:00

My camera, my beloved camera, died. Inexplicably, totally. All my attempts at reviving it have come to naught.

I bought a cheap pocket camera as somewhat of a replacement around Christmas. It takes fine snapshots, but I haven't been able to get a decent bird picture yet. (I even tried a few shots at the feeder this morning.)

I've got some decisions to make in regards to tech purchases. I want another nice camera, butnot if it's going to die in under 2 years as all of my cameras have to date.

Alas.

Tennessee-ing

2007-07-23T18:51:00.001-05:00

Well, I have returned to the US after a year in the Land of the Morning Calm. Packed up the family, and moved from South Carolina to Central Texas. On the way, we spent some time in Tennessee. While there, I got these shots one afternoon.

Just a Little Walk...

2007-04-22T06:45:00.000-05:00

Well, I've been back in Korea about a week and a half after an extended leave (and illness) stateside. I wanted to get out and enjoy the Spring weather and see what birds I could find so, in good Thoreau fashion, out the door I went....

I went to what I still call "Uijenongbu City Park" because I don't know what it is really called. I noticed they had a new trail roped off going up toward the area I was interested in birding so...off I went. It turned out this is the trail that goes over Highway 3 and into Bukan National Park. Well, why not? So I kept on trucking.

In the early stages of my hike, there were many reminders of where I was, from a military standpoint. I was on the western border of the Uijeongbu Corridor, a historical invasion route of the peninsula from the north, and a direct route from North Korea to Seoul. Many of these fortifications are still maintained, at least to some degree, by the looks of it.

On the way up the ridge line, I saw several birds, including Long-tailed Tit, White-Backed Woodpecker, Pygmy Woodpecker and Eastern Crowned Leaf Warbler. The temperature was pleasant, and the trail was busy. Spring is starting to really take hold here and I saw lots of bushes with these pretty purple flowers.

On one overlook I was able to get a picture of where I had gone so far. You can see Camp Red Cloud in the upper left. I walked through town behind the high-rise apartments to the right and then up the ridge in the right foreground. (was it really that far?) The haze/pollution is evident in the picture.

The mountains are rugged and beautiful with lots of outcroppings.

I saw lots of these banners throughout the park, I assume this is the Korean equivalent of Smokey Bear? I saw him and his little friend on some different signs as well, maybe they are the Korean National Parks mascots? This one seems to be about fire prevention.

It's places and days like this that God just soothes my soul. How can you not feel His goodness walking down a path like this?

After going along the ridge line for a while, I decided maybe I should head back down before I wore myself out completely. So I found a path headed down to Uijeongbu and it followed a growing mountain stream for a good part of the way. I took several pictures. Here's one of them. The sound of the rushing water was very nice.

As I came closer to the bottom, I came across a Buddhist monastery. It marked the farthest part up that you could drive. (Well, you might drive, parts of it looked pretty hairy to me!)

Apparently, the ascetic life isn't quite what it used to be. (Note the two satellite dishes and propane tanks next to the houses in the foreground.

Once I reached the entrance to the park, I stopped at a local shop and bought a Korean-sized bottle of orange juice. This was quite refreshing as I hadn't brought quite as much water as I would have if I had known how far I was going to go. (Korea has bottles of juice that are 1.5 liters in many stores.)

I was then faced with a dilemma, well two, actually. The most pressing one was finding a subway stop. That I accomplished in short order with the help of a street sign pointing me in the right direction. (I really appreciate how much English is in this country!) Then I had to decide to go shower before meeting friends for dinner or go to Eungbang Station near the Han river and look for ducks.

Ducks won. (Sorry, guys!)

Once I remembered what line I wanted to transfer to, I arrived and started looking to see what was around. I was soon greeted by this lovely couple.

Mandarin Ducks! These relatives of the Woodduck are quite the sight to behold. I sat and watched them for almost 30 minutes before I had to head back north.

I also saw the more common ducks for this spot, including Mallards and Eurasian Teal

As I was starting to think about leaving, a Great Cormorant flew in and decided to dry off for a while.

I finally succumbed to my schedule and took the subway back to Uijeongbu for my dinner engagement. We ate at the Spaghetti House and then topped it off with ice cream at Baskin Robbins. A good day, a refreshing day, and yet, at the end, I was tired and glad to shower and hit the sack.

Until next time...

Changdeok Palace

2007-01-05T22:35:00.000-06:00

Tuesday, I went down to Seoul to spend some time with my brother-in-law and his wife and my mother-in-law who was visiting us in Korea. This, of course, let me go through one of my favorite subway stations, Naksapyeong.

It might be a little goofy to have a favorite station, but after a while, you get to know some of them and their various personalities.

The agenda for the day was to go and see some of the palaces in Seoul...So after lunch, onto the subway and away we go....To our first stop. Now, I'll be the first to admit, my Korean is minimal and I can't read a lick of Hangul. But even I can figure this sign out.

Well gee, here's what we could have seen...

So, now doubting our printed guide, but pressing on anyway, we went to a market, whose name I can't recall--lot's of "food" that was across my "line" and bunches of clothes and textiles. Then we walked over to Dongdaemun Stadium and its flea market. (Is it possible to go to Seoul without visiting this place?)

Then, tentatively putting our trust in our guidebook again we headed for Changdeok Palace and the promised 1550 English-speaking tour.

We made it and enjoyed the tour, which takes about 90 minutes and entails about 1.5 miles of walking. The view above is the Main Hall, just inside (can you guess?) the Main Gate! Below is a detail shot of figures on the corners of some of the roofs. They have significance in Buddhism, but I didn't catch what, exactly, that significance was.

Hers is a view looking toward the Main Gate from the front of the Main Hall.

And then a shot of the "throne" in the Main Hall. The Main Hall and courtyard were only used for large and important ceremonies, according to our guide.

We then progressed from the Main Hall area on the rest of our tour. Here is a shot of some of the grounds. Rather pretty, even in the dead of winter.

Here is a shot of our tour guide, and the family standing behind her....yeh. (You had to be there.)

The quarters of the royal family (king and queen) were the next main attraction. There are covered walkways between the various buildings of this complex.

At various spots around the grounds, near major buildings, are these large water-pots. Our guide explained that they were for fire prevention, though not the way most of us would think. The idea was, when the fire gods would come down of the sky, they would see themselves reflected in the water, be frightened, and run away, not causing fires.

Most of the main buildings were exquisitely painted. It would be a full-time job just to be on the paint crew for this palace. Here is a shot showing some of the detail.

Some areas had small gutters and downspouts, which were also decorative as well as functional. I am assuming the downspout is supposed to resemble a Tufted Duck, which is fairly common in Korea.

Yes, we are still in the royal quarters, let's look at roof lines for a moment. Here is the king's quarters.

And the queen's quarters. (yes, apparently it isn't that good to be the king.)

Notice the lack of the ridge on the queen's quarters? There was a lot of symbolism in this, and I didn't catch it all. Part of it had to do with spirits coming down to their children at birth and the roof with a ridge would block that somehow.

Moving on from the royal quarters, here is a view of the interior of a random room.

And a gate in one of the internal palace walls. (This is a large complex and is subdivided, I assume for both security and aesthetic reasons.)

And here is a little garden area as we leave the royal quarters compound.

Speaking of gardens, the palace has a "secret garden." Here is the "approach" to this special area.

One of the main features of this large garden area is the library. The building in the center is the main library, with reading areas on the second floor. The building to the left is additional book storage. You can also see the main gate leading up to this structure.

Here is a gazebo, also located next to the pond from the picture above. It has a non-traditional roofline and more corners than the typical building. All of this is supposed to help it represent a lotus flower. (That's what she said, honest!)

compare the above with this more "typical" pavilion and you can see the difference.

A closer view of the library and the main gate leading up to it.

When you get close enough, you find this little gate to the left of the main gate for the library. This is the gate that most people who were allowed to come to the library had to use. Only royalty and certain officials could use the big gate, apparently.

Near some of the buidlings were these sundials, which I found interesting. I don't know what all the markings mean, but they look pretty advanced, I assume showing equinoxes and the like.

As we progressed on our tour, and I kept taking photos, I knew I wanted to write this up on my blog....But my blog is about flying things.....Oh, look! A Eurasian Magpie!

And not even a good picture of it at that, but I've satisfied my OFTC rule. (Obligatory Flying Thing Content).

And of course, what would any palace be without servant's quarters? (Well, it would be a pain to clean and maintain, that's for sure!)

And that completes our tour together. Thanks for joining me. Until next time.....

Birds and Birders

2006-12-16T17:19:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I got motivated to get out of my room and go brave the cold in search of birds. I took the subway to Eungbong again in hopes of maybe finding some new waterfowl. Once I got to the river and began looking to see what was there, I met Ma, who works for the Korea Federation for Environmental Movement. He asked me if I liked looking at birds (in very good English) and we talked for a few minutes.

It just so happened he had a group of about 15 Korean birders there and invited me to join them, which I readily accepted. We were soon joined by Barry, and Australian who has been teaching in Korea for about 5 years.

We spent the rest of the afternoon together birding along the river. We didn't see much out of the ordinary, but it was fun to be in the company of birders again.

Tufted Ducks Aythya fuligula were present in the deeper waters.

Eurasian Teal Anas creca were plentiful and some were close enough to photograph with my 10x digital camera.

Spot-billed Duck Anas poecilorhynca were found farther upstream, here with a teal, giving a good idea of comparative size of the two birds.

And some Pochard Aythya ferina were also present in good numbers.

As the sun set, I was invited to join the group for dinner, which I did. We went and ate Chinese at a nearby restaurant. I was pleased to find out that some birding traditions seem to be universal. After we were done eating one of the group members stood up and, I finally figured out, started listing off all the species the group had tallied for the day. (In Hangul, of course.) It took me back to birding with the Stockbridge Audubon Society in Indiana.

Once dinner was done and conversation run out, we dispersed into the night. I was quite happy to have fallen in with some fellow birders. I was able to expand my belief that birders are generally very nice folks, to include Koreans and Australians today.

Dobongsan Hiking

2006-11-26T04:16:00.000-06:00

Saturday, a few friends and I decided to take a hike. We hopped the subway to Dobongsan Station and followed the crowd up the mountain. You have to love a country where you can take the subway to a national park!

We naturally decided to go to the top, which was what a lot of other Koreans were doing as well. I have never seen a hiking trail so busy anywhere. Here's a picture of a couple of my stalwart companions. If it looks steep, it was, but this part had steps, so, actually, it was one of the easier sections!

But we did not have a corner on stalwartness by any means. Young and old, male and female were trekking as well on this sunny Saturday. One that really turned my head was this gentleman....yes, he's barefoot.

As we got closer to the summit, we had some good views. (They could have been better but smog is a pretty common thing here.) Through the mist, this is Seoul.

The hike got progressively steeper with more and more challenging terrain. Here is a picture from the summit of the last little bit. There is a handrail...and lots of rock. No steps. Just grab, grunt and go.

From the top we had great views. I could even see the reservoir I rode my bike to a while ago. (See several posts down)

What's that? Yes, this is primarily a bird blog. I saw several Eurasian Nuthatches (Sitta europaea) while on our hike. I tried in vain to get a photo. Out of all my clicking, this is the best I managed. Quite possibly the world's worst nuthatch photo ever. But, I feel obliged to include something with wings in most of my posts. (No, trust me, it was a bird...the blurry thing behind the twigs, really...)

According to my GPS we covered about 6 miles and went up about 2,200 vertical feet. Well, after a lot of walking on this long weekend, I'm just going to sit here with my feet up for a while. Until next time, keep sauntering on.

Han River Near Seoul Forest

2006-11-26T03:54:00.000-06:00

Friday I took the subway to Eungbong Station on the light blue line. Once I got off, I made my way to the river and walked toward where this particular riuver meets the Han River. (I never did figure out the name of this tributary--I walked west toward Oksu Station.) Along this walk I saw several species of ducks and grebes.

Species I saw included Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula), Spot-billed Duck (Anas poecilorhncha), Mallard (Anas platyrynchos), and Northern Pintail (Anas acuta).

I also saw Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata), CommonPochard (Aythya ferina) and Eurasian Teal (Anas crecca).

I tried to get pictures of everything, but my 10x zoom on my camera just isn't enough to reach out and get good waterfowl shots. Some of the other ones that escaped good photographs included Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo), Common Merganser (Mergus merganser), Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) and Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus).

As I worked my way back to the subway, I stumbled across "Seoul Forest," which looks like a small wildlife park with a few different species of native deer. From the over-head walkway I caught this picture of a Grey Heron.

Thanks to some of my new-found friends on the Birds Korea forum for the tip on this spot.

Green Mile with a Special Guest

2006-10-15T04:01:00.000-05:00

It has been entirely too long since I took my camera in search of wildlife. But today I took my wife on the "Green Mile." She is over here visiting from the states and we are very much enjoying our time together. Here's our lovely guest photographer now....

We were greeted by a couple of Korean Chipmunks on the wall early on in our stroll. They were fairly tolerant of our approach, and quite cute.

We also saw several spiders (surprise, surprise--these things are everywhere.) This one had apparently dispatched a dragonfly fairly recently. By the look of it, they are quite filling. I wonder if it lost one of its legs in the battle?

Toward the end of our walk, my guest photographer took some pictures of Uijeongbu and also the traditional burial mounds on post.

Meanwhile, I was busy snapping pictures of a Brown Shrike.

The shrike was a lifer...all the more sweet because I shared it with my wife. Thanks again for joining us on our walk.

Guest Writer

2006-08-27T07:43:00.000-05:00

Today we have a guest writer, sort of. One of my favorites, Henry David Thoreau and the first few paragraphs of his essay "Walking." I recently discovered this essay and especially like these few paragraphs. Classic Thoreau through and through.

I WISH TO SPEAK a word for nature, for absolute Freedom and Wildness, as contrasted with a freedom and Culture merely civil,—to regard man as an inhabitant, or a part and parcel of Nature, rather than a member of society. I wish to make an extreme statement, if so I may make a emphatic one, for there are enough champions of civilization; the minister, and the school-committee, and every one of you will take care of that.

I have met with but one or two persons in the course of my life who understood the art of Walking, that is, of taking walks, who had a genius, so to speak, for sauntering; which word is beautifully derived "from idle people who roved about the country, in the middle ages, and asked charity, under pretence of going à la sainte terre"—to the holy land, till the children exclaimed, "There goes a sainte-terrer", a saunterer—a holy-lander. They who never go to the holy land in their walks, as they pretend, are indeed mere idlers and vagabonds, but they who do go there are saunterers in the good sense, such as I mean. Some, however, would derive the word from sans terre, without land or a home, which, therefore, in the good sense, will mean, having no particular home, but equally at home everywhere. For this is the secret of successful sauntering. He who sits still in a house all the time may be the greatest vagrant of all, but the Saunterer, in the good sense, is no more vagrant than the meandering river, which is all the while sedulously seeking the shortest course to the sea. But I prefer the first, which indeed is the most probable derivation. For every walk is a sort of crusade, preached by some Peter the Hermit in us, to go forth and reconquer this holy land from the hands of the Infidels.

It is true, we are but faint hearted crusaders, even the walkers, now-a-days, who undertake no persevering never ending enterprises. Our expeditions are but tours and come round again at evening to the old hearth side from which we set out. Half the walk is but retracing our steps. We should go forth on the shortest walk, perchance, in the spirit of undying adventure, never to return; prepared to send back our embalmed hearts only, as relics to our desolate kingdoms. If you are ready to leave father and mother, and brother and sister, and wife and child and friends, and never see them again; if you have paid your debts, and made your will, and settled all your affairs, and are a free man; then you are ready for a walk.

Over the Top

2006-08-24T07:44:00.000-05:00

I rode my bike up to the gym to work out this evening, but, it was closed for the day. So, I went back to my room, dropped off my Palm and headphones, grabbed my camera and my Camelback and headed out to explore a bike route one of my friends told me about yesterday.

Okay, go, turn left and it will take you up the mountain....Got it. Wow, he did say up didn't he? Keep in mind, most steep highway grades in the states are only 6%.

Over the course of the 3 miles, I did about 600 vertical feet. Going up was tough, going down was too...I broke one of my brake levers I was squeezing the brakes so hard. Granted, they were kind of cheap, but, still.....

Anyway...I did manage a couple of flying things on the trip. Sympetrum eroticum seems to be a common dragon in this area. They have the habit of perching on power lines, too. On my ride there was one stretch where there was one about every 2 feet or so for probably 100 yards!

I also saw Sympetrum strolatum which I think is a rather striking looking specimen.

There was a spot with a nice overlook of northwest Uijongbu. You can see the soccer stadium in the middle. The odd looking large structure on the left is an ice rink. And of course the omnipresent cookie-cutter apartment buildings.

I had to smile, when I was on the way down, a young man had brought his girlfriend (I presume, anyway) up to the spot on his scooter. Some things are universal.

Once over the hill, there is a nice reservoir that is probably about a half mile long. The only ducks I saw were the common Spot-Billed Ducks, but, I will check back as we approach the fall migration to be sure!

Finally, the sun was starting to duck behind the hills, so I knew I should be heading back. It was a nice unplanned excursion overall, and has given me some other areas to explore. Probably the most refreshing part was being able to have the feeling of being in a rural setting. It's the first time I've had that since I arrived in Korea.

Uijongbu City Park

2006-08-19T03:46:00.000-05:00

Well, I don't know if that's the official name or not, but it aptly describes this nice place I discovered today. I went to downtown Uijongbu to do some shopping and on my way found a sign/map for this trail behind several municipal buildings. After I completed my shopping, I decided to check it out. Quite a nice park area. Some of it wild and some of it developed.

Amongst the flower beds I found some butterflies. First I found Polygoniac arcum which I had first found about 3 weeks ago on the "green mile."

Then I courted a swallowtail for a good long while and managed some decent shots when it was all over. (Shooting butterflies can be a challenge anyway, but with the winds from the front edge of Tropical Depression Wukong blowing this way and that...well, you can use a lot of memory on your camera's card....) Regardless, here are a couple of shots of Papilio xanthus, reminding me very much of Eastern Tiger Swallowtail back in the states. (They are "cousins" of the same genus.)

I then took the "path less traveled" (probably because it heads straight up hill!) into the woods and caught fleeting glimpses of big, black, floppy swallowtails. I finally came upon one that was content to stay in one area and I started shooting. My camera promptly told me that it was about out of battery. I didn't want to stop to change and risk loosing the shot, so I just kept clicking. Fortunately, they held out until after I had successfully pixelated this woodland nymph. Check out this striking Papilio macilentus.

One good thing about the wind, I'm sure I never would have got this next shot without it, revealing two large "eyespots" on the hindwings.

There is also a lot of art/statuary in certain areas of the park. I'm not sure what to make of this one, but I don't think any good can come of it, Mr. Frodo....(There is the matching right foot on the other side of the path.)

There is also a bandshell and basketball courts as well as some general purpose grassy area across the street from the entrance to the trail. It was refreshing to see some green space in the land of concrete.

Finally, upon returning to post, I remembered to walk by my office and capture this spider that I have been watching grow, eat and live outside of my office for the past couple of weeks. She's grown quite a bit, I would estimate an easy 2.5" from end to end of her legs.

Well, thanks again for joining me on another few moments of adventure. Once again, I have the aching knees and you have the pictures.

Sunday Afternoon on the Green Mile

2006-07-25T05:21:00.000-05:00

Well, after spending the previous weekend and this Saturday exploring Uijongbu and Seoul, I was ready for some nature. So Sunday afternoon I loaded up the binoculars, camera, field guide and headed off to see what was flying around the "Green Mile." This is a stretch of perimeter on my installation that is hilly and wooded. It makes for some good exercise and usually, some good flying things.

There is a stretch of the Green Mile that I've nicknamed "Roller Alley" because I can pretty well count on finding a Broad-billed Roller Eurystomus orientalis along the stretch. I was not disappointed. Unfortunately from a photography standpoint, they prefer to sit way at the top of some poles in order to hunt insects.

Also sharing the pole-tops was a Brown-eared Bulbul Ixos amaurotis. These birds often strike me as looking rather "scruffy."As you can see, they like to be noisy as well.

As I moved past "Roller Alley" I came upon a group of Tits foraging in the trees and as I watched them I was treated to my first Pygmy Woodpecker Dendrocopos kizuki. I was even able to catch a few blurry photos.

I also saw a flock of Vinous-throated Parrotbills, but, as is their custom, they stayed unphotogenically concealed in the brush most of the time. I also was able to see my first Eurasian Nuthatch.

Butterflies were actually the big story of the day, however, as I was afforded the opportunity to photograph several different species. The most numerous were the Arygronome ruslana a pretty orange-and-black species.

The rather oblong Neptis sappho was an interesting, if fleeting, subject.

Artogeia melete is a small, mostly white butterfly that seems to like these little white and yellow flowers.

This little gem has the rather geometric sounding name of Polygoniac areum.

And, of course, what would a walk through nature be without a mystery. I haven't been able to identify this rather cryptic-colored one. (I'm not even sure it's not a moth!)

You'll pardon me if I sound out of breath, I hope, I did mention this walk is hilly, right? Yes, they are as steep as they look!

My only dragon of the day was both fairly plentiful and very patient with me as I tried to get my camera to focus on them. I finally managed some shots not focused on the background of Sympetrum abfuscatum. They are of the same genus as the North American Meadowhawks.

Finally, as my walk began to wind down (literally the downhill side!) I interacted with a immature Daurian Redstart Phoenicurus auroreus. These fairly common small thrushes are probably my favorite Korean bird so far. I'm not sure why, they just appeal to me for some reason. Since they're my favorite and this one was so cooperative, here's two pictures.

Finally, as I made my way out of the woods, I snapped a picture of part of the Uijongbu skyline. Hard to believe until fairly recently the government prohibited buildings taller than 5 stories in this part of the country due to military concerns.

Well, thanks for joining me on yet another virtual hike through the outdoors in search of winged wonders. I snapped this one in a traffic mirror on the way back to my quarters.

Mallipo Beach & Chollipo Arboretum

2006-07-09T00:33:00.000-05:00

I took an MWR trip to Mallipo Beach yesterday. It is apparently one of South Korea's top beach resorts (more on that later) and is located near Taen, south of Inchon on the west coast. The beach is about 3km long and is in a bit of a bay flanked by rocky outcroppings. There is a touristy collection of shops and restaurants along the beach.

The weather was hazy/foggy all day. It did lift some, but we never really did get a good view of the Yellow Sea. Soon after we arrived I started walking south along the beach and saw lots of starfish washed up on shore (it was low tide.) They were very pretty and surprisingly, (to me, anyway) nothing was trying to eat them.

There were a fair amount of Black-tailed Gulls Larus crassirostris along the beach. These are the only gulls commonly found in Korea in the summer and they reminded me very much of the Ring-billed Gulls in the US as far as size and behavior.

Upon reaching the south end of the beach I explored the rocky outcropping some. I was able to climb the area between the big nob and the rest of the rocky coast and see the Yellow Sea (well, some of it, it was still very hazy). There were a few people fishing and I was able to see and photograph a Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius as it collected food for it's nestlings. It had a nest (I believe, I never saw it) in a hollow in the rocky face of the shore. In the picture below it is about ready to hop in to the left and feed it's brood. (I did hear "chick" noises coming from it.)

After not seeing much else except a Grey Wagtail and the omnipresent Eurasian Magpies, I headed back up the beach. Our Korean hosts (who work for MWR) had brought lunch so I had my first taste of Korean cuisine. The rice and beef were okay, if a little bland. There was some sort of clear-looking noodle with sauce that was pretty good (as long as you didn't look at it too much...for the life of me it looked like a pile of some sort of intestinal worm!) And then there was that famous Korean dish, kimchi. Now, in all fairness, it is my understanding that there are many varieties of kimchi so I shan't write it off completely based on one experience. However, this tasted like vegetables soaked in vinegar and flavored with turpentine. Needless to say, I didn't eat a whole lot of that. (A peanut butter sandwich I had packed rounded out my lunch!)

Without a great deal of hope, I then headed north up the beach to see what I could see in that direction. The haze had burnt off somewhat, but visibility was still not much more than a mile, maybe a mile and a half. I walked up the beach and then decided to follow the road north a bit because it looked like it went to another beach configured similar to Mallipo.

On the way, I discovered the Challipo Arboretum. After walking past most of it and seeing the various flowers, ponds and trees, I decided it might be my best bet for winged wildlife and went back to have a go. At the ticket office I was greeted by 2 nice young women who didn't speak much English (but still much more than I speak Korean!). We managed to communicate the admission price (fortunately I had the foresight to get some Won before I came--I'm still not positive that I didn't purchase a membership, but oh well,) and that I could not use my tripod on the grounds. It was okay for me to carry it, I just could not use it.

I was not disappointed, I did find a small flock of Vinous-throated Parrotbills Paradoxornis webbianus but was unable to get a picture. As my field guide aptly states, "...occuring in large, noisy, unseen flocks moving through the undergrowth." I was able to see them, but only fleetingly at any one time. They are a very plain looking brown bird, about the size of a small sparrow, with some chestnut "highlights" on the crown and wings and a proportionately long tail.
Then as I moved around some ponds planted with perennials, I was able to get some pictures of some butterflies and dragonflies. First we have a Cynthia cardui which was very pretty. This first one had lost a chunk of it's wing somehow.

And this shot of another individual shows the underside pattern as well.

The highlight of my dragonfly shots had to be this striking Crocothemis servilia servilia with it's amazing color. Love was in the air as almost all the odes I saw were flying about in wheel postures or ovipositing. (The "wheel" formation is how dragonflies fertilize the eggs and it is amazing to see them be able to fly while doing this. Ovipositing is the female depositing the eggs, normally in the water.)

Finally, after having covered most of the grounds, I decided I should head back to the beach. As I walked I did appreciate the countryside, which is growing scarce in South Korea. Urban sprawl is really sprawling. I paused and took a picture of a traditional-style house next to some rice paddies.

Once I returned to the beach, I sat and people-watched for a bit before succumbing to the urge to take a nap. All in all, not a bad day, but I was disappointed at the lack of coastal birds. I had dreams of Eurasian Spoonbills and Pacific Reef-herons. The beach was dirty, by American standards, anyway. And beach culture was different than in the west. Swimsuits were the exception, as most Koreans just seemed to wear whatever they had on into the water. There was also no regulation of the kind I have grown to expect at American beaches. A large tractor drove a trailered boat down to the water and left the trailer on the beach. Not a scene you would expect at most American resort beaches.

Sincheon River

2006-06-26T05:18:00.000-05:00

I took a bus to Dongdecheon Sunday afternoon and walked about 8 miles on this river-walk they have along the Sincheon River. It was warm, and breezy. The first thing that hit me once I got to the river was the smell. Now I have since read that they have made great strides in cleaning up the Sincheon River. I will admit it didn't look bad...But at least the first half of what I walked had that distinct odor of raw sewage. I had visions of adding to that infamous sub-set of my life-list, "Birds I have Thrown Up While Seeing." 8 species..Monterey Pelagic, small craft advisory...But I digress.

Of course there were plenty of Grey Herons (Ardea cinirea) around, and like their North American cousins the Great Blue Heron, they are one of my favorite birds.

There were also good numbers of Little Egrets (Egretta garzetta) plying the shallow river in search of food.

I saw my first Korean ducks as well, the Spot-billed Duck (Anas poecilarhyncha). A Relative of the Mallard, and very similar in habits from what I saw.

Water birds weren't all I saw, however, as a White Wagtail (Motscilla alba leucopsis) came to the river for a visit as well allowing a few photographs.

Among the shorebirds present, I saw a Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (Calidris acuminata), Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius) and Long-billed Plover (C. placidus), pictured here.

I also managed my first two ode pictures in Korea. This first one was a lucky in-flight shot of one that was hawking near a drainage culvert. It's little fuzzy but I'm pretty confident it is a Pseudothemis zonata.

The second ode was much more cooperative and perched nicely on the walk so I could get a picture. Here's my first Orthetrum albistylum speciosum.

I'm not sure if this sign I saw several places was directed toward dragonflies, though I have a hunch the basic message is, "don't eat the fish!"

It didn't stop these local fishing buddies, however. (I also noticed several of the humanoid variety as well)

I turned around once I reached a rice paddy. Though I searched in vain for Intermediate Egret, the best I could do was Little and Great Egrets and, more Spot-billed Ducks.

Overall, I was very impressed with the walk. It seemed well-maintained and well used.

All in all my 4 hours were enjoyable and gave me lots of time for reflection, just like this last photo....

Land of the Morning Calm

2006-06-17T16:24:00.000-05:00

Greetings from South Korea!

I am now in Uijongbu, South Korea for a year. I've only been here a few days and I am starting to get used to having my days and nights reversed. I don't the separation from family thing has even begun to sink in yet....

But, I did manage to get some pictures of an Artogeia canidia. Not only that, but I managed to identify this Korean butterfly on a web page that is all in Japanese except for the Latin names...Anyway, here's the picture.

75 Miles West

2006-06-08T20:27:00.000-05:00

From Ohio, 75 minutes west into Indiana and a few days around New Castle. For our purposes though, a couple of hours around Memorial Park turned up some interesting sights. One of the first was an Eastern Comma Polygonia comma that caught my attention and then was kind enough to hold still for some pictures.

Common Whitetails Plathemis lydia were in abundance as well. Here is a juvenile male I caught on digits.

I wasn’t the only one in the park looking for bugs, either, or so it seems….

There were several damsels around as well but with a variable wind, they were tough, to say the least. My best bet was what I am relatively confident to call a Powdered Dancer Argia moesta.

A Jade Clubtail Arigomphus submedianus and Eastern Amberwing Perithemis tenera made a nice pare on a partially submerged log.

Finally, a Widow Skimmer Libellula luctuosa rounded out the day by perching for a photo as I was heading back to the van.

Ohio Explorations

2006-06-04T12:42:00.000-05:00

Took a trip this week to see my parent's new place in Darke County, Ohio. While there, I had to see what was out and about. I had some good shots and added several species to various lists--life, state and year.

Female Common Whitetail, Libellula lydia

Twelve-spotted Skimmer, Libellula pulchella

Calico Penant, Celithemis elisa

Silver-spotted Skipper, Epargyreus clarus

Zabulon Skipper, Poanes zabulon

Black Swallowtail, Papilo, polyxenes

Today I Watched Winged Fairies Dancing....

2006-05-13T20:44:00.000-05:00

Or at least that's how it felt. I took a walk on Fort Jackson today and was delighted by what I saw. Initially, there were lots of Eastern Pondhawks around Semmes Lake. There were many intermediate males like this one.

Males begin life colored all green as the females are, but turn blue as they mature. It must be adolescence time for them, because there were several I saw in various stages of transition.

Eastern Amberwings were also flying about, no doubt doing their best to feed on gnats and other insects along the water.

I then headed toward the garden plots and discovered this occasionally captivating little stream that is used for irrigation.

Then I took a turn between some of the plots and found another smaller stream. While I lingered there, a Tufted Titmouse bathed unabashed nearby.

Then several Emerald Jewelwings took to flying about in what I presume was some sort of courtship dance. It was very beautiful....but hard to photograph. Here are a few of the dancers between songs, apparently.

Then I found myself facing something that made me feel like I had somehow stepped onto another continent....a grove of bamboo. Most of it was about 4" in diameter.

After tromping through this amazing little spot...I battled a few thorns (and lost) an finally made my way back home feeling thouroughly joyfully for the wonders I had witnessed in a little corner of the world just down the street.

Easter Camping

2006-04-25T14:55:00.000-05:00

Took the family on a camping trip to Sesquicentennial State Park on Easter. We had fun camping, doing some biking and geocaching and I, of course, found some time for some birds and bugs!

Probably the coolest was the Red-tailed Hawk that hung around the campground on Monday. It was rather tame and quite photogenic!

I also managed some good shots of a Lancet Clubtail by the (very low) lake.

And in the butterfly department, we were graced with a Northern Cloudywing investigating our unused firepit. (Too dry to have fires!)

Myrtle Beach

2005-12-01T09:27:00.000-06:00

We were in Myrtle Beach, SC for a retreat 14-16 OCT and I found a few wings with my camera on Sunday afternoon. I got several good shots of Common Moorhen, which I have a soft spot for. It's one of those birds that, for me, has a special place in my heart because I was so excited the first time I saw one, because it was unexpected, on the last day of a trip, when I wasn't expecting to see any birds...

Two odes cooperated for my camera, a life Rambur's Forktail (very sharp looking damsel)

and then almost omnipresent Blue Dashers...

To the River

2005-09-21T13:48:00.000-05:00

Took the family to the Riverwalk in Coumbia, on the Congaree River on Sunday. The water levels have been low due to a ongoing lack of rain for several weeks. This is the best time to go, however, because we can go explore on the rocks!

Alas, it is getting late in the season already for Odes. However, the most numerous by far were the American Rubyspots. They tended to be VERY skittish, but I finally managed some good shots of them. Here's my best one of the day.

Canoe Trip

2005-09-20T08:44:00.000-05:00

My wife and I recently took a canoe trip on the Edisto River through Carolina Heritage Outfitters. It was nice, just the two of us! We had perfect weather and a very relaxing time just floating down the river. We stayed overnight in a treehouse (how cool is that!) and then floated some more the second day.

Along the way, we saw two alligators, tons of vultures (Mostly Turkey, but several Black as well), an Anhinga, a flock of immature White Ibis and lots of Little Blue Herons. There were, of course, some odes and butterflies to be seen as well.

This Roseate Skimmer provided a show as it patrolled the shoreline near where we stopped for lunch on the second day.

A Black-shouldered Spinyleg took the opportunity to ride with us for a few minutes on the canoe.

I also got some shots of several different butterflies, none of which I have ID'ed yet. (I have got to get a butterfly book.)

Something Different

2005-09-06T10:39:00.000-05:00

That's not a bird or an Ode, it's a butterfly! Yes, I've expanded again. We were at the park on Labor Day with the kids trying to fly kites but the wind was not cooperating so I picked up my trusty camera and started shooting some butterflies in a nearby flowerbed.

Here is another shot of the Viceroy.

The most plentiful were the Buckeyes. Note the really cool "eye patches" on the wings.

There were also several Gulf Fritillaries around. Now, Viceroy and Buckeye sound okay, but you start throwing out Gulf Fritlillary, and I think it counts me as a Butterfly nerd....Checkout the cool pattern underneath these, though....

Love is in the Air

2005-08-01T09:30:00.000-05:00

Took a trip to Ashland, Ohio the other week and was able to squeeze in some time to photograph some Odes. It was a nice summer day and the damselflies seemed to be feeling frisky.

I also (of course!) had a mystery or two....

Here's the first one. It looks to be a female Aurora Damsel (Chromagrion conditum) but it is too late in the year by a couple of weeks (seen 21 July) and it doesn't have the usual spread-wing posture that this species is supposed to display.

The second isn't a very good picture, but you can get the pattern and the distinct orange coloration.

A Trip to the Zoo

2005-07-11T15:03:00.000-05:00

Took the wife and most of the kids to the Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia on Saturday. In addition to seeing some fun action with the Koalas, and enjoying the Bird House (as always) I caught three species of odes with my camera.

Blue Dashers (Pachydiplax longipennis) continue to be the most numerous odes I'm seeing here lately.

I also saw a Variable Dancer (Argia fumipennis) at the Flamingo Pond.

And then finally, we took the trail down to the Saluda Mill ruins and saw numerous Ebony Jewelwings (Calopteryx maculata).

Finally

2005-07-05T09:06:00.000-05:00

It's been a while since I've been out enjoying the world around me. Finally got a chance yesterday afternoon for a few minutes with the kids and managed a few odes.

Blue Dashers (Pachydiplax longipennis) were numerous along the edge of Semmes Pond on Fort Jackson. I was able to get some decent photos.

I also noticed some Eastern Pondhawks (Erythemis simplicollis). The Female was pretty easy, but this apparent male has me puzzled because it's appendages appear dark, when they should be white.

Finally, I caught a picture of an Orange Bluet (Enallagma signatum) just as it started to rain and we hopped on our bikes and made our way home.

A Line Crossed

2005-05-19T10:27:00.000-05:00

Well, I went and did it. I collected a damselfly. I hadn't set out to. It just happened. I was walking to my car and alongside the road were several small dark-winged damsels flitting about. Naked-eye damsel ID in the field with no references isn't something I'm real good at yet.

I finally took my hat and captured one. I injured one of its wings in the process. I brought it home, shot a whole bunch of pictures of it. Then I euthanized it in my freezer.

After being a birder for almost 15 years it still seems really wierd to me to catch a damsel in order to identify it. And yet, on the other hand, I kill other bugs all the time. I'm not sure what the moral delima is for me. Have I somehow elevated odes above other insects? If so, why? Granted, odes don't bite me or try to eat my food. They stay out of my house and don't eat my property.

I've crossed a line somewhere by capturing and killing this damselfly. I'm not entirely sure I'm comfortable with having crossed it. I understand that there are some species I am very unlikely to ever be able to identify or photograph without collecting a specimen. There are some birds I suppose I could say that about as well, but I obviously can't do that.

It's not that I think the act of killing is inherently bad. I eat meat. No problem. This ethical quandry intrigues me more because of the puzzle of trying to decipher my own motivations that cause it rather than the issue of one dead insect. Heady stuff to ponder as I sit at my computer drinking coffee looking out the window at the rain...

Cruise to the Bahamas

2005-05-19T09:23:00.000-05:00

My wife, Leslie, and I sailed aboard the Carnival Cruise ship Fantasy from Port Canaveral, Florida. This was our first cruise together and, of course, not intended primarly as a nature cruise.

We sailed on 1 May and arrived in Freeport on Grand Bahama early on 2 May. We disembarked and took a 'taxi' to the Lucayan Market area. While there we looked at the same store at least a hundred times--or so it seemed--the all offered pretty much the same wares.

We also walked around some of the hotel gardens and saw many small lizards. Bird life was minimal and disappointing. The only tropical bird I saw was a Gray Kingbird. We returned to our ship in the early afternoon.

I spent most of the afternoon on deck watching the Laughing Gulls and Magnificent Frigatebirds. One oddity was a Blackpoll Warbler on deck. It hopped about long enough for me to get several pictures of it.

I finally concluded it must have flown into a wire on the ship and broke its left wing. I entertained the idea of tossing it over the side of the ship to end its misery, but decided against it. Maybe it would recover and fly off.

On 3 May we awoke in Nassau. We had a shore excursion scheduled that morning. We awoke early enough to eat breakfast and walk around the city for about an hour.

This proved more productive for birds as I added Red-Legged Thrush, Bananaquit and White-crowned Pigeon to my life-list.

We then boarded a boat and went out to the Blue Lagoon where we went snorkeling and saw a variety of fish and coral. I walked around the island some and got some good photos of Yellow-crowned and Green Herons, Wilson's Plover and Ruddy Turnstones.

After lounging in a hammock for a little while, it was time to head back. We road the boat back and went to our finished up some shopping. (Note to self—next time just give each of the kids $20 before we leave instead of trying to find stuff for them.) Leslie’s sinuses where bothering her so we picked up some antihistamine and headed back to our ship.

Leslie took a couple antihistamines and was soon ready for a nap. I headed off into Nassau again to see what I could see. I was rewarded with Cuban Grassquit and Smooth-billed Ani as well as some views of a Red-legged Thrush feeding its brood at the nest. These were all found near Fort Fincastle.

As the sun began to sink in the west, I headed back toward the ship and woke up Leslie for dinner. We awoke the next morning to find ourselves underway back toward Port Canaveral. We spent a good deal of time sitting on deck watching the ocean go by. I never did see any pelagic species. I think I fleetingly saw one bird flying away from the bow of the ship, but that was it. We did see two different kinds of dolphins, a submarine, and several other ships.

We awoke on Thursday in Port Canaveral where we disembarked and headed toward Patrick AFB to see if we could find a room for the night. On our way we saw a sign for the “Great Florida Birding Trail” at Rotary Park. We made a mental note and after securing our room and picking up some stuff for a picnic lunch, headed back to see what we could see.

We walked the boardwalk and ate lunch. Then we went over to Lake Washington at two spots and then to Lori Wilson Park. Lori Wilson is a great little patch of hammock on the beach and had more Blackpoll Warblers in it than I had ever seen. I also managed to pick up a life Worm-eating Warbler as well. Showers set in at Lori Wilson so we headed back to our room and then the next day made the drive back to Columbia. All in all a good trip and an enjoyable first cruise experience. Upon reflection, we both decided that next time we’d just as soon fly to some place and spend several days exploring it. (Sounds good to me—more chances to bird!)

Freeport, Grand Bahama Island
Magnificent Frigatebird
Turkey Vulture
Laughing Gull
Royal Tern
Rock Pigeon
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Gray Kingbird
Northern Mockingbird
Blackpoll Warbler
House Sparrow

Nassau, New Providence Island
American Kestrel
Ruddy Turnstone
Laughing Gull
Rock Pigeon
White-crowned Pigeon
Common Ground-Dove
Smooth-billed Ani
Gray Kingbird
Northern Mockingbird
Red-legged Thrush
Black-throated Blue Warbler
American Redstart
Bananaquit
Cuban Grassquit
House Sparrow

Blue Lagoon Island
Green Heron
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
Wilson's Plover

Rotary Park, Florida
White Ibis
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Semipalmated Plover
Dunlin
Chimney Swift
Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher
European Starling
Cape May Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
American Redstart
Common Yellowthroat
Northern Cardinal
Boat-tailed Grackle

Lake Washington, Florida
Anhinga
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Little Blue Heron
Cattle Egret
White Ibis
Wood Stork
Northern Mockingbird
Red-winged Blackbird
Boat-tailed Grackle
American Kestrel
Common Moorhen

Lori Wilson County Park, Florida
Brown Pelican
Ruddy Turnstone
Sanderling
Laughing Gull
Rock Pigeon
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Mourning Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Northern Parula
Blackpoll Warbler
American Redstart
Ovenbird
Worm-eating Warbler
Northern Cardinal
House Sparrow

Challenge

2005-04-21T09:11:00.000-05:00

Spent about 2 hours at Heise Pond on Fort Jackson last night searching for Red-cockaded Woodpeckers (no luck) and Odes. It was a beautiful evening out an nice just to be outside.

The Blue Corporals libellula deplanata were again plentiful and have matured enough that males and females both have their distinctive coloring now.

I also had some luck on the Damselfly front, getting some good shots of what I believe is a Sandhill Bluet Enallagma davisi.

Then there were the mysteries. Ones that I just don't have enough experience to nail down for certain (and, in fact, may not be identifiable by my photos.)

Contestant number one is a dragonfly that I think is in the baskettail family Ashy Clubtail Gomphus lividus seems the reasonable choice.--

Contestant number two is a damsel, and I am willing to guess is a female Fragile Forktail Ishnura posita.

Finally, contestant number three does get points for being the friendliest of the bunch. After I took this picture it flew up and landed on my head. A little later another one landed on my outstretched hand. Unfortunately, I had my right hand out and by the time I was close to figuring out how to take a photo left-handed, it had given up on me and flown. It seems to be an emergent something and is probably not identifiable.

On the avian side of things, my bird of the evening was a male Summer Tanager, but it was moving to quickly through too much tree for a picture.

Funny? I Don't Know, Maybe....

2005-04-20T13:31:00.000-05:00

What did the Common Crane say when it visited Indiana several years ago and was surrounded by birders?

"I'm really getting ticked off!"

Get it? Like getting ticked off people's life list?

Sorry, I shouldn't think before the sun comes up and I have coffee....

Pack Birds

2005-04-19T08:38:00.000-05:00

I like to be out in the woods. I enjoy nature and the outdoors. That’s part of the reason I enjoy birding. On occasions pursuing other outdoor activities has led me to birds I may not have seen otherwise. Being in the woods at night while backpacking gave me two memorable checks on my life list.

The first occurred in the summer of 1990. I was still brand-new to birding. My dad and I took a trip to North Manitou Island, Michigan. We spent 3 days and 2 nights backpacking on this undeveloped island in Lake Michigan, part of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

The history of North and South Manitou Island is intriguing in it’s own right. South Manitou Island offering the only natural harbor for a long stretch on Lake Michigan, the islands were influenced heavily by shipping in earlier times, leading to much logging on both islands so that the wood could be used as fuel on the steamers that used to sail the waters. There are many shipwrecks in the area attributed to storms and poor navigation.

What attracted us was the promise of some isolated wilderness that was within a day’s drive of home. We booked our passage and set out. We hiked around the southern end of the island the first day and finally decided to make camp on the western side of the island. We camped high atop the dunes, overlooking the lake.

We had eaten dinner, the sun had set and we were just sitting around enjoying the cool summer evening when a ghost-like apparition passed overhead. We both looked up as it came over again and again. Making several passes mere feet above our head before flying on. It moved purposefully and yet was completely silent. In the dim illumination of the twilight, it seemed all the more ghostly.

It obviously was not a ghost, but a Barred Owl. The scene of that larger predator gliding past me without a sound was magical. It was arguably the highlight of the trip. (It certainly beat the ride back to the mainland with 3-4’ waves on the small boat. I didn’t get seasick, but I was certainly glad to put my feet back on land.)

My next nocturnal encounter also occurred while backpacking in Michigan. This time we were in the Upper Peninsula the following summer. We were at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. After birding Seney National Wildlife Refuge earlier in the day we backpacked to a site.

The walk in was a bit of an adventure in itself. We found ourselves caught in a late afternoon thunderstorm. Rain came down. Wind blew. Lightening flashed, even once hitting a tree near our trail causing a momentary fireball in the top of the tree. We were suddenly very aware of the aluminum frame packs we had on and hoped they wouldn’t become lightening rods.

The storm passed and we arrived at our campsite next to a small lake, just a few hundred yards from the big lake—Lake Superior—the largest freshwater lake in the world. We could hear Common Loons calling in the distance. As day gave way to evening, the loons mournful call gave way to the livelier call of Whip-Poor-Wills. As we were making final preparations to call it a night, one visited our campsite. I was standing up, and a Whip-poor-will flew up in front of me, hovered for a few seconds and then resumed its search for insects. The head-on-view of this nighttime hunter is another memory I will carry with me for a long time.

Two for a Strike Out…

2005-04-12T09:01:00.000-05:00

It was August last year. My wife and kids had traveled back to Indiana to visit grandparents. Work kept me in South Carolina. One evening I decided to go out and try to find a Red-cockaded Woodpecker. They are an endangered species. But they are hanging on, among other places, not too far from where I live.

I knew of some trees they used to nest, and undeterred by the fact that it was the wrong time of the year for them to be nesting, I headed off. I sat and watched near the trees and looked at the other birds as well.

I saw a Great Egret and a Green Heron on the nearby lake. I saw Red-bellied and Pileated Woodpeckers. I saw some other commoners as well. But no Red-cockaded Woodpeckers.

Well, it didn’t surprise me. They are endangered, after all, and it was the wrong time of the year to expect them to show up at their nest cavities.

But what’s that? Looks like a nuthatch. Binoculars come up. Hmmmm. That’s different. It has a brown head. A Brown-headed Nuthatch. I don’t think I’ve never seen one of those before.

A few minutes later, while looking toward the tops of the pine trees, a flash of red caught my eye. That’s no cardinal. Binoculars come up again. I watch for a few fleeting seconds. It looks like a tanager. All red. Is it? Yes, no black on those wings. That would have to make it a Summer Tanager. All right! Another lifer.

So I went for one and got two other instead. It’s hard to be disappointed with that. Plus, now I’m better-armed and have a plan to find myself a Red-cockaded Woodpecker this spring. I’m visiting the same place. I’ve found what looks to be a freshly-excavated cavity, too.

But I’m keeping my eyes open for nuthatches and tanagers as well. You never know what might show up.

2005-04-08T14:20:00.000-05:00

The Curlew Experience

It was a typical vacation setup for our family. We were on the Gulf coast, at one of my favorite places on the planet. Fort DeSoto County Park (St. Petersburg, FL). The kids played in the water and the sand and the sun. My wife, not desiring to brave the 67 degree surf and trying to avoid excess sand, sat in her beach chair reading and keeping a watchful eye on the kids.

I was the one who didn’t fit. I was the one carrying binoculars, spotting scope and camera. Daypack with a few field guides. I was behind the beach, probing in the edges of a tidal pool that makes its home on the north end of the island. I was enjoying the shorebirds and especially the long-legged waders. Some of my favorite birds—Herons, egrets, ibis.

My new camera (arrived just before we left for this trip) was being put through its paces. I was enjoying photographing the birds. I wasn’t worried about identifying everything in front of me today. I had used the camera enough the past few days to know I could get good enough pictures that I could finalize identifications later, when we were back at my in-laws, sitting in front of the computer reviewing images.

Said in-laws arrived and lunch was had. I decided to walk around the very north end of the island in case anything I hadn’t seen was out in the inlet or the back side of the tip of the island. I experienced the usual questions I do on every beach I bird on.

“What are you looking for?”
“What are you taking pictures of?”
“What kind of birds are you looking for?” and the like.

Unless queried by someone else with binoculars, I understand it is usually just casual curiosity. I reply, but don’t invest too much information because I have learned most people don’t care that much.

Then, after getting some photographs of an immature Little Blue Heron I was making my way back. I started to get some different questions.

“Are you with that group of photographers?”

What group of photographers?

I hadn’t seen any today. A few more similar comments as I came back toward the tidal pool. Then I saw them. These were serious bird photographers. Big camouflage telephoto lenses on sturdy black tripods. Photographers vest and bags. Long pants and hiking boots. I instantly knew something was up. Dunlin do not attract this kind of attention.

I stood back. I watched. I began to figure out where the telephotos converged. I took some pictures on my own of the suspect. I had seen it earlier. I had got some good photos. I hadn’t checked my field guide by my initial impression was Whimbrel. An interesting bird, but not a “second-mortgage for cameras” interest bird. Not for a group of four or five, not all shooting the same bird.

I worked my way toward one of the photographers, not wanting to spook anything, wanting to show proper decorum for the situation. “Okay, so what is it?” I inquired. “Long-billed Curlew. This is one of the few places to find it in the east.” He went back to clicking.

After I took a few more photos I wandered back to our outpost on the beach. I consulted my field guide. “Cool” I thought to myself as I was chided to do my parental duty and take some pictures of the kids before I filled my camera’s memory with birds.

As I reviewed pictures that evening I was very pleased with my photographic efforts. I had got some genuinely good pictures—including the Curlew. I consulted my lists. It was the first time I had seen this bird. That made it a lifer. The first instance of my personal observation of a bird.

And I had pictures. And I had not realized what was happening when I was first wading in the incoming tide taking pictures of this long-billed wonder. Somehow that made it sweeter. It was a longer and more gradual euphoria than seeing a bird I know is a lifer on the spot. It dawned throughout the day, growing and blossoming from, “Cool Florida bird with pictures.” To “Good bird for Florida” to “Lifer.”

The bird itself, of course, did not change. Nor did it care about its status in my mind; as long as the status did not include “dinner” I am sure it was ambivalent about my existence. But such are the categories we use as birders. Arbitrary as they really are in many ways.

I like shorebirds and waders. I like them for many reasons. One is that they like to hang out in areas that make them relatively easy to observe. Beaches, mudflats, shorelines. No neck-craning or tree circling to watch these birds. I also enjoy the fact that, at least for the shorebirds, they tend to hang out in flocks, more often than not mixed flocks. You can see many at once.

Finally, there is just something about the wader working its way through the water, slowly stepping, watching, watching, and then the dart of the head and the grasp of the prey. On some primal level, the long-legged waders’ hunting engages me in a way I cannot fully explain.

Our trips to Florida offer me a chance to see many of these birds. For some Florida is home, for others, like my in-laws, it is an escape from harsher northern weather in the months when temperatures drop and nights are long.

This time, with new camera in hand, it was a chance to try to capture some of these wonders. Pixels and apertures, exposures and focal lengths. The end result being a bird I can look at then at my leisure, back at my desk in my office. On days when they have departed and flown well north of my South Carolina home or when they otherwise stay in Florida.

The list still plays into the game of birds for me. I knew this trip was likely my only one to Florida for the year. That made it significant for both my year list and my Florida year list. There were also chances to increase my Florida state list and, with any luck, my life list.
It is these lists that the curlew rose through, gaining the coveted checks next to, state, year and life in their respective categories. The first entry for Long-billed Curlew. The increase of multiple lists with one bird. It made it special.

As I’ve already alluded however, the bird did not care. And on some level, I don’t either. (Well, I do, but I care on other levels as well.) I have pictures. Memories of a fascinating creature with a bill that I amazed that it does not trip over or break off. A bird with beautiful coloring of browns and black and a cinnamon underbelly. Watching it catch small crabs and somehow manage to work them through the inches of bill until they were consumed. Watching it preen and clean. A picture of it the moment after it shook, as if it had a chill, and all of its feathers were “poofed” looking very much like it had just sneezed.

That, on one level, and I think the most important level, is the joy of birds. Just that they are so very different. So nearly magical when we try to think of them in terms of our comparably clumsy existence. They can take to flight. They are all colored differently, distinctly and beautifully. They take a common set of “bird” characteristics, feathers, wings, beak, legs and feet and employ them in such myriad different ways.

They continue to delight, inspire and amaze. From the awe of a large heron or raptor flying nearby to the golden drops of warblers that appear in the trees. From the common bird coming to the window feeder day after day to the once-in-a-lifetime rarity. Somehow, birds capture my mind and my heart in a way that no other creatures do. And for this reason, I am indebted to the joy they have brought me.

Springtime Odes

2005-04-07T13:44:00.000-05:00

This week I have seen the first Odes of Spring for myself locally.

On Monday I had some Fragile Fortails (Ischnura posita) around Semmes Lake on Fort Jackson.

Then Wednesday evening I saw several Blue Corporals (Libellula deplanata) around the Hesse Pond Recreation are on Fort Jackson.

Welcome!

2005-04-07T13:30:00.000-05:00

After kicking the idea around for a while, I finally decided the easiest way to get information about my fascination with nature's flying things up on the net was to create a blog. that way I don't have to mess with all of the intricacies of a web site (I hope.) I've done that in the past and it turned out to be very time consuming.

Anyway, I hope you find things here enjoyable. Feel free to comment or contact me.