Forming habits around my creative work is always a boon. So, I figure that since I did this last year, I might as well do it again. Some of the photos may be redundant from previous posts but my guess is that most won’t notice… Read More
The major curse of being a birder is that you find yourself evaluating your day based on species counts and the relative obscurity of your observations. When days are pleasant and birds are numerous enough all is well in the universe. I can stroll… Read More
“[H]is music is that of the streams refined and spiritualized. The deep booming notes of the falls are in it, the trills of the rapids, the gurgling of margin eddies, the low whispering of level reaches, and the sweet tinkle of separate drops oozing from… Read More
The pine whites speckled the treetops like lofty snowflakes. If you don’t look up, you might miss them. Their peak in numbers, while beautiful in it’s regularity also signaled the annual failing of summer. Several weeks after they’d swarmed the tips of the Douglas firs,… Read More
Sometimes the birds just don’t want to cooperate. Sure, I could hear many but I couldn’t see a damn thing. Down the slope of Hurricane Ridge I was squinting across, only six trees were likely candidates for a Olive-sided Flycatcher I could hear pipping away,… Read More
Great Blue Herons (Ardea herodias) are ubiquitous and easily observed. So common, widespread, and obvious that they are easily written off. You’ve seen a lot of them and will see many more, as they are one of the most adaptable waterbirds in North America. These… Read More
It’s rather amusing to think about the Summer Solstice in the Pacific Northwest, especially considering the weather today. Here in Seattle, we don’t consider it summer until after the fourth of July. Yet many of the breeding birds are done singing by then, having had… Read More
Feathers were strewn everywhere. Body and head asunder. Something had been eating the skull custard. A murder in my backyard. I’d been walking my bike to the back patio of my urban home in Seattle when I’d been stopped in my tracks. A bird lay… Read More
A quick note: for those of you haven’t donated yet, my big day was in support of Seattle Audubon. This money is for a general fund but continues programs like Birdwatch, the high school group I volunteer with and have blogged about. Please consider pledging… Read More
Editors Note: This was written several weeks ago. Spring is in full swing at this point. The fact that this was composed so long ago is telling that I’ve been out and about, working and playing a lot. This is no less telling or interesting… Read More
Wingtrip 