I am sorry I have been out of touch lately. No blog posts and definitely no birding. I am preparing for some surgery next week (nothing serious) and work is keeping me in 14 hour days 6 days a week.
I realized how much I missed birding when I looked out the window to see.....a first of the season junco. While I love these little harbingers of cold weather, I never realized how much they meant to me until I felt the huge grin crack across my face. Since I have moved into my new house, my backyard birds have been limited to house sparrows, with a few titmice, mourning doves, nuthatches and goldfinches thrown in for good measure. At my last house, my yard list was a comfortable 57 species (just like the Heinz sauce!) - always full of diversity and something to look at.
Lilac, hydrangea and forsythia, a dogwood, an oak and a weeping cherry tree along with yew bushes line my yard providing good coverage and habitat, but still, the bullying HOSPS dominate. A cardinal couple and a white-throated sparrow joined the juncos pecking on the ground and I was in heaven. Then a house finch flew in. Never thought I would be happy to see a house finch, but I was!
Loooking at my new yard birds made me long for a real birding trip. Like last year's New River Festival. Or Cape May Autumn Festival. Or the upcoming Space Coast Festival in Titusville, Florida. I miss the Flock and I miss the birds.
Come January, I will be back to my normal, healthy self and plan on birding until I drop! And I promise to blog more often, too!
6 comments:
I totally understand your frustration with the House Sparrows! What I find is that come winter though, they lay a little low and I get some really good birds in my yard during harsh weather coming to my feeders.
I look forward to hearing about your birding in January. People say January birding is dull, but I have a great time getting out there last year at that time!
Good luck with your surgery Sweet Beth. I will be holding your hand in spirit.
You will be back in the swing of things just in time.
January means wintering RAPTORS!
:)
Be well, Elmo.
Thanks, Kim, Lynne and Susan. All will be okay - actually looking forward to a couple weeks off work!!! Wintering raptors...mmmmm... something to definitely look forward to!
Beth
Oh, I do hope you get more birds in your new yard! I love juncos also. I pray all goes well with your surgery. Hang in there Beth! I miss the flock too.
I miss juncos! Haven't seen any down here. I always thought they were so cute.
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