I saw my first red-breasted nuthatch this past weekend! It was high in a tree, but I made the identification l from its call, silhouette, and behavior (hanging upside down from branches, pecking at them like a woodpecker, but not resembling a Downy, the only one in the area near that size.)
Really nice essay Richard. It reminds me of when I restarted my birding journey some years ago. The eBird app and Merlin ID app were quite helpful once I had began expanding beyond the usual suspects like Black-capped Chickadees, Northern Cardinals, and Song Sparrows.
I do remember the thrill of chasing rarer species around the Ottawa area based on eBird reports. Good times! These days I am trying to walk a fine line between recovering birder addict & simply enjoying hikes and walks in Nature.
I have done the chasing (twitching) and and ticking and listing but these days I try to be a greenbirder and enjoy what I happen across - but, my brain demands a name for everything I pass and so a notebook and camera are essentials to the walking.
I saw my first red-breasted nuthatch this past weekend! It was high in a tree, but I made the identification l from its call, silhouette, and behavior (hanging upside down from branches, pecking at them like a woodpecker, but not resembling a Downy, the only one in the area near that size.)
As Ajari of the Tendai in medieval Japan said, "I'm just a simple monk who enjoys nature."
But if something new perches in the old backyard apple tree, I'm going to reach for my Sibley.
How sweet are our lives!
Really nice essay Richard. It reminds me of when I restarted my birding journey some years ago. The eBird app and Merlin ID app were quite helpful once I had began expanding beyond the usual suspects like Black-capped Chickadees, Northern Cardinals, and Song Sparrows.
I do remember the thrill of chasing rarer species around the Ottawa area based on eBird reports. Good times! These days I am trying to walk a fine line between recovering birder addict & simply enjoying hikes and walks in Nature.
I have done the chasing (twitching) and and ticking and listing but these days I try to be a greenbirder and enjoy what I happen across - but, my brain demands a name for everything I pass and so a notebook and camera are essentials to the walking.