2006-04-14, 05:43 PM — more ducks
fishy and I spent a pleasant afternoon out at LCNC, where I fed the animals and then we took the scope out to look for ducks. I heard a warbler, but not knowing what kind it was, I suspect I can't count it.
New ducks for the day were a pair of canvasbacks, a pied-billed grebe, and a pair of pintails. I saw what I believe might have been a hooded merganser, but the light was so flat and he was too far away. Heard flickers and saw two kingfishers. fishy also had an excellent spot of two brown-headed cowbirds. Oh! I forgot to mention the common tern, too. I think it was a common tern. It didn't seem big enough to be a Caspian, and I would be surprised if it was.
Something I need to resolve, though: I'm getting -really- bad about making snap judgements of what a bird is, or an animal, or etc. I have to watch that. I'm in a position where people may believe me unquestioningly and that would be a mistake. It's not that I think I immediately know the answer, it's that I'll say what's on my mind right out loud, without considering who might be listening. It might be completely off base (for example, fishy rightfully doubted my snap id of the female cowbird; I'm too embarrassed to say what I thought it was). Further, if I do that in Pelee -- say what's on my mind without thinking first -- I'm going to have someone brain me with a pair of $1000 binoculars. And frankly, I'll probably deserve it.
2006-04-13, 05:01 PM — i want to take back that treefrog statement
Poor eagle. It's so windy on the eaglecam today... makes me feel bad for the gorgeous weather we had. But then again, I was out there in the pouring rain yesterday, so every bird gets her turn, I guess.
Saw a garter snake and the biggest painted turtle I've ever seen today. Garter snake even came out for my class. Turtle was there in the morning, and I'm not quite believed by some yet since I was the only one who saw it. But that's all right, I just hope the turtle sticks around.
I also realized this afternoon as I was driving home that I misidentified some frogs (quite stupidly) for a passerby. I hate misidentifying things. I may never see that guy again, but it will stick at the back of my head, an embarrassment of misinformation, and I will have to be careful not to make the same mistake again.
2006-04-09, 07:14 PM — recording spring
I'm going to start keeping a written record of when and where I see birds/etc. coming back in the spring. I think it's the sort of thing that might be useful, or at least interesting, someday.
For now I'll keep it here, because it's spring and I need to start. But next week I'm going to get a book, I think, dedicated to that only. My grandfather had one and my mother has one, and I figure it's at least time for me to start mine.
Anyway. Fishy and I spent a lovely afternoon birding, after I got back from work and he moved Kam. We went over to Floradale first, where we saw some widgeons and probably the best look at a male green-winged teal I've ever gotten. I don't know what's up with the teals this year, they're everywhere. Except I don't think I've seen a blue-winged teal yet, and I usually see those everywhere. It's odd.
Anyways, we came back to the lookout tower at Laurel Creek and saw many, many things. Mallards and Canadian Geese, of course. Gulls. And: green-winged teals, widgeons, redheads, gadwalls, black ducks, scaups, ring-necked ducks, and one solitary northern shoveler, which I am very pleased about. I like seeing those guys.
All in all, a very productive day...