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Let me warn you--verbosity ensues, and I only
mention one bird species in this entire message. Read on if you're still
interested.
Last year at this time many birders shared
their most memorable 2002 sightings. I considered doing the same for 2003,
but I've already shared many of my memorables with posts throughout the
year. Those sightings are like my children and I can't choose my
favorites. So instead, I'll share 2003
birding-related blessings for which I'm thankful.
In December 2002, both Bill Fenimore of the
Layton Wild Bird Center and John Bellmon of Wasatch Audubon (also the Rocky
Mountain Regional Representative to the National Audubon Society Board of
Directors) encouraged me to participate in the New Year's Day Antelope
Island Christmas Bird Count (CBC). I think both men knew I had lost my
birding mojo because they hadn't seen me out birding for a while. I'm
thankful for their encouragement to join the count. That was the
first in a year of blessings.
I joined Bill's CBC team on January 1st and met
Glenn Barlow and Jim McIntyre. Bill, Glenn
and Jim introduced me to the Utah Birds website and thus, created a
monster. I think I've launched every link and I'm impressed
with what a wonderful resource Weldon Whipple, Milton Moody, Eric
Huish and all the Utah birder contributors have developed and
maintained. Reading your sightings and sharing mine has been great
fun. I'm thankful to all of you who contribute to the website to make
it a better resource, and in particular, I'm thankful for Milton's constant
dedication as the webmaster.
I've been enriched by friendships
with many birders through correspondence, planned birding trips
and serendipitous encounters on roads and trails. I have easily
concluded that birders are nice people. Although I bird alone
most of the time, occasionally I abandoned my anti-social ways. Bill
and Glenn were my birding teammates most frequently, and I
learned much from both of them. I enjoyed our trips and I'm
thankful for all the friends and acquaintances I made in 2003, whether in person
or via the listservs. Early in the year I met many birders who were
attempting to graduate from that venerable institution, UBY. That's a Utah
Big Year--a quest to see 300 species in the state in 2003. I
learned that this endeavor requires perseverance, dedication,
nose-to-the-grindstone doggedness--you name it. Those birders inspired me
to embark upon a quest also, to fill in the odd pockets of inexperience I've
developed over the years due to family and career commitments. To fill
those voids I needed to observe and study birds intensively. I
needed to become a better birder. The most important aspects of my study
became bird behavior, vocalizations and habitat. I found these
factors are often more definitive than the color of a bird's plumage, and in the
past I had not placed as much emphasis on them as I should
have. Pursuing my quest meant long periods of study out in the
field. My style became agonizingly slow. Slowing down
to observe and listen quietly paid the dividend of seeing incredible
aspects of bird life played out before me--sometimes only an arm's length
away. After each birding adventure I tried to review all my
literature/ audio/web resources to reinforce my field
observations while the sightings were still fresh. My
quest led me to see and hear many new birds. But I don't know
exactly how many because, as Jim McIntyre punned, birding leaves me
listless. Someday, I'll start a list. Intensive study has also shown
me how much I DON'T know, but I think I've filled a few of those pockets of
inexperience. I'm thankful for the incredible birding I've
enjoyed this year and I look forward to learning more in
2004.
Birding provided a blessing that I could not
have anticipated. On March 16th I happened across a total of three
Great Horned Owls sitting on nests. The last one was in Cache Valley
along the Little Bear River. As I crossed a marshy field to get
a better view with my scope, I came across a kitten that had no
business being out there. I took him to McDonald's for a hamburger and
tucked him under my driver's seat where he purred a soothing vibrato for
the rest of my birding day. After several unsuccessful
attempts to find his owner, we welcomed Little Bear into our family.
Coincidentally, he's a birdwatcher. He's well familiar with the
three windowsills in our house that offer views of the birds that frequent my
feeders. I'm thankful for the little black cat that birding bestowed on
us because he has enriched each family member.
Those family members have also indulged my
obsessive birding and me. On a summer evening my son and I
took a birding walk, and we didn't arrive home until long past
sunset. I asked him if he thought my husband/his dad would be
worried. He replied, "Mom, one day when you were gone a really long time I
asked Dad if he was worried. He told me, 'Son, I've stopped worrying
about your mother when she goes birding. She always comes
home.'" In truth, my husband has had to rescue me a couple
times following Three Stooges-types of misadventures, and I'm thankful for
his and my children's indulgence. Then again, I hope I've
repaid them by not raising objections when hamsters and a Labrador
Retriever that I didn't want joined our family. Maybe we're
even.
When I tally up my list of birding blessings, I see
that 2003 has been a banner year: support and encouragement, great
resources, friendships, the best birding, a funny new family member
and a patient husband and kids. I guess I do keep a
list after a fashion, and I'm pleased with how my version of a Utah
Big Year turned out. I hope 2003 has provided you with
enriching experiences like I've had, and may your 2004 birding pursuits be
more rewarding than ever. Happy New Year.
Kris
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