For The Birds

I thought about naming my blog "For The Birds" but the idiomatic meaning (as found on google) is objectionable or worthless. Neither negative meaning is correct for birders. Some activities we do are just for the birds and bring us great excitement and joy.

On a trip some years ago, I took hundreds of photos (this was still in the film age) and when the exposures were developed, there were hundreds of pictures of birds, a few pictures of sites and scenery, two of my husband and none of me! (not a ranking of importance) As we say, this trip was just for the birds and more.

I have begun my quest to drive down every road from California...


for dancing Snowy Egrets


and White-faced Ibis


to New York Island for racing Sanderlings...


for popcorn eating Ring-billed Gulls from Michigan...


and to Texas for preening Roseate Spoonbills


and for egrets and herons


and for Sandhill Cranes at Bosque del Apache, New Mexico and many stops in between.

I have a glass picture with birds that says "Laugh often, Love much, Watch birds". Sometimes it is "For The Birds".

From My Perch

A new blog from another birder and this one a retired gramma.

I have a thousand thoughts running through my head and I should only say a few today. (Buy a notebook for the others.)

That is what I hope anyway, to share some birding thoughts for many days from my perch, pulpit, soapbox, car, truck, easy chair, knees in the sand, whatever.

I go birding at every vacation spot, or rather, I research the spot (not trips to family which is more precious) so that it becomes a birding trip. My husband and I like to bird in places with few people (many birds) so our most favorite places are national wildlife refuges (NWRs). There I try to take photos of every bird!


I can never resist grabbing the camera whenever I see some ducklings.


(Neither can my husband since he took 4 of these pictures.)


All pictures are of Mallards Anas platyrhynchos families seen in my front yard.


Funny, how the Mallard drake is missing in all these photos! I have seen the father (I think) following behind the family.


The largest family is with 13 ducklings of which about 6 grew to full size. I rate a mama Mallard's mothering skill on how many ducklings survive. I have seen a mama lose all of them. (She couldn't keep them in line.)


From My Perch is my blog to share some words and photos about my fascination with birds.