Airborne

I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving. We have so much to be thankful for, don't we? As a gesture of thanks, please consider giving to your favorite local charity or nonprofit on Giving Tuesday, 11/27. Consider making a donation to the Elizabeth River Project, and help it restore the Elizabeth River.

Flight School

This adult Bald Eagle shot, courtesy of Vic Laubach, who also provided the Broad-winged Hawk kettle shot in "To October," is for our U.S. military veterans, as we continue to pay tribute. As I stated in the last blog, "Thank you for all you have done to keep us safe." We'll take a closer look at Vic's flight shot in an upcoming blog.

Flying Machines

I thought, but only momentarily, about calling the new blog "Birds Soar; Skins Sore," an article headline in the 11/5 Virginian-Pilot. The article didn't appear in the "Wildlife and Nature" section. And it wasn't authored by Mary Reid Barrow. "Birds Soar; Skins Sore" was about the Atlanta Falcons defeating the Washington Redskins. A particularly sorry football game. 

Designed to Fly

In the last blog (last photo), I posted a photo of an Osprey carrying a fish. It was lunchtime on the Elizabeth. That fish, caught in the waters just off Money Point in Chesapeake, VA, that former Elizabeth River "dead zone," appeared to weigh about as much as the Osprey. Heck, it likely weighed more! Here's another picture of the same bird a few wing beats--and a few burned calories--down the flight path. One wouldn't use "down the road" there.

More Shoutouts

We'll start with another shoutout. But this time to the planners of the 2018 Riverfest, which raised everyone's awareness about the progress that is being made to restore the Indian River in Chesapeake, VA. This may not be an exciting photo, but to me it speaks to the beauty of this Elizabeth River tributary.

To October

Should we celebrate or something? This is blog #20. A milestone. I've been advised not to use too many exclamation points, so I won't add one there. The conductor is ready to strike up the band.

Two Shoutouts

Or is it "Two Shoutsout"? Anyway...I want to start with a shoutout to those who went on the Great Migration Bird Walk on Sat. 9/29 at Paradise Creek Nature Park. It was a beautiful, birdy morning. Paradise lived up to its name. And we had a great group of 16 people including a few young people who were exploring the hobby. I had a nice conversation with one young lady (Epona?) who was on her very first day trip. She'd gone on an owl prowl previously. I asked her if she sensed any excitement in the others on the trip. She responded with a smile and a very definitive "yes." That meant to me that she was excited too. I have a feeling she has caught the birding spark. That's my hope, anyway. 

Sumer is Agoin Out

Hurricane Florence, that 'uninvited brute,' though more like a 'minor annoyance' here, had made landfall in North Carolina. My wife and I went for a walk at the Elizabeth River Park in Chesapeake. Water levels were unusually high. One of the docks was completely underwater and we noted fish in the parking lot. Something in the bushes that line the park spooked me. It was an immature Yellow-crowned Night-Heron wrestling with something in the grass. It was wrestling with a grasshopper.

I Love to Tell the Story

I thought about calling this blog 'Sumer is Agoin Out,' a rewording of "Sumer is Acumen In," a famous medieval English part song, but settled on 'I Love to Tell the Story,' the name of an old Christian hymn. So why the title? Because we're going to do some more storytelling. But hold on, because we'll be jumping around a bit.

Starlings on Prozac

There are often funny stories about birds in the papers, as well as reports of recent local sightings. These usually appear in weekend editions where harder news is replaced by news that is a bit softer and more entertaining. That's my take, anyway. Here are some recent examples.