Before I begin, please note that some of what follows might be a little obscure unless you're familiar with my previous 2 blog posts. It's funny, but as a writer, albeit a middling one, I feel something of an obligation to blog more often now, if it means providing my readers with a little more … Continue reading Bird-Related Grace
A Hopeful Time
This is a complicated time. But one thing that keeps many of us centered and hopeful is the birds in our lives. Beacons of Hope John W. Fitzpatrick, Director of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, said as much in a recent message to members. He wrote that birds are "beacons of hope," and that "this … Continue reading A Hopeful Time
Common Birds
It was a year ago that I wrote: "Be Still and Know." And I still believe, but now even more so, that stillness is, as Mary Oliver put it, “one of the doors into the temple.” Gosh, I love those words. I'm a Mary Oliver fan from way back. The longer I bird and the … Continue reading Common Birds
A Few Words About Birds
A recent opinion piece in The Virginian-Pilot, Virginia's largest daily newspaper, began with the words: "First of all, thank you for reading." I'd like to begin, here, the same way. First of all, thank you for reading. I mean that, sincerely. "We've mentioned the passing of Caroll Spinney and our love for Big Bird, but … Continue reading A Few Words About Birds
These Wonders
We love our birds, and that's an understatement—from 8-foot Big Bird to thumb-sized hummingbirds. Speaking of "hummers," here's a male Ruby-throat captured by talented Louisiana-based photographer Roberta “Birdie” Davidson. Roberta is a lady for whom the world disappears when she gets behind her camera. I'll bet the world also disappears when she gets behind her … Continue reading These Wonders
We Love Our Birds
As my wife and I are planning a move and have crisscrossed the state of Virginia, now, several times, I've spent very little time lately thinking about the blog and considering what to write next. Instead, I've been spending my time considering things like lot size and square footage. So this will be an abbreviated … Continue reading We Love Our Birds
Birds and Bird Photography, Cont’d
Where do you go when you've written "A Few Thoughts on Birds and Bird Photography," followed by "More Thoughts on Birds and Bird Photography"? Do you title your next article on birds and photography, "More and More Thoughts on Birds and Bird Photography"? I don't think so. You puzzle over what to do, and you … Continue reading Birds and Bird Photography, Cont’d
More Thoughts on Birds and Bird Photography
I mentioned in my last blog that fall migration was well underway and that a lone juvenile Green Heron lingered at Lakeside Park in Chesapeake, VA. I then imagined the young bird "flying solo to coastal Venezuela." Later, I got to thinking about a photo I'd taken in May: a photo of a Green Heron … Continue reading More Thoughts on Birds and Bird Photography
A Few Thoughts on Birds and Bird Photography
I paid an early morning visit a few days ago to Lakeside Park in Chesapeake, VA—the park with the litter, the noise, the Canada Goose droppings, the algal bloom, and on and on, yet also the park that was recently host to a thriving community of nesting birds, including many Green Herons. I'm reminded of … Continue reading A Few Thoughts on Birds and Bird Photography
A Few Stories and Anecdotes
Once again, what a joy it is to blog and to share my thoughts and my photos with readers in this way. And "thank you" to those of you who have taken the time to send me your comments. Comments are the "the lifeblood of blogosphere," as they say. It's true that I have access … Continue reading A Few Stories and Anecdotes
Elizabeth River Bird Blog 