Day 127

May 7, 2021

Happy Birthday, Bob Stowe.

I've been having a hard time maintaining this during the past week.  Going back to work has taken up a lot of mental space in my life.  It's not bad, it's just really different and I think I have to change my routine.  But today I did take a small ride and I did some work at the rookery.  It really has been my office recently.

Today's bird list reflects a few environments.  I haven't been

over to the big river or the canal in 10 days or so.  But today I went to the college where the beaver dam has interrupted the entrance road.  Today it was rather full.  

This is a pretty large grackle.  I didn't see him at first, I was looking at a small bird next to him and then all of a sudden my eyes focused on him.   That iridescent head fools me a lot. 

The list: mallards, grackle, robin, house sparrows, pigeons,  gold finch, phoebe, barn swallows, tree swallows, red winged black bird, black bird, hairy woodpecker, kingfisher, herons, vulture, Canada geese,  and a catbird. 

Tomorrow I am running a workshop during our Saturday Salon.  Not quite the most convenient way to do this workshop, but I think it should be fun and I hope people bring some kids.

The workshop is on telling community stories through making a paper quilt square.  Everyone will have an opportunity to create their own square and they will be hung together in a big quilt.  If you are around, come do it.  

I was paying attention to the front of the rookery because the muskrats were hanging out near me and doing their thing back and forth.  They are vegetarians so these new stalks here are getting their attention.  They really are fun to watch.

But out of the corner I kept seeing a bird fly by me with this long pointy beak, at first I thought it might be the flicker, but it didn't look like the right body shape.  Then I saw the flash of his belt and realized the Kingfisher was close by, a rarity.  Then when I pulled my photos up, sure enough, there she is.  Welcome home.