Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Camping at Oconee National Forest

We went camping last week end.  Was fun as usual.  But more importantly, serene, peaceful, quiet... no one around, just nature with its unique sounds. 
Oh yes! we saw new birds.  This post really shows you the basic items we use to set up our site.  We try to make ourselves a little bit comfortable.  But nothing beats your own bed at home or your own bathroom.  We settle for little inconveniences to enjoy the peace of the woods, the forest and nature at its best.

Monday, September 13, 2010

What is your passion?

We went for some birdwatching this week-end.  Twice!  Debbie and I. 

Yes, we saw some new birds.  And yes! we were excited like kids.  It's always fun to see new birds. These birds are not "new".  We just haven't seen and identified them before.  We now have some favorite birds that we're always happy to see again and again; such as the Summer Tanager, the Pileated Woodpecker, the Indigo Bunting...the Yellow Warbler... you get the idea.

Among some of our "new birds" are the American Redstart, the Prothonotary Warbler, the Hooded Warbler, and the Shiny Cowbird.  All of them are pretty.  Very pretty.

Then something interesting happens.  You see a new bird for the first time.  The bird gets nice and lets you see him (or her) real good.  Almost like saying "people don't see me often, so since you found me, I let you look".  You're happy, excited. Then you look in all your bird books and you can't find the bird!!!  This is the second time this has happened to us.  In the same area.  The huge Oconee National Forest.  I'm going to start naming birds: "Yellow-headed Coquerel Oriole" (Debbie and I have seen that bird!), "Coquerel Tanager" (we saw that one too!!!).  What if I write them in the library books and return them.  Mass circulation.  Oh, maybe we did see some "new birds".  I mean...like no one else has documented.  Hum.

As you can see, we're passionate about birds.  What's your passion?  Good for you!  Enjoy it!