In a message dated 1/27/2002 8:46:50 AM Eastern Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:


> Now Betty, Your praise will go to my head woman, thanks a mil.  Osprey count
> is off this year, one nest isn't being used, one lonely bird, no mate, no
> nest :-(  the other nests seem to be used this year.
>
>
I'm so embarrassed Beth.  I can't give you a report about any darned birding
thing.  I did order the packet for the Backyard Bird Count for this February
though.  When all this started, I decided that when the going got tough, the
tough would start birding her back yard.

Well now, wait a minute.  I can give you something of a report too.  Just
this morning I heard the territorial drumming of a woodpecker beyond my
backyard someplace.  I've seen the male downy on numerous occasions in my
backyard, and from my second floor window.  I haven't had any suet out in
ages.  No seed or water either.

I've seen the usual birds this year, the carolina chickadee and tufted
titmouse,  house wrens, carolina wrens, house finches, what else?  Blue jays,
a cat bird, and the usual gang of crows.  What else...starlings?  Oddly
enough, I haven't seen one starling that I can think of.  I can't believe
they haven't been around.  They're always around.

I haven't gone anywhere to bird.  If I were to go anyplace at the moment, it
would only be to study the behavior of darwinites in their preferreed
environment.

Given my current "recuperative" circumstances however, perhaps such an
adventure could be theraputic.  I could draw caractures in my birder's
journal of their big, fat a**es, which is what I've noticed a lot of while
birding from a wheelchair.  ( i )

I wanted to pay a little attention this year to house finches, to see if they
exhibited any signs of house finch disease.  I haven't kept up with this in
any way.  I don't have any idea where this is.  I'm on an e-mail list from
Cornell's lab of ornithology, but I haven't even been looking at it lately.

Bundy is screaming.  I can't concentrate on this anymore.  If I don't go do a
little indoor birdwatching, he's going to drive me insane.

Oh yeah.  Somebody reply with "short trip."  Please.  ;-)