[birdky] thoughts, or lack thereof on the relative "neatness" of observations (NO OBSERVATIONS)

31 May 2009:
 
This post has no observations and is entirely my own "blather" (bla-bla-bla)
regarding "what makes a bird observation "neat".  Feel free to delete and
please overlook this post, even if you read it.
 
Not long ago I read a post regarding the excitement of observing a
Dickcissel and some other birds.  The poster/birder was grateful to Jim
Williams (whom I happen to know personally) for his help in locating the
bird species.  I recalled talking to someone else from eastern KY at KOS
fairly recently who wanted to know where to find that very species
(Dickcissel).  The bird was a special record for the poster and apparently
many others.  I can relate to that in many ways.
 
I can still recall the first Dickcissel that I ever identified.  At the
time, I lived in "central Russellville" and Dickcissels were something that
I did not see in/around by yard.  I actually saw my first in southern Logan
County on farmland adjacent to my father-in-law's farm.   I can still
remember the observation of that bird and the struggle I had in identifying
the "house sparrow with a yellow breast".  Ironically, Dickcissel is today a
species that I hear every summer day from dawn to dusk (they are a little
hard to see, however).  It is because I live (within the Russellville city
limits still) in a subdivision surrounded by pasture and cropland that the
species is a "yard-bird", for me.
 
Each year, I become excited by the observation of migrant passerines, mostly
woodland species such as tanagers, thrushes, and warblers.  Each year, I
become almost insanely  jealous of others who reside in wooded areas and
hear and/or see these woodland species from their yards.  I can only "lust
for them" or travel some while others observe copious numbers of these music
makers in or from their yards.  An exciting observation for me is a yard
bird for others, and a yard bird for others is wonderful to me.
 
I  find it interesting "food" for my weak and feeble mind to consider what
makes a bird good.  I love Red-headed Woodpeckers, but Scot Record (lives
near Ballard WMA) may see them every day where I as I have to search for
them.  Scot may find them as interesting as I find an Mourning Dove, I
cannot say.  Regardless, the love of the observation (what makes it special)
is at least partly a function of where (exactly) one lives.  
 
Some people think "windbirds" ("mudbirds") (shorebirds) are wonderful to
behold.  While I do enjoy them, I probably would not have the interest in
birds that I now have without woodland species.  Their observation enjoyment
is more a junction of their seasonal presence and habitat specificity than
anything else.    
 
A few of these birders even like gulls.  My best memory of gulls is as
follows.  Our family was taking its first ocean/gulf beach vacation.  My
(then) 3 yr old son waded into the gulf for the first time in his short
life.  He was overwhelmed by the first wave and drank much of the Gulf of
Mexico.  Once upon land, he vomited profusely.  It was perhaps the most
interesting gull moment of my life to watch Laughing Gulls flock to his barf
and eat it like hogs eating the family garbage (yes, I am so old, I can
remember actual family farms).  In fact, the gulls screeched profusely and
even "fought over the vomit".  On top of that, the gulls that inhabit
Kentucky are not impressive to look at (to me).  How anyone could enjoy
watching these plain-Jane-vomit-eating "hogs of the bird world" is an enigma
(to me).
 
Alas, I am out of blather.  If you actually red this, perhaps I am not alone
in my feeble mindedness.  However, I do believe that the "neatness" of the
observation is in part a function of where we happen to live.  I suppose
that is part of "what makes the world go round".
 
Warmest Regards,
 
Mark
 
Mark Bennett
113 Iroquois Circle
Russellville, KY  42276
 
Logan County, Kentucky
Home:   <mailto:benn5609@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> benn5609@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Work:   <mailto:Mark.Bennett@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Mark.Bennett@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
 

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