I got nothing.

I'm losing the will to chase.  A pile of nice birds showed up near Newport recently and I could not bring myself to make the drive, even when I had the day off and the weather was pleasant.  What does this mean about the future of my blog?   Does it mean I will start torturing you all with foggy backyard bird shots that you don't care about at all? 


Over forty Pine Siskins have been coming every damn morning, but I know you don't care


Does it mean I will turn to all bugs all the time??

Bold jumping spider

All dead or dying stuff all the time?


I put this dude to sleep in my freezer... 

Does it mean I will start posting all dog photos?


Jake's 10th birthday!!!!  Warrior Rock trail on Sauvie Island 

Does it mean I will quit birding finally and obsess over squirrels instead?



Does it mean...gasp...that I will no longer list??????
 
No!  No!  No!  No!  No!  I don't know what it means, but I promise it means none of those things.  Look!  An owl!  County bird 162 for the year.  See?  I still care. 


I think all that it means is that I will go back to finding my own birds for awhile.  It worked quite well the first couple years of birding, back when I stumbled upon things like an Ovenbird and Great-tailed Grackles, all because I was out exploring and birding on my own.  We'll see.  Stay tuned.  Good times.

Comments

  1. Hi, Jen. Sorry to hear you're feeling kind of glum. If you're tired of the Siskins' antics, could you send a few over to the East Coast to visit my yard? :-) Gorgeous Barred Owl and spider shots too, by the way. Hope you find your excitement again soon, whichever route you take-- bugs, dogs, squirrels... :-D My recommendation? Settle into a cozy chair with your favorite pup(s) and an exotic field guide to drool over. Butterflies are pretty much done around here for the year, but I'm already planning new forays for the spring, and trying to figure out how to pick up new lifers within driving distance. Good luck!

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    1. I'll gladly send you some siskins! Thanks for the kind words, I think I'll get it figured out soon.

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  2. Happy B-Day to Jake!! NOPE Birding is a life long addiction...your determination may wane but it will never disappear!! LOVE that owl especially where he is being the tree hugger...that one has sweetness! Don't sweat the lull,,,,backyard birds are always Great to see...

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    1. Jake says thanks! That owl did not give a damn about me, it was great.

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  3. This is a deep and philosophical post. "What kind of birder am I?" :)
    I love the dog photo. What a crazy crew you have there. Kevin looks proud of his recent wedding role. I too have a ton of siskins. Good thing we get a seed discount, eh?

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    1. I don't know where I'd be without a seed discount! Kevin was SO proud at the wedding, AND he didn't bark once amazingly.

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  4. I would much rather find birds on my own than chase what others have already found, welcome back from the dull side.

    Love the Warrior Rock trail, there must be a good bird out there somewhere.

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    1. Yep, going back to exploring rather than worrying about chasing random birds. I wasn't too impressed with that trail but maybe it was too late in the day with too many gunshots.

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  5. That Ground Dove was pretty damn cute, but I feel you. I would wholeheartedly support a blog with a spider and dog combo, in case you ever branch out. In the meantime, that Barred Owl snuggling a tree is adorable.

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  6. Pretty interesting post for "nothing", but you are right, I don't care about yard siskins. California birders are OBSESSED with posting to listservs about siskins in their yards, despite how common and widespread they are, it baffles me. Why not post about California Towhees? Talk about an unappreciated and abundant bird.

    Chasing birds gets old, seeing rare birds doesn't though.

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