Saturday, February 03, 2007

That's all it takes


roseate \ROH-zee-it; -ayt\, adjective:
1. Overly optimistic; bright or cheerful.
2. Resembling a rose especially in color.

I had an education program way out at Chilo Lock #34 park today, one of my favorite birding spots. After the presentation, I was showing some of the kids my Party Favors (heads, feet, wings and feathers) when out of the blue, there was Katdoc! She lives pretty close to the park, and came down to see my program! Now, how cool is that? (Thanks, Kath)
We were talking about the peregrines that are seen at the dam down the road, and Kathi told me not to bother since she had just come from there and she didn't see any.
I took her word for it, but as I was nearing the dam on the way back, I just had to turn in, just to have a peek. And I am so glad I did!
Behold: A Snow goose. Life bird #117.
Snow goose 1

Snow goose 2
I couldn't even believe my eyes. It was hanging out with a flock of Canada geese, and I was pretty far away, so I almost didn't give them a second glance. But I had the scope with me, so I set it up in the lee of a tree (the wind was of the type that slices through you like frozen razor blades) and aimed it at the geese to practice. And there it was.
Thank goodness there was a birder down the way, and I walked down and introduced myself (turns out that he had been at my program) and asked him to look at the goose and confirm it.
Thanks, Steve Wagner!
We don't get too many snow geese around here, just isolated sightings here and there. And I found it all by myself.
*Boom shaka laka laka* Boom shaka laka laka*

When I got home, Geoff suggested that we all go get some dinner and decided on Burger King since it has a playground for the girls to burn up their energy. We rarely get to go out to dinner with all four of us present, so it was a nice change...I love my family.
Lorelei slide

Isabelle slide
And for some reason, Geoff and I were enticed to climb the jungle gym and go down the slide.
(I remember Geoff saying something about what a good blogging opportunity it was...that did it) This was no ordinary slide: It was in the shape of a corkscrew and was pitch black inside.
Geoff was brave...he went down head first.
Geoff slide
I was yelling and laughing so hard, I couldn't sit up. I thought it would be a simple, short slide just a "whee!" and that's all. Well, this damn thing went on and on and I couldn't see where I was going and I was all like "Aiiiiiiiiiii!!"
Susan slide


Have I mentioned that I love Flickr?
I made this movie poster last night:
My Movie Poster
Click on the picture to go to flickr and enlarge it. There's quite a cast of characters listed...hopefully you can read the fine print.

As far as my last post:
Thank you for all of your supportive words and encouragement. Sometimes, that's all it takes.

7 comments:

LauraHinNJ said...

I'm in the movie!

Always wanted to be a star - thanks!

Was thinking about you today - there were a few rehab birds on display at the firehouse at the eagle festival - poor lady standing there forever giving the same speech over and over about the barred owl on her fist.

Glad today's a better day.

Anonymous said...

Oh cool! I'm in the movie too! I didn't look at the small print earlier!
Congrats on your new lifer - woo hoo for you!! You never know what you're going to find, huh?
Looks like you all had a blast at BK!
Work and seeing a new lifer helps, doesn't it?

Anonymous said...

Um, Susan? I hate to rain on your parade, but I don't think that is a Snow Goose. I have only ever seen two - 1 immature and 1 adult - so I don't want to hold myself out as an expert, but that "necklace" mark and the stripe through the eye don't say Snow Goose to me.

An adult Snow Goose (white morph) is pure white, except for the black primaries which look like a black "tail" when the wings are folded. Immatures are dingy gray on top and white underneath, kind of like your bird, but they still exhibit the black primary feathers, which your picture doesn't show. The big field mark for me is the "grin patch," a black mark on the bill, which again I don't see in this bird. Size-wise, this guy looks to be about the same size as the Canada; a Snow Goose would be smaller.

Sorry to be a downer, but I think you must have some sort of domestic or "mutt" bird there.

~Kathi, the bearer of bad tidings

Mary said...

Susan, I'm so glad you are feeling much better. See? That what goofy blog friends are for...

What a great day. I never liked those crazy tube slides but the ones with water are great! But did you ever get stuck in one and have a complete stranger smack into you?

I can't help with the bird but it's a great photo.

I'm so impressed with your movie ad! Thanks for giving me a part in it. LOL

Susan Gets Native said...

Kathi:
Julie thought it might be a leucistic Canada. (See her post on my other blog)
But I did see a grinning patch, it was sort of light. I first thought it might be a mutt, but it looks so much like a snow goose!
I'm going back to Camp Dennison, where I at least can ID an eagle.
Hrrrmph.

Anonymous said...

I never thought about a leucistic Canada. I didn't even know there was such a thing, but Julie's aces so I would tend to believe her. I can't get at your Wordpress blog for some reason, so I didn't get to see her comments.

My female pheasant was back today. She spent most of the morning and early afternoon hanging around the feeders right outside my back door. She even ate Zick's Famous Suet Dough. Sweet yard bird!

~Kathi

Anonymous said...

I will have to save the poster to my desktop! I have spent most of the afternoon on Flickr trying to figure our your easy way to post to WordPress. I am a little slow, but I finally got it.
"roseate" wow...that's a new one for me!