Tuesday, January 01, 2008

Bringing in the New Year with a lifer

Happy New Year, one and all!
I began 2008 with a life bird.

I really wanted a life bird today. First day of a new year, day before my birthday...I just wanted one. At Armleder Park, there have been short-eared owls sighted for about a month now.
It was bitterly cold today, so I spent most of the time in the car. While on one side of the park, I saw a group of cars near the middle of the park. People were getting out and using binoculars. That is Birder-Code for "Get your cute little buns over there and see what they are looking at!"
I couldn't see exactly what they were seeing. They moved on, and I saw a dark bird sitting in the grass. It looked like a small turkey vulture. I used the bins and then thought it was one of the harriers that are calling the park home for the winter.
A man walked along the path near the bird, and then cut into the grass right towards it. He was trying to flush it out! I got mad at the moron, then as the bird flew over me, I saw that it didn't have a face. Meaning, this was no harrier. One of the short-eared owls!
Can I have a "whoot!"?

I didn't get any pictures of it, so I cribbed this one off the Net:


This makes 175 on my life list. A good beginning to what I hope is a very birdy year.

If you look at my sidebar, you will see a widget for the "Blog 365". It's like the NaBloMo, times 12. It's a goal to post every single day for the next 365 days. I don't think I will have any trouble with that. I tend to post everyday anyway. I plan on "anting" some posts, so when I am too pooped to post I can grab a fresh one from the Draft folder.

********
We didn't do much for New Year's Eve. The girls stayed up as long as they could (12 for Isabelle, 11 for Lorelei) but I stayed up until 3 am! Bravo was showing back-to-back Kathy Griffin shows, and every time one would end, I would grab the remote to turn the TV off and another show would start! I loves me some Kathy Griffin!

Ironically, one of my New Year's resolutions is to go to bed earlier, so I have more energy during the day.


11 comments:

Lynne at Hasty Brook said...

Whooty-Whoot-WHOOT!!!

Lucky you and your New Year's birding list!

I hope the year continues on with lots of fun and new adventures for you Susan.

Anonymous said...

whoot-whoot-whoot!! Congrats on your Short-eared Owl and has been a few years since I have seen one! And on New Years Day! Now forget the Blog 365 thing you are doing, you should do lifer 365 where you find a lifer every day for a year! That would get your life list up good!

Anonymous said...

w00T! Congrats on your hooting lifer! Rock on!

Dave Dorsey said...

Happy New Year. Did you notice that the short ears head was on crooked?

NatureWoman said...

Whoot! Happy New Year! And Happy Birthday! Yay!!! Whoot again!!!

Lisa at Greenbow said...

Happy New Year and Happy Birthday Birthday!! A lifer to start the year. Hmmmm Is that fair?? tee hee..I am Happy for you.

I don't see how people can get pictures of lifers. I am usually so engrossed in the moment that I don't think about a camera.

I love to hear SHEAOW's barking at one another as they hunt. If you ever see a couple of them out hunting together listen to their dialog. It is fun to hear.

Hope you get many birdies this year.

dguzman said...

WOW--all I got was some crabby BC Chickadees wondering where their food was. Nice bird, and whoot for your 175!

Mary said...

Congratulations, Susan! Why on earth would someone shoo away that bird? What a nut.

I think you will be able to post something every day - no trouble. I did that for two months and it wore me out. Go for it!

It's your birthday as I write this. Have a Happy One!

Amy said...

Happy Birthday, Susan! Happy happy joy joy!

P.S. I loves me some Kathy Griffin, too. She's a guilty pleasure during biz trips (hotel rooms have cable TV; my cottage doesn't.).

Susan said...

Happy Birthday Susan and congrats on your lifer!

Kathi said...

I have GOT to get out there for those owls - they would be a Lifer for me, too.

Happy Bird-thday!

~Kathi