My Winter Plumage

Between artistic and tactical birding, there has to be a balance.  This past weekend, the artistic and explorer side took over, but not without great "cost". 

A Gray Jay

Over the next several months, I have scheduled some very important journeys into various places.  Some will include new birds while others will just extend my knowledge of known birds.  

The Alpine level of Pike's Peak

My heart craved the frozen temps of Colorado and so we went.  After Cabo and the above average temps back home in Arizona, I needed to feel the sensation of being frozen.  I wanted to remember what the cold was like again. 

My nephew brought his Doritos with him and the package crinkled.  I heard a sound from the depths of the forests. A gray figure moved towards us. Then more. That's when I taught him about Gray Jays. I forgot my package of nuts in the car but we did have a few chips to hand out. Apparently this wasn't the first time these jays have heard such crinkling sounds:)

Doritos are bad choices for humans and Gray Jays.  Bring unsalted nuts and that'll get their attention. 

I was at the Alpine level again.  It was so nice to be there.  Everything was frozen around us and I felt at peace. When you endure the onslaught of hot temps on a daily basis, you CRAVE the cold. 

Here, the few year long species of birds danced around us in circles where they zeeted and chicka dee-dee-deed from inside of the trees. 

Mountain Chickadee

Meanwhile, back in Arizona, I was losing the tactical advantage.  Rare eastern vagrants decided to show up in mass numbers.  None of them were life birds but they would have been STATE birds for me. I missed 4 possible new birds for that state list! 

I had a good laugh.  It was bound to happen because it happens to every birder!  We make plans and then there we are.  Thankfully, the birds weren't once in a lifetime rare.  It just would have been nice to add a couple new birds onto that every expanding state list:)  But then again, I didn't entirely care either. I have to remind myself that birding isn't a competition.  It's why I took myself off that crazy top 100 hundred list.

Black-capped Chickadee

The Bob Ross in me had taken over.  I collected data for several hotspots that I had created for Ebird in Colorado several years ago and at one point, I just sat down on a wooden bench and smiled.  Life is awesome and about to get better.  And hanging out in this cold weather revitalized my energies.  Hot beef barley soup and hot coffee.  THAT is my habitat of choice. 

In this pic above, Quail Lake in Colorado Springs, I snapped this shot of the fall colors.  5 years ago I put this lake on the ebird map. It was just coming into its own.  It was bustling with a lot of energy.  And birds.

So I proudly wear my winter plumage as the season begins!  Until next time.....