In yesterday’s post, I flippantly stated that feeders are cheaters, which some might have interpreted as a slur against backyard birding. Nothing could be further from the truth. I am a huge fan of the feeder watch. In fact, quite a few Core Team lifers — sparrows, chickadees, and finches — have been spotted at feeders. Bird feeders, and those that maintain them, play an invaluable role in the sustenance of countless birds otherwise threatened by dwindling habitat and resources. Plus, who doesn’t love watching birds in winter from the warmth of their own kitchen?

My point was that there is something exciting about going to the bird rather than expecting it to come to you. Most species aren’t interested in birdseed and suet. They require the kind of nutrition on the wing found in forests or wetlands or meadows. To spot these birds, you need to go on a little safari. It really is more satisfying to identify a bird obscured by branches, flitting from tree to tree, than it is to pick one out perched on a birdbath in the backyard. But birds are birds, and we love them everywhere, don’t we?

Speaking of love, today, the Core Team celebrates our second anniversary. It’s hard to believe that Sara and I have only been married for two years considering how full our lives together have been. Our history actually extends back to 1987, back when I was a callow college freshman and Sara’s brother was my roommate. She fell in love with me almost instantly and we dated for the better part of five years. Then we took a little break, the kind that lasts about eight years. With age comes wisdom, though, and eventually we realized that we were the ones for each other. The rest, as they say, is history.