Now that American Thanksgiving has passed, we in the States can join the rest of the world in turning our full attention to the upcoming Yule celebration. The impending season of giving can trigger intense anxiety punctuated by bouts of conspicuous consumerism, but you don’t need to succumb to rampant materialism. Why don’t you take the weekend off to focus on some of those finer things in life that are free and go birding? That is assuming, of course, that the pepper spray burns you suffered during a Black Friday shopping frenzy have healed!
I happy to say that Corey and I, after far too long, will be birding together somewhere in the NYC Metro region this weekend. Those of you in the area may prefer to defer your bird watching for the weekend, as I’m sure that the apparently endless stream of vagrants and rarities you’ve become accustomed to will dry up while I’m in town! What are you doing this weekend and will you be birding? Share your plans in the comments below.
Whatever your plans this weekend, make time to enjoy SkyWatch Friday. Also be sure to come back Monday to share your best bird of the weekend!
Can you believe Sharon Stiteler captured this gorgeous sunrise over Israel’s Hula Valley using just an iPhone 4S?
New Jersey’s North Shore, probably–though a quick stop at some of teh ponds yesterday on my way home from Brig wasn’t overly productive.
I’ll be helping out with the American River Natural History Association’s Winter Wildlife Count. I’ve found some good winter birds for the area in years past, including Red-breasted Merganser and Northern Parula.
I wish I were going to the Hula Valley but I should have an exciting day nonetheless in northwestern Costa Rica.
I’m not sure if we’ll have much luck but we may go looking for the snowy owls that are taking over our state and eating all our hard earned lemmings.
I was on my way out last night to follow up on an owl hearing when my headlights fell on a great blue heron lying on the side of my driveway. It was very fresh because it wasn’t there when I had returned from the store an hour before. Beautiful condition except for a broken wing. It is now in my storage freezer. Would love to dontate it to a nature center or find a taxidermist willing to be reasonable. Any ideas or suggestions would be most appreciated, especially if local to Southeastern Pennsylvania.
I’m sure you’ve heard already that it is illegal to salvage native birds without a permit. Call the ANSP and ask whether they have any interest in it or could recommend someone else who could legally take it from you.
Remember to always wrap specimens in clean newsprint before putting them in the freezer bag; that should prevent freezer burn.