A New Day-A New Bird

Photo can be found at Project Widlbird

http://whatbird.projectwildbird.org/obj/686/_/target.aspx

There is nothing more promising than a new day. Especially a new day when you don't have to get the kids up for school and yourself to work. The weekend is a time for possibilities, a time for new experiences and memories you will cherish for the rest of your life.

For many of us, the weekends are not time for lounging, or living, it's a time for doing. Our free time is devoted to errands, housework, yard work and getting all of the things done that we can't do during our hectic week. As I sat on my computer this morning, sipping my coffee, I started thinking of all of the things I needed to do. I need to do dishes, laundry, clean up the yard wash the floor. Suddenly the magic of the day gave way to a sense of dread.

Here is a typical day for me. It is a battle I have with my inner self. I feel guilty taking time for me and have a hard time just being instead of doing. It was time for a change of thought and new reason. The day was still filled with promise. I had my new binoculars, the weather is rather warm for early November, and I could hear the birds singing. I decided that I would spend the morning doing what I wanted to do instead of what I needed to do. For what if tomorrow I was no longer on this earth. Would I rather my last day here be spent doing something I enjoy or something I dread. My mind was made up!

Energized by my new attitude I spent some time looking out my kitchen window. There were the usual guests in my yard like the blue jays, the crows and the pesky squirrel who annoys me to no end, but I still feed him. As I was walking away from my window to start the dishes, I saw something I had never seen before. I guess you can call it a "lifer" in proper birding terms.

Flying from fence post to fence post was a red bellied woodpecker! At first I thought it was wishful thinking because why would a bird this magnificent want to be hanging out in my yard. Unsure and excited I reached for my new binoculars and zoomed in on this handsome little creature. There he was on the fence post using his beak to peck the wood with the precision of a skilled surgeon. My binoculars were a little shaky as I am new to them, but I kept my eye on the prize and watched the woodpecker get his own. Out of the crack of my fencepost came a little white bug. Off he flew with his breakfast and off I flew to find my field guide so I could find out more information on the bird. Info on the red bellied woodpecker http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Red-bellied_Woodpecker.html

Excited about my find, I decided to go to the cemetery to practice using my new binoculars. When I arrived the birds were singing up a storm. It was like an orchestra of natures finest performing their morning concerto just for me. There were so many birds singing that I became overwhelmed on what I should zoom in on first. I went over to the wetlands and started looking for my first bird. Guess what it was? Another red bellied woodpecker, HA-two in one day! I wish I could say I could get a good look at him, but it was rather difficult. For some reason I kept seeing black in my binoculars instead of the bird. Stumped and confused I adjusted my knobs and tried it again. Hmmmm. Same thing.......What could be causing this........ I finally figured out it had nothing to do with my binoculars but had everything to do with my eyelashes......Grrrrr, now is the only time I wish they were shorter.....

I spent a little more time practicing, but didn't see much so I decided to go back home. I am going to go on the Stokes Birding Blog to go find that link Lillian and Don were kind enough to provide to me to give me some tips on how to use them. I own the Stokes Meadowlarks and they are super cool because they are compact and waterproof which is what I wanted. I have to remind myself that this is new for me and I can't expect to be a binocular expert in one day. It takes time, effort and most of all patience which is something I am learning each day as I am rather type A and patience is something I generally lack.

Now I am off to do laundry, yes my inner voice was nagging me so I finally gave in. I tell myself it's called balance. Do the things you want to do first, and then tackle the things you need to do after. What a brilliant plan.