Photos...

Look what I found... all my photos are HERE. Who knew? Not me.
But wait, there are more... HERE. And still more over HERE.

I'll bet this KILLDEER chick didn't know about this.And this ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK didn't have a clue.Same holds true for this 'almost' BLUE variety of GROSBEAK.Ah, but it's true I suppose. Whenever I upload a photo to my blog, it also goes to my Picassa profile. Well, that is what I think at least. Speaking of least, how about a LEAST FLYCATCHER? Better yet, how about a back-lit version that Warren Strobel, Chris Murray, David Yeany II and I saw in Garrett County this past Monday? I thought you'd like that...Finally, I win the prize for the worst CERULEAN WARBLER photo of the day. We did not play this bird's song in order to lure it in, as often is the case with other species. It is a critically-endangered warbler and truly, it doesn't need us humans bothering it with the sounds of imaginary territory rivals.Nope, we just waited and watched and enjoyed this beauty (one of three we heard singing) as it foraged around in the canopy.

I have no shame. I'll post just about any terrible photo, so long as the bird merits. Like this LEAST BITTERN!Best,
Dan

Reminders

It was a ROYAL day that I won't soon forget.

TODAY I saw and heard my first CERULEAN WARBLER, one of America's most threatened birds.

Whenever work gets too stressful or whenever I make some big old mistake that needs fixing, I will simply think back to this morning and recall the excitement of seeing this wonderful blue warbler for the first time.

TODAY I saw my first BROAD-WINGED HAWK of the year.

Whenever I am playing a gig and a request to sing an awful song is made by a patron who has had too much to drink, I will think back to this fine overcast morning and find happiness in the memory of seeing this stunning migrant raptor so close.TODAY I went looking for CLIFF SWALLOWS in the skies of Carroll County. Finally finding two of them foraging overhead with some CHIMNEY SWIFTS gave me the internal thrill and satisfaction that goes along with adding one more species of bird to my life list.

TODAY I saw a VEERY. It was very, very nice and it filled me with delight knowing that so many wonderful things share this world with my family and I.TODAY I heard my son DECLAN 'coo' and 'ahh' and 'ayeeeah'. There is nothing in the world that could fill me with love and wonderment and hope and joy more than my son and his mother, my most-amazing wife Emery. Nothing...

When some future TODAY offers up life's inevitable ups and downs, I will be able to look back to a day like TODAY and find the happiness I need to get me through the rough spots.
Have a wonderful week.

Dan