Monday, August 03, 2009

Tanager Angst


So my BFF asked me if I wanna join her to go like, birdwatching, and I said, ‘whatever!’ We go to this place where there’s a lotta trees, and you know, stuff. We were walking and walking and I was kinda, like, bored, ya know? Then my BFF was like jumping and pointing to a like, whatever bird. So I looked and like, whoaaa! There’s this bird and it was like yellow and the head was like awesome red!!! I said, “Dude, that bird is like, way hot!” Later as we got ready to like, go home, my BFF asked if I enjoyed the walk, and I’m like, Duh! Totally, Dude.

August brings out the worst in me by way of humor. I just can't explain it. So I thought I'd describe our birding last Saturday through the words of a present day teenager (teenager/tanager - whatever, dude!)

Our original plan was to bird Santa Fe Dam but when we got there we were informed that there was an entrance fee of $8, and no they don't give senior discounts on weekends anymore. And I was even willing to pay the $4 senior fee. As I mentioned in my previous blog, I watch my wallet with the same ardor as I watch birds. So I did a quick u-turn and decided to go Eaton Canyon instead where the entrance is freeee! And as in any place that doesn't charge anything to get in, the place was packed with people. (Midmorning, Saturday, Summer, like, duh!) We spent the next couple of hours without seeing much. Thankfully (and curiously) the area behind the Nature Center was relatively quiet and almost devoid of people. My wife and I were trying hard to locate the Hooded Oriole(s?) that kept vocalizing but were frustratingly difficult to get a visual of. Then we saw a yellow bird fly into a low bush. Cynthia screamed, "There's the oriole! There's the oriole!" I pointed my big lens at the general vicinity and hoped, no, prayed that the bird would show itself. And it did. I quietly informed my wife that what we're looking at is not an oriole but a, hold your breath now, Western Tanager! I say that because we have birded this place quite regularly for the past five years and not once have we seen a Western Tanager here.

Oh, we eventually did see the Hooded Orioles - a whole family of them! Cynthia even got a shot of the young 'un.


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7 comments:

mick said...

That Tanager is a great looking bird. I might even put up with that conversation if I could see one of them :-)

MaineBirder said...

WOW, what a day and what beautiful birds... outstanding photos!

Kelly said...

A Western Tanager! Lucky you....would love to see one! Lovely photo too (and gnarly narration, Dude!) :-)

Unknown said...

I viewed your Saturday bird photos Wow amazing shots, great camera only as good as you and Cynthia behind the lens.

Larry Jordan said...

Great captures Bob! Sounds like you scored that day with the Hooded Orioles and the Western Tanager. Like yellow and orange rule dude.

Like, what the heck is BFF?

Bob Kaufman said...

"Like, what the heck is BFF?"

@Larry, BFF=Best friends forever.

Christopher said...

I was, like, so totally stoked, by your photos. I'm like, WOW, ya know?