Confession

Let me state at the outset, I am categorically opposed to dog clothes.

Having made that point abundantly clear, let me show you what I bought for Panda today:OK, but see, it was $6 off - originally $9.95, on sale for $3.95. What a deal, right? And, the heat might go off next winter, and my Boston Terrier might get cold. I want to be prepared. Doesn't this look nice and toasty?Besides, it was "As Seen on TV." How could I turn that down?Oh, God - I don't even HAVE this puppy yet, and I am already rationalizing buying her clothes. I've crossed over to the Dark Side.

Wait till you see the lilac and yellow bed I bought her. It was also on sale, $4.95, marked down from $14.95. I couldn't pass it up.

The three worst words in birding

Edit, Dec. 12: Added some better photos and bird ID's. How'd you do?

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"It just flew."

Surely this is the worst thing any birder could hear when she or he is working like mad to get on the bird that everybody else can see. All around you, people are giving you directions, some helpful, some less so. "It's right there. Right in front of me, high in that tree. Not the big tree, the smaller one, with all the green leaves. Can't you see it?"

No, I can't see it! And why not? Because, IT JUST FLEW!

So, to celebrate the worst phrase in birding, here are some less-than stellar photos of the birds that just flew. Just for fun, how many of them can you identify? (All photos enlarge with a click.)

Bay-breasted Warbler
Magee Marsh, May, 2009

Blackburnian Warbler
Cranberry Glades, W Va., April 2009

Black-throated Green Warbler
Cranberry Glades, WVa., April 2009

Bobolink
New River Gorge, WVa., April 2009

Dark-eyed Junco

Wildacres, N. Carolina, June 2009

Green Heron
Crooked Run Nature Preserve, Sept. 2009

Great Egret
Magee Marsh, May 2009

Canada Warbler (I think)
Magee Marsh, May 2009

Red-headed Woodpecker, immature

Clermont County, Ohio, Dec. 2009

Next week, we commenorate my second-least favorite birding phrase: "You should have been here yesterday (last week, last year.)"

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Two quick stories. The junco is the first one I have ever heard singing, and I recognized the song. At least, I recognized it as "something different." Because we only get juncos as winter visitors here, I had never heard them sing before. While walking along a road at my pottery retreat this June, in the mountains of North Carolina, I heard a sweet chipping song. At first, I wrote it off to yet another one of the hundreds of singing Chipping Sparrows I had been listening to that week. Then, I stopped and really listened. The junco was sitting at eye level with me, and I got to watch it for quite a while and take several photos before it flew.

About the "maybe Canada Warbler:" That photo is dated May 16, and I had labeled it as a Canada. I have a memory of seeing a Canada Warbler that day and it's on my check list, but have no other photos documenting it. I have many photos of Magnolia Warblers from May 18 of this year, but none from May 16. Until my beloved Science Chimp weighed in, I was confident in my label. Now, I doubt myself. Compare the Maggie below with the Mystery Warbler above - you be the judge.

Identifying Birders

I will either get a lot of laughs, or a lot of hate mail after this post. I hope for the former, as I have nothing but love and affection for those whose photos illustrate today's theme, "How to Identify Birdwatchers by their Field Marks."

If you see person's face, you know instantly who he or she is. But, can you ID the following birders when presented with, shall we say, less than their good sides?

(post your guesses in the comments section)

For example, can you ID someone by his feet?

Bill Thompson, III

Or by his hat?

(especially when he rarely wears one?)
Jim McCormac
(This photo is a bit of a cheat;
it was taken at the OOS meeting, not at New River,
and is the only time I have ever seen Jim wearing a hat.)

By what he holds his hand?

Bill Hilton

Or her hand, for that matter?

Susan

How about from above?
Tim, aka TR

Or from behind?

Nina

How about when her face is hidden behind a camera?Kathleen

Does it help if the camera lens is really, really big?

Richard
(Get a blog, dude.)

Can you ID a person who is camouflaged?Kathy B.

Or in her nat'ral hab'tat?Julie Zickefoose

How about by the company she keeps?

photo by Susan
me and Chet Baker

I told the following birder-blogger that I wouldn't
make him the butt of my jokes.
I lied.

Jeff Gordon

The End

"It's all about the dog."

My posts for the past two weeks, and those of the other Flock members whose blogs you will find on my sidebar, may have led you to believe that we went to West Virginia to see birds, people, wildflowers, newts, and other forms of nature. Nothing could be further from the truth.

In all honesty, there was only one inexorable force that pulled us all to the New River Gorge, and his name is

Chet Baker

aka Bacon, aka "Offisa Pup," or the Tennessee Turd-tail, Chet is a dog among dogs. I have to be careful how much I rave, since my sweet Grace is in her usual spot, under the computer desk in the place where my feet would go, if there wasn't an 85 pound Rottweiler there. Still, present company excluded, I can't think of a nicer, sweeter, funnier, more wonderful dog than the Baconator.

While Chet has been known to shred a toy or two in his time, he is discriminating.

"I see someone has left a dog toy here.
Let me examine it closely."

"No, I don't think that I care for this one, thanks anyway."

Offisa Pup, the Mayor of Opossum Creek, takes his duties seriously. Any rogue chippitymunks in the area know that the Boss Dog is back in town.


Getting a photo of Chet in motion is difficult for amateurs like me. Julie's camera must have an extra-special shutter setting, called "Chet-speed."

not even close

still a blur, but you can
see his little pink tongue

getting better

Got him!

Of course, Chet has his Fan Club, or rather, his loyal minions, whose duty it is to cater to his every whim.

"Miss Mary, you may now give me that toy. I know you brought it for me, Chet Baker, so hand it over."

"Thank yew."

"I will now proceed to destroy your offering. It is by this action that you will know your gift was acceptable."

"Mether, please hold me a little closer. I cannot reach Miss Nina in order to kiss her. Of course, she wants Baker kisses. All the ladies want to kiss me."

"She plays hard to get, but I know KatDoc likes it when I stick my tongue in her mouth. Not many people would put up with that sort of thing, but KatDoc is all right. Except when she trims my toenails."photo by Susan

"I love it when Mether sings that pretty pretty song. Mr. Tim, you may continue to massage me while Mether sings to me and only me."

"In fact, I think I will now sing, too. The Swinging Orangutangs are a good band, but they would be better if they would let me sing lead."
"Please hold that microphone closer for my solo."

"Thank yew.
Thank yew verra much.""

"Hello, Jeff Gordon's Mom. You are a new person, but I will allow you to admire me, Chet Baker, while I hold court here on the back of Geoff's couch."
Saul and Irene meet Chet Baker, completely unaware of his star status.

Irene: "Hello, little dog. I do not think you are allowed on tables."

CB: "Hello, Mrs. Irene. Yes, indeed, I am allowed on tables, for I am Chet Baker, little CatDog, and my Mether allows me to do pretty much anything I like."

"You may now sit there, supporting me, while I inspect this table for random crumbs of food that need to be eaten."

All good blog posts must come to an end, and this one is no exception.

Bacon 'tocks. Extra-pinchable