They were here all last weekend, but I haven't seen them in a while. The rose-breasted grosbeaks that were hanging around my feeder have departed for the north--to Minnesota and Wisconsin and Ontario, there to do their yearly business of raising more grosbeaks to send back through next year. They winter in South and Central America (like I would if I could). They zip through every year, hanging around for a week or so, cleaning out my sunflower seed in a manic hurry, gathering up energy for their trip. As my friend Hipparchia has pointed out, I feel paternal toward these birds. I don't begrudge them a crop full of seed--they pay with their flashy colors and cheerful (if somewhat nondescript) song. I also don't begrudge the birders in Wisconsin the pleasure of enjoying "my" birds all summer long--I just ask that they take care of them while they're enjoying them.
Saturday, May 5, 2007
You're Welcome, Wisconsin
They were here all last weekend, but I haven't seen them in a while. The rose-breasted grosbeaks that were hanging around my feeder have departed for the north--to Minnesota and Wisconsin and Ontario, there to do their yearly business of raising more grosbeaks to send back through next year. They winter in South and Central America (like I would if I could). They zip through every year, hanging around for a week or so, cleaning out my sunflower seed in a manic hurry, gathering up energy for their trip. As my friend Hipparchia has pointed out, I feel paternal toward these birds. I don't begrudge them a crop full of seed--they pay with their flashy colors and cheerful (if somewhat nondescript) song. I also don't begrudge the birders in Wisconsin the pleasure of enjoying "my" birds all summer long--I just ask that they take care of them while they're enjoying them.
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3 comments:
Very nice, Arch. And I agree - I'd winter in South or Central America if I could too. I'm thinking Belize, maybe, or Costa Rica (I've heard on good authority it's a birder's paradise).
I came across a blog a little while back I think you might like (I'll link to it on mine, when I get around more - been busy/travelling): Real Climate.
I think really, if I had my druthers, I'd be migrating up and down the Western coast (I think I'd avoid LA in favor of Catalina, though). Maybe down as far as the Andes, and then back up again to about, oh, lower British Columbia, say.
Hope you and Mrs. Transitional Fossil have a happy Cinco De Mayo, Arch!
Hiya, TK!
Costa Rica is a birder's paradise--also a paradise in many other ways. I've never birded the West Coast (except for Washington state), but it's on the list.
Mrs. Archaeopteryx and I had a delightful 5DM--hope you did, too. Notice you've been MIA around our little corner of the blogosphere lately--hope it's good things keeping you busy.
That blog is awesome--can't believe I hadn't already found it. I'll be linking to it on this blog and my IRL webpage. Thanks!
;-)
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