Last year at this time we were sleep deprived, destroyed by so many hours in the car, and excited half to death, hanging out in Orange Park Florida. We welcomed the new year in listening to fireworks and noisy parties at a motel not far from the St. Johns River. Over the next two days we raced back and forth across the Sunshine State, picking up life birds and experiencing more cool stuff than I normally see in ten years. On New Year's Day I dabbled my toes in both the Atlantic and the Gulf and have been sustained all year by the memory of that feat....
This year Alan's dear friend is getting married, so he will be staying here at home. Congratulations to the happy couple and to the delightful farm family that raised the fine young groom. They are just plain good folks....
Last year my year bird was a parking lot starling. I was trying to keep my eyes off the skies, as we were on the way to Walmart for some fruit and road food and I knew there were Boat-tailed Grackles over there. However, that bird-every-minute-habit struck, and I looked up as we exited the motel parking lot. Bam! European Starling. How thrilling......
What will this year bring? Perhaps a Carolina Wren or a Canada Goose....or maybe just another starling...there are plenty of those around. Anyhow, it will be a NY bird.
I need to tabulate the farm list and add on the several species seen only by Alan, as he spends more time in the fields than I do, between hunting, riding his quad and snowmobile, and making hay. He saw a Red-headed Woodpecker up there this year....I haven't seen one in at least twenty years and probably more like thirty, although I used to see them all the time back in the days when I rode Magnum everywhere I went....or at least almost everywhere... He also got the Ruffed Grouse, Green and Blue Herons and a couple or so others.
Anyhow, 2015 was wonderful.....we had a lot of fun with Peggy, and birding, and visiting Florida, Talladega and Gettysburg. The boss made a bunch of hay, we had a good garden, chickens were raised from baby chicks, with the result that every flat surface in the kitchen and some in other rooms is covered with cartons full of eggs.
If 2016 is half as much fun I won't have any complaints.
Happy New Year.
Happy New Year to you too daughter. Daddy got the drive open, so grocery shopping today. Love you, Mom and Dad
ReplyDeleteYou have such a great attitude. Happy 2016
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year my wonderful Upstate New York friend. I've enjoyed my years visiting your farm, getting to know you and all your dogs, cows and children. Thank you so much for sharing that cute little toddler with all of us.
ReplyDeleteHappy 2016 to you and Ralph!
Terry and Linda
The weather here in Florida is perfect this year too, about 80 day and maybe 73 or 4 at night. We do need rain but not desperate yet. I have a red headed wood pecker out side my den room. Sometimes when I am on th computer he is just making music with his pecking.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year! And happy birding!
ReplyDeleteMom thanks! I didn't know about your driveway problems until they were over...I am so sorry you had to struggle with it. Call next time...somebody can probably help. Love you
ReplyDeleteJan, thanks, Happy New Year to you and yours as well.
Linda, thank you so much. Happy New Year to you and the family and critters as well. What wonderful friends we find, all around the world, thanks to this thing called the Internet.
Ellie, I hope to see your state again someday. My next younger brother just moved down there, so maybe I will. I am hoping to spot that woodpecker this year, although I don't go as far back or as often as Alan does. Take care!
Cathy, thanks all the same to you and Keith. Hope you have an amazing year!