Finding Joy

Tundra Swans

It's not much fun to get old.

Doing tax bookkeeping is also not on my list of delights.

However, interspersed among the miserable chores and the inevitable consequences of life there are joys.

Over the past week we have been blessed with several of them.

First we found Tundra Swans at Schoharie Crossing boat launch. It appears that they have never been reported in this county before, although they are not rare elsewhere. Lifers for me for sure.

Then last night, after several weeks of driving Lynk Street and Columbia Road where found them last year, we "got" a Short-eared Owl. It flew right next to the car, giving us great looks and me a major thrill. Any and all owls fall under the joy heading in my word but I LOVE Short-eared Owls even more than Snowies. 

And then there was yesterday afternoon. We went down to the Crossing as we often do...it's a lovely place and a great birding hot spot. Not surprisingly, what with the nice weather and all, it was busy with dog walkers, snowmobilers, and folks just taking in the sun.

There was a massive collection of gulls out on the gravel bar and I was chomping at the bit to get some photos to peruse before they flew. Gulls are hard, but enough patience in pouring over photos will sometimes find rarities. I like to find rarities.

Just as I hopped out of the car two fellows on the fanciest 4-wheelers I have ever seen bombed down the point across the river and the gulls blew out of there as if their tails were on fire. Looked like fun, although one of them drove right out into the river. (Kinda cold for that.)

Dagnabbit.

Anonymous buteo last night against the setting sun

However, a few gulls came up and landed on the water right by the car. I didn't have many good gull photos so I grabbed a few....looking through the camera made me realize that there was a while gull among the common jobs. I thought it was a Glaucous Gull, not super common but I have seen several already this year. Good shot though so I saved the pics.

Today when I was going through adding pictures to my bird list I realized that the bird just didn't look right. The long feathers at the ends of the wings, the primaries, not to be confused with the one in Nevada last night, were grey. Glaucous Gulls have white ones and Herring Gulls have black.

Not wanting to look like an idiot I posted it on What's this Bird, on Facebook, a resource I love, as second-guessing myself on bird IDs is one of my favorite hobbies.

Turns out that it WAS different. It was a Nelson's Gull, a hybrid between a Herring and a Glaucous Gull. How cool is that?

When you add yesterday's dancing deer, the fisher, the bobcat, and all the beauty of the long winter sunsets, I guess I shouldn't be complaining, should I?

And shhh....I am just whispering here but have you been noticing how the willow branches and the red osier dog wood and the poplar trees are beginning to glow with new life? I think it may soon be spring.....

Thanks for reading.

Nelson's Gull