Adventures in Birding

I have always enjoyed looking at birds but recently have become much more intentional about it. Unfortunately, intention brings with it obsessive and competetive behaviour. Last week when we were at the zoo with Tom, I spent more time looking at birds in trees than exotic animals. This led to Tom and Kelly randomly shouting RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD!! at me and confusing other zoogoers. What the heck -- I saw the aforementioned blackbirds, a tree swallow, a whole host of American goldfinches, a pair of redbreasted nuthatches, and two birds I could not identify.

So, the next day we were sitting on the couch enjoying the Saturday papers and a good cup of coffee when there came a great thump against the window and a flurry of feathers. I crept outside, hoping not to find a little corpse. Luck was on our side -- a wee bird sat stunned in the driveway. Hmmm -- it looked a little different than your average avian denizen of Kingswood Road. This was no house sparrow. I gestured to Kelly to get me the camera and I swear to God, she looked at me, disgusted, and accused me of taking advantage of a bird in distress.

I snapped the picture and the bird flew away, healthy as can be and showing no sign of feeling used. I compared it to Peterson's, and I'm pretty sure it's an ovenbird.

Not a bad name, seeing as how it was almost toast.