My First (and as yet only) AMAZING Bird Story

I have lots of REALLY COOL bird stories and experiences, but I only have one truly AMAZING bird story, and it involves my truly amazing Grandma B. It was in the early 90s and I had taken my mom, dad, and grandma to Sharon Woods for a little birding. My Grandama B, being of the Irish persuasion, was a well-known “lucky lady,” and this was going to be her first birding trip. I remember saying, “if you’re lucky, we will see a Scarlet Tanager because they live here during the summer,” knowing full well they spent most of their time in the canopy and were usually heard but rarely seen. After all, I had been birding there for years and had never seen one, but within 3 seconds of the words leaving my mouth, a Scarlet Tanager flew down and perched on a bush not 3 feet from us at just under eye level. He was there for well over a minute looking at us frozen in our tracks looking at him. Many times I’ve had cool birds light on trees or bushes beside me, and I marvel at their beauty every time, but never a Scarlet Tanager, and never right after I uttered its name. I remember being in total awe, and realizing my grandma had some sort of connection with the big guy, or the big gal, or possibly the big bird, and that being Irish was really a good thing.

...a really quick colored pencil sketch 

of what I remember from that day.

Today would have been grandma’s birthday. Just like me (and Aunt Pat, and Aunt Becky, Aunt Bonnie and Grandpa H), Grandma B was a Pisces, and that always made me feel special. I’m sending this out to The Three Sisters. I’ve gone walking on the trail many times since then, but the Scarlet Tanager has never returned, but every time I reach that spot, I stop and can feel that day and that moment with all of us standing there, amazed, looking at that beautiful bird, and it feels good.

Winter Picnic and a Bruewer Big Year

Today was a very fun day! My family headed to Sharon Woods for a winter picnic honoring Adelaide (Grandma B to us kids) on what would have been her 96th birthday (which is actually tomorrow on March 2). It was definitely cold, but we were all bundled up and built a fire in the huge outdoor fireplace. We had lots of food, s’mores, apple pie, and coffee made in one of those blue camping coffee pots that make it taste really good.

Yum!

We are all bird lovers and have had bird parties in the past, so at today's picnic we decided to honor Adelaide by having a Bruewer Big Year starting today and ending next year, same weekend...naturally, at another winter picnic. I don’t think our Big Year will be anything like the Big Year described in Mark Obmascik’s book chronicling the adventures of Sandy Komito, Al Levantin, and Greg Miller, but that’s okay! We will have fun keeping track of our birds and talking about our adventures. Truly, when you put The Three Sisters together, it’s a huge laugh fest. I love to be around Aunt Pat, Aunt Diane, and mom when they start talking about Adelaide and their childhood adventures.

The Three Sisters

Diane, Pat, and Joni (my mom!)

Laughing around the fire...except for Curg.

I think he was still trying to figure out

why I like to observe woodpecker tails...

Matty, Rick, Curg, Bill, Uncle John, Dad

Matty and Curg looking at Mabel Duck

sitting on top of the waterfall.

Don't jump Mabel Duck!!

The first bird for the Bruewer Big Year was a White-breasted Nuthatch spotted by Matty. I think that’s a good omen because it’s such cute, feisty little bird. Let the Bruewer Big Year begin!

:-)

Aunt Pat, Aunt Diane and mom probably thought they were going to get away without detection, but I have to point out just a few of the bird eccentricities that go on in our family:

My dad carved these little bird pins out of wood.

Most people wear one on a sweater. Aunt Pat opts

for the more-is-better model and pins them to her head.

(Don't laugh too hard Aunt Diane...you're next...)

...and it's such a lovely Christmas candle too!

...and this is not just any necklace. If you fill it with water

and blow on the tail, it whistles a pretty bird call.

Unfortunately, it was below freezing today, so it

would have turned to ice (like the green mint candy

my mom brought). Matty and I have the same

bird necklace, so I guess it runs in the family!!