Has it been another week already? Sorry about that!
Can I make it up to you with a picture of a Bald Eagle bringing food back to the nest for a pair of fluffy eaglets? Don't worry, it was just fish (I saw that video of the eagles eating a cat too). We spent Saturday at DeSoto National Wildlife refuge in Iowa as part of Global Big Day. Danny was able to spot over forty different species of birds, adding a few new ones to his life list. On Sunday, we visited Towle Park, Standing Bear Lake, and Heron Haven, all in Omaha which resulted in several more new birds for his life-list. May is Migratory Bird Month, and we've been seeing plenty of them.
Not a real bird.
For those who might be interested, here's the lists for Saturday and Sunday:
Saturday at DeSoto:
House Finch
House Sparrow
Common Grackle
Mourning Dove
European Starling
Blue Jay
Red Bellied Woodpecker
American Robin
Great Blue Heron
Canada Goose
Tree Swallow
Red headed Woodpecker
Brown Headed Cowbird
Chipping Sparrow
Harris' Sparrow
Barn Swallow
Northern Cardinal
Grey Catbird
Bald Eagle
Turkey Vulture
Wild Turkey
American Coot
Yellow Rumped WArbler
Northern Waterthrush
Golden Yellow Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Mallard
Swainson's Thrush
Least Flycatcher
White Breasted Nuthatch
White Crowned Sparrow
Blue Winged Teal
Eastern Kingbird
Double Crested Cormorant
Eastern Bluebird
Baltimore Oriole
Sunday, between the three Nebraska locations we spotted:
Common Grackle
Swainson's Thrush
American Robin
Red Bellied Woodpecker
Harris' Sparrow
House Sparrow
House Finch
Wilson's Warbler
Brown Headed Cowbird
American Redstart
Northern Cardinal
European Starling
Common Yellowthroat
Canada Goose/Cackling Goose
Northern Waterthrush
Mallard
Wood Duck
Red Winged Blackbird
Blue JAy
Black Capped Chickadee
Great Egret
Chipping Sparrow
Baltimore Oriole
"The Lesser Great Plains Twitcher."
It doesn't sound like it would be exhausting, but dawn to dusk birding two days in a row takes a great deal out of a person. Well, this person. The twitcher is doing fine. I'm glad he was able to spot a few migratory birds he'd wanted to see. There was a great moment where he was showing photos to a couple of wildlife biologists trying to get an I.D. on a bird he'd seen. The three of them were huddled over a camera and bird guides debating the various eye stripes and wing patterns on the bird. My fourteen year old self wanted to shout, "Nerds!" and run from the room, but I was rather impressed by the way Danny was able to discuss the finer details with people who care about such things.
I'll try to give you a condensed version of last week's better outfits.
Top-90's Norton McNaughton-Filenes(?)
2000's Liz Claiborne skirt-Hand-Me-Ups
1960's vinyl clutch-Goodwill
Clarks sandals-Hand-Me-Ups
Shell bracelet, earrings, and coral necklace-Hand-Me-Ups
Then, there was this one:
Skirt-Goodwill
Naturalizer sandals (brand New) $2.00 at Sequels
Vintage macrame handbag-Goodwill
Glass beads-Both Sarpy County Historical Society Yard Sale
Earrings-Sears(I think)
And this one:
Vintage KoKo Knits top-Goodwill
Taffeta skirt-Goodwill
Vintage Naturalizer peep-toe shoes-Thrift World
Vintage Handbag-Goodwill
Shell earrings-Hand-Me-Ups
Fragrance-Vintage formulation Azuree (I can still smell it in the car!)
In-between all that, I bought a swimsuit with a matching sarong at Target:
I'm a sucker for Marimekko. In fact, I liked it so much I went back and bought a top and matching shorts. I'm wearing the top here:
I wish the sleeves were a bit less wide, and perhaps a bit shorter, but that is something I can easily fix on my own. The fabric is cool and comfortable and launders nicely without wrinkling too horribly. The matching shorts give the overall appearance of a romper when worn with the shirt, and it will be a nice thing to have this summer...if we ever get summer. Today it is raining, and in the 40's.
Outfit Particulars:
Skirt-Sears, ages ago
Top-Marimekko for Target
White bracelet-Souvenir of Canada-Goodwill
Silver Mexican bracelet-Goodwill
Earrings-Can't remember
Jacket (top photo)-Hand-Me-Ups
Vintage blue vinyl handbag-Goodwill
Lucite necklace-Sequels
If you've made it this far, thanks! I hope I don't sound as scatter-brained as I feel at this point, but it has been busy, busy, busy of late. I did notice that they have started putting out chairs and filling the pool , so if we ever get some sun and warm temperatures I can take myself over there to relax and fall asleep in the sun (is there any better luxury in life?). Until then, it is all end-of-the-school year madness, and next year's syllabus writing. Teaching Grade Six is the best-we get to do earthworm dissection in biology.
I hope things are going well where you're at. Have a wonderful week (And if you fancy some inexpensive Marimekko togs, get yourself to Target quickly. Danny thinks I should go back and get the bikini just to horrify the plastic surgery junkies we see at the pool each summer. I just might.).
9 comments:
My son is a bit of a birder so I, too, have gone along on quite a few birding adventures. i'm afraid he was quite bullied in grade school for his bird knowledge so now he kinda keeps it under wraps but he still loves the raptors and he doesn't care who knows it. Wow! You have hit the cute skirt mother lode. Adorbs. And that Canadian bracelet is great, eh?
Loving the Marimekko! That top is particularly lovely, its got an African look to it, which is a massive plus in my book.
Great round-up of outfits, you stylish thing.
I know nothing about birds, I can point out a robin, a wood pigeon, a dove, a blackbird and a woodpecker and precious little else. I've just interrupted The Great British Sewing Bee shrieking - what is it? at a bird in the bird bath. Jon's response was "A great tit, you tit." xxx
Sleeping in the sun is one of life's pleasures I think - well covered in sunscreen of course!
I love the outfits; there's a monochromatic theme there this week. You look so chic and proper. The Lucite necklace is fabulous and I love the Marimekko - so stylish and fun!
What a lovely way to spend a weekend twitching and what a wonderful array of birds were spotted. Well done Danny - I'm well jel!
I saw my first swallows in Devon last weekend and today I heard swifts screaming high up outside of my house - summer's here!
Hope your week goes well!
Veronica
vronni60s.blogspot.com
Target has Marimekko separates? WOW! Loving that Marimekko swimsuit & top (even though it does seem to need a bit of tailoring.)
What an amazing assortment of birds migrate through Omaha. We usually see birds migrating to Siberia in June.
Guess what? Mandy Aftel saw my review of her book on my blog & put it up on her personal web page & facebook page!
On that bummer of a Paganne Mayan print dress- My favorite curse is from Klinger on MASH- "May the fleas of a thousand camels nest in their armpits!"
Toodle pip,
Bibi
xox
https://calmlycookingcurry.blogspot.com/2016/05/ingredient-of-week-ajwain-ajowan-carom.html
That Marimekko top is super. Such a great pattern.
(Why do modern tops have such gigantic armholes? That one baffles me.)
It's good to know Danny had a great time birdwatching. I used to work with a serious twitcher - he carried a pager so he could get alerts when rare birds entered the country. Will Danny reach that stage?...
So many things I love, so where to start? With the Marimekko top, of course! I love that Lucite necklace you're wearing with it. Other things I love: the lovely parasol skirt, the handbag you're carrying with the taffeta skirt outfit and the swimsuit is gorgeous! I'm amazed at how many different species of birds you've spotted, too. xxx
@Connie
Kids can be such assholes. I'm glad your son was able to stick with his interests, even if he had to keep it to himself. Danny has the advantage of being huge-he's a sweet kid, but his size is intimidating which I think spares him a lot of grief from would-be bullies.
@Vix
Better a great tit than a blue tit!
I think the print on the top is supposed to be an orange.
@Veronica
Swifts and swallows are definitely summer! I heard there's some rare falcon hanging around Devon people are racing to see. I wonder if the birds think much of the humans with their binoculars and scopes having a look at them.
@Bibi
oh cool-that's a major brush with fame!
I think the cut of the Marimekko pieces was to accommodate as many body shapes as possible (They had palazzo pants as well). Then again, a bit of shapelessness is OK in summer heat.
@Mim
If Danny gets a pager I'm going to be quite concerned.
I already agreed to buy him a scope he can mount a camera to, which I suppose is just encouraging him to go out chasing after birds.
@Ann
I'm not a birder, but my son brings me along to hold the binoculars, bird guides, and photography equipment. I'm going to start insisting he pay me a salary for my work as his assistant.
Please convey to Danny my sincere compliments to any young man who can distinguish the sparrows! Those bitty brown birds look alike to me (except for the red breasted males that eat oilseed).
The Lucite necklace is stunning with the Marimekko!
@Beth
Those birds are lucky someone in this house likes them because I was none too pleased being woke at 5 AM, or spending the day cleaning the mess they made of my patio.
I think the bird you're describing might be a house finch...oh gawd, now he has *me* doing it!
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