In November, we asked some of our volunteers and trip leaders to share their birding experiences and gratitudes. Here are their responses!
C.J Vadovic
C.J volunteers at our General Meetings by hosting the raffle table and helps maintain habitat at the Rainbow Owl Preserve. She hares her joy of birding and some recent memories from the Birds & Banding field trip to Idaho below:
How have birds benefited your life over the past few months? How has it benefited you overall?
"In general, I feel great joy when observing any bird. There's a peace that comes from just watching them be their own best bird."
Can you recall a special moment with another person or a group of people while out birding? Did you and another person see something you had never seen before that was so unique that all you could do was talk about it for the rest of the day?
"The recent RRAS trip to Idaho. Watching the IBO team handle, tag, evaluate the birds was incredible. Getting to see a merlin that had been netted and tagged, then observing her up close before being released. That was incredible....those in the group who were present were all amazed. Another experience on that trip.....sitting around on Lucky Peak at night, waiting to see if any owls were netted - the clouds moving over the moon, the quiet conversations and laughter. Priceless."
Which places are you thankful for? Where do you go to unplug?
"I enjoy being in my own home.....with my dogs. I"ve created a space that brings me joy just to be in. I unplug here. But also, just being outside, whether a walk in the neighborhood or somewhere more distant. I can unplug pretty easily!!"
Was there a moment with a particular bird that stands out? Describe it.
"I take great joy and pleasure in observing hummingbirds at my feeders. Such ferocity in such a tiny package. Occasionally one will fly over to investigate me.....another priceless moment."
Morrigan DeVito
Morrigan is an AmeriCorps service member and works on our education and outreach team. She leads birding events at Cornerstone Park as well as Mindful Birding and Nature Journaling events.
Can you recall a special moment with another person or a group of people while out birding?
"There are too many to count! Seeing Blue Grosbeaks and Western Tanagers with Olivia at Corn Creek, looking at a Western Sandpiper's feather patterning while a Northern Waterthrush calls from the reeds at HBVP with Alex, observing Wilson's Warblers flitting about in the cottonwood canopy at HBVP with Melissa... but one memory from an event that has a special place in my mind is leading a nature journaling event in March at HBVP. I was on the boardwalk with my friends Charlie, Olivia, Carlos, and Fran. We were all sitting on the benches, lost in our work, American Avocets and Black-necked Stilts in the shallow pond. Then, I saw a dark butterfly flutter by and when I pointed it out, Fran told me that it was the Mourning Cloak-- the first sign of spring! Although spring's warmth was still many months away, this year I"ve paid much more attention to butterflies than I ever have because of Fran's infectious joy for butterflies."
Was there a moment with a particular bird that stands out? Describe it.
"In September, there was a big flock of American Avocets at the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve that was particularly memorable. There were about 50-60 avocets crammed onto a thin strip of shoreline at the back of pond 7. They started looking at each other and getting a little restless before suddenly erupting into flight. The flock looked like a giant wave in the sky, ebbing and flowing as the group circled, broke apart, rejoined, broke apart... and eventually landed together again. I"ve never seen so many avocets there before; it was so breathtaking."
Steve Dougill
Steve is one of our expert birders and leads some of our field trips and special events, including the Birding & Banding trip to Idaho and Veracruz trip in 2023. He shares a special memory from the Veracruz trip below:
Can you recall a special moment with another person or a group of people while out birding?
"We had a rainy day whilst on the recent Red Rock Audubon trip to Veracruz, Mexico. Of course, that didn"t stop the birding but we diverted inland to a beautiful waterfall to try and avoid the worst of the storm. We noticed some white shapes BEHIND the falls and through the scope we could easily discern that they were swifts .. resting on a mossy ledge behind the torrent of cascading water. Every so often we would see birds cut through the spray and fly around ... before finally a tight ball of shrieking devils were airborne and heading south, south, south. Over the coming week we kept on revisiting this amazing encounter; an experience made even more fun through sharing with everyone present. For me birding involves living in stories and this adds the latest page."
Vicky Grogg
Vicky is one of our new trip leaders and leads birding events at Cornerstone Park. We are so grateful to have her on the team!
How have birds benefited your life over the past few months? How has it benefited you overall?
"Birds give me the opportunity to connect with friends, family and people who are new to me since their beauty, calls and antics are fun topics of conversation. In recent months, I was with a friend who lost her husband after a long illness. She's not a birder, but when we took a walk in her local park, she was thrilled to hear and see birds that she never noticed before. The experience seemed to give her a short respite from the sadness of her loss."
Which places are you thankful for? Where do you go to unplug?
"To unplug I walk on a paved path in our neighborhood. One section, about a quarter of a mile long, is what my husband and I call "bird alley". All the typical birds like Mockingbirds, House Finches, Anna's and Costa's Hummingbirds, Verdins, Rock Pigeons and Mourning Doves hang out there, and from time to time we see Say's Phoebes, American Kestrels, Lesser Goldfinches, American Robins, Northern Flickers, Common Ravens, and White-Crowned Sparrows. I work from home, so seeing birds while I"m taking this walk helps rejuvenate me and clear my head."
