A few months ago my husband announced his intention to start birding again. In his early 20s, after moving from New Mexico to attend Warren Wilson College, he took up birding. When we started dating, a lot of our dates revolved around birds and being outside. He had a poster of a Loon on the wall of his room back in those days. He badly wanted to see a Loon but never had---not even after all those summers working trail crew for the Appalachian Mountain Club up north. Never had until today. 

A Loon is hanging out on a pond at a local park near downtown. No one knows why. It certainly shouldn't be here. But it is and when my husband heard about the Loon, he jumped in the car, drove over there, and there it was. One of the things he likes best about birding is that if you go, other things happen--seeing other wildlife, finding your true love, having unexpected adventure, one never knows. Today while viewing the Loon he also got to see a mama Wood Duck with five babies. Normally Loons and Wood Ducks are quite shy. 

Credit for both images: K. Grigg, a colleague who was also Looning this morning. I'm so glad she had her camera. If you click up, you can see the Wood Duck babies. 

Another cool thing about birding is that if you go, your kids begin to notice birds without seeming to try. A few weeks ago my son spotted a female Summer Tanager, which we all then got to see. Yesterday my daughter heard a Yellow-Billed Cuckoo and then found it with the help of her father. And we all got to hear it again this morning along with a Hooded Warbler, a Wood Thrush, and a Rose Breasted Grosbeak. Of these, the song of the Thrush is my favorite. We hear Pileated Woodpeckers frequently. And Barred Owls, monkey calling in the night, of course.