Plenty of Piping Plovers!

I'm still inconsolably bummed by the loss of a camera and lens that I can't afford to replace, but there's no reason not to share a few Bird-a-thon photos!  I have tons of Piping Plover pictures, for instance.  This one is an unusual view of a Piping Plover, 


Piping Plover Looking Up


Piping Plover Fishing

Piping Plover in a Tire Track

 

 

 



Piping Plover Escaping the Tire Track

 

 

 

 

Bird-a-thon 2012

Once again, Tom and I are participating in Mass Audubon's Bird-a-thon 2012 fundraising event. Bird-a-thon is a 24-hour birding event during which my team will count as many Massachusetts bird species as we can. We are raising money for the Broadmoor Audubon Sanctuary in Natick, Massachusetts. During this event, we will be in competition with other teams to see the most bird species. Bird-a-thon is like a scavenger hunt combined an Amazing Race type of reality show. Competition is fierce, and the race goes on no matter how bad the weather conditions might be or how difficult it is to navigate the terrain.

Bird-a-thon 2010

Tom and I are far from the best Bird-a-thon competitors out there. No one has to worry about us getting any prizes for seeing the most species, believe me! But in the past we have managed to get some spectacular photos during Bird-a-thon, and we're quite proud of the fact that Mass Audubon has featured many of our pictures in their Bird-a-thon Results slide shows.

Bird-a-thon 2011

Bird-a-thon is much more than a simple scavenger hunt or photo op, however. Bird-a-thon is Mass Audubon’s single, largest, annual fundraising event. Donating to Bird-a-thon helps protect and preserve the most precious resource we have; The Nature of Massachusetts.

Bird-a-thon 2010

We can thank Mass Audubon for the fact that we can still see an endangered species like the Piping Plover pictured above. There so many species of birds that are in trouble, and we can't afford to turn our backs on the problem. It's not a matter of aesthetics - it's ultimately a matter of the survival of all species on our planet, including our own species. 

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Bird-a-thon 2010

We live in a beautiful world that is filled with beautiful birds. They fill our lives with delightful songs, and they fill our hearts with joy.  It's hard to ask people to donate money when times are so hard, but I feel strongly that my readers will give whatever they can afford so that our world will remain beautiful for generations to come. This year, lets hear it for the birds by sponsoring our Bird-a-thon team.  Together we can save The Nature of Framingham and the Nature of Massachusetts, too

Fantastic Birds of the USA

This is the first slide of a PowerPoint presentation I am giving to raise money for Bird-a-thon this year.  The presentation will be at Carmel Terrace in Framingham, where my mom is currently a resident.  I almost didn't sign up to raise money for Mass Audubon's Bird-a-thon this year because mom's not doing well at all.  But after a little soul-searching, I changed my mind.  Bird-a-thon raises money to protect the nature of Massachusetts, and that is a cause very dear to my heart.  Despite everything, Tom and I will be participating in Bird-a-thon 2012 with a vengeance!

I won't bore you with images of all 50 slides, but I do want to show you a few highlights from the presentation. This slide commemorates a sighting from our first Bird-a-thon, when my son Pete was a part of our team.  Pete is now in Zambia, Africa as a Peace Corps volunteer.  We barely speak because it's outrageously expensive, but he was thrilled to hear that we'd be doing Bird-a-thon for Broadmoor again this year.  Pete was the Property Manager at Broadmoor Audubon Sanctuary in Natick when this photo was taken, and he loves the place.  All the more reason for us to join Bird-a-thon this year!

Not all the photos are from previous year's Bird-a-thon results.  Some are images of local birds, and some are pictures we took when visiting Arizona and California at Christmas.  This photo was taken when Pete and I went to the Cape in February 2011. 

We've seen Northern Pintails in Arizona, California, and in Massachusetts.  The range and migration patterns of birds is well understood by experienced birders, but many non-birders find such facts absolutely fascinating.  I was overwhelmed by how many people became attuned to the world of birds and birding after seeing my last presentation.  It is sometimes hard to ask people to donate money for your cause, but when you give your audience the gift of hearing songbirds they never noticed before, asking for donations becomes a bit easier!

Of course, the presentation also includes some fantastic looking birds that usually evoke gasps of wonder from the audience.  My animated and dramatic stories about each of the slides is another big draw, of course!  (JOKING! JUST JOKING ABOUT THAT!)

Bird-a-thon 2012 is going to be held on May 11th and 12th this year.  I know times are hard for everyone, but a donation of even a few dollars would be greatly appreciated.  Believe me, every little bit helps more than you could know. Click HERE to donate or click on the FirstGiving button on the top of the page. Thank you all so much for caring!

Best artistic (sort of) shots from Plymouth

The famous Tern Rock. (see pics from Bird-a-thon 2010!)


Lining up for a bite?


These two Common Terns look as though they are having a tea party!


Gull and tern in flight.


At the beginning and at the end of the day, we were serenaded by the melodious song of a sparrow.

IT ISN'T TOO LATE TO DONATE!

Birdathon Oystercatchers, Roseate Terns, Brants,and more!

The best surprise of the day was definately this American Oystercatcher. Pete would have loved to see this!


Criss-crossed terns!


Not the best photo for an ID, but this Roseate Tern image was the best quality of the few I managed to take during Birdathon, The swirling fog is simply impossible to deal with.


A better ID pic of the Roseate Tern, although very fuzzy.


Brants are a type of winter geese around here. They are very cute and shy.

IT ISN'T TOO LATE TO DONATE!

Back to the Beach!

We'll see gulls galore at Plymouth Beach on Saturday.

We won't see a beautiful blue sky, though. If it's too cloudy, we won't good pictures - and if it rains, we are in deep trouble!

It was during last year's birdathon that I saw my first Brant. They are sea-going geese, and very cool.

I am DETERMINED to find Caspian Terns again. Can you see them hiding among the gulls?

Thank you  SO MUCH to Karen and Bob, Cheryl and Gene, and Linda and Rob!  If you can believe it, all of Tom's sisters have made very generous donations to our Birthathon for Broadmoor team! Sincere thanks to my St. Barts buddy, Maryann, also.

Thank you for donating to Mass Audubon!

Bird-a-thon 2011

Willet

These are some of the pictures that Pete, Tom, and I took during Birdathon last year.

Piping Plover

Birdathon is a 24 hour race to find as many bird species as possible in Massachusetts. It a big fundraiser for Mass Audubon, but it's also a way to get detailed "state of the birds" data and migration data.

Roseate and Common Terns

Birdathon is also a crazed competition between Mass Audubon sanctuaries. Different teams spread out throughout the state - climbing mountains and wading through swamps - just to find that one rare species that might win the day for their team.

Yellow Warbler

Last year we met up with my cousin Catie in Bridgewater on Friday night. (Catie's BirdingGirl blog inspired me to start blogging two years ago!)

Marbled Godwit

We were up at dawn to try our luck at Plymouth Airport, then Tom, Pete, and I walked all the way out to the very tip of the peninsula at Plymouth Beach and all the way back in.

Canada Goslings

Then Pete dragged us to the Daniel Webster sanctuary to add even more birds to the list!

Laughing Gull

Despite the endless and very tiring walk, Plymouth Beach was a blast - and a birder's delight.

Common Tern

Pete can't be here for Birdathon this year. He started a new job as a Forest Ranger in Oregon yesterday. I still haven't adjusted to not having him around, and I miss him terribly.

Common Tern

Between not having Pete to ID birds and my residual pain and vision problems from breathing in metal dust and glue fumes last winter, I was planning to skip Birdathon this year.

Semipalmated Plover

But at the very last minute I changed my mind! I might not do as well without Pete, but with Tom at my side I'm going to try. I'll probably embarrass myself - but at least it's for a good cause!

Of course, I'm really desperate for donations now because Birdathon is only two days away. If you can spare a few dollars to save The Nature of Massachusetts, I'd be eternally grateful!