I still remember the first day I truly found the wilderness. It was a cool day in July, a rarity for the desert of Los Angeles I call home. I had woken up early that day to go running with some friends, a favorite pastime of mine; our destination was a patch of open space just outside the valley.
FROM OUR READERS: Owls Nesting in Our Yard
One evening in mid-May, two friends and I were sitting on our front porch (with masks and social distancing) after an evening hike. Their musicians’ ears heard owls! The next day I started looking for them at dawn and dusk. Then, in the middle of the following day I saw a head sticking out of the old nesting box I had built for an acorn woodpecker which my husband, Marc, and I rescued from a downed tree six years ago.
FROM OUR READERS: The Fledgling
The grayish brownish thing I discovered underneath the salvia in the backyard garden made me hold my breath for weeks.
I discovered this hidden thing about four years ago around the end of April. A jerky movement at the top terrace caught my eye. Squatting down sumo-style, I gingerly lifted the leaves. All right, what are you? I was face-to-beak with a baby bird. The bird froze and I immediately let go of the leaves.
Oh great. Just great.
Birds of the Season – June 2020
By any standard, this spring has been an unexpected and unprecedented one. It would seem impossible to write this column without mention of the coronavirus pandemic. While birders have been fortunate to be able to continue their pursuits less affected than many others, this birding season has been overshadowed by world events.