🚀 go-pugleaf

I suggest a Brown Thrasher, possibly a juvenile or molting bird.

Bracey


Bill Snodgrass wrote in message <37FF85DA.D7ED4390@retrorock-it.com>...
>I have been, once more, proving to myself, just how little I know about
>birding.  Good thing I know a bit more about HTML (web site
>programming).  Below is a direct link to the "Birds" feature of my
>gardening magazine.  I have (once again) revised the interface.
>
>The "selector" at the bottom lets you "Browse Out and About Birds, Page
>1."  If you are interested, take a look at some of these birds.  If you
>want to add information, the navigation console offers the option to do
>so.
>
>--  I have some pictures of water fowl that are not in my guide book.  I
>suspect they are domesticated birds of some sort that have taken up
>residence at the park I visited.
>
>--  The picture I call A-Bird 9 is most puzzling to me.  I spent about
>an hour looking in my field guide for something, but for one reason or
>rejected everything.  I AM sure that it is a bird!
>
>http://www.retrorock-it.com/Blackthumb/Birds/
>
>Once again, let me say how much I appreciate this news group.  I have
>learned so much from reading the posts and from the replies I have
>received to my posts.  THIS is a great group!
>
>p.s.
>If you do visit, I hope you enjoy A-Bird 10 as much as I enjoyed adding
>it!
>
>--
>Bill Snodgrass
>Operator, Blackthumb Bob's Gardening Tips and Humor
>____________________________________________
>Writing from outside Memphis, TN (Zone 7)
>Blackthumb_Bob@retrorock-it.com
>
>"...Observe how the lilies of the field grow....
>Solomon in all his glory did not clothe himself like one of these"
>(Matt 6:28-29)
>
>http://www.retrorock-it.com/Blackthumb
>
>

Thanks to all the people who responded to me (mostly directly) about these
birds (and the other posts in the past as well).  Your gift of knowledge to
me has helped me spark a flame of interest in my 9 year old son.

But a bit of background first:  About a month ago, my mom and dad were
visiting and he decided to spend some time with my mom.  She talked to him
about birds and such.  (Mom and dad live on a lake in S. Il and have a
wonderful bird habitat and he likes to play with her binoculars when he is
there visiting.)  Mom ultimately bought us a hummingbird feeder and let him
help her mix the nectar.  She also bought us a nice seed feeder too.

Since then, I have enjoyed watching as the birds have learned to frequent
our back yard.  Yesterday, my son shocked me when, at the book store to get
book for a school project, he asked for a bird field guide.  I told him I
had bought one recently.  He said, "Yes, but I would like one of my own."
It was a different tone than the "let me have the newest electronic game"
attitude.

I found a small guide (Peterson's guide to the 188 most common birds in the
Eastern US) and bought it.  He can read it pretty well, and showed me this
in the car on the way home.

HERE IS THE GOOD PART!
Arriving at home, he took up a seat in the breakfast area to watch the
birds.  I sat with him and we watched for about 45 minutes as the birds
came and went.  He finally said he had enough and went to join his brother
at the N64.  I counted this a major demonstration of interest -- to forgo
any time on "that game" for something like this!

Today, he sat again for about 45 minutes watching AND naming the birds he
saw yesterday.  He was able to use the guide to note the differences
between white-breasted and red-breasted nuthatches and between purple and
house finches.

As I just tucked him in, his field guide was at his bedside, pages marked
with strips of paper where the most frequent visitors to our yard were
pictured.

If this interest is but a passing phase for him, the skill he is developing
to scientifically observe and classify will serve him well in any field he
eventually enters.  Learning to appreciate and respect beauty and nature,
to conserve the environment.... these things are life lessons he will hold
onto, no mater how long he has an interest in birds.

So, again, I thank you all for helping me to give this gift to my son -- as
well as for helping ME to enjoy the activity more myself.

Sincerely

--
Bill Snodgrass
Operator, Blackthumb Bob's Gardening Tips and Humor
____________________________________________
Writing from outside Memphis, TN (Zone 7)
Blackthumb_Bob@retrorock-it.com

"...Observe how the lilies of the field grow....
Solomon in all his glory did not clothe himself like one of these"
(Matt 6:28-29)

http://www.retrorock-it.com/Blackthumb