NAME THAT BIRD
I like to
think of myself as an amateur bird watcher.
I am not a “Birder,” one of those crazy people who hike through the
woods with shorts, a floppy hat and binoculars strapped around their necks
keeping track in a little book of every new bird they happen to spot.
I am not one
of those people, though it would not take much to flip me…I’m just missing the
floppy hat and the little book.
Anyway, I am
a bird watcher, not a “Birder.” Got it
from my mom who always had a “Birds of North America” book handy in case
an unusual bird stopped by our yard.
Last night I
was prepping the BBQ for dinner with my friend Frog who was visiting for one of
our periodic guitar butchery get togethers.
I heard a
bird call of which I was not familiar.
“Kee Aw
Scree…Kee Aw Scree!”
Frog heard
it too and as he is another armature bird watcher whose mom had the same book;
he came running outside from the kitchen.
“What is
that?” he inquired.
“You
heard it too.”
“Yup.”
“Kee Aw
Scree…Kee Aw Scree!”
“There it
is again!”
“It’s not
a song bird that’s for sure.”
“Definitely,
some kind of raptor.”
“Maybe.”
“I have
seen a small hawk around here from time to time.”
“I’ll bet
it’s an immature Sharp Shinned Hawk.”
“Could be,
or a Coopers, not much difference.”
“Kee Aw
Scree…Kee Aw Scree!”
“There it
is again, and it’s not moving, must be in a nest somewhere.”
I pulled out
my phone, “Siri, show me the call of a Sharp Shinned Hawk.”
Over the
phone came, “The Sharp Shinned Hawk makes a Kik Kik Kik call.”
“Well, it’s
not a Sharped Shinned.”
“Kee Aw
Scree…Kee Aw Scree!”
“There it
is again.”
“Kee Aw Scree…Kee Aw Scree! Wee, this is fun daddy!”
“Hmm, it
is either some kind of small raptor, or your neighbor’s swing set needs some
WD40!”
“Well,
that was exciting…how do you want your steak?”
Like I said,
I am an amateur bird watcher.
