Not-So-Lazy Birder

Lately, I’ve given up on the possibility of meeting anyone who can actually tolerate me, but for a decade, starting from the age of thirty five, I had profiles up on dating sites. Whenever I’d fill out those profiles, I’d feel really self-conscious about my hobbies and interests, all solitary and sedentary. So, I’d add hiking. Now, my idea of hiking is essentially a long walk. If it requires buying equipment at REI or EMS, well call the EMT because I’m about to start hyperventilating. But I do like a nice walk in the woods, so in order to not sound like a lump on a log, I put down hiking as an interest on dating sites.

About seven years ago, through one of those dating sites, I met a boyfriend who was a serious birder. This means waking up at the crack of dawn to go tramping through a swamp until sunset. Sorry folks, coming home and checking each other for ticks is not my idea of foreplay. I want lunch. I like to take a break and sit once every four or five hours. This is why I call myself a lazy birder. I’m probably an embarrassment to real birders like my ex-boyfriend.

Here’s my list from our weekend trip to western Maryland. New birds are in bold.

• Northern Cardinal (we saw a male feeding a female, which is a courtship gesture)
• White Crowned Sparrow
• White-breasted Nuthatch
• Black Capped Chickadee
• Red-breasted Nuthatch
• Goldfinch
• Tufted Titmous
• Ruby-throated Hummingbird
• Purple Finch
• Song Sparrow
• Chipping Sparrow
• Green Heron
• Downy Woodpecker
• Baltimore Oriole
• Eastern Towhee
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Killdeer
• Wild Turkey
• Eastern Bluebird
• Scarlet Tanager
• Rose-breasted Grosbeak
• American Robin
• Yellow Rumped Warbler

And, after we left the state park and headed off to dinner, a Pileated Woodpecker!

Photos for those who are interested