The Great Backyard Bird Count
Several weeks ago we participated in the Great Backyard Bird Count. I can't remember who sponsored it...I can't remember what I had for breakfast...Google it if you want to know. But it was a lot of fun. The gist is that you take 5 minutes or 15 or 50 to sit and observe birds over the course of 3 or 4 days. You record species, habitat, weather, location, etc. We took our "binocliars" every where for those few days and for the first time really began to learn the names and sounds of the birds in our new state. 
Birding in the front yard with Lou.
Point Loma, Cabrillo National Park/tide pools.
Taking pictures. (That phone has been broken for about 5 years.)
We saw about 70 brown pelicans fly over Point Loma. I never did get a good picture of one, but of all the pictures I looked up of pelicans, I never found one that had the red on the tip of the head, "cheek," and tip of the bill like these did. They were really beautiful.
Comorant
Northern Mockingbird - we have these through our backyard a lot. They are quite chatty in the mornings.
I forget what this was.
She's almost showing another kind of bird. Can't remember why she never made it out of her pjs???
We also took a picnic to the hang gliding port at Torrey Pines. Oddly enough we never saw a single water bird.
Just a little sparrow...
and a coupla bird nerds...they come by it honestly.
The Great Horned Owl award. Oh, you have to see this incredible picture of a barn owl that a friend in the neighborhood took. She looked out her window one cold, dark, rainy afternoon and there was the most beautiful barn owl staring at her through the window! It had a letter in it's mouth that said "Harry Potter." No, just kidding - about the letter. I'll try to get the picture from Mike.
So, last week we made nesting bags. We filled one bag with natural materials - sticks, twigs, hair, etc. and another with yarn, fabric scraps, string, twine, etc. and we hung them in the tree in our front yard. The idea is to see what kinds of materials the birds like to use to build their nests. We'll see what happens.
We're all looking forward to "The Count" next year. There are some incredible pictures that other folks took from all over the country. We did not get pictures of my two favorite birds - a pair of Western Scrub Jays that live near our backyard and a red tailed hawk that resides somewhere on our block.
Birding in the front yard with Lou.
Point Loma, Cabrillo National Park/tide pools.
Taking pictures. (That phone has been broken for about 5 years.)
We saw about 70 brown pelicans fly over Point Loma. I never did get a good picture of one, but of all the pictures I looked up of pelicans, I never found one that had the red on the tip of the head, "cheek," and tip of the bill like these did. They were really beautiful.
Comorant
Northern Mockingbird - we have these through our backyard a lot. They are quite chatty in the mornings.
I forget what this was.
She's almost showing another kind of bird. Can't remember why she never made it out of her pjs???
We also took a picnic to the hang gliding port at Torrey Pines. Oddly enough we never saw a single water bird.
Just a little sparrow...
and a coupla bird nerds...they come by it honestly.
The Great Horned Owl award. Oh, you have to see this incredible picture of a barn owl that a friend in the neighborhood took. She looked out her window one cold, dark, rainy afternoon and there was the most beautiful barn owl staring at her through the window! It had a letter in it's mouth that said "Harry Potter." No, just kidding - about the letter. I'll try to get the picture from Mike.
So, last week we made nesting bags. We filled one bag with natural materials - sticks, twigs, hair, etc. and another with yarn, fabric scraps, string, twine, etc. and we hung them in the tree in our front yard. The idea is to see what kinds of materials the birds like to use to build their nests. We'll see what happens.
We're all looking forward to "The Count" next year. There are some incredible pictures that other folks took from all over the country. We did not get pictures of my two favorite birds - a pair of Western Scrub Jays that live near our backyard and a red tailed hawk that resides somewhere on our block.
Music lessons
We start simply in the McBride house. The lap harp. Which, I am proud to say actually belongs to my husband...thanks to my mother. The harmonica and nose harp are also thanks to my mother. While we would be truly proud to have a fiddle playin' girl, we've decided to start with what is affordable...and on hand. She plays with an old Build-a-bear gift card. (We temporarily lost the pick.)
He plays with pirate booty. Of course he does.
He plays with pirate booty. Of course he does.
This week we are learning "When the Saints Go Marching in!"
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