Category: the birds and the trees

These posts describe encounters with the natural world

Return to the secret garden

February 23, 2024 out and about the birds and the trees
More than four years ago, Craig introduced me to a small patch of wilderness that decades before had been planted with narcissus and daffodils. I wrote about it then, and last week we finally made another trek out to check on the current state of this secret garden.  Don’t hate…

San Diego between the storms

February 2, 2024 a-roving the birds and the trees
January between rainstorms was a lovely time to visit the San Diego area. Though this trip didn’t turn out quite as we’d imagined, we had fun exploring some of the less-visited sites.  To fly or not to fly? Private pilots like to say that if you absolutely must get somewhere…

Birding Oregon 2023: Malheur

June 2, 2023 a-roving take a picture the birds and the trees
Oregon Trip, Part 2: The second part of this year’s Oregon birding adventure took us back to Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.  Craig and I have done quite a lot of birding in the past few months! In March we spent a week birding in Texas (links to the relevant posts…

Birding the Gulf Coast

April 7, 2023 a-roving take a picture the birds and the trees
Texas Roadtrip, Part 6: We wrapped up our Texas birding adventure with stops at two hotspots on the Gulf Coast: the nature center on South Padre Island and the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge.  Just in time for spring break Craig and I had been warned before we left Big Bend…

Down in the dumps

March 27, 2023 a-roving the birds and the trees
Texas Roadtrip, Part 5: After leaving the amazing birding hotspots in McAllen, Texas, we headed east to the Gulf Coast. We stayed overnight in Brownsville, with the intention of making an early morning visit to the local dump. Terns and tacos Our birding adventure in Brownsville began with trying in…

Birding the Río Grande Valley

March 16, 2023 a-roving take a picture the birds and the trees
Texas Roadtrip, Part 3: Our travels continued with visits to three birding hotspots near McAllen, Texas, just north of the Río Grande and the Mexican border. Where do the real birders go? Before our trip, we called up Craig’s cousin Ron, birder extraordinaire, to ask for his suggestions as to…

Birding in Big Bend

March 13, 2023 a-roving take a picture the birds and the trees
Texas Roadtrip, Part 2: Our first main stop was Big Bend National Park in western Texas, where we went mainly for the birds. Here’s what we discovered there… How many birds did we find? Before I answer that, let me first say that it was entirely our own fault. We…

Undaunted by wind and rain

March 3, 2023 out and about the birds and the trees
We have indeed been having weather! But that has not deterred us from getting out. My sisters and I hiked at Coyote Hills Regional Park last week. And on the weekend Craig and I made an overnight trek out to the Central Valley to see the almond blossoms and visit…