recent posts
- 🪶Feathered Friends | Three Gulls and a Road Trip: Waterbirds of the Pacific Coast Highway
- âš¾ Game Day Stories | Three Stadiums, One Coastline, and A Whole Lot of Baseball
- 🧡 My MS Journey | You With The Sad Eyes A Memoir by Christina Applegate
- 👟 The 10K Chronicles | June Steps on the West Coast
- 🪶 Feathered Friends | West Coast Birding on the Pacific Coast Highway
Category: Feathered Friends
Feathered Friends is my birdwatching micro‑series, where I share the birds I spot, the moments they create, and how nature supports my brain health and MS journey. These posts blend curiosity, learning, and the joy of slowing down long enough to notice what’s right outside my window.
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The writer reflects on a Pacific Coast Highway trip, focusing on identifying specific gulls: Western, California, and Glaucous-winged. With the help of the Merlin app, differences in wingtips, legs, and bills become apparent. The journey also reveals varied bird sightings, adding cherished memories to the family adventure.
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The author shares their experience of a two-week Pacific Coast Highway road trip, emphasizing birding during downtime. They captured 19 new bird species, including the rare Swinhoe’s White-eye. Despite a packed itinerary featuring a surprise proposal, birding moments enhanced the journey, offering lessons in observation and appreciation of nature.
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During an unexpected hospital visit, the author discovered new bird species, including the song sparrow and American goldfinch, while using the Merlin Sound ID app. A misidentified European Starling showcased its mimicry skills, reminding the author of the importance of observation. The trip, initially unplanned for birding, led to delightful surprises in nature.
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The author reflects on their birdwatching adventures, documenting sightings and encounters, including new species like a baby robin and red-winged blackbirds. Despite slow growth in their lifer list, they embrace birding as a hobby influenced by the competitive landscape introduced in the documentary “Listers.” Lifers can appear unexpectedly, enriching their experience.
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The author shares a heartwarming experience of observing Carolina Wrens raising their young in their backyard, highlighting the joy of birdwatching. Additionally, a Mother’s Day outing to Saxapahaw involves enjoying brunch and nature, while adding new bird species to their list. The scenic dam brings peace and enhances the family’s outdoor experience.
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The author reflects on their birdwatching experiences enhanced by the Merlin App, which identifies and tracks various bird species. By combining birdwatching with daily walks, they appreciate sightings like the Cooper’s Hawk, Tufted Titmouse, Northern Cardinal, Blue Jay, American Crow, and Brown-headed Cowbird, each with unique characteristics.
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The author shares their experience of birdwatching, sparked by a Christmas gift of a video bird feeder. They reflect on the benefits of this hobby for brain health, especially in relation to managing multiple sclerosis. As they learn to identify birds like the Chipping Sparrow, they find joy and motivation in every moment of discovery.