Getting Ready

Wow! I can't believe it's been more than a week since I last posted. By the way, for those who are still curious about mama lynx spider and her babies, they are doing well. Babies are still hanging around. We had rain Saturday night, but Sunday morning we found mama and her babies had taken refuge under a leaf of their resident rose bush. I haven't posted a picture of them since last Sunday because they don't seem any bigger now than last weekend. I'm fairly certain they will look bigger when I return from my trip.

Trip? Yes, this is my trip I've looked forward to since early summer. This is the Festival of the Cranes in Socorro, New Mexico. I am so hyped up about going, you'd think this was my first time attending. But, I get more excited about this birding event every year. Last year, Julie Zickfoose was the keynote speaker. This year Julie and Bill return and will be leading a couple of birding tours. Both tours are the same; one on Saturday morning, and the other on Sunday morning. It's called "Mountain Birding Tour." It will be a 1-2 mile walk/hike at 7,000 feet elevation. We should be able to see woodpeckers, jays, bluebirds, nuthatches, etc. Here is the cover for this year's event.

And for reading material, I've decided to bring along Kenn Kaufman's book, Kingbird Highway. I really liked Delia's recent book review (beginning to bird), and decided to buy the book to take along on my trip.

Another book I started to read when I flew back east earlier this summer, and haven't finished reading it yet, is Chesapeake by James Michener. I really want to finish this one before starting the Kingbird Highway. Hopefully, I will have time in the evenings to read. I should at least be able to read on the plane and in the airports.

Some of the other programs/workshops happening during the festival that my husband and I signed up for and are looking forward to attending: All About Raptors, Cave Swallows, Birds of New Mexico, Raptors on the Rio, Hummingbirds. This is not a complete/comprehensive list, but just the ones that highlight birding events. There will be plenty more to see and do. And hopefully, I will have Internet access so I can keep up with reading everyone's posts.