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Re: response to Eric Harrold



"Gee, people, we're starting to sound like conservative right-wing militants
with a big-business political agenda.

Then again, humor is often unwelcome in such sincere and serious circles as
ours."

Exactly why I have been absent from the list so long - I got myself in a
serious firestorm due to my *humorous* comments about the possible political
affiliations of  Blue Grosbeaks. Oh, and also an erroneous post about what
part of  Devil's Courthouse had been closed. Read the signs wrong. Got
seriously chastised off list.
We need to learn to live together, and give people a little room. Room to be
humorous, and room to make mistakes.

Well, to birds.
The trees here in East Asheville are full of Warblers, none of which are
cooperative. One which was in a Spruce tree near my house was singing up a
storm in a curious 3 note song while I was out walking my Pug. He is not a
birder, so had no binoculars. I didn't have any either. When I got the Pug
in the house and returned, no amount of  pssshting would get him out of the
tree, and then he flew off at a fast rate. The Pug and I saw him - alright,
I saw him, the Pug was interested in the tree - and he looked to have an
orange or yellow head. Too far for the unaided eye. Oh, the Pug is indeed a
birder - chases Robins to the end of his leash - but never catches any.
An unusual sighting for my neighborhood is Orioles. I have lived here for
over 40 years, and have been a birder for around 35 of them, and I have
never seen an Oriole here, but there have been several, one in my yard, a
possible Orchard. I say possible, because he was in a tree near my tiny
pond, but when I ran for my binos and bird book, he was gone. A giant
conspiracy I think...
I did manage to tease a Baltimore out on the golf course, repeating his
whistles back to him, a rather sorry imitation, but he appeared in all his
splendor. I haven't seen or heard any of them in a few days. Possibly just
passin' through. Heard a pretty Robin - like song this evening while walking
the Pug. Possibly a Rose Breasted Grosbeak, but didn't have time to chase
him down. The Pug is the boss.
A Yellow Warbler has been singing his "I'm so sweet" song from a Black Gum
tree a block away, but I fear he is passin' through too. Around pine forests
here the Yellow Throated Warbler can be heard, and confused with the
Yellow's song. I have to listen close. Yellow Rumped (Myrtle) Warblers are
all over the place, one of the few I *have* managed to see.
I have read with interest the thread on playing tapes. I have not done this,
as I don't like lugging tape recorders around, and see it as too much
trouble, but I have to confess to whistling to the Tufted Titmouse
(Titmice?) around here. They will come quite close - my dad had one come
down and sit on his head a few years ago; probably thought it was a shiny
rock - and get all gnarly. I used to do this when teaching Environmental
Education about 10 years ago, and the kids thought I could talk to animals.
Hope I don't crash the Titmouse population. Seem to be a bunch of them
around, though. One almost flew into me when I went out the door this
evening. I was startled. The Titmouse didn't seem to mind at all.
Have seen all three Mimic Thrushes (you know who you are) in the
neighborhood. Bluebirds have been in residence in the box, and the other box
nearby has been taken over by a pair of Titmice. The daddy Titmouse and my
dad have frequent conversations. House Finches are verywhere. I saw a flock
of Waxwings this evening. The Pug didn't even look up.
All common birds; I haven't gotten out much this spring unfortunately, but
the locals are kind of fun, even the crows.


Alex Netherton, the Appalachian Naturalist
alex@alexnetherton.com
Asheville, NC
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mountainbirding/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/appalachian-naturalist-news/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/carolinanaturalist/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/carolinaponds/