chicago '08

we were held captive on a 5 hour bird watch this morning, which wouldn't have been terrible except we’re in the midst of a frigid nor'easter and we didn't have any snacks. we found ourselves in a carpool with two friendly yankees, who were dead set on spotting a golden eagle- no matter how long it took to find one. apparently, the 10+ bald eagles, harriers, and multiple other raptors we spied weren't good enough for them. a benefit of the exhaustive trip, besides the birds, was driving through some adorable little villages we otherwise would never have known existed. the other birding highlights (as if anyone besides us would care!) may have been the long-tailed ducks and the loons, which are surprisingly elegant for birds with such a silly-sounding name.

the highlight of any bird trip for me is the people-watching. my favorite of this trip was a WWII-era navy man whose methods of birding are all related to military strategy. "form a caravan and we'll drive up to Essex as a group. that way, we're less vulnerable to accidents and mishaps."