Went to pick up my buddy Kathy at the airport this morning, but her flight was delayed by two hours. However, Lake Crabtree is right there, and since I have my handy binoculars in my purse, I spent two glorious hours birding, seeing thrashers, warblers, bluebirds, some lovely skinks (not birds, but neat anyway!) It was productive, to, since spring migration is in full swing–got a confirmation on that black-throated blue warbler, logged an eastern kingbird (and was able to spot the white tail tip that distinguishes it from the phoebe) a common yellowthroat, and a spotted sandpiper. The sandpiper was exciting just because I have very, very few shorebirds on my list at all–I mean, I’ve got kildeer, and that’s about it, and I first saw THAT in the parking lot of a chiropractor–so I was stoked.

The yellowthroat was cool just because it was a male, and they have these wonderfully bold black masks, like nature designed them to fight crime. Of course, when your wingspan’s right around five inches, you’re limited to very small crimes. Worms embezzling dirt, slugs beating up snails for protection money (“Nice shell youze got here. Be a real shame if anything was t’happen to it…”) things of that nature.