Moments of Bird Joy...

I've been fortunate enough to count birds in some pretty cool places.  Be it by air, by bog, by sea, by mountaintop, or by marsh - I am usually enraptured by the avian world I find around me...

I readily admit to many moments of talking to myself, exclaiming to myself, and laughing out loud by myself.  These nerd fits can be triggered by anything from a nasal laugh of a Fish Crow on the beach, to a spectacular dive from a Northern Gannet, or a particularly friendly flock of Dark-eyed Juncos.  Although I would likely be embarrassed if a stranger were to witness one of my moments of complete avian-induced joy, I love the feeling where you know you are the only human witnessing something awesome.  Whether it's a visit from a Horned Lark tinkling it's migratory bells...

  

Or a Brown Creeper skulking about overhead...

Or a Common Yellowthroat whichity-whichiting away at your elbow...

There always seems to be a little extra something to appreciate somewhere nearby.

I recall some feverish moments of pajama-clad hilarity last winter when Bohemian Waxwings converged upon our yard to gorge on berries.  In a bird-induced stupor I counted 60 one morning as they fluttered around like moths...

 

I also recall whole moments of grinning like a fool while flocks of mixed-species warblers suddenly descended from migration and happened to forage around me.  Beaming on mental overload as my mind tried to file all the different field marks, postures, colors, sounds, and behaviors.  Some people may think this is madness, to be so enthralled by moments of avian chaos.  To find sheer joy in what you have yet to learn.  But it's these moments that fuel my birding fires and keep the drive alive for me...

Fortunately, generations of birders before me have paved the road to 'nerdvana'.  I can submerge into one of many field guides and satiate my hunger for more information.  This means moments of bird joy can be found not only in the field but also behind a book...what a wonderful thing it is to be 'addicted' to birds!