Be Prepared: Take Two

Today I had a phone interview for a bird banding assistant position with a graduate student from Fordham University. As we were finishing up, I noticed a huge bird fly into one of the trees in my yard. As soon as I realized that it was a Pileated Woodpecker, I asked her to hold on while I grabbed my binoculars to take a look! (Thankfully I was interviewing with a fellow bird person who understood my excitement!) Very cool bird, and not one I need to verify by its' song -- there is no question when you see one of these!

Photo courtesey of Flickr user Noël Zia Lee

Birders' Motto: Be Prepared

You just never know... This morning I found a new bird while doing something we all do every day: getting gas. Thankfully, the little songster was still there when I got out of the store, and gave me enough time to run back to my car to grab my binoculars and trusty field guide. Then as always, I verified my find, a song sparrow, by later checking the song on All About Birds.

Photo courtesy of Flickr user brendan.lally...away