I did not go birding this weekend, but birding has been on my mind. I’ve registered for The Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival, coming this January, with several exciting field trips! I’ll be going (weather willing) on the pelagic trip again, plus one for Black Rails and some other specialty trips. My birding friend Laura Erickson is giving a talk on her Conservation Big Year, which should be fun. I’ve missed her this past year, so it will be nice to see her.
Looking farther ahead, the Big “O” Birding Festival, around Lake Okeechobee, is in March. David Goodwin is usually heavily involved in that festival. I missed getting to see him this summer due to personal and financial reasons (which I hope he can forgive). I met him at the SCBWF last year, and really wanted to see him before the summer had gone. Such is life, I suppose. I’m making every effort to go this coming year. Registration seems more affordable than last year, if I am remembering correctly.
Besides that, the winter bird residents are settling in, so it’ll be time to make the rounds of Pine Island and the Viera Wetlands soon for waterfowl and such. Those will be my last pushes for my 2013 bird count, which still sits officially at 140.
Lonely Birder 