Tweeters, I have not had the chance to sit down and share my benchmark
bird; I have been busy with alot of music stuff(almost done ). However I
finally have a moment....My interest(or fear) of birds began when I was a
preschooler in Kansas; we were picnicing, and what seemed to be a giant bee
approached us, and I was TERRIFIED. My dad convinced me it was a tiny ruby
throated hummingbird, but I was not impressed. A couple of years later, while
playing with my dads fishing worms at the lake(a father daughter thing) he
pointed out the white pelican, great blue herons, other herons, and said,
"there is a kingfisher sitting up in that tree over there. Since I was
looking for a giant bird with a golden crown on its
head I never saw it; but had all these wonderful pictures about the
magnificent kingbird with the golden crown......Years later, married, and
camping with my sis in-law, they pointed out the kingfisher in the trees
(a different one of course); and I watched as he dove into the water and came
up with a fish and flew away; I was hooked......I had the fortune of
learning alot from imy sis in-law the next several years, especially the
fly catchers which are abundant in migration. My dad and his love for
wildlife, and the time he spent with me made me a birder, and a lover
of the enviroment. He's still a great man and powerful influence in my
life to this day. vicki biltz Bonney Lake, sawwhet85b at netscape.net





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