My first bird book......can't remember the title but I am certain it had the word bird in it....and robins on the cover...with a blue background....my memory fades, but this was a basic child's field guide....and I remember transcribing the entire book in my own child's hand writing into my own notebook. My older sister was artistic and she drew the bird from the frontice piece that pointed out the parts of a typical passerine (probably another robin!). That was the first book I ever wrote (pun intended).

In college in the 60's, my first ornithology professor was Dr. S.C. Kendeigh. We used the Golden Field Guide, "Birds of North America".

Since then, I used the Nat. Geo. guides. One thing I want to mention here. I picked up a habit from a friend years ago. When he would see a life bird, he would record the date and location alongside the bird's map. This would bring back memories of when and where I have seen that species for the first time. The down side was re-recording this information in subsequent editions of the National Geo. guide.

Eric Kowalczyk
Seattle


*******************************************************************************************************************************************************************
Frodo: I wish none of this had happened.
Gandalf: So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. There are other forces at work in this world, Frodo, besides the will of evil. .... And that is an encouraging thought.