The Big Sit

It has been years since I participated in The Big Sit. The Big Sit is where a group of birders gather together in a 17 foot circle and see what birds can be seen from that circle in a 24 hour period- usually birders don't stick around that long, it's usually dawn to dusk (because that's when you can see the birds). It also doesn't have to be the same birders all day, just the same circle. This year for Utah County Birders it was at the end of the Provo River Delta. Nichole and I went in the morning and stayed for a few hours. First bird of the day we saw cross the road in front of us while we were driving- skunk. Okay, not a real bird but it was fun to see. We saw plenty of real birds, the highlight was a peregrine falcon that flew by. No longer my "nemesis bird." I've seen a few in the wild since then.

The Big Sit is done all over at least the United States. I'm not sure about other countries. Lots of groups do it. The bird count (species and how many of each species) is put on an ebird record and that's how the information is logged for the annual event.

Nichole and I enjoyed ourselves. There was plenty of birdwatching as well as socializing. You know I like both. It's always good to catch up with other birders.

Our birding friend who helped us jump our van in St. George was there and of course he brought some things that someone else forgot. Always to the rescue, always the hero.

Nichole and I stayed until almost noon when I got stung by a bee so we decided it was time to go home even if we would have stayed a few more minutes. It had climbed on my shirt and I didn't think it climbed up my shirt sleeve so I was patting my arm hard "just to make sure." I felt the sting and felt really bad for it because it was my fault and it was an actual bee and not a yellow jacket. I would have felt worse for me if it was a yellow jacket. One of the other birders used her long fingernails to get the stinger out of my arm. See? Birders are helpful people. So, it was too bad that that happened but other than that it was a good day. I love sharing things like this with my daughter especially since October 11 was International Day of the Girl Child.

I did not have my camera to take pictures because it was in South Carolina with Jeremy. I would rather it be with him there. Binoculars were plenty good for me.

 

A few days before The Big Sit, Nichole and I went to the Bean Museum at BYU for the monthly UCB meeting. Jeremy joined from South Carolina on Zoom because two hours ahead, he was done with his balloon building for the day. 

I don't have a picture but the day after The Big Sit was International Moment of Frustration Scream Day on October 12. I didn't feel like screaming again this year (I'm fine with that), but I had one child almost scream when I tried to wake him for church.

I actually had a good day. I got to teach Relief Society. After church I got a long nap. It was a pretty good day. 

 

Bird Day 2022

6 years ago today, January 5, was my first time identifying a spotted towhee. It was National Bird Day and Jeremy, little Lucky, and I went out to try out my new binoculars and a field guide I had received for Christmas. We saw a bird in some bushes and using my binoculars I got a good look at it, though we couldn't get a picture of it. I was able to identify it, though. After that, I saw quite a few spotted towhees in numerous places but couldn't get any decent pictures until finally I got some really good ones in March of that year, 2016.

I thought it was fun that yesterday and again today, Jeremy's dad saw spotted towhees at their bird feeders and right outside their door.

Jeremy went out to do some birding today to celebrate the holiday. He had to try out some new binoculars he got this Christmas. Unfortunately it was too rainy so he didn't get to see much. Sigh.

Happy Bird Day anyway.

Mirror Lake Drive

September 25 was Public Lands Day. Woohoo. Free entrance into national parks and public lands. We took the chance to drive up Mirror Lake Scenic Byway like we did for Labor Day last year.

There were definitely some Fall colors showing.

Jr. made sure to get a patriotic picture with a flag and colors in the background.

Provo Falls wasn't too crowded so we were able to stop there. I learned a few things. The path is not stroller friendly (even though at the top it looks like it could be). There are a few levels of waterfalls. You can walk to more than just what you see from the parking lot or as you drive by. 

And Jet gets a kick out of the needles on evergreens.

We saw an American dipper while we were there, too.

And Jeremy and I are a cute couple.

 

We made a quick stop at the Hayden Peak Overlook again as we always do (we've only done this twice with our family but both Jeremy and I have done this drive with Utah County Birders) but didn't see any birds we were hoping to and drove around the campground at Mirror Lake. One of the spots we go to was closed so we didn't see any birds we were hoping to see there, either. 

We did have success with the pikas this time and we got better pictures. Jr. has to get so many biological encounters for his biology class and he needs pictures so this worked out great. Who knows how many other kids in his class will have a pika on their list? And pikas are lagomorphs like rabbits and it was International Rabbit Day.

Jr. Jr. helped me get a picture of a pika with my phone... with binoculars. I couldn't hold both and zoom in and push the button, so I tried to hold the phone and binoculars steady while Jr. Jr. zoomed in and took the picture. He was a big help.

zoomed in with just my phone

not zoomed in through binoculars

 

zoomed in through binoculars

Since it was also Singles Day, we put singles packets in our water bottles for the drive home.

It was a lovely drive and family time.

Big Springs Hiking

National Sleepyhead Day in Finland is on July 27. I got the kids up early this year (early for Summer anyway) to go hiking up Big Springs since that is one of the items on our Summer Wishlist and we kept putting it off for various reasons. Jr. Jr. really wanted to go so we made it happen. Morning worked better than evening. Anyway, Lucky was the last one still asleep but we didn't get him wet.

We did however have fun hiking. There was so much to see- plants, animals. We saw wild turkeys on the drive up and a few times on the hike. 

 

There were butterflies everywhere. It was quite pleasant.

We didn't make it all the way to the springs which was Jr. Jr.'s goal but he had a good attitude about us needing to turn back. 

I was impressed with Jet and how far he hiked. He was just happy to go anywhere if he got to hold and look through binoculars. 

Jr. got the brother of the day award, though, when Jet didn't want to walk anymore and Jr. carried him all the way down the trail and got him to sleep holding those binoculars. While he was asleep, I took them away but he stirred and I had to give them back so he would go back to sleep. Finally I was able to put them away but that boy loves binoculars. 

It was a wonderful hike. We had Jet saying, "Hiking." We couldn't get him to say, "We are hiking." When we tried to get him to say that, he would say, "1, 2, 3, hiking." So cute.

Later in the day, we did have a water fight like we did last year for Sleepyhead Day.

Appreciate a Dragon Day 2021

For Appreciate a Dragon Day on Saturday, January 16, Nichole decided to have her dragon help out with things at home while Jeremy and I ran errands and tried to fix the car. It should have been as simple as replacing the battery but instead it took a lot of prayers and the next door neighbor who came over to see what we had been working on for hours and used his knowledge to fix the last bit for us. Thank you, neighbor. You were a huge blessing.

The kids worked on cleaning and homework (with the dragon) and watched some dragon-themed movies.

Earlier in the day, Jet and I took Jeremy to pick up his prize for reaching Gold for the UCB birding challenge for 2020. I got to chat with one of the birders from a distance while Jeremy was getting his certificate and binoculars harness. The Thursday before we had a Zoom Meeting with the club to talk about birding in 2020. It was so nice to see those birders and I was able to have all the kids there since we watched from home (and Jr. Jr. and Lucky danced around at home).

January 16 was also National Fig Newton Day but as things were so crazy, we forgot to eat our fig bars so we celebrated Fig Newton Day (Observed) the next day by eating them after our spinach lasagna that we had to celebrate Popeye's Birthday on Sunday, January 17.