Rosie and I were taking a walk at lunch one day last winter on the bike trail behind my office which happens to be adjacent to Blackhawk Country Club. It is one feature that I like about our office location as it provides an opportunity to have some decent bird sightings even though my office is in near the middle of Madison. On our walk that day I was reminded what a beautiful and eye-catching sight a bright red male cardinal can be in winter!
This sighting has left me wondering if I have a favorite bird? I certainly have a list of favorites but I am not sure that a single favorite comes to mind. Cardinals are always in my “favorites” list. On that walk I thought that in winter my favorite bird probably is a male cardinal because the color they add to the landscape. Another winter favorite from home is the eagles that congregate along the river! This was a good winter for eagle sightings with a top day of 27 birds between Highway 12 and the dam!
This got me thinking that maybe i have a list of favorite birds with a changing top bird(s) for different seasons… Since that time, many other birds have been at the top of my list. As winter turns to spring, the sound of sandhill cranes always stops me in my tracks. The call of a blue bird and the sound of turkeys gobbling from the roost filled Rosie and my morning walks along the river this year. And we were lucky enough to see some pelicans and a loon stopping over on their way north. And now we are graced with the song of orioles and the little house wren next door!
Choosing one bird to call a favorite may be too much for me…what do you think?
randyoutdoors 