The Bluebird of Happiness

Right now he's on a branch in my backyard, and that's not a bad place, for either of us. There are other colors, other birds: Joy, light, laughter, love, peace... like the bluebird, they are easier to find some times than others. They come and go no matter what you do.

If you try too hard, you're doomed to miss them.

They are easier to find if your eyes are open.

What rules for birding life do you live by?

You might be a birder if ...

... Someone yells "Duck" and you ask "Where?"

Why maintain a backyard wildlife habitat?

because ...

Namesake

New look

If you're reading this directly on the blog rather than in a reader (e.g., Google Reader, Bloglines), you'll notice the appearance has changed somewhat. I've just tweaked the template to use more of the screen and be a little easier to read.

I dare say I'll play around with it a little more before I'm done.

I've also made some changes to the Wrenaissance website, to reflect the shift in emphasis to the blog and the use of newer tools such as flickr and del.icio.us.

Wonderful Weekend

This picture is from the Wrenaissance Era in Virginia, and is the first digiscoped picture I took, ever. Not bad, eh?

I spent this past weekend with a dear friend, visiting from my former life down south. It was wonderful to share the vista, the comings and goings of the local birds and wildlife, and good weather with someone who appreciates them all as much as I do. Reconnecting was wonderful. We spent a lot of time "vegging" - reading, playing with scope and binoculars, chatting about nothing and everything. I used some veg time to update my website and set up a flickr account, in between catching up on life, solving the problems of the world, and deciding the important issue of what to do for dinner.

Dead Tree Society meets here

Flower Power

I love the picture in this post on Lifescapes: Bee-licious. I've never seen two bees head first in a flower before.

And I knew I was seeing the work of a kindred spirit when I saw a dandelion in the photos next to the book on Bev's post on Burning Silo: some news. This was confirmed in the previous entry (reading in reverse chronological order)love on a dandelion featuring three ladybeetles, a dandelion, and the brave statement "we don’t spray our lawns and we like dandelions." I don't know many others brave enough to admit this, but I give a loud cheer of fellowship and support.

So, it's off to talk about planting some stuff in the back yard... and maybe doing it some day, if the rain gives us a break.

Top Five Ways Blog Carnivals Make Blogging Better

With perfect timing, Mike at 10,000 Birds posted Top Five Ways Blog Carnivals Make Blogging Better.

The most important to me are the last two: contact and community. I blogged last month about virtual communities and the people you meet online. Even though I've only been back in blogging a few months, I'm already beginning to find I'm on the edges of a network - reading and being read by - bloggers who care about the environment, conservation, wildlife, native plants, and local communities. I've discovered some links through blogrolls, but others through carnivals (I and the Bird, Festival of the Trees, Good Planets) that show let us show our best face, and the words or pictures we're most excited about, to the rest of the community.

Carnivals help us turn our monologues into conversations. Without someone reading and responding, I would not have the feedback that helps me improve those words and pictures. I wouldn't learn nearly so much about the world, nor see and read and learn from others.

Do I care about lots of links and page rankings? No, not particularly. But I don't want to talk to myself, either. I can do that without a computer.

House Wren Chicks at IBM Almaden Research Center

This picture has been on the internet for years, but it's still a favorite of mine. House Wren Chicks at IBM Almaden Research Center. The picture was taken by Chuck Tribolet who has an ibm.com email address. Here's more info about the facility and its wildlife

IBM Almaden is situated on about 700 acres, of which only 40 are developed. The remainder is wild, and has everything up to and including mountain lions. Adjacent wildlands include Santa Teresa County Park (1680 acres), IBM Santa Teresa Lab (1180 acres) and other private property (1000 acres). The site has been certified as a corporate wildlife habitat by the Wildlife Council, a nonprofit organization.

The one that got away

Last night, while doing some chores out back, I saw our resident Canada geese and realized they had a gosling with them. Cute, as all baby animals are, but it was dusk by that time and no hope of a decent photo.

So, in the spirit of spring, I give you the mallard duckling I saw in San Antonio a few years ago instead.

Two views of bloodroot

One at Beyond the Fields We Know: After the Rain and another at Details of Nature: A Beautiful Day