Birding with the Legend

May 19, 2016

Crex Meadows
Grantsburg WI

Today I had the best birding day of the year.  It was grand.  It was also grandmother.  Today I was lucky enough to bird with my 91 year old grandmother Lucille Danielson of Grantsburg, the person I'm dedicating this year to.  I can say no more positives than this....except it was a day I will always cherish and remember fondly for the rest of my days.  Whatever happens, whatever number I get I had today.  I came in search of one bird, the black tern and like many this year, it didn't make it easy for us.  We had to play the marsh I've been in for all of my life.

I brought a friend Tony Lau of NW Minneapolis with.  We had breakfast, we saw wonderful birds, I got my year bird, and we saw probably the oldest moving creature in Wisconsin, the biggest, Blanding's turtle I have ever sen and possibly the oldest and largest one anywhere.  This endangered turtle was in a word...spectacular.  I know this is a big year of birding but...you had to notice.  They say this turtle grows to 10 inches and 80 year, (but note this turtle does NOT age).  this one at 16 inches, 200 years old??....it was around long before Grandmother was born in 1925 I suspect.  It could be older...IDK.  wow!!

Enough to give you size.  We rescued it off a road but never touched it.  Didn't want to harm the old gal.  Grandmother either,.... this turtle bites.

We saw my year bird #668 finally  Black tern

Golden winged warblers were everywhere...

I finally photographed a Philadelphia vireo today.  I was not going to sleep until I photographed one.  We saw a Wisconsin record for me, the black throated blue warbler...they are everywhere this year  and the masterpiece bird........................a close view of a resting Barred owl...even grandma Lucille was impressed.

This is now the owl of the month.  Cool bird...great to share and see.

Two days ago I got bird #667 Sprague's pipit ...fifth documented in the last ten years in Minnesota, very near the border as I had to take care some potentially unpleasant business at home, which wasn't so unpleasant in the end.  I also had to think about my Grandfather Allwin's birthday on the 17th, if he had been around.  I had to think about the rest of my year.  I was a little sad thinking about him, the year?  Something to do.  I got a lot of birds to see.

Today was a new day.

You know, I don't care about anything else right now.....I'm just savoring the day.  I may never get to bird with my legend birder ever again, so today...........PRICELESS!!

Thank you "Nan"

Your loving grandson

Olaf