LOL, NAF, if the cat can figure out the keyboard then I guess he can submit too. Ginny, the GBBC is for all of North America, conducted by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. It's a way of seeing what birds are where in North America during one weekend in the year. It's been a good birding winter in my neighborhood although once again I'm out of luck on sighting a snowy owl. I briefly saw one in November, I've been out twice this weekend searching but no luck. On the other hand, I was able to report house finches and dark eyed juncos for this weekend, generally not birds we see in February. The usual at the feeding station: nuthatches, hairy and downy woodpeckers, blue jays, pine grosbeak, redpolls, and chickadees. Out in the country we saw many, many magpies and ravens. There's still one day left (Monday) for anyone who would like to participate.

Hi Kara! Sounds like you did a ton of work! I also did some thinning of my parents' plants - we took out a 30-year-old crinum and got more room in their garden. Like 10 square feet! Then they had a huge stand of Giant Liriope and I took much of that home with me for my garden. I also took home a back ache, but that didn't stop me from working out in the yard more today! So since you show Tavi helping out, I thought I'd show Rosie checking out the Blue Flags (this is an old picture)

Hi Azura, I have the book Birds of Denver and the Front Range that was given to me by my brother who owns a Wild Bird Supply store in Illinois, but I find I use my original book far more often. Sometimes I use the Denver book, but its more for a cross reference to compare pictures. My "main" book is A Guide to Field Identification Birds of North America by Golden Press, New York and I like the pictures and the way its set up better. That book was also given to me by my brother when I first started bird watching (now called birdingbut I still prefer bird watching!) There are other Colorado birding books available, but I dont know anything about them. Heres a list of the Most Frequently Seen Birds of the Denver Area which can be really helpful when youre first starting to identify them and trying to eliminate all the ones in the "complete" bird book that arent even a possibility. The ones youll see most often around here are House Sparrows (not really sparrows!), House Finches, Black-capped Chickadees, Pigeons & Doves, Blackbirds, Blue Jays, several different Juncos when theyre migrating thru in spring and fall (and sometimes in winter), and, especially if you put suet out, Flickers, Hairy Woodpeckers, and Downy Woodpeckers. Oh, and Robins, of courseI have them all winter. If you put out some feeders youll see a lot more birds than if you just watch for them, but I recommend staying away from millet or "all purpose" bird seed as it just attracts dozens and dozens of House Sparrows that will keep many other birds away. I recommend safflower seed, thistle seed, black oil sunflower seed and suet. That will get you at least all of the birds I mentioned above (except the House Sparrows), and many more, but just not as many of each. I love to watch the chickadees, but still havent attracted much of a following at this house, which is only a couple miles away from my last house where I had lots of them. But little by little theyre showing up. If you put the feeders near deciduous trees, thatll help even more. Heres a link to the best online bird identification site Ive found. Click on "all birds." AND, if youve never heard of it before, heres a link to Bird Cam where you can watch Eagles, Falcons, Kestrels, Ospreys, and Owls laying their eggs and raising their young. Its fascinating to check in on them every now and then. Check out the Eagle Cam. They should be laying their eggs pretty soon. Just in case all you see when you go there is an empty nest, remember that these are live cams, and the Eagles come and go! Enjoy our feathered relatives, Skybird (without the feathers!)

Wonderful weekend. How very nice of you to invite your friend. My sympathies for her loss. How sad......