or something

April 30, 2002

Today's Reading
Landscape with Figures by Kent C. Ryden, Birds of Heaven: Travels with Cranes by Peter Matthiessen

This Year's Reading
2002 Book List

Today's Starting Pitcher
Darren Oliver

Hmm, a year ago today I was busy rolling down a cliff above the Tisza River, getting really scratched up and dirty ... Why do I feel like crunch mode at Starship Startup is way less exciting? Maybe it's just that there are no great bustards, pygmy cormorants, or ferruginous ducks in Nagog Park. For the record, I did see a turkey vulture on the way to work today in addition to the usual number of red-tailed hawks. In fact, on the way to work today, besides the turkey vulture and the redtails, I saw northern cardinal, common grackle, redwinged blackbird, herring gull, American crow, American goldfinch, great blue heron, blue jay, Canada goose, and mourning dove. And I wasn't even looking. Oh and a chipmunk and several gray squirrels too. Then there were the usual house sparrows, starlings, and pigeons but we won't count those.

The other day (uh, Friday I think) I saw a northern flicker in the parking lot at the starship. It flew by and landed on a pine tree. It made quite a racket for awhile then I lost track of it.

The crows put on a lively show today over the giant dirt mound I can see from my cubicle, swooping and diving and a pairing off in parallel flight. Even the ubiquitous herring gulls seemed more active than usual.

Or something.