Well, here we are—after an epic 11-year hiatus, I’m sitting back at my Adirondack chair, overlooking the picturesque cranberry bogs we live on now. I've swapped my super strong coffee for a hoppy, locally-brewed IPA to celebrate the end of the work day, and starting work again on my personal project- BirdingGirl. Honestly, it feels a little surreal. If you’re popping in and thinking, “Wait, she’s posting again?”—yep, it’s me! The binoculars are still close by, the dog is snoozing nearby, and yes, the birds have kept me company all along.
Life Lately: Birding (Mostly) at Home
Let’s get this out of the way—I never stopped birding. Not for a minute! Sure, life looks a bit different now. Marriage and kids will do that to you, right? These days, “getting out in the field” means looking up at the trees lining the trails leading to the cranberry bogs I walk my dog on, listening for great-horned owls and wood thrushes, or watching a flash of yellow as the warblers return each spring.
I still get the same little thrill spotting an Eastern Towhee hopping around our property or hearing the orioles sing from way up in the cherry tree outside our front door. Birding has just shifted: it’s less about chasing lists and lifers, more about soaking up surprisingly magical moments right in my own backyard (and sometimes, honestly, from the kitchen window while doing dishes).
Spring on the South Shore: The Cranberry Bogs Wake Up
If you’ve followed me from the “old days,” you know I get a little starry-eyed as soon as migration season rolls around. There’s something about those first hints of gold and olive in the treetops—and every May, I find myself sneaking off with the dog at sunrise to peek into the bog edges and the woods just beyond. You never know who’s going to show up: common yellowthroats, yellow warblers, and white-throated sparrows that always make me wish I'd started a year list.
Sharing these walks (and the birds!) with my kids is maybe my very favorite part. There’s something amazing about seeing a kinglet through new eyes, or letting the kids guess at what kind of hawk just swooped over the back garden. It’s birding, just with more snack breaks.
In fact, I even took them to the mecca of Massachusetts birding-- Mount Auburn Cemetery. Here's a picture of my youngest daughter as a 2 year-old helping mommy bird.
Spoiler Alert: So. Many. Photos.
True confession time: I have a backlog of bird photos on my computer that could probably fill three blogs. Leathered field guides? Check. Memory cards full of chipping sparrow antics, yellow warblers, and kinglets hiding among the bushes along the creek? Also check. I just haven’t shared them yet—which is about to change.
I’ll be rolling out lots of these photos in the weeks ahead, so if you’ve missed seeing the birds through my (admittedly, sometimes foggy) camera lens, stay tuned. Let’s get back to swapping stories, IDs, and those weird “what do you think this is?” mystery bird photos in the comments.
It feels good to be back. Thanks for sticking around and for all the notes and encouragement over the years. I’m excited to see what’s out there this fall migratory season—and even more excited to share it with you all again.
Finally, let's all acknowledge the elephant in the room- AI. I'm going to be sharing stories of how I leverage LLMs in my birding hobby and even tips for blogging and search engine optimization, so if you're into those topics- stay tuned!
Happy birding (and blogging)!
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