Peanuts In My Pocket

My wife gave me some advice recently. “You need to slow down. Pick a spot and wait for the birds.” I scoffed. It felt like I was already moving in slow motion. I struggled with the concept. Slowing down is not something I do well unless it involves a book and a cup of coffee.

I tried her approach on two separate birding trips to El Dorado Park, both times unsuccessfully. I was hunting for a golden-crowned sparrow for my life list, but after ten minutes of standing near a tree where they had been reported, I grew bored. I didn’t see a single bird. Nothing. It was like every feathered creature in the park had called in sick.

These days I try to take a photo of every bird I see and add it to my eBird checklist. It’s a recent shift driven by my 2026 goals. I want to photograph at least 300 species next year. Not new species, just 300 total. For new birds, my goal is to lift my life list from 204 (or wherever I end the year) and push it to somewhere between 250 and 300. It’s going to take work. I’ll share more about this near the end of the year.

I visited Bolsa Chica yesterday. Unfortunately, my timing landed right at high tide, which means fewer wading birds and a lot more waterfowl. I cut my usual three to four mile loop down to about 1.4 miles. Along the way, I used Merlin Bird ID to scan for calls I didn’t recognize. When something new came through, I stopped and watched for movement. Ten minutes stretched to thirty. My restless nature kept urging me to move on. I pushed some reggae through my headphones and stayed put.

Eventually, a bit of motion caught my eye. A Marsh Wren popped up on a branch for a split second. I managed a few shots. It became bird number 167 for the Bird Nerd Project.

I also grabbed two decent photos of a Common Yellowthroat. Another elusive bird I’ve heard dozens of times but have only photographed on three occasions.

Changing one’s nature is not easy. It’s similar to adapting to retirement, shifting from an always-on job to a life with no alarm clock and self-directed projects. I’m adapting.