Birders As Art III

Yeah, I'm pulling this one straight outta The Vault.  This was probably taken in 2006, the year of Matt Deshazo's Spring Break and the heyday of The Ashtray.  Those who don't know what these things mean need not know, but understand that there are some times in a person's life where if they could go back and do it all over again....they wouldn't change a thing.  For good or ill.


So here we have Allicat and the one formerly known as "Pumpkin", both of which are showing nicely here in alternate plumage.  They are at Big Lagoon in Humboldt County, looking at god-knows-what.  Maybe a Great Egret or something.  They are using my ancient Nikon scope, which served me well for many years, but was ultimately not up for doing the outstanding things my Zeiss can do for me (to me????)....I think if the Nikon was used now, people would label me as some sort of bizarre "retro" birder....but I digress.


Alli stands on the left.  Note headband, digital camera hanging casually on her arm, and fresh plumage, all with an air of casual effortlessness.  Kind of like a heron, of some sort.  She is playing the roll of the chic, smoking hot, young female birder, which frankly.....is rare.  I say that without shame because lets face it, I'm certainly no catch (although my colleague Felonious Jive is quite dapper), but who really cares?  Pumpkin, on the right, was lacking binoculars at the moment, and so must gaze determinedly into the haze (the future?) in order to sort the scaup and scoters for any vagrant sea ducks.  Here she plays the roll of the edgy, fashionable, maybe even gender-bending bird enthusiast.  What is she into?  Dudes?  Chicks?  Ptarmigans?  Its just so hard to say......not that there is anything wrong with that.  Defining characteristics are weird hair, huge obnoxious sunglasses, studded belt....which is actually kind of subdued for her.  Maybe she is molting.  At any rate, this is an extremely rare sort of birder....they do exist, but you can never count on seeing one.....their is a pattern of occurrence on the west coast, however.


Remember people, birding is supposed to be FUN, you don't all have to dress like you are footsoldiers of the new nerd army.  God, wait 'til you see some of the Bizarro Birding Day pictures from last year.....