Conversations with self

When Don Mumford reran the video he took Saturday. All I heard was my voice saying "wholly moley!" Saturday was the Cumberland Island Christmas Bird Count. Marge Inness & I are assigned the mainland around Crooked River State Park. It is pretty standard birding. This year Don, Debbie's husband, volunteered to take us out into some of the waterways in the count circle. We were looking around Grover Island, a marsh island, when we came up on this dock. It was COVERED with shorebirds. Black-bellied Plovers, dowitchers, Dunlins and a few Western Sandpipers were spread down this dock as far as the eye could see. I was supposed to count these birds. My brain just went, "Wow! you are on your own on this one. You can expect me to help you to draw but this, well I'm out of here." This happens sometime. When my brain decide, "Sorry this ain't happening." I have to take a deep breath and come back with" Ok, let's just take a moment. Can you take one bird?" My brain says, "Well maybe one." With that breath I take a few moments to take it all it. We watch as the bird swirl around and land rearranged on the dock. This wonderful sight of birds as far as the eye can see. At the very end of the video you can hear Don laughing. I enjoy hearing laughter.

Crooked River State Park

Experience Coastal Georgia Festival at Crooked River was Saturday September 13th. My day started by setting up my booth. My next stop was the Nature Center for the Bird Walk I was leading. While waiting I did a little quiet birding with Emily the naturalist. We had a nice little flock of warblers and vireos. The highlight was a Blackburnian Warbler. I had not seen a Blackburnian Warbler here on the coast so I thoroughly enjoyed my time looking at him. He would pop in and out between leaves of the oak tree. By the time my group arrived the flock had moved on into the woods. Actually walking the path from the Nature Center to the campground to the pond and bird window area was quite birdy. There were Eastern Bluebirds, Summer Tanagers, Downy, Red-bellied and a beautiful look at a Pileated Woodpecker. When we got to the bird window there was a family there with their bird books out studying the birds at the feeders. We got back to the Nature Center in time for the next activity for the family. I went back to my booth. Crooked River State Park is located on Crooked River. The booths were set up on the bluff overlooking the river.

a view of Crooked River from my booth

Beside my art I am also the Chief Naturalist at Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Shop Jekyll Island Georgia. Gary Smith was set up next to my booth so we enjoyed talking to the festival goers. I enjoy working with the Smiths. They care about birds and helping people set up their yards for birds and nature.

At the end of the day a couple of the other artists came over to look at my art. They were very interested in my creative printmaking which I call my monotype constructions. They made my day complete by telling me that I was taking printmaking to the next level. It is always nice to hear for my work is a true blend of my art of printmaking and the birds I enjoy watching. It was a day of both.