Columnist takes final look back on more than a decade of writing

Text Size: A | A | A

Print this Article Email this Article

Loading...

Birder’s Quiz: You are birding at Crescent City, Calif., in the late summer when you spy some birds landing on the rocks in the bay. They look a lot like gulls but are smaller with different markings. The birds are mostly white with gray wings, black on their head and neck, a red-orange bill and black legs. What are they?

It is with mixed emotions that I write this column. My wife and I are retiring and looking forward to some traveling and new adventures. So I thought for this last article I'd look back on some memorable moments from the 12 years I've been writing this column, and share with you some of my favorite birds and birding places.

One of my greatest joys during these past years has been the annual photo contest. When it began I hoped it would be well received and that readers would participate. Much to my surprise, we had quite a nice selection of high-quality photos the first year. Year by year the contest gained momentum with better and better photos being entered. Little did I know that this was to become an overwhelming success and that many readers worked all year long trying to get that one great shot! Thank you all for the support and enthusiasm.

Another satisfying note has been the overwhelming number of letters and e-mail messages from readers, and the fact I've had the occasion to meet many of you.

I remember one letter from a teacher who wrote in response to my article on favorite wild birds. The teacher had conducted a poll among the students and mailed the response to me. I loved the list of birds the kids chose and their comments.

Then, there was the reader who wrote and swore he had seen a California condor at Agate Lake. Although no condor has ever been recorded in Oregon to my knowledge, I had to check it out! You just never know.

Through the years readers have asked me what my favorite bird is and where my favorite spot is to go birding. It's hard to pick one bird, but some of my favorites are Western tanager (absolutely stunning), northern pygmy owl (a bird with a real "attitude"), northern pintail duck (the most "elegant" bird), Western scrub jay (they bring back memories of staying at my grandmother's house), northern shrike (it was the 100th bird on my "life list" when I began birding), green jay (a beautiful Mexican species that resides in southern Texas), and acorn woodpecker (I just love how these guys store acorns in trees, telephone poles and fence posts).

My favorite places to bird are TouVelle Park on the Rogue River, North Mountain Park in Ashland, Crescent City, Calif., in the fall and winter, all of the Klamath refuges, including Miller Island Refuge, any time of year, Haggleston Park along Klamath Lake in the fall to watch hawks migrate, and Cabin Lake Campground in Central Oregon near Fort Rock. These spots hold many fond memories and best of all, lots of birds!

I would like to thank the Mail Tribune for giving me the opportunity to share my love of birds, to the wonderful sponsors of the photo contest, and to you, the readers, who have made this project so much fun.

Good birding.

Birder's Quiz answer: You have spotted Elegant Terns. These birds of Southern California will sometimes disperse after breeding and migrate north into Northern California and Southern Oregon.

Richard Cronberg is a birding enthusiast and photographer who lives in Central Point.

Print this Article Email this Article