Birding Meme

I thought these questions up and wanted to know how other bird bloggers would answer. Here are my thoughts.

1. What is the coolest bird you have seen from your home?

When I was growing up outside of Wichita, KS there was a mini fallout of migrants at our house on a rainy spring morning. Warblers were a bit of a mystery to me and only found in my Peterson guide so when I started seeing all these tiny colorful birds zipping around I about lost it. I skipped school and sat under a tree with my guide and binoculars. I think that day I was most enthralled with a Chestnut-sided Warbler.

2. If you compose lists of bird species seen, what is your favorite list and why?

This is a tough one because I really like adding birds to my Morton, Stafford and Sedgwick County, KS lists, but I guess I would have to go with my Kansas list. Especially now that I am in Chicago I truly miss Kansas birds and when I look over my list I see home.

3. What sparked your interest in birds?

Well, that is kind of tough. That mini-fallout day really catapulted me into birding, but as a kid I loved being outside, making and putting up bird feeders and houses, building brush piles, etc... Just growing up in the country helped me appreciate the flora and fauna.

4. If you could only bird in one place for the rest of your life where would it be and why?

I would have to say Morton County Kansas. It is in the far southwest corner of Kansas and even though it is thoroughly explored during migration it doesn't really have anyone that birds there regularly. I would love to bird there daily!

5. Do you have a jinx bird? What is it and why is it jinxed?

Nothing is too glaring. I've been pretty lucky in seeing species reported by others, but I think Red Phalarope might be it. I've "chased" them a few times with no luck. I think I've been passed this jinx bird from my pal Pete Janzen who finally saw one not too long ago.

6. Who is your favorite birder? and why?

Many of my birding pals are high on my list, but I think it would have to go to Kenn Kaufman. As a boy he lived in Wichita, KS (where I grew up) before he took off on his birding adventures. I very much wanted to follow in his footsteps. I wrote him a "fan letter" when I was a boy, and one day not long after, I got a message from my mom saying some guy named Kenn Kaufman had called. What? No way! I thought she was pulling my leg. I called him back and he said he would be in town and wondered if I wanted to do a little birding. Obviously I did (sadly I had a broken ankle at the time!). We went to Oak Park and went birding. A great guy and a great birder and naturalist.

7. Do you tell non-birders you are a birder? What do they say to you when they find out?

I mention it if it comes up. I don't walk around with a sign around my neck, oh wait, my binoculars! Every single time any talk of listing comes up people ask me how I prove I saw the bird. They just assume people will make up birds. I want to SEE the bird not just TELL people I saw a bird!

I'm going to tag The Birdchaser, A D.C. Birding Blog, Vagrant, Jeff Gyr, Birds Etcetera, 10,000 Birds, Birding Is Not A Crime, Mike's Birding and Digiscoping Blog, Steve Blain and Birdchick.

And if anyone else wants to answer these PLEASE DO! Just send me a link to your post. I'd love to see your answers.