I led my first Audubon walk today. It was the beginner’s bird walk, starting from the Audubon Center at the Boathouse. Nine people turned out, only two of them ringers (people I know). As R noted, it was all female except for one small boy and me. We had a pretty good walk, even though it was during the overcast middle of the day. Through the Lullwater, up by the feeders, and then over the Terrace Bridge and down to the Lake, then back along the other side of the Lullwater. Birds: mute swan, mallard duck, ruddy duck, northern shoveler, ring billed gull, black-backed gull, red tailed hawk, Cooper’s hawk, rock pigeon, mourning dove, black-capped chickadee, northern cardinal, blue jay, American goldfinch, tufted titmouse, white-breasted nuthatch, red-bellied woodpecker, yellow-bellied wp, downy wp, white-throated sparrow, song sparrow, ruby-crowned kinglet, starling, house sparrow. The beginners didn’t see this much, of course, but that’s what beginnings are all about. They had great views of two kinds of hawks, a buteo and an accipiter, so that was definitely worth the price of admission (it’s free). The red-tails made several appearances.

I roasted some macadamia nuts and then drowned them in honey. Yeah, baby! For a honey tasting I’m attending tomorrow.