There’s a story on this website called “Tits.” The word means different things to different people. And the story gets a lot of visits.
“Nuts” is a similar word. Several meanings. This word has come to mind recently for three reasons.
One.
Our latest Hidden Bird Contest features a Clark’s Nutcracker. It’s pretty well hidden. I thought it would be hard to find, so I headlined the contest: “A hard nut to crack.”
Turns out, I was nuts to think that.
In the first week of January, we had more people find the hidden bird than we usually get in a whole month.
Two.
This got me thinking about the first time I found a Clark’s Nutcracker, myself.
It was in a pine tree on the side of a Colorado mountain. Not that hard to spot, and I got a good look.
I also saw a Mountain Bluebird that day, another first. I took its picture.
This fuzzy photo doesn’t cut it when compared to those taken by digital-telescope cameras.
A real photographer might bust a guy’s nuts for showing a shot like this. But I never said I was good. Just that I was there.
Three.
We discovered an email problem around here, and it drove me nuts.
It seems that several comments sent to us recently had been trapped by an over-zealous spam filter, and they were auto-deleted.
We receive most emails okay, but even one that gets lost is unacceptable. If it were yours, you wouldn’t have gotten a reply.
You would have felt “e-gnored.” (“Ignored by email.”) If you’ve been “e-gnored,” it was unintentional, and won’t happen again.
Thanks for sending in your comments, and for playing our Hidden Bird Contest.
I still think this month’s contest is a hard nut to crack. But even if I’m wrong, it’s always cool to spot a Clark’s Nutcracker.
That’s okay. I can never succeed at sending e-mails to most groups.
Trial and Error. Anyways…I had a question. My mother found a baby hawk, maybe eagle. It had yellow, fluffy, feathers black tipped. As it got older, it turned gray. We put it into a huge bunny-run. I put poles between the wires to get the glorious raptor used to balancing and flying. But as all birds do, it got out. It found its mother, would follow me around going to school. It survived last winter. I don’t know where it goes, but there are woods around where I live, Northwest/Seattle area. I’m glad it has survived and is free as all wild creatures should be. I would just like to know what kind of raptor it was. Maybe a Red-Tailed Hawk, or Red-Shouldered Hawk? Golden Eagle???
Not sure, this is why I ask. =) Thanks.
I too saw a Clark’s nutcracker for the first time last Wednesday at Grand Targhee Ski Resort in Wyoming. They flit around the outdoor tables where skiers often have lunch and of course, leave little scraps for the birds. They were not the least bit timid and were fun to watch.
I LOVE your photo. It’s amazing and, since I’ve never seen one – it’s really a gift. Thanks for your blog – I enjoy reading, and learn while I’m here.
All Best To You,
-g-
Hey, Mr. Twofisted, I found that ol nutcracker ….. Cool looking bird. It is amazing to me that we can accumulate about two inches of ice in central Ga. and everybody acts like the world has come to an end. Lee
I saw a Clark’s Nutcracker when we went up Mt. Rainier in Washington. We had been feeding the Canada jays from our hands when the nutcracker showed up. I envisioned getting impaled on that long sharp beak and decided that was enough feeding for the day.
Two things: first, I’m with you on the fuzzy photo issue…I feel as though I can’t count a bird as ‘seen’ if I haven’t been able to get even a marginal photograph of it; second, you ARE nuts if you think that Clark’s Nutcracker photo was an easy find! Maybe so many people found it so early because people were snowed in and doing their birding on the web instead of outside.
Or (horror!) maybe people told you it was an easy find and I’m just dense……..
Nice job! This post brilliantly succeeds at entertaining and conveying the spam filter issue at the same time.