The Summer Sleep-- Ventura 2021

“Migration withdrawal, it is termed, only half-jokingly. Time to mow the lawn or watch Law & Order reruns or whatever else one does in between spring and fall migration. Fortunately, the affliction is short-lived. The birderly disposition is fundamentally sunny, and the onset of migration withdrawal is commonly reversed as fast as you can say “Killdeer!” The big bird is standing on the mudflat in front of you and your companion, and it’s not going anywhere. This plover is one of the handful of shorebirds that will spend the whole summer with you. The Killdeer is a common breeder in your area, and this one probably has a nest nearby. The bird is boldly patterned below; its tail is orange and impressively long; and its oversize eye is perfectly ringed by a thin circle of blood-red bare skin. You take a few steps closer, and the bird does something odd: It crouches down, fans its orange tail, and emits a low, slow trill. You get even closer, and the bird lurches into flight—barely. This is the “broken wing” display of a Killdeer with a nest nearby; the bird is trying to fake you out, to lure you away from its young or its eggs. You could spend the whole summer studying this one fascinating species! The summer months are, for many birders, a time to intensify their contributions to the science of ornithology. In the lessons that follow, we’re going to see that there are more opportunities than ever before for citizen-scientists to get involved, to make a difference, and to have a lot of fun in the process.”

— How to Know the Birds: The Art and Adventure of Birding by Ted Floyd