Bird Identification

This weekend I discovered the Chattahoochee Nature Center. I'm already a fan.

The Nature Center starts as a place to rehab wild animals who've been abandoned at birth or have been injured. The layout reminds me of a summer camp for kids, with lots of flat areas to play and have picnics, and old fashioned wooden directional signs. In fact, quite a few kids were there. As I arrived, there was even a birthday party going on. I imagined how a kid would feel wandering through all the critters which were immediately available for viewing. Because before you even leave the nature store, you can visit snakes and turtles. A steps beyond, there's a butterfly garden that's swarming with butterflies of all sizes and colors. Some, unfortunately, were incredibly camera shy.

Beyond the butterfly garden, the raptor display, with hawks, owls, an eagle with exhibitionist tendencies and slinking vultures. These guys can't be reintroduced to the wild, for whatever reason. And circling through their pens are dozens and dozens of smaller perching birds. I was even able to see them with the naked eye. I wrote down some physical features, and I've been trying to identify them since Saturday.

One was simple to identify - I saw a cardinal. But I also saw what I think was an eastern kingbird. There was also a black one with a red racing stripe along his eye, and another one with beautiful row after row of white on black stripes on his wings. I don't know what they were -- yet. I'll get introduced to them in good time. It's okay, because when I wasn't sure what I was looking at, there were always the clearly labeled fellas - the barred owl, the turkey vulture, the red-shouldered hawk -- to keep me company.

That and the lazy beaver of unusual proportions. He lifted one eye haughtily at me as I disturbed his sleep.

And after my walk through the wetland marshes, where I spotted a great blue heron and canada geese, I returned and he was swimming. Pesky thing.

They have scientists there. Toward the end of the month they will have a bird walk.

I will be there. Let's see what I learn.

--Laura