Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden III
I’m taking a duck class! Thanks to Audubon, I have access to expert guidance to learn about birds. It’s incredibly rewarding to learn what to focus my attention on when in the field. Learning field marks is the key to telling all those bunches of feathers apart from one another. It was a sunny field trip…
Sauvie Island
For my first March trip I opted for Sauvie Island. I was most excited to see raptors, sparrows, waterbirds, and for the opportunity to practice geese identification. I gained life experience points when shortly after arriving I realized that I’d left my camera memory stick at home and didn’t have a spare. In this moment I…
How to Pronounce Pileated
Speaking of pronunciation, this one blew my mind. Pileated Woodpecker. Is it pronounced PIE-lee-ay-tid? Or PILL-ee-ay-did? I’ve always pronounced it PILL-ee-ay-ted, unaware there was even a debate. I’m a rule-follower, plus I like pie, so I’m considering switching. Sources imply PIE-lee-ay-tid is correct (and more common), but “Pill-ee-ay-did” is also acceptable. Probably how regional accents are accepted.…