Birding in 2021

 I'm having a great time birding in 2021. I've completed an eBird.org checklist every day this year. I've seen 54 species! 

I wanted to celebrate my 50th species for the year - it was a sharp-shinned hawk - but I wasn't able to snap a photo. 

My 51st was a grackle, no photo either. 

I saw a raven - species #52! No photos. 

Sorry. It's hard to get photos sometimes! 

The same day I saw the raven, I saw canvasback ducks and greater scaups, two different kinds of diving duck. 

Now, to celebrate the wonderful birds I've seen, I'm adding two more bird photos. One is of a bird people love: a bald eagle. The other is a bird people hate: the European starling. 

I know why people don't love starlings. They are an invasive species and very aggressive. But they have the most interesting songs, and iridescent feathers. It's hard for me to not like any bird. It's not their fault they are here. They are just doing what they do. 

Bald eagles are so epically big. They are awesome to photograph.