Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Eight Random Facts.... I have been tagged by Larry of The Brownstone Birding Blog to participate in providing Eight random facts about myself:

1.) As a kid I often played in swamps most of time catching frogs, snakes and turtles. I recall catching lots of spotted turtles, along with painted and the occasional snapper.

2.) During the summer of 1983 I worked in a fish processing plant in Kasilof, AK (at Ed's Kasilof Seafood)....and once ate a raw King Salmon heart while working the "production line".

3.) Once sailed a sunfish (sail boat) in low grade hurricane, on Long Lake in Bridgeton, Maine...had the place to myself.

4.)At UMASS (Amherst) , early 1980's, I chose the Ichthyology class over Donald Kroodsma's Ornithology class.....never thought I'd be a birder at the time!

5.) As track "guy" in high school and college, I threw the Shot Put, Discus, Hammer as well as the decathlon. I was the only kid in the neighborhood to break a house window with a discus.

6.) 1986 a friend (Glen Capone) and I won the 70 mile General Clinton men's amateur canoe race, from Cooperstown to Bainbridge, NY. The river was in flood stage and our time was 7:20:30, the winning pro team (the legendary Serge Corbin and his partner) of Quebec! was under 7 hours .

7.) I had fun coaching my son's little league and youth soccer teams Gardner, Ma. at various times. The win/loss records were nothing to "crow about", but every one played...I was too much of a "softy".

8.) Last Sunday my girlfriend and I watched Polo in Hamilton, Ma. ..... Every time I go to one of these games I recall the old Miller Lite commercial with Dick Butkas and Bubba Smith talking about Polo, with broken polo mallet in hand! "How do those pony's swim!".

Pancho Eddy (sp?) moves the ball up field....Pancho was the ringer! His team won 14-11...Pancho knocked in 13.

Birds seen and heard inbetween the action, eating and wine.

  • Great Egret
  • Glossy Ibis
  • Canada Goose
  • Mute Swan
  • Barn Swallow
  • Tree Swallow
  • Carolina Wren
  • Downy Woodpecker
  • Killdeer
  • B.C. Chickadee
  • Tufted Titmosue
  • White-Br Nuthatch
  • B.H. Cowbird
  • R.W. Blackbird
  • C. Grackle
  • A. Goldfinch
  • Mallard
  • A. Robin
  • G. Catbird

4 comments:

Larry said...

Quite the active/adventurous guy you are!
I just saw Kroodsma at a lecture.-He was excellent live talking about bird song and corresponding sonograms.-The book "Singing Life Of Birds" was a little too technical for me the first time around.-Maybe I'll give it a second look some time.-thanks for playing along.

Tom Pirro said...

I saw him talk several years back, an Athol Bird and Nature club meeting. He was very good, I have been meaning to pick up his book. The Icth class was good too, I just wasn't interested in birds until I was ~ 24.

Anonymous said...

Birds seen while eating and drinking wine are always the best birds!
Vern

Tom Pirro said...

A few more glasses of wine and we might have had a White-faced Ibis! Seriously though, there have been at least 2 W-F Ibis reports in that area this year. Seen and photographed some really sharp Essex county birders.