Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Caspian Tern: A Good Omen


Yesterday about 15 of us were sitting around a set of tables in the Hotel Lakeside, discussing details for the upcoming Midwest Birding Symposium, when a Caspian tern flew past the windows along the Lake Eire shore. Of course I couldn't help myself. I grabbed my friend Judy's binoculars and checked out this big, beautiful tern. And I shouted out the ID of the bird, completely stopping the meeting in its tracks.

The bird watchers in the meeting with me swiveled in their chairs for a look. The non-birders sort of sat there smiling in a mixture of amazement and amusement.

No matter, I took this sighting as a good omen. The Caspian tern is the bird we chose for the event's logo, designed by Claire Mullen, production director at Bird Watcher's Digest. The fact that this "awesome beast" (if I may quote Jim McCormac) chose to fly past to say hello bodes well for this birding event, which will be held at Lakeside, Ohio from September 17 to 20, 2009.

I hope you'll consider joining us at the MBS. We've got fabulous speakers, awesome birds, a sold-out Birder's Marketplace full of everything for birders, and a weekend full of mucho, mucho fun. Details are available here.

Among our speakers is the man who took the Caspian tern photo above, Arthur Morris. Artie will be speaking and leading a workshop on digital bird photography.

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4 comments:

  1. Lynne at Hasty BrookJune 30, 2009 at 10:52 AM

    Arthur Morris?

    IwishIwishIwishIwishIcouldgo.

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  2. Nancy OrtizJune 30, 2009 at 12:05 PM

    So,what's a Caspian tern doing in Ohio? Truly a beautiful bird, despite my ignorance.

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  3. cindyzlogicJune 30, 2009 at 1:49 PM

    I loved your story about spotting the Caspian Tern : ) I'm a fairly new Birder, but can imagine doing what you did at that moment! That's the main thing we're excited about...the birds!

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  4. LaraineJuly 1, 2009 at 9:43 PM

    I love the serendipity of your sighting of the Caspian tern, the logo bird, during a meeting about the Midwest Birding Symposium. I am signed up for the event and this will be my first-ever birding conference! Gives me confidence that I chose the right place to start! I bird in southern California but grew up in northern Ohio. Can't wait for September.

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