Long Time No Post!

Hello people! I'm terribly sorry that I haven't posted in 2 months and that I haven't even looked at my own blog for a month. This time I'm not saying (like last time I said "I'm sorry" on a post) I was busy, or something hollow like that. I'll say that I just totally forgot about my blog for the last two months. That's not being hollow and unsincere, is it? My lack of posts have certainly not been because nothing interesting has been happening in my life; on the contrary my life has been very interesting these past two months in which I have neglected my blog. Since I last posted I have been to Cave Creek Canyon, Arizona twice, taught a bird class to middle school students, and have done 2 months at Rio Gallinas Charter School in Las Vegas, NM. I've had plenty of things to post about; going to Cave Creek Canyon, teaching bird identification to 12 and 13 year olds, and how living in New Mexico is like for a 14 year old birder.

Well, lets get started with confessions and news alerts. The first thing I have to say is that living out in remote northern New Mexico is pretty fun! I have Lewis's Woodpeckers and Spotted Towhees at my feeders and I have been on several bird trips with Central New Mexico Audubon Society throughout New Mexico. I've met several other young birders in the Albuquerque area who have done several excursions with me and have gotten me into keeping a list of NM birds I see. Birding has probably kept me sane; I've gotten rather frustrated with my school and I've been kept from birding by other things (tests, workouts, and other oddments that I do not need to go into detail about).

I have been practicing digiscoping with my camera and scope and am getting better results then two months ago (obviously!). I have some tips for anyone who is interested in digiscoping or is looking for help in the activity. You can email me at casseagle@gmail.com or just read this post! (Digiscoping tips are at the end of this post).

Like I said at the beginning of this charming post, I've been to Portal twice these past couple months. I went once in late January for my 14th B-day and once on my spring break (March 9th-15th). I did not see the bird I've been looking for for a year; the Elegant Trogon, but I did see lots other birds. On both visits I saw Blue-throated Hummingbird and Hutton's Vireo and on the March visit I saw Ash-throated and Vermillion Flycathcers. In March it is not peak season, but it is still pretty good birding down there. I might be going down there in April which will be very birdy.

Touching apon a subject which I believe I have never posted about is my two breeding budgies, Coco and Verde. I got them at a bird store in Santa Fe called Feathered Friends in September and paid about $18.50 for each of them. They mated in early January and laid their eggs in February. Unfortunnately, only two of the four chicks hatched (that is common in budgies) and that was that. The two chicks are about 10 days old now and are beginning to grow in their down and primary feathers! They can not yet even support thier little necks that much and support eachother in their little nest box! The currently unnamed chicks will fledge when they are about 4-5 weeks old and will be independent at around 6-7 weeks! I will keep you updated on the antics of my little fluffballs and anounce the big day (fledgling day)!

I think that I have bored you enough, so its Hasta Luego for now!

Cassidy