by Jan Dunlap
She rolled her beautiful blue eyes and groaned. “I don’t want to marry Alan, Bob. I know he’s your best friend, but he can’t tell a Northern Cardinal from a Bluejay.”
“I’m not so sure about that,” I told her. “He was birding with me today, and I think he’s salvageable.” I pressed my lips against hers in a warm, soft kiss.
“I mean my bride, Luce,” I said a minute later. “I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?”
For a few seconds, she didn’t say a thing. She just stared at me.
And then, finally, she smiled.
“Yes.”
Bob White’s “A Bobwhite Killing” Bird List
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Red-shouldered Hawk
Upland Sandpiper
Eastern Meadowlark
Western Meadowlark
Bobolink
Horned Lark
Turkey Vulture
Acadian Flycatcher
Vesper Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Willow Flycatcher
Indigo Bunting
Great Horned Owl
Mourning Dove
Killdeer
Cliff Swallow
Barn Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Worm-eating Warbler
Blue Jay
Eastern Phoebe
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Red-tailed Hawk
Northern Bobwhite
Acknowledgements
Several years ago, I went on my first Minnesota Birding Weekend led by Kim Eckert. Our group didn’t find any bodies, but we did see turtles, along with quite a few birds. That experience convinced me I had to set a Bob White Birder Murder on a weekend birding trip in order to take advantage of the wonderful repartee amongst a flock of seasoned birders. Thanks, Kim, for introducing me to that part of the birding life. I also want to express my appreciation to Karla Kinstler, Director of the Houston Nature Center, for allowing me to write her and Alice into Bob White’s world. If you ever have the chance to attend the International Festival of Owls in Houston, Minnesota, in early March, it’s well worth the trip—the whole town goes crazy over owls (think owl-face pancakes and a Great Gray mocha for breakfast), thanks to Karla’s efforts.
Resources for Birders
Birding websites
http://moumn.org -
- Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union website offers audio, video and photo galleries of Minnesota birds, along with occurrence maps, birding hotspots, and other birding information
http://mn.audubon.org/
- Audubon Minnesota website answers bird FAQs, reviews conservation efforts in the state and provides ways individuals can become involved in helping Minnesota’s bird populations
http://www.allaboutbirds.org
– Cornell Lab of Ornithology website has an extensive data base on birds and links to a variety of information about birds and birding
http://birdingblogs.com/
- a multi-author birding blog with posts and birding news from around the world
http://www.blogs.com/topten/top-10-bird-and-birdingblogs/
- a list of the best individual birding blogs where readers can learn about everything that has to do with birds (and life in general!)
http://www.audubon.org/
- visitors can locate local chapters on this website of the National Audubon Society and learn about conservation and education efforts across the country
Bird feeding supplies stores
http://www.wbu.com/
- find a local Wild Birds Unlimited store near you for birdfeeding supplies and expert advice
http://www.wildbird.com/
- find a local Wild Bird Center near you for birdfeeding supplies and expert advice
To continue the story:
The Boreal Owl Murder
Murder on Warbler Weekend
A Bobwhite Killing
Falcon Finale
A Murder of Crows
