Old bird, new spelling
Updated and corrected 6 pm
Apparently, it’s spelled Wood-Pewee. And, no, it’s not that the American Ornithological* Union has changed its mind (although that’s been known to happen) — it’s that after decades of birding, I just learned how to spell “Pewee”. All this time I thought it was “Peewee”.
That’s a good thing about birding: refresh, reset, renew.
Even if it’s only orthographic renewal.
>> right, Migrating Western Wood-Pewee (Contopus sordidulus). Below: same bird with a bee for lunch. (Photos A.Shock, digiscoped with a 65mm Zeiss spotting scope and my ancient Canon G7 point-and-shoot)
And speaking of needing refreshment, this little guy (or gal) has come from his winter home in Ecuador (or elsewhere in northern or western South America) to rest in our yard for a day, and to tank up on flying insect fuel. He’s on his way to his woodland breeding grounds north and uphill from here, and he could be almost there if he’s headed to Arizona’s Mogollon Rim. Or he could still have a long way to go, if his destination is inland Alaska. I asked him where he was going, but he was too polite to answer with a beakful of bugs.
All the way from South America! I think we can spare him a bee or two.
*Oh, and by the way, it’s “American Ornithologists‘ Union”, not “Ornithological“. Apparently, spelling pewee isn’t the only new thing I learned today.
