Where did the year go...?

Hard to believe it is two weeks until Christmas and soon we'll be staring 2012 right in the face! It's been a heck of a year (they ALL are for Birdcouple) and we intend to "ride it like we stole it" right up until New Year's Eve.

Lisa is getting that crazy Christmas excitement she gets every year. She's busting out with anticipation.

Warren's Maryland Mini-Big Year has netted him 283 species so far in 2011. He's dipped twice on the nearby LeConte's Sparrow (Lisa saw it on our first attempt last weekend, while W and our good buddy Paul Baicich weren't so lucky).

Here's some of our recent hijinx, starting with a lovely Calliope Hummingbird that's been hanging out in Easton, Maryland since October:

    Last night, the full moon rose in the woods behind the Lovenest, as we watched Navy beat Army (yay). Lisa insisted I go outside and see it, and I grabbed a few snaps:



   Finally, for your reading pleasure, here's a short vignette from the New Yorker about former Treasury Secretary (and big-time birder) Hank Paulson on birding, banks and bailouts.