SOLERA DIAMOND VALLEY | NOVEMBER 2023 15
Submitted By Linda Weiss, Resident
Another excerpt from my wonderful little book I Could Chew on
is, by Francesco Marciuliano. I hope you enjoy it as much as I
did.
Across the Park
I ran all the way across the park
I ran as fast as I could
I ran right into bird poop
Which is in no way as good as dog poop
And I looked and looked and looked for it
I started doubting my abilities
I started questioning my sanity
I started seeing if the bird poop tasted any good
I even thought a squirrel must have taken it
Which is why I chased them all for half an hour
And then I came all the way back across the park
Panting and wheezing and pelted with nuts
Only to find you PRETENDED to throw the ball?!
By Mary McKernan, Resident
Bird watching, or birding, has been an occasional pastime of mine since the
year 2000. I'm certainly no expert. I've had the opportunity to enjoy this hobby in
diverse biomes of Chiapas and the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico, the mountains of
Guatemala, Maui, HI, Coachella Valley and Eureka CA, Wilmington, NC and now
Hemet. As an amateur I depend on a fun, free app I wanted to share with you. It
was developed by e Cornell Lab and called Merlin Bird ID. e first years of using
this app it only had a Step-by-Step ID path. You selected your location, tapped on
the day's date, and chose the following options: a bird size, main colors, and activity
of the bird. It then gave you a list of possible birds by photo ID and a small profile
of those birds. e app has been updated. You simply click on Sound ID and your
phone immediately starts recording birds sounds where you're standing. I've been
writing this article at my kitchen table, and it has so far recorded six species. A
winter migration of birds heading south brings surprising listings. Give it a try. It's
as simple as downloading the app and sitting near the sounds of nature. Enjoy.
Across the Park
Merlin is for the Birds
