Fountain Creek Regional Park 12/18/11

Mallard in the middle

American coot

Hooded Merganser lower right

1 pair snow geese

Red-tailed hawk, (dash and comma pattern)

female green-winged teal

I just think this is cute. :)

Beautiful Day!

Waiting for the feeder

Species I identified:  black-capped chickadee, magpie, cackling and Canada geese, snow geese, hooded merganser, american coot, ferruginous hawk, green-winged teal, house finch, red-winged blackbird.  Saw sparrows but not sure what type they were.

Christmas Bird Count 2011

Today I did my first Christmas Bird Count with members of the Aiken Audubon Society here in town.  I went first to a member named Patty Lovekin's house in OCC, and from there was assigned to go counting with a lady named Kathy Miller in the area West of Cimarron and bounded by 8th Street and Red Rock park.  We drove around and stopped whenever we saw birds and I.D'd them ( she did most of the I.D.ing but some are common enough that I knew them) and counted them.  In some places, like Bott Park or some empty fields near Fountain Creek or Fairview Cemetery, we got out and walked around.

Here's our count:
Rock pigeon:  45
Raven:  8
Canada Goose:  77
Crow:  25
Starling:  8
House Sparrow:  43
Collared Dove: 52
Junco:  6
Red-Shafted Flicker: 17
House Finch: 110
Pine Siskin: 2
Blue Jay: 1
Black-capped Chickadee:  3
Magpie:  13
Red-tailed Hawk:  4
Prairie Falcon: 1
Scrub Jay:  2
Robin: 2
White-breasted Nuthatch: 1
Downy Woodpecker: 1
Merlin: 1
Song Sparrow: 1
American Kestrel: 1

I recognized pigeons and doves easily, but she called everything a collared dove and I would've thought I would need to look more closely to see if some are mourning doves - I want to check up on the differences. I looked them up in a book and I can see the difference in the band, which I knew before, but now I see there is also a difference in color. Update:  Kathy said, "On the doves, the size of a Eurasian Collared dove is larger, they are "whiter" looking, and their tails are a smooth semi-circle with a whitish band near the tips, where the Mourning doves are slimmer, dusky colored, and have long pointed central tail feathers with the tail looking like a very elongated pointed V."  

I knew a little about differences between Crows and Ravens but learned some more.  I knew Ravens were bigger and a little scruffier in the neck, but I learned that Ravens have a v-shape on their tail (convex) while crows have more of a rounded-fan shape.

I recognized Starlings and Sparrows, House Finches, and Juncos, but I would've had to spend a lot more time telling them apart from a distance.  I learned to recognize the way the finches fly, and I would not have been able to differentiate a Song Sparrow or Sisken, etc., - a lot of those little birds I don't know the differences.  I learned I could use some stronger binoculars and some practice using them.

I learned that Mountain Chickadees have a raspier sound than the Black-Capped, and we might have heard one but we weren't sure.  I know the call of crows, doves and magpies easily enough but some of the songbirds I haven't really learned to differentiate.

I recognized the hawk and falcon, and I'd seen a nuthatch before but didn't know what it was called.  I wouldn't have known the name of the Merlin without using a book to I.D.   But in the field the birds may not stay still long enough for that.  I learned that Canada Geese come in larger and smaller varieties.

After the official count, we went down to the pond by the Doubletree on Lake/Circle to see a rare-for-this-area duck that had been reported there.  It was a long-tailed duck.  We also saw the two kinds of Canadian geese, Mergansers, Mallards, Gulls, a Coot, Shovelers, and Canvasbacks.   I wasn't sure about some others.

This is a picture of  Kestrel.  I didn't take this, but it shows how pretty they are.  This was maybe my favorite sighting of the day.  It does this kind of bowing/flicking thing with its tail that is pretty distinctive.  Kathy was very exciting by the Merlin, because it was a life bird for her, meaning it was a new bird for her life list, a collection of all the species of birds she has seen in her life. I think I will start my life list now, because I really had a good time doing this and hope to do it some more.  Notable about it for ID purposes is the yellow on the beak, the white "eyebrows" and the brown and white belly. This is a Merlin:

This is a merganser:

These were very entertaining to watch in the water - they were lively and diving a lot.

This is a shoveler:

This is a long-tailed duck:

She was by herself and spent more time underwater than on the surface.

This is a goldeneye:

These are canvasbacks:

This is a nuthatch:

This is a pine siskin:

This is a song sparrow:

House sparrows:

House finches:

Black-capped chickadee:

Junco:

These are often near the ground flitting around in bushes.

red-shafted flicker:

They have a distinctive shape and a long beak, and in flight that white patch is very visible.  

This is a downy woodpecker:  Males might have a red spot on the head.

I found a cool app for my Kindle (also available for phones) that is like a whole bird I.D. website/book that has pictures, their songs, I.D. tips, etc.  Very cool!  It is called iBird 2.0 I think.  I want to work on some of the more common birds around here.  Maybe I'll use the county bird list I found on Aiken's site.

Lunar Eclipse 12/10/11 about 6:30-45 a.m.

from resolution to revolution

When I attended the International Reverts Conference last month, I received as a gift a truly wonderful and amazing book, "from resolution to revolution - The Message of Ashura:  Reflections on Religion, Ethics, Culture, Family, Youth and Citizenship" by Sayed Moustafa Al-Qazwini.  

This book is a compilation of three years of Muharram lectures delivered by Sayed Al-Qazwini in the years 2005-2007.  The lectures were designed for youth in the West and repeatedly address themes of challenges in the West, prayer, death, repentance, marriage, parenting, inter-gender relations, and self-reform.  The part of the lectures which strictly relate the events around Ashura are not included, but the personalities and events are referenced as examples and guidance in each of the themes.  

Each lecture is highly inspirational and readable and only around 10-15 pages.  Sayed Al-Qazwini's approach is very uplifting and loving and calls upon the youth to recognize their worth and build self-respect.  As he says in the first lecture, "When we respect ourselves, we will consider it beneath our honor to do any wrong actions."  He is very empathetic to the struggles faced by all believers and has a way of delivering excellent advice with great gentleness.  He properly emphasizes the Merciful and and Forgiving aspects of God without giving undue lightness to the effects of sin.  Rather than simply admonish youth for possibly doing wrong things, he teaches the harm and damage to the self caused by sins and encourages the believers to protect themselves and one another from these dangers. He also powerfully illustrates the beauty of worship, good deeds, and building one's relationship with God and Ahlulbayt (as) - he helps fuel appetite and desire for drawing near and communing with God.  He uses easily understandable, clear English and only minor and rare typographical errors are present in the text.  The resulting book is great for Muslims and non-Muslims of all ages seeking moral guidance.

As I was reading this book, I often could not wait until the next time I could open it again and found myself underlining and starring passages regularly.  I am eager to read it a second time.  If you can find this book, it is an opportunity to fall in love with Islam again (or for the first time) and get some good direction and motivation for self-improvement.  However, I am unfortunately not sure where to purchase this book.  It was published in March 2011 by the Islamic Educational Center of Orange County http://www.iecoc.org with layout and design assistance by the Islamic Publishing House http://www.iph.ca, yet neither website currently lists the book for sale.  I did find video/audio of some of the lectures, such as these: http://www.alulbayt.com/muh%201428/muharram%201428.htm .  

The lectures serve as excellent examples of delivering the message of Ashura in a way that its modern and personal relevance is understood by Western youth.  The transformative and uniting power of the lectures also show the importance of believers coming together for education and service for the revival of true Islam in the hearts.  Without that internal revolution of our individual hearts, we as a community cannot become ready for the Imam of our Age (as, ajtf), who is awaiting us.  

Fremont Peak 11/11/11

Zebulon Pike stepped onto the summit of Fremont Peak on Jan. 5, 1807.   Summit log on top.  This is down near Royal Gorge and was a nice hike to get out of the Colorado Springs and Teller county areas to some trails less explored by us 'notherners'.  The history is a big plus.  The trail is easy except for the final ascent, which may be easier when there isn't snow obscuring the trail.

White House Trip!

Link to the article/page NEA made for the trip (with me as the token teacher activist):  http://www.educationvotes.nea.org/2011/11/02/video-nea-members-talk-school-modernization-with-president-obama/

NEA representatives in front of the White House prior to the Nov. 1, 2001 meeting on the American Jobs Act.

Vice President Joe Biden addressing the audience.

President Barack Obama

NEA President Dennis Van Roekel and David Plough during the West Wing conference call.

Me with the NEA President in front of the West Wing.

The group photo with VP Biden on his way out of the office.

President Obama exiting the meeting.

Me with the President speaking behind me.

The White House as it looked as we headed back to the hotel.

Write-up for CSEA newsletter:

I had a very unexpected message when I got home from parent-teacher conferences in late October.  The message was from Andy Linebaugh at the NEA offices in Washington D.C., and he was inviting me to go to the White House for a meeting with President Obama.  It was too late to call him back that evening, so I had to wait until the next day to get more information.  I was being invited because of a short paragraph I had written at the Education Votes website in response to an NEA e-mail request asking teachers to describe how budget cuts were affecting their schools. 

This is what I wrote:

“My school has been lucky compared to many in these times of cuts. We didn’t have to lay off nearly as many teachers as some schools. But, year after year we come to work in 90+ temps with packed classrooms and no AC. We can’t pass a bond issue for many reasons—public education’s battered reputation and “we-can’t-take-one-more-request-for-money” battered voters are two of the big ones. I have classes of 36 and 37 teenagers packed into desks that are falling apart, using textbooks older than they are. Every day, students ask for food, paper, pencils, fundraiser purchases, even clothes, let alone the graphing calculators we want them to have to keep up with technological advances in education. Our carpet is threadbare, stained, and approaching 40 years old, but can’t be replaced because there is an asbestos issue we can’t afford to address. New mandates come from the government every year, but never with any funding for the training and infrastructure required to implement. We’re supposed to be a magic black box that produces perfect widgets out of students with nothing. I wish we could have some of the joy of Finnish education; I wish I could feel that people of America believed in the value of free quality education for all. That was a principle I was raised on and firmly believe in, but I feel it is a value that is being sorely eroded.”

I felt I shouldn’t pass up a rare opportunity like this one, so I accepted the offer and the following Monday I was flying to Washington D.C.  All the business happened on Tuesday.  I made my way a block from my hotel to the NEA offices where I was warmly welcomed.  It turned out, I was the only classroom teacher attending – the ten others representing NEA and teachers were the NEA President, a member of his staff, and 8 representatives from various states that are association Presidents and Vice Presidents at the state level.  We attended a briefing, and then were interviewed and video-taped individually about school conditions to be used in press releases or provided to the state and local associations to use as needed.  We went to the White House in the afternoon.  The meeting was in the East Room and included some other organizations like the NAACP in addition to NEA for a total of about 120 guests.  Three cabinet members and the Reverend Al Sharpton were in attendance.  There were four speakers including Vice President Joe Biden and President Obama.  The topic of discussion was the American Jobs Act and the need to create and preserve public sector jobs and infrastructure.  The President did take questions and comments from the audience and committed to continue fighting for school funding.  He said that the most important thing educators and students can do to try to advocate for school funding and infrastructure is to get their stories out in the local press as much as possible.  Much of the public does not really understand how budget cuts are affecting what happens in the classroom and the state of repair of schools and the only way they will learn is if people in the schools tell them and show them.

After the President left, the NEA group was quickly ushered to the West Wing to attend a conference call with David Plough (President Obama’s campaign manager and political strategist) and NEA President Dennis Van Roekel, and a variety of NEA members from around the country who wished to learn about the meeting we had just attended or express what is happening in their schools.  When the call concluded, we left the White House and each gave short video synopses of our experiences to the NEA press crew. 

While we hope that the meeting will make some positive difference that all of us will benefit from, the experience was also very exciting and fun.  We all had opportunities to get pictures of the President and Vice President, some shook hands with one or both of them, and we had a group photo with the Vice President as he was leaving the West Wing on his way home.  We were made to feel quite welcome at the White House.  I put some of my trip pictures on my blog at http://masooma.blogspot.com/2011/11/white-house-trip.html , which also includes a link to an article with pictures and video that NEA wrote up about the event.  They decided to make the stories with me the focus of the event because I was the classroom teacher as opposed to a state officer.  I tried to represent us all well and am very thankful for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.