Birding can be "Ruff"

Birding is a blessing, but, with nearly everything in life, it can have its brighter times and it can have its duller times. Last weekend was a combination of both.

The best husband in the world and I were on the search for a Ruff. The Ruff had been spotted in Chino by a well-known Loma Linda, California birder. This bird is a rare bird for this area and we felt the calling to go search for it.

After getting lost on dairy farm roads and making u-turns in almost every direction, we finally found the correct dairy farm pond the bird had been spotted at the day prior. Eventually, another birding couple joined us, who, as always, was older than our under-30 ages, which always surprises people we are so into this "retirement hobby."

Birding has allowed us to strike up conversations with strangers and meet very interesting and kind people throughout these last two years.

While the other birding wife and I were more interested in looking for baby Black-necked Stilts, both of our husbands took turns climbing a large pile of manure in order to get a "better look" at the Ruff no one was able to spot.

The smells, the wind, the bright sun, the hot sun, and the sounds of a nearby truck show did not make it the most luxurious birding outing, but we all laughed about the places birding takes us!

There are many reasons I love birding and two of them happen to be the people you meet and the places it takes you.

After about an hour later of staring at large masses of sleeping Short-billed Dowitchers in the glaring sun, we finally were able to spot the one and only Ruff! Although it can look similar to Short-billed Dowitchers sitting down, it definitely has distinctions. A few of them being its legs, its belly, and its beak, amongst other less noticeable differences.

Closer view

A view of the back of the Ruff on the bank!

The Ruff's bright orange legs!

The Ruff taught me a lesson that good things come to those who wait. Have I mentioned yet how much patience it takes to bird? :)