ABA Convention

A lot of people attending the convention got to see Atlantic Puffins, who always seem to look a little improbable, flying with those short wings.

We're having a good time at the convention and enjoyed the author's booksigning today. It's always so nice to meet the people who have our books and we're happy to put our signatures in their copies. It's one of the more fun parts of being an author. There were so many bird authors at the signing including, Pete Dunne, Bill Thompson III, John Kricher, Rick Taylor, Wayne Petersen, Donald Kroodsma, Steven Kress, Doug Pratt, Paul Lehman and others.

Michael O'Brien, along with Richard Crossley and our friend, Kevin Karlson, have come out with a innovative new Shorebird Guide that features a large number of excellent photos.



Author Robert Ridgeley, famous ornithologist who has discovered seven new species of birds and written many books, including a field guide to the Birds of Ecuador, received a much deserved award.

Here's Don at our booth showing some birders our Stokes Birding Series of Binoculars, designed by us because we really wanted people to be able to have quality optics at good prices and thus, to increase people's enjoyment of birds.

Our friend, Betty Petersen, does a wonderful job running the excellent Birder's Exchange program. Birders Exchange takes new and used birding equipment and educational material and matches it with educators, conservationists, and scientists in Latin American and the Caribbean, plus much more.

We visited artists booths, such as Kim Diment, who painted the elegant Bald Eagle picture and many other works that she had for sale.

The Sue Shane Gallery had lovely bird pictures and we couldn't resist buying her refrigerator magnets for our collection. We really like magnets with birds on them and use them to decorate our refrigerator with our bird and other photos.

After the convention we will visit Mt. Desert Island and, hopefully, get some photos to show you.