My friend Shel Severinghaus sadly passed away last week after a difficult bout with cancer. The Severinghaus Family was instrumental in developing my interest in birds, starting in the late 1960’s with trips to southern Florida. Well lucky me, the Temple Owls qualified for a football bowl game to be played in Boca Raton this evening, so I “had” to join Nina down there. Even better, the elusive Western Spindalis (aka stripe-headed tanager), a bird I frustratingly missed in Key West two years ago, was being seen daily in a Ft. Lauderdale area park since Thanksgiving.
The rare bird alerts made it seem like this bird would be easy to locate. However, the alerts didn’t mention that the park was a dog park, a really popular dog park. The combination of playful pups, overhead jets and I-595 traffic made it nearly impossible to listen for or to locate the family of Spot-breasted Orioles with whom the smaller, shy Spindalis tended to associate. After two hours searching a ten acre area by myself with no other birders in sight, I was beginning to feel the pressure of my promise to be “back by lunch”. Fortunately, a birder from Minnesota and another fellow from Tampa showed up. We quickly divided up the territory and within minutes the orioles were spotted.
Spot-breasted Oriole
I had not seen a Spot-breasted Oriole since the one that nested in Shel’s father’s Coconut Grove, Fla yard…..in 1969! And just as promised, the Orioles were a true harbinger for North American life bird #707. A beautiful male Western Spindalis peeked out of the foliage for a moment and I shot off a barrage of digital ammo. A Spindalis in honor of Severinghaus….truly fitting.
Western Spindalis
Markham Park, Fla
birdtalesblog 
Timing is everything. Good going, George.
Very cool George!
Excellent birding, George……Sorry for loss of your friend.
Touching!
George congrats for #707. Sounds more like an aircraft. My condolences to the Severinghaus family. Lars ________________________________
Bravo George! And I’m sorry to hear about Shel. Hope to see you soon, Joey
Very nice, George congrats on 707! Do you take all the fotos as evidence of the sighting? I’m sorry for Shel’s passing. Have a great Christmas and give our best regards to Nina.
Bob Roche
Hiya Bob (and others), photos aren’t “required” by the birding authorities for listing purposes. At this point, I’m hoping to document a new sighting via a photo and write about each adventure. Without a photo, I’m not sure anybody would read:)
George, Great to see you back out in the “Field”!
Congrats – great tribute to your Fords imprimatur !
Inspiring! Well done.Sent from my Veriz
Way to go, Bro! 707s overhead, #707 in the bush!
Who doesn’t believe in reincarnation? Well done, Geoge!!
George!
My grandfather, Samuel P. Howe, had a house at 3907 N Utopia Court in Coconut Grove, Florida. Don’t know that he and Les ever knew each other.
Janet and I have a large white South Moluccan Island Cockatoo. We love her and all other birds.
Cheers,
Ralph
Great tribute, GCW
Way to go George!
You are remarkable, Woody, and I can’t imagine a more appropriate tribute to the Severinghaus family than this. Thanks, always, for sharing your life (birds) tales!
Finally reading your moving tribute. It says a lot about coming full circle on birding and friendship and life and how it all comes together…