Today I was going to write a post about the birding excursion I had planned for the weekend. I expected to show colorful ducks, tricky-to-ID waders, and perhaps some cute little songbirds I saw skulking in the nearby bushes. However…

I sprained my ankle last week. I wish I had a good story to relate, but I simply thought the ground was where it wasn’t. (Happily, I landed between the two thorn bushes!) As you can see, the bump was pretty impressive but the x-rays proved nothing was broken; now it’s simply a matter of time and patience. I’m sitting around with my foot elevated, popping anti-inflamatories and catching up on Facebook. I have to get better soon—our kids and grandkids are coming for Thanksgiving!

Meanwhile, instead of writing about the amazing birds I saw on my amazing field trip, I present you with “15 birdy things to do when you can’t go birding”:

1. Comment on all the bird photos that your friends have posted on Facebook.
2. Study up on sparrow ID so you can nail those LBJs when you finally make it back into the field.
3. Read other birding blogs.
4. Listen to audio files on the Cornell Lab of Ornithology website to improve your birding by ear skills.
5. While you’re at the Cornell website, check out their assortment of bird cam links. Start a bird cam life list.
6. Then check out the rest of their huge website. This could take hours.
7. Really clean your optics. Use lens cleaner and lens cloths and get them sparkling.
8. Browse bird-related items on Amazon.com and add them to your Christmas wish list order them for your birding friends.
9. Add the birds from your recent trips to e-bird.
10. ID and label all your photographs of immature gulls.
11. Read a book about birding. (Click on “books” in the categories at right for some recommendations.)
12. Re-watch bird-related movies, such as The Big Year, March of the Penguins, or Winged Migration. While you’re watching, make a list of the birds that appear in the movie.
13. Look at the local rare bird list and see what you’re missing.
14. Refill the bird feeder. Hunt for rarities among the House Finches and Juncos.
15. Take a nap and dream about birds.

What do you like to do when you can’t get out to go birding?