Lifer! I spotted a type of bird that I have never seen before: Hutton's Vireo! I could hardly breathe when I realized what it was! I was photographing some Ruby-crowned Kinglets when I noticed that one of them looked a little different than the others. The Hutton's looks almost identical to a Ruby-crowned, but the bill is thicker and it lacks the dark patch behind the white wing bar. The Hutton's can be found along the Pacific Coast and in pockets of the southwest. It's unusual among vireos because it does not migrate.
Side note: the vireo was named after William Hutton, a young naturalist and artist who presented the Smithsonian with samples of the vireo. There were strong objections to naming the bird after a relatively unknown person. The thought was that the young man had not yet proven he would accomplish anything worth noting, but his friend and mentor at the Smithsonian spoke on his behalf and prevailed. William showed the world that his mentor's belief in his abilities was not misplaced. William's early drawings as a surveyor of California include the first known sketches of Los Angeles. He then went on to become the chief engineer for a number of ground-breaking projects, including the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, railroads, the Washington Bridge, and the Hudson River Tunnel.
In 2021, be mindful of your words and actions, and how you are impacting the young people who are watching you. Be a role model, not a cautionary tale. Whenever possible, let young people know you believe in them - they can accomplish anything if they believe in themselves, possess enough courage and ambition, and have the proper work ethic. Like William Hutton, there will be a diamond in the rough who will prove your faith in them was not misplaced.
Side note: the vireo was named after William Hutton, a young naturalist and artist who presented the Smithsonian with samples of the vireo. There were strong objections to naming the bird after a relatively unknown person. The thought was that the young man had not yet proven he would accomplish anything worth noting, but his friend and mentor at the Smithsonian spoke on his behalf and prevailed. William showed the world that his mentor's belief in his abilities was not misplaced. William's early drawings as a surveyor of California include the first known sketches of Los Angeles. He then went on to become the chief engineer for a number of ground-breaking projects, including the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, railroads, the Washington Bridge, and the Hudson River Tunnel.
In 2021, be mindful of your words and actions, and how you are impacting the young people who are watching you. Be a role model, not a cautionary tale. Whenever possible, let young people know you believe in them - they can accomplish anything if they believe in themselves, possess enough courage and ambition, and have the proper work ethic. Like William Hutton, there will be a diamond in the rough who will prove your faith in them was not misplaced.
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