23 Comments
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Carole Roseland's avatar

Sounds more like norovirus to me—happened to me and many others at the last big family gathering I attended. I’m glad you have recovered!

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Nathaniel Bowler's avatar

Yeah, I'm sure it was norovirus. Stomach flu just sounded better in writing lol. Just an awful few days

Thank you!!

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Jackie Cestero's avatar

Sorry about the flu. The pudding looks like a masterpiece. I loved the flaming part. Happy Holidays to you and your beautiful family 🎄

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Nathaniel Bowler's avatar

Thank you Jackie!! Back at you! Here’s to a very birdy 2025 😄

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Sofia's avatar

That flu sounds miserable—glad it was no match for your streak though! Geese really came through for us so many times this month lol

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Nathaniel Bowler's avatar

I wouldn’t have minded seeing that Brant but thrilled for you. The geese are indeed getting work done for us 🪿

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Bob Warner Photography's avatar

Sorry you got hit with that bug, which sounds awful. Christmas here was a dull affair with no family around to visit; just me and my wife. While I didn’t get out to shoot any birds, I did take the occasion to work on previously unedited photos of birds during a snowstorm last February. Oh, and thanks for the reminder of suet pudding. This was something we used to have on Christmas as a child. One of my aunts had an old recipe. I loved it, but the first time my future wife tried it I think she found it awful. Glad you’re feeling better.

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Nathaniel Bowler's avatar

Xmas pudding isn't for everyone, that's for sure! My wife is a big fan though. Sorry it was a slow Christmas for you, but always good to work through a batch of pictures. I always feel accomplished when I sort through a big file of photos

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Kelly C. Ballantyne's avatar

Oooh, sorry you got hit with that bug! I’ve had a nice quiet Christmas so far with birding in the fog and painting. Today however changes all that when we host 20+ people in our small apartment. Hopefully no one brings a Christmas bug with them—we won’t survive! 😂

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Nathaniel Bowler's avatar

Well if what we got has somehow reached the shores of Lake Michigan, I am truly sorry. I will say if we had to suffer, it was nice to suffer as a family lol

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Marc Murison's avatar

Infirmary! 2 of 3.

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nettie glickman's avatar

forgot:: what ebird are you on? Not sure how to find it but i would enjoy seeing your bragging rights.. LOL

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Nathaniel Bowler's avatar

Here's my eBird profile. It's public:

https://ebird.org/profile/MTc0MjA1Mw

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nettie glickman's avatar

such a roller coaster of comedy and tragedy. I wouldn't eat the pudding either but the birds would love it.. You certainly have a knack for engaging writing. and thank you

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Nathaniel Bowler's avatar

Half of my family is raisin-averse, so they avoid it like the plague. What they couldn't avoid this Xmas however was the actual plague

Thanks so much for the kind words!

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Sandra Kay's avatar

Glad you’re back on your feet:) no stomach flu here, instead we’ve had dogs in heat. A first for us.

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Nathaniel Bowler's avatar

Whoa! That sounds like an adventure too hahaha

Glad you've stayed healthy for the holidays!

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Fool of a Took's avatar

I love the holiday food try videos! Sorry y’all got sick that’s awful, definitely how Frodo felt!

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Nathaniel Bowler's avatar

Thanks! Hope you all were spared any such trials this holiday season!!

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Alexandra Hidalgo's avatar

I'm amazed you got those Canada geese!!! Thank you, geese, for protecting your streak. My own flu journey featured no owls or crows. Yours sounds like it was way more psychodelic than mine!

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Nathaniel Bowler's avatar

The trick is to be throwing up. That's when the visions happen. Just for future reference

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Daniël C.'s avatar

My Christmas was boring. I don't have family so usually am left in solitude. It's been so cloudy here that it's also sapped my will to live. I did take a bit of time to edit some photos from my trip to Galápagos & Ecuador (insta: @dereizigercronk_birds) and work on updating my website.

Glass your stomach flu has subsided

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Nathaniel Bowler's avatar

I'm sorry to hear this Daniël. I too look back on old vacation pics when I'm feeling blue. The birds usually do a good job cheering me up

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