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21 " A new perspective was dawning on me. As a crass young bird-lister, I might have said: a trip to the Tortugas is good, because it adds species to the total. But a better viewpoint would be: working on a list is good, because it gives me an excuse to come to the Tortugas. After this Big Year was over, I hoped, I would be wise enough to come back to this place for its own sake. "
― , Kingbird Highway: The Biggest Year in the Life of an Extreme Birder
22 " The spark for a relationship might come for free—a look, a word. But the fuel to keep it going would always be expensive. "
23 " So you don’t know about the bird names!” said Rose Ann. “It’s a Texas tradition. Edgar Kincaid started it—he calls himself the ‘World’s Oldest Cassowary,’ and he’s given bird names to lots of us. ‘Peli’ is short for ‘Pelican.’ People used to think her name was Suzanne Winckler, but Edgar re-identified her. ‘A wonderful bird is the pelican . . .’” “So I’m the Brown Pelican,” Peli interrupted. “Rosie is the Western Grebe, if she isn’t the Upland Plover instead. "
24 " BAD LUCK on the road can last only so long; then you die, or your luck improves. "
25 " Son, can I help you with something?” the man asked. “Maybe,” I said. “I think that guy up there is about to shoot my backpack. "