*Red-whiskered Bulbul | Photo by Charles Lam, Courtesy of www.alhambrasource.org*

The first bird I ever saw and identified on my own was a Phainopepla (in Big Bend National Park Texas), that was many years ago. Yesterday, [Apr. 1, 2020] I was out in my back yard, heard a wonderful song (loud and melodious) and after some hard work, I found two birds in my hackberry tree that had the similar outline of the desert bird...but they were black and white with small red marks near their cheeks (no time to get my binocs) after searching by bird books I ID'd them as Red Whiskered Bulbuls. I'm so proud of myself!