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Borrego Springs, CA

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

A postponement

In last night’s post, I stated that I would post the first part of my top ten adventures in 2010 tonight.  Well, that just isn’t going to happen, people.  :)  It was a long work day for me today, and as AL suggested today in his post, it is best to be mentally awake when you’re composing for your blog.  So, I think it will be a few days before I can put those posts together.

In the meantime, I’ll just ramble on a bit about today.  It was bird survey day, and I was ready!  When I arrived at the first count location, I was shocked to see that the road in front of me had disappeared!  In it’s place was a long, muddy, brand new levy with a huge John Deere tractor making it’s way through the muck and mire.   There were actually several of those behemoths working the area.  I was so discombobulated that I didn’t even think to take any pictures of this predicament.  There are three more count spots that I normally drive to along the road that used to be there.  What a dilemma.  I decided there was no way I was going to try to drive the suburban into that mess.  All that machinery churning around also meant that there weren’t very many birds in the first count area either.  :(

So, I could only do four of the seven stops this morning, and I had minor issues at two of those.  Ranchers are allowed to graze cattle on certain sections of the refuge, and one of my sites had a herd milling around when I arrived.  If you remember from last week, I have to walk a transit at each site, and I wasn’t crazy about doing battle with the cattle.  It’s usually cows that I encounter, but there was a big bull amongst them this morning.  Well, I gave it my all and headed out waving my arms and telling them to move on.  I thought there might be a stand off, but then they suddenly all turned and headed for the hills! (not that there are any hills to head for here:))  I counted the few birds that they flushed as they made their exit, but it was a little dicey tip toeing through the cow pies.  :)

As I arrived at my last site, and began the sitting still for five minutes scanning the area count, a huge diesel dump truck pulled up behind me.  The driver got out (revealing a huge plumber’s crack as he climbed out) and wanted to know if I was the big honcho of the refuge.  I told him no, I’m just doing a bird count.  He then went on a real chin flap about ducks and such; gave me his business card, and told me to call him if I ever needed a big load of dirt!  Alrighty then!  I’ll certainly keep that in mind, and thanks for chasing off any birds I might have counted with your big noisy truck.  I had to chuckle about that.  I guessed it was just going to be one of those mornings.  :)

A disappearing road, a bovine encounter, and an offer of a huge truck load of dirt… I just love this lifestyle!

Thanks for stopping by…. talk to you later,  Judy 

14 comments:

  1. You certainly have an interesting day! ;-)

    I usually have people with their off-leashed dogs (in leashed areas) chasing birds away..so glad the bird refuge allow dogs!

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  2. I just love it when the bull responds. I used to have a herd in the pasture right outside my house in Ireland and the bull kept finding a way through the fence and onto my side. I would chase him with the brook while all the calves looked on with big eyes like round saucers. They couldn't believe I was talking to their daddy that way!

    I think you are very lucky to get to see all kinds of wildlife, and not just birds, but cows, plumbers, etc.

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  3. I should have proofread my comment - I means broom, not brook.

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  4. What an exciting life you live!! I'd rather have to deal with the cows and bull than the butt crack.

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  5. Hmmm...a plumber's crack...drugs found in sewer pipes?? or nasty crevices in not great places...Either way...not a good thing...Don't worry,,the birds will wait for just the right moment and suddenly appear..just for your count and your camera!

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  6. Good thing it wasn't the Bovine delivering the huge load of dirt or you would have been disappearing down the road alright....

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  7. Hmm, not sure which would have been more surprising, the big machinery, the disappearing road or the butt crack. Do you think guys just don't know half their butt is hanging out or do they think we just like admiring it?

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  8. Loved your post today, it made me smile. Hope your counting will be less eventful next time around.

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  9. I visited my favorite duck pond one day and a Great Blue Heron was wading the edges of the pond, and I followed with my camera taking shots when he was still enough-- another visitor at the pond asked me if that huge bird was Mine? I said NOPE its not mine--you run into all sorts of interesting things when you go for a bird walk-

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  10. Wow, girl, you live a very exciting life. Cows, bulls, birds and butt crack all in one afternoon. LOL

    By the way, whata goin to with that load of dirt!!!!!!!!!

    Travel Safe
    Dawn & Denise

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  11. A very interesting day, to say the least.

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  12. Bull, Butt Crack and Birds! Thanks for my morning chuckle!!!

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  13. Like all the others have said, great post!

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  14. "tip toeing through the cow pies" that sounds like the lyrics of a song. Maybe a ballad of the ever faithful volunteer :)

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