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Borrego Springs, CA

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Sluggish Saturday

Just like last Saturday, I did next to nothing today.  It had been a busy week, and it was dreary with a few sprinkles today.  That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.  I couldn’t even muster up the ambition to go get a 1/2 gallon of milk. Sad smile

61 On the way to Indiana1

It’s a good thing I had the second half of yesterday’s wildlife drive to post pictures from tonight.  The drive is only three miles long, but it was packed with water birds.

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It was nice to see this young alligator (about 4’ long).  This guy was squeaky clean looking.  The gators I saw at Anahuac all had lots of mud on them.  I only spotted two alligators on the drive, but I’m sure there were more out there.

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I even found two black-necked stilts sitting on eggs.  I’d sure like to get some photos of the chicks hatching, but I’ll be long gone by then.

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What a productive wetland area this is.  Great egrets are usually camera shy, so I’m lucky I got these shots.

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The thistles up North won’t be blooming for a couple of months yet, but the plants down here are already going to seed.  I’ve become accustomed to temps in the 80’s the last few weeks, so I may be in for a shock as I head North next week.

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This is part of a flock of about 100 fulvous whistling ducks that I encountered.  I’ve never seen a flock this large before.  I usually only see two at a time.

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And who could pass up a chance at a shot like this of the abundant killdeer?  I’m sure there was a nest nearby, as this bird went into it’s broken wing act just after this photo. 

61 On the way to Indiana

My personal favorite for the day was finding this cooperative green heron.  I could have watched it hunting the bank forever.  Several cars had to pass me along the drive.  They probably did the route in about ten minutes, whereas it took me about an hour and a half.  They may not have been bird watchers.  It’s amazing what you can see if you slow down and really open your eyes and ears.

 

Now all I have to do is remember to call the Visitor’s Services Manager for the refuge complex after the weekend is over. (sometimes that remembering is a problemSad smile)   There are three NWRs in this complex, and the intern told me they have a hard time getting volunteers since they require 32 hours/week.  Traveling solo, I’m pretty used to that requirement even though I think it’s too much.  Of course, if that’s what they require for each member of a couple, it makes me wonder if they require even more hours from a solo.  If they do, it will be their loss.  32 is my absolute maximum.

 

A thought popped into my head this afternoon.  Why is it that when people use swear words in their conversation, some of them say pardon my French?   Does this mean that French speaking people swear all the time?

 

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

19 comments:

  1. Beautiful pic's as usual, I got a chuckle about your French. I was wondering if you still used live writer to do your blog? I got a new computer and all of a sudden my post just disapear while I am writing them. Never had that happen before.
    Thanks
    Donna

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  2. Okay - so why are they called green herons when they look blue to me? Not sure about those French words. They could be swearing and I wouldn't have a clue.

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  3. I like the little Killdeer picture best today...but they were all great as usual.

    "Pardon my French?" Maybe the speaker of the offensive words just wants to convince the listener that they really were not swearing but speaking in a foreign language and the expletive means something totally different in French....just a thought LOL!

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  4. Wonderful -- WONDERFUL PICS!! There's nothing wrong with doing nothing:) Have never thot why some say "Pardon my French," but it's an interesting question. Be safe!

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  5. The broken wing act is one of the coolest things..they are pretty darn smart birds those Killdeer!
    I am heading out for a day of birding tomorrow, would love to catch a Green Heron or a Killdeer or two...?? At least I'll have something to blog about ;-)

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  6. Yes...you might want to get ready for the temps up North...If we get to 60 degrees here, we consider ourselves lucky...Safe travels..

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  7. I don't know about the French but WOWSERS you should hear the Scots when we hop The Pond for a visit! Let's say they are a very earthy people! :)

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  8. Great pics again! The French thing? I believe it's just an attempt to disguise swear words as a foreign language.

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  9. Your photos are just wonderful! I'm a birder like you and I can relate to taking an hour and a half to do a route that takes others ten minutes. Thanks for sharing.

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  10. More beautiful pictures of your day!

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  11. Oh Judy, you are in for quite a suprise; we had snow 2 mornings in a row now. I think Rick and Paulette had it right--the "French" reference is to disguise their swear words, or I've always thought that. May 1st and no orioles or hummingbirds to be found. They had better stay where they are unless they like popsicles.

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  12. So nice to be in an area with so much varied wildlife all about. What a great diversity of birds you have there in the southern climes. Bird photos are a definite challenge & I think that is what makes it all so much fun. Good pics:))

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  13. Judy, I'm home now and its cold here. Some parts of I-55 are like a washboard, teeth chattering. Also, the area near Sikeston, MO is flooded. No water on I-55 or I-57, but it was real close to the highway, they had pumps on the median strip and in the ditches along the roads.

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  14. Take the time to enjoy it has been our travel philosophy for a long time ... it's one of the reasons we seldom travel with anyone else.

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  15. As always very interesting pictures of the wild life.

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  16. We were from the Binghampton area.

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  17. Here is what http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pardon_my_French
    has on the French thing.

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