As of 7:00 pm this evening, I declare that the mosquito season in Minnesota has begun, and I’ve got the first two bites to prove it. So now I’ll have to deal with ticks and mosquitoes. Uf-duh. I haven’t been to a National Wildlife Refuge yet where I didn’t have to battle biting bugs. I guess it just goes with the territory.
Red-bellied woodpecker
The other 120 fourth graders from Moorhead, MN, cancelled their field trip to the refuge this morning. It was a good thing they did because overnight and throughout the morning we had another inch of rain. Kids and adults would have had a miserable time of it had they come. That wraps up the school groups for this spring.
 |  <-----/--^ Male purple finch. |
Since my work for the day was cancelled, I decided to head to Detroit Lakes to take care of several errands. Rainy weather really doesn’t matter when you need groceries, new windshield wipers for the rig, and scheduling the awning repair.
Female purple finch.
First off, I headed to Wold’s RV where I was able to order the new wipers, a set of throw rugs, and talk about the awning repair. Two mobile RV techs will be coming out next Tuesday to get the awning restrung.
Ruby-throated hummingbird visiting the oriole feeder.
Paul Dahl had a question about having the awning restrung, and I’ll try to better explain that with photos as the RV techs get it done on Tuesday. Basically, the awning hasn’t ripped, but has started to come out of the groove on the roller bar at the bottom near the front of the rig, and at the top where it attaches to the roof in the back. I’m sure that is the reason the awning arms where out of whack for closing properly. I did check the motorized awning recall site, and my awning is not covered by that recall. I feel it was those awful winds in the Dakotas that were the culprit.
Female American goldfinch.
The skies cleared in the afternoon, and Emma and I were able to sit outside this afternoon so I could get these photos at the bird feeders. It was a brief respite from the rains. They have now started up again.
Emma on her thirteen-striped ground squirrel watch. One of them has a tunnel right beyond the Hard Rock Bird Café pole. That squirrel drives her to distraction.
Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later, Judy
Wish we could have a summer free of those pesky biting things.
ReplyDeleteIt's not the "State Bird of Minnesota" for nothin'! Well, best wishes for keeping those little biting buggers at bay!
ReplyDeleteNow that the mosquitoes are out, so are their archenemies...the dragonflies. Personally, we're rooting for the dragonflies!
ReplyDeletewww.travelwithkevinandruth.com
Everyone knows all those 10,000 lakes are there to give birth to the 'state bird'. Keep an eye on the small children.
ReplyDeleteMosquitoes chased me inside today :(
ReplyDeleteGo gettum Emma! (love that picture!)
ReplyDeleteMosquitoes! YUCK!
ReplyDeleteAmazing bird photos and nice "back-side" of Emma! :-)
ReplyDeleteI recently read that catnip is an excellent mosquito repellent. The article was talking about the plant, not a spray on repellent. Maybe a little pot of it by your door would at least keep the area around your rig mosquito free.
ReplyDeleteCarolyn writes about the black flies in Maine... you write about the mosquitoes in Minnesota... Bill got his first chigger bite of the year here in Texas... Summer must be here!
ReplyDeletehere, in Massachusetts, too! The first four days I was here I was so excited to not hear the buzz of a mosquito. Last night? Not so much. And I want to know if there is a "frontline" for humans. I haven't found a tick on Stumpy but I can't say the same for me.
ReplyDeleteGreat pics of the birds, as always!
With all that rain, I am not a bit surprised that you have thousands of mosquitoes.
ReplyDeleteWe have a live catnip plant. We crush up the leaves to rub on our kitty's ears so the mosquitoes will leave her alone. She then eats the leaves. It works.
ReplyDeleteSo far the mosquitos haven't been bad here, but the red ants are terrible. I wish I knew a good exterminator.
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful pictures you posted today. I really need to take a photo class now that I have all this new equipment. I wish you were closer so you could teach me everything you know!!
Check out Nick Kelsh photo classes at How to Photograph your life website: http://howtophotographyourlife.com. He takes it slow and easy and taught me how to use my "big girl camera".
DeleteThat Emma is just beautiful. . .as are the bird pics!
ReplyDeleteI think God made mosquitoes to keep us humble. I've always looked at mosquitoes a little differently since I on e time when I was running a Project Aquatic Wild Facilitator Workshop and playing the marsh game. Everybody got to be someone in the food web. One lady chose to be a mosquito because, " when a mosquito bites me, I get to be part of the food chain." So remember, you're helping to grow bats and birds.
ReplyDeleteWill you be there until September? I'll be coming to the Boundary waters - think I have to be near Grand Portage the second Saturday in September. Then I'm trekking all the way back here for roundup.
Thanks for the explanation on the awning, Judy. I look forward to seeing how the repair works out. I have to look closely at my awning to see if I have the same condition.
ReplyDeleteSkeeters! I don't like them but they sure do like me! :c(
I've heard that the mosquitoes there actually fight over people. One story goes: 2 mosquitoes couldn't decide just what to do with their proposed "victim", so they decided to flip a coin...heads we eat 'em here, tails we take 'em home. Sounds like it could be a true story. I bought a mosquito trap in the airport in Minneapolis once, and it looked just like a small, scaled down version of a bear trap. They say those mosquitoes are really big!
ReplyDeleteThat male purple finch looks like he has a pretty disgusted look on his face. Was the feeder empty? Love that Emma is on guard. Don't you wish you could get her to chase away the mosquitos. I hate them too but they do let me know that no one is spraying around me if they are out.
ReplyDeleteEmma is a good girl. Someone has to protect the rig from those ground squirrels.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you need one of those screen rooms attached to your awning...Some days, I wouldn't mind one for the Hiker!
ReplyDeleteI'd always heard Minnesota was the land of 10,000 lakes and 10 million mosquitos. Guess it's true :)
ReplyDeleteWith all the rain we've had the mosquitoes are out in our area too. I tooted my horn as I passed by the Detroit Lakes exit today. Did you hear it??? :)
ReplyDeleteMinnesota mosquitoes .....mmmm, maybe we'll skip this State and just enjoy it through your pictures!
ReplyDeleteI just started following your blog. I find it very interesting. Love your bird pic's. If you take vitamin B1 the state bird will leave you alone. It will work and is easy.
ReplyDeleteTell me about it! These days, I've had to eat dinner with a fly swatter on the table. Glad none of those flies ended up in my soup, heh. I probably should resort to other means, so I don't have to keep a fly swatter around while I'm finishing a steak.
ReplyDeleteStlMosquitoControl.com
It looks like your feeder attracts quite a crowd; although there’s always the occasional squirrel looking for a quick meal. Good thing Emma’s there to guard it and to amuse herself at the same time.
ReplyDeleteOne thing to try if you don’t mind using chemical repellants is to spray the outside walls of the RV rather than inside. This keeps mosquitoes from approaching in the first place, and at the same time not irritate Emma with the chemical smells when she’s inside.
Jeffrey