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Borrego Springs, CA

Monday, July 1, 2013

Had a date with Pepe` La-Peau this morning

After a quick meeting at 6:30 this morning, Rachel accompanied me on the first leg of the Minnesota Loon Survey.  We were given a bunch of official forms, and a list of seven ponds located throughout the refuge to survey for loons.  There was also a slightly less official refuge form for each pond where we were to identify and count all waterfowl that were encountered on the ponds.  Our first stop was at one of the ponds in the Booth Lake block that I’m also atlasing, so we already knew that there were a pair of loons nesting here.

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But as we approached the observation point, good old Pepe La-Peau was in the middle of the roadway.  We really didn’t want to survey him up close, so we waited until he wandered away.  Satisfied that it was gone, we got out of the truck and began our 15 minute scanning of the pond.

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A couple of the nice things about doing these different surveys with a young assistant is that Rachel opens and closes all the gates we encounter, and she willingly totes around the awkward scope on a tripod while I simply have my binoculars to carry.  As we moved a little further down the levy to try to get a better view of the loons to see if they were packing any babies with them, good ol’ Pepe popped out of the brush once again and headed right for us.  You can bet we began a hasty retreat!  In that old cartoon, Pepe used to ply his would be girlfriends with flowers, but I surely wasn’t interested in sniffing his fragrances.  By the time our 15 minutes was up, this skunk came at us three times.  This is birding under duress!Surprised smile  We finally escaped odorless and headed for our other ponds.

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I always have to stop for a good view of a bald eagle even though waterfowl was our target today.  We finished the seven ponds by the noon deadline, and found a nice variety of waterfowl to report.  We didn’t see any loon babies today, but saw the little ones of pied-billed grebes, hooded mergansers, and trumpeter swans.

The biggest surprise of the day occurred upon our return to headquarters.  The refuge wants to try to improve the volunteer RV sites a little each year, and this year they decided to add cement patios to each of the sites.  The patios will be 12’X24’ each next to the gravel parking pads.  That will certainly improve things during rains.  No more muddy puddles outside the door or tracking mud into the rig.  Only problem was they wanted us to move our rigs this afternoon!  You know, whether you are moving 8 feet or 80 miles, you just can’t hop in the driver’s seat and pull away especially if you’ve been parked for about a month or two in the same place. 

Steve heard about it first thing this morning, so they began work on his site first.  Thank goodness!  With all the equipment they brought in, I told them I would move after everyone went home from work this afternoon, and that’s just what I did.  It’s really a minor inconvenience to move the rig over about ten feet to gain a nice new patio, but it’s a pain just the same.

I had also mentioned several weeks ago that it sure would be nice to have a set of outdoor laundry lines for the volunteers to use.  Lo and behold, there are two laundry poles in my front yard tonight just waiting to be installed between the two sites.  Fresh air dried sheets, towels, and clothes sure beats using the wrinkly Splendide drier, and saves electricity as well.

As Neil, the refuge manager, came up to inspect the work progress this afternoon, I told him I appreciated both the patio and the laundry lines.  He told me his aim was to make these sites so nice that we wouldn’t want to leave.  Ha!  Then I reminded him about the Minnesota winters.  Smile with tongue out

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                                                                               THE END!!

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

26 comments:

  1. In our travels so far we have managed to avoid encounters with Mr. Pepe LePew. Seen plenty of other fauna, tho. Not in any hurry to see Pepe.

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  2. Does Pepe LaPeau's name rhyme with slew or slough? :)

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  3. Well, better to be chased around by Pepe' than some mean old Mama Bear :-)

    This refuge sure does seem RV-friendly. The patios and laundry line should be terrific new additions!

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  4. that's the furriest looking skunk I've ever seen a picture of. . .interesting. . .glad you escaped unscathed!

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  5. Ahhhhh.... line dried sheets! I can almost smell the freshness! Much better than the perfume ole Pepe exudes... ;-)

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  6. I've had skunks coming toward me several times, and have noticed that they will go toward my dogs as the dogs range away from me at times. I wonder if they aren't heading toward the movement with the idea that movement stirs up bugs/mice/voles, other edibles. Their sight doesn't seem to be worth a plugged nickel (at least the one who lived with us for several years didn't see worth a hoot; he went everywhere 'by nose' as one of my kids put it) so it doesn't seem they are likely coming "at" us.

    Sarah

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  7. I like the fact that more of the National Parks are offering some sort of housing for volunteers - mostly private room in shared living quarters, but sometimes you can find the occasional cabin or apartment.

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  8. Glad you escaped a spray. They are nocturnal, this one must have hungry kits someplace and needs to feed them. I don't like skumks:(

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  9. The photo of the eagle is fantastic. Regarding Pepe', be more than cautious if you see skunks out during the daytime. There's a good chance he was rabid. Enjoy your clothes lines!!

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  10. Can't have clotheslines at most RV parks so that and a concrete patio is neat.

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  11. We're traveling this summer (no stationary volunteering till we get back south this fall). I really miss the air dried clothes, sheets and towels. Glad to hear you'll have the option soon.

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  12. Oh yes, i always used the clothes line at home! You are so right....sheets and towels just seem so much fresher! That's great about the patio too...sounds like they really appreciate the volunteers.

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  13. This really sounds like the way all NWR's should treat their volunteers. I am so glad to hear that the manager is making a serious effort to listen to volunteer requests and to make improvements each year. Nice place!!

    I sure wouldn't want Mr. Pepe anywhere around. Even when I drive by a place he's sprayed I almost gag. Not sure there is any worse smell than that. Sure don't blame you for being extra cautious. Wonder what he found so attractive about you two? LOL

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  14. What a great place to volunteer.
    Pepe sure was acting strange.

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  15. If the RV we bought had had a washer, I would have learned to use it. As it is, a washer wouldn't fit in 35' so we don't have one. I don't think I will mind a laundry room as long as it is clean. At home I love to do the bedding in a windy time.

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  16. I'm surprised you didn't fight back with old Pepe. All you had to do was take off your steel toe boots and throw them in his direction.

    I'm sure the smell of your boots would have overpowered any odor he could have produced... :c)

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  17. Nice that the refuge is going the extra mile for its RV volunteers. I like encounters with wildlife, but one with Monsieur Le Pew is not on my life-list ;-)

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  18. I have a sneaky suspension they are going to ask you to come back next year.

    I haven't hung anything on a clothes line for years. The fresh smell is marvelous.

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  19. Glad to hear you escaped the skunk. I like nature and animals, but that is one creature I do not want to meet. Your patio and clothesline will be really nice. I love the smell of line-dried sheets.

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  20. That sure seems like a place which appreciates its volunteers!

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  21. Great shots of Pepe....good use of the telephoto lens, lol. Glad you will have a nice patio.

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  22. We encountered Pepe's sibling in WV last year. We got out of there as quickly as possible!

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  23. A skunk and a bald eagle - not a bad photo day at all!!

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  24. Good for you you escape the skunk, The picture of the Eagle is awesome.. nice shot...

    www.migrationexpert.co.uk

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