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Borrego Springs, CA

Friday, September 18, 2015

Starting on a new project

I’ve been assigned a couple of other projects during my time here at Tule Lake NWR in addition to work in the VC and doing a weekly bird survey.  I got started on one of them the other day. 

82 Tule Lake NWR, CA

There are six photo blinds that can be reserved by photographers at the VC.  All of these blinds have been built by a local volunteer over the years.  Five are located on Tule Lake NWR, and one is located on Lower Klamath NWR.  My job is to inventory them; make suggestions for needed repairs; and make sure the written directions to get to each blind are correct.

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I had to chuckle when I finally found this upland bird blind.  I just thought it was a porta-pottie out in the middle of nowhere.  Not so.  There is a stool inside, and a bucket of bird seed.  When I visited it, there was not a bird to be found anywhere.  The directions were not correct, and there was no water feature as mentioned in the description.  A fire went through this area a couple of years ago, so I’m sure that has lessened the usefulness of this blind.

There’s a little bit of interesting history about these blinds.  It seems that hunters were complaining about the $25 yearly recreation pass that they had to buy in order to hunt on the refuge, while ‘birders’ didn’t have to pay a cent to enjoy the birds.  So, if you want to use the photo blinds, you have to pay a $25 recreation pass also.  (half price for folks with the old farts pass)  Of course, I pointed out that we ‘birders’ didn’t eat the birds, but only took pictures and left footprints.Winking smile

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Since all the blinds are located along the auto tour routes, I could also enjoy all the wildlife along the way while checking them out.  I guess you could say I was ‘killing’ two birds with one stone.

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Besides all the waterfowl on Tule Lake, I’m really enjoying seeing American Avocets.  They look so graceful to me.

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                      They’re all pretty busy bulking up on food for their coming migration to Mexico.

DSC_0037                             They use that curved bill to sweep under water to capture tasty morsels.

It got pretty chilly here last night, and the heat pump switched over to the propane furnace.  Possible freeze tonight too before another warm up.  I’m watching the weather pretty closely.  I’m thinking that as soon as it’s cold enough to freeze the water hose it’ll be time for me to head south too.

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

19 comments:

  1. For me when even the thought of cold enough to freeze anything happens, the next day is rolling south day.

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  2. Yea, that does look like an outhouse.

    No, everything still all green here in Michigan.

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  3. Nice that you have some jobs you are enjoying. Yeah. Cold. But just in the mornings, and then late September is very nearly perfect around here. Hope you are around when we return, but if not, I guess we will have to check out your new digs down south sometime.

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  4. I don't think $25/year is too much at all. I am not a hunter...just a lover...hehe

    Freeze...gives me goose bumps.

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  5. We hope that the freeze does not come too soon here, we still have a month to go before we can cross the border and head south.

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  6. Your photos of the American Avocets are beautiful Judy...glad your new assignment gets you out and about. Yikes...I thought it was chilly here as the temps dropped to the low 50s.

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  7. Hopefully, the weather will stay warm for awhile yet.

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  8. Hopefully we are going to have a nice Indian summer--love your butterflies photo!

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  9. That's an interesting project. Also interesting that those blinds look very much in the open... maybe there's no cover or other camoflauge available? Glad you are getting outside more!

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  10. Seems to me hunters should pay, they take something out of the refuge while birders do not. Looks like a nice job though being outside and checking them all out.

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  11. Just don't mix a porta potty up with a bird blind.... :cP

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  12. The hunters will pay the fee in order to be able to kill the birds. The photographers won't be as likely to pay to take some photos.

    Glad you have a nice warm place to head too when you can't take the cold any longer. We always enjoy being able to head to warmer places when it gets too cold here.

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  13. Such a pretty bird! (stop by on your way south)

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  14. Make sure if you're 'killing two birds with one stone' you pay the $25 fee. hehe Love the photos!!!

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  16. what is your schedule there? is it getting cold? am planning on getting down your way on Monday . that is the 28th.. hope that is ok and you would be avail. hope to be there about noon
    can not figure out how to do the e-mail part of this and seem to have lost yours for some reason :(

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    We see the American Avocets at the Mitchell Lake Audubon Center just a few miles south of San Antonio, along with black-necked stilts, The birding tour on Sunday morning saw some great kiskadees and groove-billed ani.

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  18. Hi Emma, Its a very cool site I found. I have seen you have provided some necessary information about the birds and that sweep under water. Thanks for your article. Rabi

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