How long are you going to do this?

This is what Terri, the office manager of the refuge, asked me today.  She was referring to fulltiming, and volunteering at National Wildlife Refuges.  My answer was “Until I die in the traces, or can no longer drive the rig.”  I realize that things can happen, and my plans may change, but I really enjoy this lifestyle and hope I have many years left to enjoy it.  I’m a life time member of Escapees, and told her about that and the CARE program in Livingston, TX.  (If you don’t know about Escapees and CARE, let me know and I’ll do a post about that)  I’m hoping not to end up living with one of my kids in my old age and becoming a burden to them.

It was another day of working in the Visitor’s Center today, and the electronic counter on one of the entrance doors said I had 44 visitors today.  Since it counts people as they enter and leave, I probably really had only about 25 folks stop in.  There is another door without a counter, and some people enter and leave that way. 
Early on, I noticed one of the Lewis’s woodpeckers fly into one of the elm trees surrounding the VC.  I grabbed my camera and ran outside since that would mean he might be in the sun.  I’m not sure I’ll get a better pic than this of this dark colored woodpecker, but I’ll keep trying.  None of the red in his plumage showed up in this angle.  :(

I had a visitor today ask if we had a form to leave comments for the refuge manager.  We don’t, so she just wrote her comments on a piece of paper, and I took that to the appropriate person.  That resulted in a little project, thank goodness, for me.  I’m developing a comments form that will be available for visitors.  That sure beats playing spider solitaire all day long when no one is visiting!  The biggest challenge I face in doing this is working with an ancient version of Microsoft Word.  I told the volunteer coordinator that that’s why I always had a secretary in my former life.  They could have whipped up this form in minutes, where as it is taking me hours!
Once I got home, Emma was more than anxious to get out of the confines of the rig.  We sat outside for several hours, after taking a good walk around.  I just wish I could hear, smell, and interpret  everything she does.  Here she is on vigil status protecting our home!  :)

I have tomorrow off from the VC, and I’m going on a tour of the refuge with fellow volunteers, Jan and Karl.  They have volunteered here for 14 years, and are amateur (not really) archeologists.  They’ll be showing me petroglyphs and an authentic sod house among other things.  I’m pretty excited about that, as we will be going to areas of the refuge that are not available to the normal visitor.  Cool Beans!!

I leave you with tonight’s sunset….
                              on a drying Walla Walla sweet onion on my picnic table.  :)

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

A ho hum Sunday

I decided not to take a drive up the Steens Mountain trail today because I really needed to take care of some chores.  So it was a cleaning day with a capitol C.  I cleaned the inside of the rig, and I cleaned my clothes.  Things seemed to be kind of slow in blogland as well.  On a bright note, the awning went out and stayed out on the first try.  That hasn’t happened in months.
As I sat out under the awning waiting for the dryer to finish it’s business, two Lewis’s woodpeckers were flying about the trees down the road a little ways.  If you look closely at the bird on the left, you can make out the typical pointed tail feathers that all woodpeckers have.  They help prop the bird up when it is on the bark of a tree.  Unlike any other woodpecker, the Lewis’s hawks insects on the wing.  They fly out from a perch like this and catch the insects in the middle of the air.  The other woodpeckers just….peck wood!  :)  The two birds really put on an aerial display for me today, and I appreciated it.

That was about the sum of my day for today, but I would like to broach another subject.  I would like to preface it with a statement saying that I hope not to offend anyone, and please know that I appreciate each and every comment that my readers post on this blog.  Some newer readers have asked what camera I have.  I use a Canon Rebel XS.  Others have commented something on the order of “you must have a really good camera to get those pictures.”  Well, yes, I think it is a pretty good camera, but I’m here to tell you that I think the best camera in world doesn’t mean you’re going to have good pictures.  It is a lot of work and learning, and I’m still learning.  I won’t go into all the technicalities, but for every picture that I post, many many shots are discarded.  This blog and it’s pictures are a work in progress, and I hope you’ll all stick with me as I work on improving both.  :)

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

Guess whooo returned!

The great horned owl returned this morning to roost outside the Visitor’s Center giving me and some other lucky people the chance to enjoy an up close look at this denizen of the dark.  As you can see, he swiveled his head 180* to show off his feathery horns.  :)  What a hoot!!

Another day working the VC.  Not very exciting, but I did step out several times to check out the bird life. 
The California quail are pretty skittish, but…
I was able to sneak in a few close ups before they all took off in a noisy flurry of wings and squawks.  The male, on the left, was blasting out his warning calls the whole time I was skulking around trying to get a good shot.  :)  Don’t you just love those little top knots?
A new visitor to the bird feeders this week is the American goldfinch.  They’ve already molted into their winter plumage, so they’re not  the brilliant yellow of springtime that earns them the common name of a wild canary. 
Here are my latest attempts at a decent picture of a Lewis’s woodpecker.  Obviously, my quest is not over.  :)
Lest you think birds are the only concern at this refuge, I include this picture of the refuge manager out in the pond in front of the VC.  He is pulling a fish net behind him.  The invasion of carp have really had a detrimental effect on the refuge marsh vegetation, and the natural red band trout population.  He is out there trying to net some of the unwanted carp.

The thought of working the not very busy VC four days this week was a little depressing to me, so this afternoon I worked on a plan to get out and about for at least one of those days.  If the weather cooperates tomorrow, I may have something new to report.  I’m keeping my fingers crossed.  :)

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

Laboring on Labor Day

National holiday or not, the Visitor’s Center must open, so you know who worked on this Labor Day.  :)  Actually, I enjoyed having the place to myself without all the office goings on, and since this was still part of the holiday weekend, I actually had 29 visitors today!  That was a big improvement over the measly 7 I had last Thursday.  It helps make the 8 hour day move along a little faster.
I had quite a bit of time in between visitors, so I did a little birding around headquarters.  This nice family of California Quail came sashaying through the grounds with Mom in the lead, and…
Dad covering their rear.  :)   There are quite a few of these quail families that hang around the visitor’s center, and I really enjoy watching them with their little top knots.
Of course, birds aren’t the only things that reside on the refuge.  Much to Emma’s delight, there are an abundance of cottontail rabbits.  This little guy has been lucky so far to stay out of the reach of the hungry coyotes and hawks.
Speaking of hawks, this pair of Red-Tailed Hawks put on quite a display of aerial acrobatics this afternoon in the air right over the VC.  They were up there circling and circling, and screeching and screeching just above the tree tops!  As the story unfolded, it turns out that a third hawk had invaded their “air space”, and was sitting in one of the big trees in their territory.  Before long, these two simultaneously swooped down into the same tree.  After much vocalization, this pair managed to chase the intruder far away.
Besides the mosquitoes and deer flies, there are also a gazillion dragon flies on the refuge.  These are just two of the many varieties.  ( I know squat about dragon flies)  As you walk the path to the parking lot, hordes of these insects take flight with each step. 
One of my favorite birds to watch in flight are white pelicans.  They remind me of B-52 Bombers.  Every day they get up into the air and just soar around. 
The only sound you hear when these birds are overhead is the collective whoosh of the air as they simultaneously flap their wings.  Unlike Canada geese, they never let out a peep.  Like I said yesterday, synchronized swimmers and fliers.  :)
As the afternoon began to wind down, I made one more trip to the old trees around the VC, and discovered a new life bird for me…the Lewis’s Woodpecker.  Try as I might, I just couldn’t get this bird to pose in the sun.  :(  He has a green back, pinkish belly, and red face.  You sure couldn’t tell that from these pictures.  So now I have another challenge to liven up my time working the VC…the quintessential Lewis’s Woodpecker picture!  :)

Since things are kind of slow working in the Visitor’s Center, I bring along my laptop and camera everyday.  I’m sure glad I had the camera with me today.  I think I’d be crazy bored without those two distractions.  :)

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