The Iceman cometh

Thanks to the El Nino, this has been the coldest winter that Texas has experienced in several decades.  Lucky me!!  Freezing precipitation is on the way tomorrow.  I'd like to get upset about that, but then all I have to do is think of my family in Minnesota and around Chicago, and I just smile.  :)  Think of those poor folks in Washington DC and the Northeast!  That puts things into perspective, so I can deal with a little more rain/snow/sleet.  I keep looking forward to the possibility of a fantastic blue bonnet bloom in about two months.  After all, that's one of the reasons I originally came to the Texas Hill Country for the spring.

This morning, I headed down to the office for my first official day of work at Balcones.  Rob Iske, the volunteer coordinator, found me some inside work to occupy my time for the morning and part of the afternoon.  After coming back to the rig for lunch and to take Emma out, I walked back off of the hill to the office this afternoon.  I would be picking up a refuge vehicle for my use.  With so many volunteers this winter, my only option was a 15  passenger van.  Talk about overkill for what I'll be doing!  Tomorrow, I'll load it up with all my birding equipment so I'll be prepared in case I run into something interesting in my work-time journeys.  That means my binoculars, camera (with two lenses), mono pod, spotting scope, tripod, bird ID book (Sibley's), and a couple of diamond willow walking sticks.  The extra stick or two will be in case one of the other volunteers wants to accompany me on one of my bird hikes through the hills.  I'll also add refuge pamphlets to restock kiosks throughout the refuge, and maybe some trail maintenance tools.  I'm happy to be back at work (?).

Peggy, Caroline, and I were fed up with office/inside work by 2:00 this afternoon, so we headed outside.  The sun was shining, and even though it was only in the forties, we enjoyed cleaning up the gardens surrounding the headquarters building.  We had a good time trimming off all of last years dead growth from the flowering native plantings while carrying on jovial conversation.  None of us get to really see the fruits of our labor since most of the plantings don't flower until summer or fall.  These plantings attract a wide variety of  butterflies, in season, but it was good to get out and do something physical.

When I got back to the rig, Emma and I went on a nice walk in the hills, and then I refilled the bird feeders that I have set out.  The large flocks of chipping sparrows are emptying them daily.  I also put out a Niger seed feeder today, since I spotted a lesser goldfinch in the ash junipers this afternoon.  Goldfinches and pine siskins really like the Niger seed sock feeder.  I'd like to get a nice picture of the lesser goldfinch to share with you.  It may take a few days, but the cold and snowy forecast for the next few days may improve my chances.

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

The word is out!!

I guess the location of my bird feeders has been spread around the raccoon population. Now they're not even waiting for the cover of darkness.

The first stop is under the feeders that are hanging on long pieces of rope or string so the squirrels can't get to them.

The coons sift the seed hulls through their front paws looking for missed morsels.

Time out for a scratch!

Then, it's up the tree trunk to the feeder that they can get their hot little hands on. This is one of the young from this year. It's sibling was too shy (so far) to venture in this close.

Since I didn't put any seed in that feeder today, the young one headed back for the safety of the woods.

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I guess I can report that there is an abundant, healthy raccoon population on this refuge. I'm thinking I may not fill that feeder any more that is within their reach. We'll see.

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

Backyard Birds

Things are kind of slow around here, so I thought I'd take a few pics of the birds at my feeder. Those of you that know me, know that I really enjoy birdwatching and I haven't posted many bird pictures at this location. :) Some of the pics are not of the best quality, but you'll get the idea...

The most populous birds at my feeders are American goldfinches.

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Both males and females frequent the feeders.

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On the ground are plenty of common grackles. Many folks don't like grackles, but I do like their iridescent colors.

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This is a female brown-headed cowbird, another bird that many people don't like because of their habit of laying eggs in smaller bird's nests.

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A female cardinal stopped by the feeder this evening. She is obviously going through her summer molt of feathers, otherwise, she'd have a crest on her head. The young of the year look similar to the female, but wouldn't have a red beak at this point in the season.

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Another frequent visitor is the chipping sparrow. There is no way to tell if this bird is a male or female unless you can examine the bird in your hand to look for a female brood patch or a cloacal protuberance (balls) on the male.

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Dang, it's hard to get a good picture of a tufted titmouse. They don't just sit on the feeder and eat. They fly in, grab one seed, and then fly to a tree branch where they can peck open the seed with their beak while they hold it with their feet. Goldfinches, on the other hand, just sit at the feeder and eat because they are able to shuck the seeds while holding it in their beaks.

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Last, but not least, is the ubiquitous house sparrow. These sparrows are not native to the United States, and were brought over from England many, many years ago. Their population over the years has ballooned to such numbers that they have a very detrimental effect on some native species such as bluebirds and tree swallows. They are a common bird at feeders.

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Well, it's back to work tomorrow. Someone is supposed to come to fix the air conditioning in the museum area so maybe the folks that come for the movie on Sunday won't be uncomfortable. Temps in there have reached the upper eighties during the movie, and that's not conducive to happy visitors!

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

An ordinary day

I certainly slept soundly last night after the tiring driving day yesterday and the setting up last night. Being gone for a week meant all my bird feeders were empty and my two tomato plants and one hanging basket were really crying for a drink! I quenched their thirst, and the birds are all thrilled to have their free lunch return.

I got started on the laundry fairly early, and in between loads decided to go to Chilicothe for a few needed items and a hair cut at Walmart. I stopped by the local farm to pick up some tomatoes and corn, but couldn't find anyone around, or any produce for that matter. It is a pretty ramshackle farm yard, and the iconic old dog was the only living thing that I could roust up. I guess I'll have to try some other time. Too bad, because one of my favorite things in life is a homegrown tomato sandwich. Fresh corn on the cob isn't too shabby either. :(

I thought I'd try to wash all the thousands of accumulated bugs off of the front of the RV, but it was just too hot this afternoon. Even though the rig faces east, I'm figuring I had better do it first thing tomorrow morning before the predicted ninety degree temps arrive. Welcome back to sultry Missouri! I need to get those bugs off before I put up the sun shades, or they start eating away at the paint.

I was indoors most of the afternoon and had the Michael Jackson Memorial on the TV in the background. I'm really tired of all the news coverage that his death has created, but, I must admit that he was some performer.

I also gave a call to Cibola NWR in Arizona about volunteering there this fall. They will get back to me when they figure out which volunteers are returning. After getting the latest update from Workamper News, I called an RV resort in AZ about working there, but I had to leave a message. So far, I don't know what I'll be doing after the first two weeks in September when I'll camphost at Rice Lake while I get my yearly check-up at the Mayo Clinic. I guess I'll just play it by ear.

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

Swan Lake Nat'l Wildlife Refuge

The biggest challenge for today was getting out of the campground at the Missouri State Fair Grounds. After four straight days of rain, the grounds were a muddy mess. At 7:00 a.m. I watched the motorhome on my right try to leave, and just get bogged down. The tires ended up ten inches into the mud and the hitch on the back of the rig was on the ground. At 8:00, the motorhome on my left ended up in the same situation. I decided to drive the car to the hitch-up breakfast at the other end of the fairgrounds. I got an outstanding homemade biscuits with gravy and juice for only two bucks. After I got back to the rig, I finished my pack-up routine and shortly after ten, I decided to give it a try to pull out. The waiting list for the tow truck already had 15 rigs on the list, so I figured what the heck.... might as well give it a try. Sometimes there's a real advantage to not having a 40' rig and this was one of them. I put it in low gear and drove right out of the site to the cheers of the not so fortunate onlookers. :) I was on cloud nine and moved the rig to a big paved parking lot on the fair grounds about a half mile away. Then I walked back to my site to get the car and drove that over to hook it up. By 10:30, I was on the road and headed north. What a relief!!!

I had some really detailed directions from the volunteer coordinator at Swan Lake. All travel today involved country roads, but after two hours and 82 miles, I arrived at my destination. I had heard that the secondary roads in Missouri are not very nice, but I must say that the seven roads I traversed were all smooth and well taken care of. There were two construction stops along the way, but overall a very nice journey.

I took my time setting up camp at one of the two RV volunteer sites. The couple, Morry and Margaret, in the other site are pulling out on Sunday morning. They have been here three months, and their assignment is about over. Since Kirk and Pam are unable to come, I can move to the other site on Sunday if I want. After spending the evening here, I think I'll stay where I'm at. The other site has full sun all afternoon, and I do like to sit outside in the late afternoon and evening. I'm facing the opposite way, so I'll have shade to enjoy my time outside.

The sites are brand new cement pads with full hookups. The water pressure is phenomenal, and the view is very nice. I'm not looking at the maintenance buildings! Emma and I tried to walk the half mile wildlife trail this evening, but only made it about three quarters of the way when the trail seemed to end and we ran into a sign saying the area was closed. I don't know if I took a wrong turn somewhere or what. I'll have to ask about that. Anyway, we back tracked our way back to home. I put up my bird feeders and hummingbird feeder, set up the DISH in record time, set the tomato plants out, put out the awning, set up my rocker, and just kicked back. So far, I really like this refuge.

Tomorrow, I'll get the bicycle down, do laundry, and learn the ropes of the visitor's center before Morry and Margaret leave. That's the plan anyway. I have my trucker's antenna up and barely have a connection so I'll see if I can post any pictures tomorrow.

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