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Borrego Springs, CA

Friday, November 11, 2011

More help arrives

Three more volunteers pulled into the pads today.  Bob and Dorothy were here last year, so I enjoyed seeing them again.  Later in the afternoon, Cindi also set up her rig.  They all knew each other from volunteering at Aransas NWR.  Cindi will join me at the VIS tomorrow afternoon so I can train her in, and she can relieve me in case eight hours is just too much for my back.  It also means we’ll have a good group here for the holidays.

Emma and I hopped into the car this afternoon to take a ride on some of the refuge roads.

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In the past week or so, thousands of snow geese have arrived to spend the winter here.  Two strong cold fronts from the north have persuaded them to head down here.  Clouds of geese fly over the volunteer pads every morning and evening for our enjoyment. 

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There are also plenty of ibis around.  The marshlands are alive with life.

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We also came across a merlin perched in one of the dead trees along the road to frozen point.  Before hurricane Ike, these trees were strong and well.  Each year since then more and more of them topple to the ground.

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Because of the drought in Texas, many of the moist soil units are as dry as a bone.  Only a few of the channels still have water in them.  After working in the VIS this weekend, I’m hoping I’ll be up to hiking the Skillern Tract.  Because there is an abundance of water there, it is just loaded with birds.  I’ve got my fingers crossed.

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I leave you with tonight’s not too shabby sunset on the refuge.  Safe travels to several bloggers that will be hitting the roads and heading south in the next few days.

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

28 comments:

  1. Glad you are feeling a bit better. Now don't over-do! Love the birdie pictures...

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  2. Great photos. Take it easy on your hike! You don't want a sit back.

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  3. Your pictures are always awesome! Glad you are feeling better!

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  4. Gorgeous gorgeous pictures... I missed where you are... what refuge is it? that Heron! wow....

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  5. I am glad to hear that you are feeling better. Best wishes for a full recovery soon.

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  6. If your back is anywhere near as good as your pictures you'll be doing push-ups soon.

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  7. I'm so glad you're feeling better. Be careful and don't over do it. Great pictures as usual.

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  8. Good to see you're up and about, again. Take care and don't take on too much, too soon.

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  9. So glad to see all the bird pictures again. So glad to hear you felt good enough to go for a ride.

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  10. by the look of the photos you must be feeling a bit better!!..nice work on the sunset photo!!

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  11. Ibis are so beautiful I think they ought to be rare. I feel the same way about blue heron.

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  12. Good to see you up and about again. Sad to see the damage from the hurricane, any signs of nature recovering?

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  13. I have a picture very much like the sunset one at the end of your post. It was taken in Texas over 25 years ago. The world doesn't change. We just get older.

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  14. Glad to hear you are feeling well enough to get out a bit. Don't overdo!! You're getting some great photos already and I'm looking forward to more during your stay. I sure enjoy your photos.

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  15. Not to shabby indeed. Don't stop doing your exercises :)

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  16. Glad you are feeling a little better.

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  17. Good to hear you are doing better, but do take it easy and keep exercising.
    Pictures are awesome once again

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  18. Glad to see you are moving around, I guess you must be feeling a little better. Love the sunset photo.

    Kevin and Ruth
    www.travelwithkevinandruth.com

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  19. Awesome photos of the birds and sunset, never shabby! :)
    So good to hear you're feeling better and have relief helpers arriving, too!

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  20. Glad you're doing better and as always your photos are awesome... especially the sunset!
    Have fun & Travel safe
    Donna

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  21. So glad to hear you are up and around. I love your pictures and am now spending some time each morning doing a month of your past blogs to catch up to the point at which I started recently reading you. I'm up to July 2010 so I'm getting closer. Learning a lot. It's great!

    Sherry
    www.directionofourdreams.blogspot.com

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  22. I'm really happy to hear that you are feeling better. Your pictures are always good but that sunset is spectacular. Don't overdo and have a setback.

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  23. Glad to hear you are getting better. Tell Dorothy and Bob hello for me.

    I got to go to another refuge, Llano Seco, today and hang out on the platform and visit and show people birds through the scope. Had maybe 100 sandhills there. It's a tough job.....

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  24. Wow! Nice pictures. I'd love to see those snow geese! Such a lovely sunset too!

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  25. So pretty, love the bird shots and the sunset is gorgeous! :)

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