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Borrego Springs, CA

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Wingless Wednesday

My plans for this morning included Emma and I driving over to the Bolivar Peninsula.  I was going to dazzle my readers with all sorts of shorebird pictures from the beaches.  As it turned out, I could hardly find a bird, the shoreline was birdless, and the skies were full of mosquitoes.  Oh well, it was a beautiful day and the skies were blue.

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There’s still evidence of the devastation of hurricane Ike from three years ago. (click to enlarge and see details)

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But there are also a lot of new homes that have been rebuilt on the peninsula.  There  is even a new laundromat located in a mobile home elevated 18’ off the ground.  I’m not sure I’d want to carry my bags of dirty laundry up that many stairs, but I guess you do what you have to do.  I think these houses look funny way up in the air, but I can understand why it is done.  I enjoy all the vibrant colors of houses that can be found in the beach communities. 

As I returned through High Island, I finally stopped to read the historical marker that is located along SR 124.

IMG_4294I’ve driven past this marker many times in the five times I’ve volunteered at Anahuac.  It’s about time I learned some of the history behind this now famous birding location, and why it has its name.

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That marker also explained why I’ve seen all these oil pumps on the outskirts of the town, and most are still pumping away.

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Just to the south of High Island is a tall bridge that goes over the intracoastal waterway.  I believe this waterway goes all the way from Texas to Florida, and has lots of barge traffic.  So much so that the border going through Anahuac NWR has had to be reinforced to prevent erosion.  This view, from the top of the bridge, is to the east as it wanders its way through McFadden NWR.

IMG_4296On the west side of the bridge you can see the 35,000 acres of Anahuac’s marshlands.  You can just make out the new reinforcements along the northern edge of the canal.

On the battlefront at home, here’s the score:  Mouse 2  Me 0!  That little bugger licked another trap clean of its peanut butter last night.  Sad smile  One of my readers suggested I tie some dental floss around the peanut butter so the mouse would get its teeth caught on it.  That sounded a little hokey to me, but I’m willing to give it a try.  Have you ever tried to lace dental floss through a glob of peanut butter while trying to keep the trap open but not snapping on you with one hand?  Good grief!  I sure hope old age and cunning will outwit youth and dexterity.  If not, peanut butter coated dental floss is an interesting concept.  Confused smile

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy 

23 comments:

  1. I know some people think they're cruel, but sometimes you have to do what you have to do. I had a mouse in the house and tried EVERYTHING and that little bugger out wit me at every turn. Finally resorted to the sticky traps and got him. If you want to, take the mouse and trap far from your rig with a glass of warm water and pour on him where he's stuck. It appears to be dissolve the glue. We did that and it worked.

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  2. I agree the houses look pretty odd like that, but we see a lot more of them here in Florida than we did before the 2004 and 2005 hurricane season. I guess they would look pretty good during a tidal surge.

    Nice pictures!

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  3. I had one that gave me a hard time. First he cleaned off the peanut butter from a couple of traps on successive nights. Next he got stuck in a sticky trap, dragged it about eight feet and got out of it himself. I finally went and bought an electric Rat trap for $40 and it got him the first night it was set up. No additional signs in any areas for about a month now.

    I've heard about the dental floss. Seems like it would work. I tie a string onto all of my traps. Several had gone missing over the years and I hate to find a mouse that has been dead for awhile.

    I wonder how the people who have used that stuff you spray on the bottom of the rig have done this year.

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  4. You might be able to snag Al from the Bayfield Bunch with that peanut butter flavoured dental floss.

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  5. Why not put the floss in the peanut butter before applying to trap? Inquiring minds want to know?

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  6. I'm with you about hiking up all those steps to the laundry or the house. Those people must be in great shape.

    Sorry to hear about the mouse but I'm learning a lot from your experience and all the comments. Clearly you are not alone in this match up. Hope victory is soon.

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  7. Anyone climbing all those steps to their house would either get into very good shape or die of a heart attack. Glad I live in tornado country rather than hurricane country...I think my chances are better. :)

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  8. I understand why the houses are on stilts, but I sure wouldn't want to be in one of them when the wind is blowing a hurricane in.

    Mice are related to squirrels and you will never be able to outwit them. That's why I'm not humane when it comes to mice, although I've never harmed a squirrel to my knowledge. At least they have never come into my house.

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  9. Have you tried the fabric softener dryer sheets? Our office trailer had evidence of a mouse presence when we arrived and now and then for a while. I have dryer sheets placed here and there in the office and . . . I almost hate to say this . . . no more mousie! Coincidence, perhaps, but I'm good with it! Wishing you victories!

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  10. Hey Judy, when we had a parade of deer mice visit us in the Maritime Provinces and northeast a few yrs ago, we also had to revert to sticky traps. My husband wasn't as kind as Ruth in her above comment. He put stuck mouse and sticky trap in a plastic grocery bag and... well... gave the whole shebang a solid whack. End of problem. Till the next big-eared mouse and then we'd start all over again!

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  11. aw jeeeez.. poor little mouse! man

    I haven't been to High Island in eons... forgot all about that place... again... great pictures even if they are birdless... HAhaaa

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  12. Good Luck with the rodent! I'd offer my advice again, but I don't want you to have to ignore it again... I am curious tho ~ is Emma crated at night? It seems strange to me that she doesn't hear the mouse and give chase as rambunscious (no spell check for comments!) as she's been described! Maybe give that a go?

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  13. Sorry no bird pictures, I did enjoy seeing the houses on stilts. The laundromat way up high. No way.

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  14. I hate mice. But I think I hate mosquitoes more. But maybe not. I'm with meowmomma - my Scooter would be on the rampage if we had a mouse. We got one in the sticks and bricks and she wouldn't sleep. Prowled and barked and chased all night long. So I hope you start winning pretty soon.

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  15. maybe get a kitty?..you would think that my buddy Meowmomma would have said that!..so I will just say it for her!..good luck with the mousehunting!
    the houses on stilts look funny!..are the pipes and electrical and sewer in the stilts?

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  16. I think you may have Mighty Mouse taking you on!

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  17. I've used wool, or any type of string around the bail of a mouse trap. It REALLY DOES WORK. The mouse get their teeth caught on the string (under the peanut butter) and WHAMMO! Dead mouse.
    Happy hunting.

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  18. McGuyver says you need to set that trap lighter..Don't stick that trigger in too far, just let it barely get caught and stand back...And just for the record, he has caught lots of mice..luckily none in our camper, but lots back home...He even has a live trap to catch the Woodchucks who dig up our garden seeds..McGuyver the Trapper.

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  19. Judy, that laundromat needed a "dumwaiter" to haul the laundry up! I'm with you!
    Amazing how the reconstruction continues, we saw that area last year! Talk about perseverance!
    What if you tied some floss around a small piece of bread, slather on the peanut butter and THEN put it in the trap?!
    Good luck!

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  20. I second the suggestion of the electronic trap. We struggled with a packrat ($1500. in damage!) through all sorts of trap set ups, but the electronic one actually worked. It was sooo sad to empty the trap, as the little guy was so smart - and so cute! :-(

    Virtual hugs,

    Judie

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  21. Wow-no birds. Those pictures sure remind me of when I lived in Texas many years ago.

    I am sure you will prevail over that little mouse:)

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  22. Amazing the aggravation a small rodent can cause.

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  23. That Intercoastal Waterway goes from the Rio Grande all the way to a river in New Jersey. When you are tired of driving your motorhome, you can take a houseboat all up and down. That is another of my traveling dreams.

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