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Borrego Springs, CA

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Life moves on

After making the decision Monday night not to do the duck banding exercise scheduled for Tuesday, it was cancelled because of the threat of an ice storm.  It turned out the ice missed Winnie, but not by much.  The banding was on again for this morning, but once again I decided to give it a pass.  Three brave volunteer souls decided to go, and left a little after five this morning.  I chose not to go because of the low temperatures, and I knew I’d feel like I was freezing to death. 

I spoke with a couple of them when they finally got home twelve hours later, and was glad I made the decision I did.  They only captured 21 ducks, and it was a very chilly experience.  I have also decided to forego tomorrow’s expedition for the same reasons.

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                                                                            Least Sandpiper

Instead, I decided to do the weekly waterbird survey on the refuge.  At least I’d be in a heated truck to do that.  I was able to get a few pictures of a couple of the shorebirds that are here right now.  Like its name implies, the least sandpiper is a little dude only six inches long.

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                                         The least sandpiper looks tiny next to these dowitchers.

Fellow volunteer, Lynn, came along with me to do the recording as I counted off the birds.  It takes us just about all day to do the surveys since you know we have to stop along the way to look at what ever we see like otters, and coyotes, and a discussion of whether or not these are long billed or short billed dowitchers.  For this survey, I don’t particularly care.  The most reliable way to tell these two species apart is by their call, and they weren’t talking today.  Nerd smile

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It’s very interesting to me to watch the variance in the numbers and species of waterfowl that I count week by week.   I had not one goose on today’s count while just a couple of weeks ago I had thousands.  Today, the most populous duck seemed to be the gadwall.  I’m not counting ducks by the hundreds or thousands any longer, but there are still lots of them here scattered around.  Regardless of what the present weather is like, they seem to know it’s time to move on.  The urge to mate is calling them north.  I can’t imagine that they are getting very far with the continuing storms, but Mother Nature is sounding a powerful call.

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                                                                                  Willet

In the meantime, I’ve been checking on a couple of refuges in Arizona for possibilities for next winter.   I’m not sure what will happen there.  When I got back home late this afternoon, the rig was filled with the aroma of homemade chicken noodle soup emanating from the crock pot.  It was the perfect dinner for a cold dreary day, and since I don’t know how to make chicken noodle soup for one, I’ll be enjoying it on four more days in the future.

As I write this post tonight, there is a cold rain once again outside.  Sometimes it seems like this crappola weather is never going to end.  I’m not sure what I’m going to do tomorrow.  I guess I’ll just have to see what the day brings my way.

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                                                                              THE END!!

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

34 comments:

  1. Hi Judith:
    I'll bet you're pretty darn tired of this winter's weather. I know I am. All that time I spent in Louisiana (I wouldn't give up a minute of it) during ice storm after ice storm and California was so nice - getting up into the 70s almost everyday. Of course, just in time for my return will probably be the beginning of water rationing because of the lack of rain. Geez. I just can't seem to get t right, weather-wise, this year. Nice pot Judith.
    mp

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  2. I have to agree that the duck banding in cold water is for the younger volunteers.

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  3. Holy Moly, we are so glad we got out when we did! We're in Alpine Texas, tomorrow Big Bend Nat'l Park, and we hope to have seen the last of cold, icy weather! Enjoy that soup!

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  4. Oh my I'm just amazed at the weather you are having in Texas in March. Can't blame you at all for skipping the banding. Nice hot bowl of soup sounds like just the thing. Sure hope warmer weather is in the forecast. This extreme winter has to end sometime.....doesn't it???? I may never leave Florida if it keeps this up.

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  5. Sounds like you made a sound and warm decision:) Love Chicken noodle soup. My mother always said she could not cook for any less than four people.

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  6. Much better to make the water bird survey with the warm truck. This year has been so fantastic in AZ I'm almost afraid of what it might be next year. But we had cold weather (for AZ) last year. As screwy as the weather is who knows what's going to be happening. But you have really gotten hit hard in Texas this year.

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  7. Burr! Stay warm and enjoy your delicious soup! There's nothing better on a cold day.
    That little Willet is so cute. And I love "the end"!

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  8. I sure wish everyone could see an end to this winter. But soup always does a good job warming the insides.

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  9. You are so smart to skip the banding in weather that could be dangerous if you were to get too chilled.

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  10. Glad you skipped the bird banding. Hope you find something in AZ for next winter - but your chicken noodle soup won't go nearly as well in 80* weather haha!! Stay warm and dry.

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  11. I thought it was warmer there..not this winter. I don't think it is warm anyplace...maybe Southern California. Rain and Ice forecast for tonight into tomorrow...just another winter adventure:(

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  12. In 2003, Bill & I had the opportunity to go on an 11 day tour of all the refuges in Arizona... doing a program, going on a tour, then ending in an event at the Phoenix airport. That was 11 years ago, things change... but there are still a couple of refuges there where we'd like to volunteer. It will be interesting to see what you come up with.

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  13. Chicken noodle soup is perfect fa perfect meal or these winterlike spring days.

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  14. At least you had a delicious dinner to warm your soul in the rainy, cold weather.

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  15. Well the sun is shinning brightly here this morning in Houston. Looks like a gorgeous day. Hope you are enjoying the same sunshine and warmth of the rays.

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  16. I'm glad you were able to skip the bird banding and stay in a heated truck. I don't blame you, I don't like cold weather either.

    I hope you find a warmer place to volunteer next winter. I assume the warmer the area, the harder it is to get a position.

    No cold weather here.

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  17. There's nothing like the smell of hot soup at the end of the day! We saw several huge flocks of snow geese headed north last weekend. The great migration begins! The trumpeter swans are still here, feeding & getting ready for their long trek. Hope your weather turns warm soon--you deserve a warm spot next winter!

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  18. Smart move by staying home and not going out in that freezing cold weather. It might be time to look for warmer climes for next year.

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  19. Chicken noodle soup sounds like a great idea about now :)

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  20. Cold is one thing; cold and wet is entirely different!

    I despair of ever learning to identify the birds I see! From a birder, I learned that the doves I've been seeing are Eurasian collared doves - not in my old bird book because they've only recently become common here. I'm glad to know that and will probably remember them.

    Stay warm (your soup sounds delicious - some foods are only meant to be made in large pots!

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  21. Chicken noodle soup in a crock pot sounds heavenly. Glad you decided not to wade in frigid waters to catch ducks. Does not sound fun.

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  22. Warm soup sounds really good when it's as cold as it is there. Glad you didn't go out in the stuff. Hope it warms up for you soon.

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  23. Glad you stayed out of the cold on those banding days!

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  24. I know what you mean about the crappola weather...I finally got out today on the Front end Loader and played around moving old lumber out to the burn pile...yee ha!!!

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  25. Your bad weather is here. It's been raining hard all morning until early afternoon and now is raining again. I was in shorts on Monday and in jackets and hats since. I almost finished a newsletter for OWL today. Just have to add the return address label for the mailed ones and then add a few more pictures for the e-mailed version. Hope our weather improves soon. And I just made sausage lentil stew for 12. It is also a very warming meal. I'll be eating it on Big Water Platform next week.

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  26. I made chicken soup last week. Yumm! For us it is usually a two dayer, plus extra chicken for a two day pot pie and or Chinese chicken slad. I really work the poor bird!

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  27. What a great way to chill out with hot chicken soup. How did we ever live without crock pots, micro waves, cell phones, computers, refrigerators, running water, flushing toilets...yada yada yada? :cD

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  28. congratulations guys, quality information you have given!!! vietnam travel

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  29. I think Arizona would be a great place for you next Winter...a whole new group of "feathered friends" to get to know!! and I love the smell of a crockpot meal in the RV...plus the ease with which it was fixed!!! windy and cloudy here, but 70 degrees..tomorrow cold rain and wind..just great.

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  30. Thath dethpicable. The cold weather, I mean. I like the jewelry - thank your friends for me.

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  31. OK, now I understand why John is driving like there is something chasing us.....It's the dang weather! It was 84 when we arrived here at I 8 and AZ 58 tonight. Your bird photos are so neat! Just love 'em.

    Oh.....you say lay....as if to place. Use lie any other time.... A chicken will lay (place in nest) an egg. You tell Emma to lie down.

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  32. Way too cold for anything outside of a warm truck.

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  33. Nice post.Thanks for sharing this in your blog

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