Busy day

I headed out this morning to check out another location on the refuge for finding the golden-cheeked warbler.  The tract was easy to find, but getting the gate open was definitely a challenge.  I have a key for the lock, but then it was a real struggle to lift and pull the gate open enough to get the vehicle through.  :(  Eventually, I drove up a hill and parked the Suburban about 100 yards up the road, next to a pond.

As I jumped out of the vehicle, I noticed a black vulture perched on a dead branch, and he also noticed me.

Apparently, I had disrupted his dozing while he waited for the air to warm, and thermals to begin.

He/she began to stretch and bask in the morning sun.

It wasn't long before he took wing.  As I headed up the rustic road on foot, I was accosted by myriad bird songs....cool!  Among them were the songs of a black and white warbler, white eyed vireo, blue gray gnat catcher, and, most importantly, a golden-cheeked warbler!  Aha!  This will be a good spot to go first thing in the morning tomorrow with my Saturday tour.  There are several men signed up for the tour, so it looks like I'll have some help available to battle the gate.  :)

After I got back to the rig, I headed to Lago Vista to run errands like grocery shopping, getting a hair cut, and purchasing some rustoleum (?) to repaint my little outside tables/camp stools.  Lynn stopped by before I left, and will be making the new seats for the stools from fabric that I picked up in Cedar Park earlier this week.  After she removed the old fabric, I was able to spray paint the frame early this evening.  I thought I would have to scrape and sand the metal frame, but apparently, John did that for me.  What a great couple they are!

Pam Goolsby sent me an email late last night with her pictures of the black-capped vireos that we found yesterday morning:

Here he is singing his heart out.

Then he was off to sing from another perch. I'm so pleased that the folks on the tour were able to experience these moments.  :)

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

This and that

I headed out this morning to try to find the illusive black capped vireo.  I went to the Russel tract and met Chuck, the biologist, on his way out.  I believe I heard one vireo, but couldn't get a chance to see it.  Chuck couldn't either.  :(  These vireos inhabit very dense shin oak areas, and are hard to see.

More and more wild flowers are beginning to bloom in the hill country.  Maybe on Friday or Sunday I'll be able to take a drive to enjoy the blue bonnets and Indian paint brushes.  You know there are things to enjoy around here besides birds.  :)

If you're in to insects, here's a beetle that scurried across my site yesterday.  Don't know what kind it is.

This butterfly was making a bee line for my hummingbird feeder.

And yes, PetDoc, it is a spicebush swallowtail!

My son, Daniel, called tonight to let me know that he received the electrical plug for my old laptop that I sent to him last week.  I'm glad that he can use it for school, since I didn't know what I was going to do with it.  He did comment that he couldn't believe how slow it was.  I didn't know I was back in the dark ages of laptops until I purchased my new one.  What a difference I've found!  Now it doesn't take me hours to make a blog post.  :)

I think I told you late last week that I emailed a note of complaint to the Oregon Fish and Wildlife service about not receiving any kind of response from the places I had applied to for this summer.  Well, yesterday  morning I received a call from one of the wildlife areas while I was on top of one of the hills looking for the golden cheeked warbler.  I spoke with the volunteer coordinator and he certainly didn't  paint a very pretty picture of his facility.  So, I passed on that assignment....two hours from groceries and shopping, horrible bugs all summer, and they're not sure what to do with volunteers other than put them in the office.  Not my cup of tea by a long shot!  I guess my email had some effect, but I haven't heard from the other place yet.  I sent in my application to Malheur NWR last Friday, so maybe I'll hear from them within the next two weeks.

I had to turn on the AC today, as temps were into the eighties and my rig sits in full sun all day.  I'm not complaining though, I love the warmer temperatures.

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

Creating a little stir

Okay, perhaps you all remember last week when I signed up for the Trans-Atlantic Repositioning Cruise HOP with Escapees.  Well, a few days later I received an email welcoming me to the cruise and giving me some information including a section on a dress code.  Since I've never been on a cruise, I don't know very much about them....a dress code???  Women are expected to wear a dress or pant suit (I thought those went out in the 80's) to dinner each night.  There are also "formal dinners" several times on the cruise where dress expectations are even higher.  As it turns out, I don't happen to own a dress or pant suit.  The last time I wore what could be considered a dress was over ten years ago at the memorial service for one of my students that had unexpectedly died.

So, since I never intend to own another dress, I put a topic on the Escapees forum asking if I would not be able to eat dinner on the cruise because I don't have one.  This created a slight furor.  I got a few suggestions on the forum to go to Goodwill and buy a dress.  They don't get it.  I also received a private email from the directors of the Escapee HOPs, and today, a call from Dorothy, the person who handles the reservations for the HOP cruises.  She assured me that a nice pair of slacks with a jacket or nice blouse would be acceptable.  However, she also said that tennis shoes would not be allowed.  Well, you all know my saga of the shoes.  I have problems with my feet and ankles, and expensive "tennis" shoes is the way I get through life.  I told her I would wear one of my brand new pairs :), and she said that would be okay since I had issues with my feet.  I'm happy to hear that since I don't want to be hobbling around when we visit those exotic ports of call.  :)

This morning, I picked up Peggy around 8:30, and we headed out to the Russel tract to try to hunt down a black capped vireo.  The wind was just howling, and we got skunked.  We also covered just about every inch of that refuge parcel.  I wouldn't say we got lost, we just didn't know where we were! :)  Later, I found out that no one else has found the vireo either, so they just haven't arrived yet.  I, however, have decided to send my good luck charm, Peggy, packing back to Vermont since we didn't find one.  :)

Actually, Peggy and Paul have finished their volunteer assignment here for this year and will be heading out on Saturday.  We all attended a farewell lunch in their honor today at the Dahlia Cafe in Liberty Hill.  Since I was in Liberty Hill, I stopped at the little butcher shop and picked up a couple of gorgeous pork chops.  I'll enjoy one of them tomorrow.

Surprisingly, I can tell you that this is a Missouri Primrose.  They are popping up everywhere around my site.

I have some errands to run tomorrow before being the time keeper for another education program on Saturday.  I think about 60 Girl Scouts will be descending on Doeskin Ranch for a Bridges to Birding program.

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

A writing assignment

This afternoon, I checked my email and I had a message from the Refuge Manager at Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge.  The second week in February, I'll be moving there to volunteer until the beginning of May.  As you may recall, I volunteered there last spring as well. 

Anyway, Deborah was asking if I'd be willing to lead their most popular bird tour during the Songbird Festival that takes place the last weekend in April.  It is quite an affair and is attended by hundreds of people.  Balcones Canyonlands NWR is located in the hill country west of Austin, TX, and the refuge is most well known for having two endangered bird species that nest there...golden-cheeked warblers and black-capped vireos.  When birders come to Balcones, these are the two species that they are most interested in seeing. 

The Sunday morning bird tour (the one I've been asked to lead) is specifically designed to showcase these two species, and attendees expect the tour leader to produce them.  Hmmm, don't birds have wings for a reason?  No pressure there!  In addition, Deborah said that there have been complaints that the Sunday morning tour has been boring.  Alrighty then, I'll just find both these endangered species and be fun and entertaining while doing so.  A piece of cake, right?  ;)

In addition, she asked that I write up a snappy description of the tour that will entice droves of people to want to sign up and journey with me on this avian safari.  Also, include an impressive biography that will just WOW the public.  So, I've got a literary challenge that she wants ASAP.  I think I'll just mull it over for a few days in the back of my mind.  Any suggestions?

The best part of this assignment is that I will have to spend considerable time scouting out the best places to view these two species while I prepare for the tour during March and April.  With an assignment like that (for me) is it any wonder that I am returning to this refuge?  Hot diggety dog!!!

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