We’re at Falcon State Park. Drove up here yesterday in the coach, all of two hours away from our place at Sandpipers. Came to make a home base closer to the White-collared Seedeater and the Brown Jay. There is only one place in North America where the seedeater is being reported and another place where the Brown Jay is being reported, and they’re both within reach. We’ve seen them each before, but we thought we’d go get them for our year-list. Today’s was a valiant effort. Up early, I stood security watch against the howling hunting coyote pack while Judy emptied the dogs in the dark. We were gone in time to arrive 30 miles north at the park in Zapata by dawn. We stayed there and monitored the seedeater spot for six hours. We saw a lot of birds, enough to move us to number 2 for most birds recorded on ebird in Zapata County so far this year, but we didn’t get the seedeater. Seedeaters or not, this is a nice place to be. Maybe we’ll get a Scaled Quail in our campsite tomorrow morning.
Sandpipers
Got the shed cleaned up and organized.
The sound of a quiet walk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEXVPe7W89c If you happen to be walking with five hundred black-bellied whistling ducks, a few black-necked stilts, green-wing teal, ruddy ducks, and northern shovelers.
Don’t you hate it when.
You get caught with your eyes closed when someone takes your picture? The poor unfortunate Canvasback. He’s just not that photogenic. He can’t seem to take a picture without blinking at just the wrong moment.
Really, he has nice red eyes.
But over and over, he blinks just as the shutter snaps.
You won’t catch the Ring-necked duck in an unflattering blink.
Really, he has nice red eyes. But over and over, he blinks just as the shutter snaps. You won’t catch the Ring-necked duck in an unflattering blink. It’s official
I’m an old guy. Today, I got my first Social Security payment. Social Security is no longer a check in the mail; the payment went straight to our checking account by direct deposit. Now we’re living on the government dole. (except for that part where I’m still working)