Should I send out the picture of the orange-crowned warbler…
…or the common yellowthroat?
…or the common yellowthroat? I learned something today
That magic key fob that you don’t even have to put in the ignition; you just have to have it in your pocket or the car won’t start when you push the button; well when the car warns you that the key battery is low, it is best to pay attention to the warning. I knew I needed to get around to replacing the battery because the car kept telling me to do it, but I knew there was no hurry because I had a secret weapon in reserve. So last week I drove a few miles to Quinta Mazatlan and went on my lunchtime walk. The car warned me. I ignored it. I have a secret weapon. When I got back to the car all bundled up on that cool day, the car ignored me completely. Time for the secret weapon. I pulled it out of my pocket. There is an ignition key hidden inside the smooth fob. I pulled out the key and put it in the door. It turned. The door unlocked. No problem. Next step; I removed the cover over the ignition on the steering column and voila, there is the ignition switch to put a key in. All I had to do is put the secret key in the ignition, turn it, start the car. Except the key wouldn’t turn. This is a very clever car. It has a backup plan so you can get in the car if the fob goes dead. But it also has theft deterrent so even if someone gets in your car, they still can’t start it unless they have the magic functioning fob! I was dead in the water. I was in the car, but still dead in the water. I had to think about my situation. The fob worked just fine when I left for my walk. The doors locked at the push of a button. When I got back, the car didn’t recognize me at all. What had just changed? The fob was warm when I left the car at Quinta Mazatlan. The fob was cold when I returned from my walk. I believe batteries function better when they are warm than when they are cold. I had a shot if I could warm the key fob back up to room temperature! I rubbed it between my hands. Nothing. I put it under one of my legs while I sat in the car. I waited 5 minutes and tried it again. Nothing; but the fob did feel a little warmer. I put it back under me, but this time completely under me. After 10 minutes, still nothing but warmer still. After 15 minutes, yes! It started! I successfully hatched a key fob! I got a nice walk in the woods and I got to drive home again after. A successful day.
Things are moving fast
We saw the surgeon in Corpus today. He sent us to the hospital to do the pre-registration. My cervical spine surgery is scheduled for Tuesday. The doctor is going to make me taller. He’ll restore the proper separation between the number 4 through 7 vertebrae using spacers and bone grafts as he fuses everything back in place, securing it all with tiny metal plates and screws. I should recover about a centimeter of height altogether as a byproduct. Judy wants to know if he can start on her next and make her 5’ 9”. We’ll drive home tomorrow, spend the weekend at home (with some nice weather in the 70s), then be right back up here Monday for an early call Tuesday. I report in at 5:30am. We finished up the day with fish and chips and stories at Snoopy’s with Bigfoot (sometimes known as Chris) and Jan.
Common Pauraque
Here is the sleeping common pauraque. I don’t even have to zoom in on him, do I?
But I can… Just in case… But you don’t even need to scroll down… If you’ve already got him… 
But I can… Just in case… But you don’t even need to scroll down… If you’ve already got him… Wild Kingdom
Walking the shoreline of a remote lake, admiring the trail of coyote prints,
I put a shoe print next to one for scale.
I spooked a herd of Nilgai, a large Asian antelope that has established an exotic population in South Texas.
They have a goofy stiff-legged run that is reminiscent of a hyena’s awkward gait.
Not a particularly graceful creature.
The bull is blue-gray, with his tail raised in alarm.
I searched the salty water and found the birds I was after: Snowy Plover, Ring-billed Gull, Wilson’s Phalarope, and headed back, stopping to admire an immense pile of deer poop;
…a significant marking station no doubt. I found myself in the path of a small pack of feral hogs squealing and grunting their way obliviously toward me.
I decided to announce my presence before they got all the way to me and it stopped them in their tracks.
Wild hogs can be a problem, but these didn’t look too threatening.
I picked up a good heavy hog-whacking stick anyway; just in case. They stopped, looked at me, then ran away in great fear. I continued on. The problem was, no matter which way they ran, they managed to circle around and pop right out at me again and get alarmed even more.
After several terrifying encounters, with much snorting and complaining (mostly from the hogs), they finally figured out a foolproof plan and burst out across the shallow lake to safety on the other side.
We all survived the adventure. Some of us even enjoyed it.
I put a shoe print next to one for scale. I spooked a herd of Nilgai, a large Asian antelope that has established an exotic population in South Texas. They have a goofy stiff-legged run that is reminiscent of a hyena’s awkward gait. Not a particularly graceful creature. The bull is blue-gray, with his tail raised in alarm. I searched the salty water and found the birds I was after: Snowy Plover, Ring-billed Gull, Wilson’s Phalarope, and headed back, stopping to admire an immense pile of deer poop;…a significant marking station no doubt. I found myself in the path of a small pack of feral hogs squealing and grunting their way obliviously toward me. I decided to announce my presence before they got all the way to me and it stopped them in their tracks. Wild hogs can be a problem, but these didn’t look too threatening. I picked up a good heavy hog-whacking stick anyway; just in case. They stopped, looked at me, then ran away in great fear. I continued on. The problem was, no matter which way they ran, they managed to circle around and pop right out at me again and get alarmed even more. After several terrifying encounters, with much snorting and complaining (mostly from the hogs), they finally figured out a foolproof plan and burst out across the shallow lake to safety on the other side. We all survived the adventure. Some of us even enjoyed it.