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Fifty years

 

Years ago we had our 50th wedding anniversary.  Afterwards, we couldn’t imagine how to top that, so we just toast 50 years of marriage each morning with a clink of the coffee cups.  We’ve done that 1,825 times.

 

Now it’s time to move on from fifty years though.  55 years.  Happy Anniversary to us!  Clink.  55.

 

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Home again

 

April migration trip map

 

 

Groove-billed Ani

Alder Flycatcher

Bay-breasted Warbler

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher

Black-whiskered Vireo

Yellow-green Vireo

Flame-colored Tanager.

 

  4 weeks.

  1,150 miles in the motorhome.

  130 bird checklists.

  A lot of miles walked.

 

We started the spring migration trip at 302 birds for the year.  We end it at 377.  A 75-bird migration effort.  Now, 23 birds to go for the year, and no plan to get there.  (But we’ll think of something.)

 

Indigo Bunting.

 

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher.

 

Philadelphia Vireo.

 

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South Padre Island

 

There aren’t many people here at the RV Park.

 

Except in the section for SpaceX workers.

 

There are a lot of them here at the Tropical Trails RV Park, maybe a hundred.  SpaceX has ramped up activity at Boca Chica and we’re within a 30 minute commuting distance.

 

 

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1i1ghZQRmo3b2WUt9JklqoA7SRC1suPRF&ll=28.48164861681098%2C-97.55574371598706&z=7

 

There are three points marked on the map: The RV Park where we’re staying, the SpaceX Launch Facility, and the Whataburger on South Padre Island.  While enjoying an evening of fine dining on the island, we heard a rumbling.  It sounded like a heavy jet taking off, but there isn’t an airport on the island.  I thought maybe a big helicopter right overhead.  The sound didn’t pass by, it just kept roaring.  I got up and looked outside.  The wind was blowing.  Our window was shaking.  We thought maybe the whole building was shaking from the wind.  We were wrong, we found out later.  We were feeling the Space X rocket launch, eighteen miles due south.  Cool.