tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34392176149643758702024-03-13T10:05:18.493-04:00KatDoc's WorldNature, pottery, pets, and meKathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186814675058675885noreply@blogger.comBlogger585125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439217614964375870.post-91954546711670183132010-10-17T21:37:00.014-04:002010-10-17T22:18:15.871-04:00Birds and Things at the Zoo<span style="font-family:verdana;">I attended a birthday party at the Cincinnati Zoo on Saturday. This has got to be the greatest idea for a birthday party ever! The food was good, the setting fabulous, and a zoo person brought around live animals for us to see and touch. It was lots of fun.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;" ><br /><br />First up was this cute little Eastern Screech-owl, named Van Gogh because he only has one ear. Actually, he does have two ears; what we call "ears" are really only tufts of feathers. He is not a baby, he is a 3 year old adult. I never heard what happened to the feathers on the left side of his head. And no, we couldn't touch him.</span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLuoK85tHHI/AAAAAAAAJgY/L9u5n_C0ArI/s1600/Van+Gogh.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 194px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLuoK85tHHI/AAAAAAAAJgY/L9u5n_C0ArI/s320/Van+Gogh.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529197873627733106" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Next was a Dwarf Rex rabbit. A Rex has fur like a chinchilla - all soft, downy undercoat, no outer guard hairs. Very soft!</span><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 254px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLulxcloqNI/AAAAAAAAJfQ/DElHl9djI6k/s320/Dwarf+Rex+rabbit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529195236433635538" border="0" /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Some people got the shivers when the next animal was brought out to us - this little American Alligator. Isn't he the cutest?</span><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLulyNugL7I/AAAAAAAAJfg/jrfhmjTo47k/s320/IMG_0487.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529195249624166322" border="0" /><span style="font-family:verdana;">I liked him so much I had to include this close-up of his "smile."</span><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLulySBf2RI/AAAAAAAAJfo/Bk_Aq-4VRnA/s320/IMG_0488.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529195250777577746" border="0" /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Finally, what I considered to be the coolest of the four critters - this armadillo.</span><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLulzKPg62I/AAAAAAAAJfw/BchqecS7cVY/s320/IMG_0505.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529195265868753762" border="0" /><span style="font-family:verdana;">It looked just like a pillbug, all curled up so tightly. I would have loved to have held it. Even better would have been for her to put it down, so I could watch it trundle around the room.<br /><br />As the party was winding down, I took the opportunity to wander around the zoo a little. I saw these flamingos outside on one side of the building which houses the Treetops party room</span><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 271px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLulxxahF_I/AAAAAAAAJfY/6-YNGqTTCzY/s320/Flamingos.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529195242024146930" border="0" /><span style="font-family:verdana;">and got these Impressionist-style photos of the koi in the pond on the other side of the building.</span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLuoJGAQHmI/AAAAAAAAJf4/6pJn-Ul6VfM/s1600/IMG_0507.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLuoJGAQHmI/AAAAAAAAJf4/6pJn-Ul6VfM/s320/IMG_0507.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529197841711373922" border="0" /></a><p style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLuoJrUCGmI/AAAAAAAAJgI/t9I3LgOWA6E/s1600/IMG_0515.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLuoJrUCGmI/AAAAAAAAJgI/t9I3LgOWA6E/s320/IMG_0515.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529197851726453346" border="0" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLuoJQiXXnI/AAAAAAAAJgA/aYK2cWu_Mno/s1600/IMG_0510.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLuoJQiXXnI/AAAAAAAAJgA/aYK2cWu_Mno/s320/IMG_0510.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529197844538809970" border="0" /></a>Since there was only an hour before closing time, I was limited in how far I could go. I decided to check out the bird house, and found these guys waiting for me in a cage outside.<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLuoKoTWqdI/AAAAAAAAJgQ/z1-K2NkWcKQ/s1600/kookaburra.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 301px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLuoKoTWqdI/AAAAAAAAJgQ/z1-K2NkWcKQ/s320/kookaburra.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529197868098169298" border="0" /></a>The sign said that Kookaburras are members of the kingfisher family. When I read that, I thought, "Of course - that big head and huge bill are typical of kingfishers. Why hadn't I noticed that before?"</p><span style="font-family:verdana;">Inside, we had a wide variety of birds, including:<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Rhinoceros Hornbill</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLuqg5N7ONI/AAAAAAAAJgg/3m-vLPHlWAk/s1600/IMG_0548.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLuqg5N7ONI/AAAAAAAAJgg/3m-vLPHlWAk/s320/IMG_0548.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529200449619179730" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Pesquet's Parrot</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLuqhND5R9I/AAAAAAAAJgo/tqPNBdGEo20/s1600/Pesquet%27s+Parrot.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 312px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLuqhND5R9I/AAAAAAAAJgo/tqPNBdGEo20/s320/Pesquet%27s+Parrot.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529200454945818578" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Louisiana Heron</span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLuskWDEHFI/AAAAAAAAJhI/6GymfuBdYNA/s1600/IMG_0560.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLuskWDEHFI/AAAAAAAAJhI/6GymfuBdYNA/s320/IMG_0560.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529202707921116242" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Harlequin Duck</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLurtXRnvFI/AAAAAAAAJhA/QK7m9Q4Hn0g/s1600/Harlequin+Duck.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLurtXRnvFI/AAAAAAAAJhA/QK7m9Q4Hn0g/s320/Harlequin+Duck.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529201763357801554" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">King Penquins getting a meal</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">(with a Marconi's in the background)</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLurtKRSMAI/AAAAAAAAJg4/312KUjwqCXE/s1600/IMG_0598.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLurtKRSMAI/AAAAAAAAJg4/312KUjwqCXE/s320/IMG_0598.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529201759866728450" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">and Least Auklet.</span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLuq-cvNkOI/AAAAAAAAJgw/Yy_rVQjHXBw/s1600/Least+Auklet.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLuq-cvNkOI/AAAAAAAAJgw/Yy_rVQjHXBw/s320/Least+Auklet.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529200957370241250" border="0" /></a><br /></div><span> <span style="font-family:verdana;">Trust me, that's what this is. The thing was more flitty than a kinglet. It never sat still - not on land or water.<br /><br />There were more birds in the bird house, plus many more outside as well, but I wanted to end with this Mystery Duck. <br /></span></span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLut57_aHFI/AAAAAAAAJhQ/UtazWooN5lc/s1600/Mystery+duck.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 275px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLut57_aHFI/AAAAAAAAJhQ/UtazWooN5lc/s400/Mystery+duck.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529204178395208786" border="0" /></a><span><span style="font-family:verdana;">I know it is not one of our native wild <span style="font-style: italic;"></span>species, but couldn't decide if it was an exotic or some sort of hybrid. A "helpful" zoo guest told me, "I'm a duck hunter; that's a Hooded Merganser." I answered, "I'm a birder, and I've never seen a merganser that looked like that."<br /><br />Anybody got an idea what this might be?</span></span>Kathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186814675058675885noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439217614964375870.post-36707153602431621022010-10-14T13:27:00.007-04:002010-10-14T15:02:59.723-04:00Planning ahead<span style="font-family:verdana;">I have an unused acre of land on the east side of my property. I call it my meadow. Once a year, before the rains of November, I have it bush hogged to keep it in check, but otherwise, I </span><span style="font-family:verdana;">let it go wild.</span><span style="font-family:verdana;"> </span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLc-8lMOx7I/AAAAAAAAJeA/cqbkTKPM4DA/s1600/IMG_0448.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLc-8lMOx7I/AAAAAAAAJeA/cqbkTKPM4DA/s320/IMG_0448.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527956278117058482" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"> It probably makes the neighbors angry, to see this messy, unkempt field next to their carefully manicured, but woefully sterile, lawn. Hey, folks - we're in the country. Get over it.</span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLc-86OaecI/AAAAAAAAJeI/bIbzu-k_HjA/s1600/IMG_0435.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLc-86OaecI/AAAAAAAAJeI/bIbzu-k_HjA/s320/IMG_0435.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527956283763358146" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">When I first moved in, I mowed this acre regularly, to keep up with the neighborhood standard. It was never used by anything or anyone, including me. Now, it is full of </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">meadowlarks </span><span style="font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;" >and </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">butterflies</span><span style="font-family:verdana;">, sparrows and all manner of wildflowers. This summer, I found myself frustrated when I was unable to get into the heart of the field, to examine a flower or chase a butterfly. Next year, things will be different.<br /><br />Since the field was just bush hogged, and the day was bright, warm, and dry, I decided to carve some walking paths through my little meadow. One long, swooping, lazy "S" runs from top to bottom, </span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLc-8HYK5QI/AAAAAAAAJd4/5LjlJ5XaBpw/s1600/IMG_0433.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLc-8HYK5QI/AAAAAAAAJd4/5LjlJ5XaBpw/s320/IMG_0433.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527956270114071810" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">and a second, twisting windy trail crosses the first at several points. </span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLdL4qOgT1I/AAAAAAAAJeg/Zt3ozRUSajk/s1600/IMG_0445.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLdL4qOgT1I/AAAAAAAAJeg/Zt3ozRUSajk/s320/IMG_0445.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527970504400457554" border="0" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLdL4HCwETI/AAAAAAAAJeY/786aIITPgDQ/s1600/IMG_0443.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLdL4HCwETI/AAAAAAAAJeY/786aIITPgDQ/s320/IMG_0443.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527970494955917618" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"> I added a couple of extra accesses and a connecting spur, then seeded the meadow with some common milkweed, from pods I picked up this fall.</span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLdSzPEZu2I/AAAAAAAAJe4/xQTvzemOef8/s1600/IMG_0464.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLdSzPEZu2I/AAAAAAAAJe4/xQTvzemOef8/s320/IMG_0464.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527978107792374626" border="0" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLdSzTD23hI/AAAAAAAAJfA/xrVpnpr8Plk/s1600/IMG_0462.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 192px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLdSzTD23hI/AAAAAAAAJfA/xrVpnpr8Plk/s320/IMG_0462.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527978108863831570" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">I think I have the basis for a nice little nature trail.</span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLdS0K0z8bI/AAAAAAAAJfI/zpqGYUEDvkQ/s1600/IMG_0469.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLdS0K0z8bI/AAAAAAAAJfI/zpqGYUEDvkQ/s320/IMG_0469.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527978123833110962" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">The dogs inspected my work and pronounced it satisfactory. To be specific, it rates "Two Sniffs" on their Smell-o-meter. Deer or rabbit poop would have given me more points, I think.</span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLdL48h7NoI/AAAAAAAAJeo/8in-kjXVAFk/s1600/IMG_0437.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLdL48h7NoI/AAAAAAAAJeo/8in-kjXVAFk/s320/IMG_0437.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527970509313750658" border="0" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLdL5Vk3XwI/AAAAAAAAJew/3XO1LwYkoYk/s1600/IMG_0439.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLdL5Vk3XwI/AAAAAAAAJew/3XO1LwYkoYk/s320/IMG_0439.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527970516036968194" border="0" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLc-9cQoQII/AAAAAAAAJeQ/QRN7AHfDfxg/s1600/IMG_0438.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TLc-9cQoQII/AAAAAAAAJeQ/QRN7AHfDfxg/s320/IMG_0438.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527956292899455106" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">I am already excited to see how this area developes next spring. I hope to be able to bring you updates as the seasons progress. All I have to do is keep my pathways mowed and let nature do the rest.</span>Kathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186814675058675885noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439217614964375870.post-91710619251695772010-08-29T12:09:00.051-04:002010-08-29T18:35:45.478-04:00Taking a walk with Holly<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqJBcPmOwI/AAAAAAAAJZ8/iBTosKDrKs4/s1600/IMG_9889.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqJBcPmOwI/AAAAAAAAJZ8/iBTosKDrKs4/s400/IMG_9889.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510867751895710466" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">I feel like I have been neglecting Holly lately, in favor of the baby. Panda demands a lot of time, and of course, she is very cute and photogenic, but that is no excuse for ignoring the older, better behaved dog.<br /><br />Actually, it started in the winter, during the terrible last part of Grace's life, when I wanted to savor every moment with her and took Holly for granted. She and I clung together for a while after we lost Grace, but when spring arrived, full of birding trips and a new puppy, my attention was divided between activities. Then came summer's heat, puppy training, and too many hours spent working. I was tired, too tired to devote any leftover spare time to my sweet, patient old girl.<br /><br />Dogs, of course, are the most forgiving souls on the planet, always understanding, never blaming or accusing. Still, when those soulful brown eyes kept looking up at me every time I left the house, I began to feel guilty.<br /><br />This week, I vowed to take Holly out for some one-on-one time with Mom. The enthusiasm she showed when she realized we were going out together nearly broke my heart. She pranced down the sidewalk and waited eagerly by the car door. Going for a ride is always fun for Holly, but this time the destination was more than just the post office and the IGA.<br /><br />Crooked Run. My own little private sanctuary. Despite the fact that this nature preserve actually belongs to the Clermont County Parks Dept., I feel very possessive of this wooded spot on the Ohio River. There is a pleasant loop trail about a mile long, as well as some meandering paths that criss-cross the preserve. It is quiet and peaceful, and we rarely see another human soul. Holly knows it as well as I - it is our favorite morning walk. Come along with us.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqLz27d6OI/AAAAAAAAJaE/GPXsbtYoJv0/s1600/blog_01.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 197px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqLz27d6OI/AAAAAAAAJaE/GPXsbtYoJv0/s320/blog_01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510870817075751138" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">We walk slowly, at the pace of a dog's nose. I have no particular agenda this morning, so am content to let Holly take her time, soaking in an incredible </span><span style="font-family:verdana;">world of </span><span style="font-family:verdana;">scent that I will never know.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqN9cQ8KpI/AAAAAAAAJaU/NCvia_qYR7o/s1600/blog_03.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqN9cQ8KpI/AAAAAAAAJaU/NCvia_qYR7o/s320/blog_03.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510873180740004498" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqWvaarQbI/AAAAAAAAJbE/9C4PEU64yIQ/s1600/blog_07.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 237px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqWvaarQbI/AAAAAAAAJbE/9C4PEU64yIQ/s320/blog_07.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510882835330449842" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqWuwTXXAI/AAAAAAAAJa8/4EOgRulOi_c/s1600/blog_06.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 236px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqWuwTXXAI/AAAAAAAAJa8/4EOgRulOi_c/s320/blog_06.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510882824025496578" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">I find that this allows me the freedom to fiddle with the camera settings, trying to render the</span></span><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"> dappled sunlight </span></span><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">and shades of green and brown into images that reflect what I am really seeing. When none of the factory presets work, I reach deep within myself for the courage to go to Manual mode, and discover I can take a picture, now and then.</span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqUZkKRWlI/AAAAAAAAJas/d35WT_aarYo/s1600/IMG_9826.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqUZkKRWlI/AAAAAAAAJas/d35WT_aarYo/s320/IMG_9826.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510880260965620306" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">I'm carrying my binoculars, but hardly using them. Instead, I am hearing the birds rather than seeing them, </span></span><span style="font-family:verdana;">identifying them almost without thinking about it</span><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">.</span></span><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"> I'm </span></span><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">not chasing or working these birds, </span></span><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">not listing or </span></span><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">counting </span></span><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"> them. Instead, I am breathing them</span> in, </span><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">absorbing their essence through my skin. I am </span></span><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">birding by osmosis</span></span><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">. Zen birding - I like it.</span></span><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br />Neither am I using the leash draped around my neck. I carry it for form's sake, in case we meet another walker or a park official, but I really don't need it. Holly and I are tethered by something stronger than a nylon collar and a leather lead. We have a bond unbreakable, forged of love and understanding, tempered by time. She knows not to leave the trail or run off. She doesn't even chase the rabbit we flush from the edge of the path. I know I can trust her implicitly.<br /><br />She wanders ahead, but always at a respectful distance. </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THquT9xVbdI/AAAAAAAAJdk/4zqlFtFh-vY/s1600/IMG_9891.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THquT9xVbdI/AAAAAAAAJdk/4zqlFtFh-vY/s320/IMG_9891.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510908752063458770" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqMhDv44vI/AAAAAAAAJaM/yMUF8zyGAEo/s1600/blog_02.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 208px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqMhDv44vI/AAAAAAAAJaM/yMUF8zyGAEo/s320/blog_02.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510871593610961650" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family:verdana;"> If I fall too far behind, she stops and looks back, checking for me and maintaining eye contact. </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqU6lUYRJI/AAAAAAAAJa0/4QYipgLPCtA/s1600/blog_05.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 220px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqU6lUYRJI/AAAAAAAAJa0/4QYipgLPCtA/s320/blog_05.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510880828212135058" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqk1zTo3-I/AAAAAAAAJb0/37HDVD6C35U/s1600/blog_13.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqk1zTo3-I/AAAAAAAAJb0/37HDVD6C35U/s320/blog_13.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510898338253823970" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">When I don't move quickly enough to keep up with her, she turns and trots back, encouraging me to move along.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqRaDppvBI/AAAAAAAAJac/ctWAifBBgKA/s1600/blog_04.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 203px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqRaDppvBI/AAAAAAAAJac/ctWAifBBgKA/s320/blog_04.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510876970883857426" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">If I do happen to lose sight of her, I'm not worried.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqXs24tyjI/AAAAAAAAJbU/lsMG8IwMG74/s1600/blog_09.jpg"><br /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqXsWPUlpI/AAAAAAAAJbM/xXEJyrsofnQ/s1600/blog_08.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqXsWPUlpI/AAAAAAAAJbM/xXEJyrsofnQ/s320/blog_08.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510883882181105298" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqXs24tyjI/AAAAAAAAJbU/lsMG8IwMG74/s1600/blog_09.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqXs24tyjI/AAAAAAAAJbU/lsMG8IwMG74/s320/blog_09.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510883890944657970" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">I know she will wait for me, and when I come around the bend, I will be greeted by this face.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqXtbi2VSI/AAAAAAAAJbc/ZTN26cYSjxA/s1600/blog_10.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 228px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqXtbi2VSI/AAAAAAAAJbc/ZTN26cYSjxA/s320/blog_10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510883900785055010" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqicCcXJxI/AAAAAAAAJbs/aWEyrG1iO80/s1600/blog_12.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqicCcXJxI/AAAAAAAAJbs/aWEyrG1iO80/s320/blog_12.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510895696617088786" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqibv6xtyI/AAAAAAAAJbk/M9CxxEy1GEA/s1600/blog_11.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 256px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqibv6xtyI/AAAAAAAAJbk/M9CxxEy1GEA/s320/blog_11.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510895691644385058" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">As we near the end of the trail, Holly's slowing down. She's more likely to be found at my side</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqk20WB3GI/AAAAAAAAJcE/xUfFp01nH5g/s1600/blog_15.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqk20WB3GI/AAAAAAAAJcE/xUfFp01nH5g/s320/blog_15.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510898355712154722" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"> </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqk2jFR--I/AAAAAAAAJb8/9Z8XHpGrQlQ/s1600/blog_14.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqk2jFR--I/AAAAAAAAJb8/9Z8XHpGrQlQ/s320/blog_14.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510898351078505442" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">or even trailing behind a few paces,</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqrKmIRp_I/AAAAAAAAJdU/CzjaAJDiwps/s1600/IMG_9908.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqrKmIRp_I/AAAAAAAAJdU/CzjaAJDiwps/s320/IMG_9908.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510905292563523570" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"> and it strikes me that my high-energy Lab mix is nearly 12 years old. She doesn't quite have the stamina she had in the past.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqk20WB3GI/AAAAAAAAJcE/xUfFp01nH5g/s1600/blog_15.jpg"><br /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqk2jFR--I/AAAAAAAAJb8/9Z8XHpGrQlQ/s1600/blog_14.jpg"><br /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">She is willing to sit and wait</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqrKagXnWI/AAAAAAAAJdM/oj4BWQpQzj0/s1600/IMG_9904.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqrKagXnWI/AAAAAAAAJdM/oj4BWQpQzj0/s320/IMG_9904.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510905289443351906" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">while I snap pictures of wildflowers</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqm9hZbouI/AAAAAAAAJcU/3oj27GJMZwU/s1600/IMG_9895.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqm9hZbouI/AAAAAAAAJcU/3oj27GJMZwU/s320/IMG_9895.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510900669908493026" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">and seedpods</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqm-87imgI/AAAAAAAAJcs/HNXOpkBGpE4/s1600/IMG_9900.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqm-87imgI/AAAAAAAAJcs/HNXOpkBGpE4/s320/IMG_9900.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510900694479182338" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">and fishermen</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqm-ePzUXI/AAAAAAAAJck/VUTThKwp1b8/s1600/IMG_9897.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqm-ePzUXI/AAAAAAAAJck/VUTThKwp1b8/s320/IMG_9897.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510900686242664818" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">and weird galls on leaves.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqm-MpDWpI/AAAAAAAAJcc/xXBSk31FTK8/s1600/IMG_9896.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqm-MpDWpI/AAAAAAAAJcc/xXBSk31FTK8/s320/IMG_9896.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510900681516735122" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">She even lies down to rest</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqo6ELUsLI/AAAAAAAAJc8/oy5Lk5lxQ2M/s1600/IMG_9945.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqo6ELUsLI/AAAAAAAAJc8/oy5Lk5lxQ2M/s320/IMG_9945.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510902809548337330" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">when I take forever getting my exposures right.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqm9E2DwvI/AAAAAAAAJcM/ZvkK8gVNpOo/s1600/IMG_9938.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqm9E2DwvI/AAAAAAAAJcM/ZvkK8gVNpOo/s320/IMG_9938.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510900662243934962" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Fortunately, she is still able to serve as my scout and my protector. She checks that the bridge over the pond's overflow is safe for me to cross, even though the water, which is usually level with the boardwalk, has dried to crust.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqrJjSTxSI/AAAAAAAAJdE/yJ1BU43uEE0/s1600/IMG_9959.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqrJjSTxSI/AAAAAAAAJdE/yJ1BU43uEE0/s320/IMG_9959.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510905274620429602" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Too soon, the walk was over. The heat and humidity were taking their toll on us both, and it was time to head home. It was only an hour walk, a brief time to spend with my old friend, but such a special time, and one that we both needed. Devote an hour of uncomplicated time to your dog today - you won't be sorry.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqspNe_OcI/AAAAAAAAJdc/y2NZhX8fsKo/s1600/IMG_9887.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THqspNe_OcI/AAAAAAAAJdc/y2NZhX8fsKo/s400/IMG_9887.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510906918035470786" border="0" /></a>Kathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186814675058675885noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439217614964375870.post-37780377294846131462010-08-22T17:29:00.003-04:002010-08-22T20:19:45.840-04:00The one in which Panda gets spayed<span style="font-family:verdana;">Momma has a strict rule at our house: "No babies." So last week, she told me it was time to "fix me," so I did not have babies. I did not think I needed to be fixed. I thought I was perfect, just the way I was. But after all, <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">I</span> am the baby of this house, and I do not want any other babies to come along and be more specialer than me, so I agreed to this "fixing" thing.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THBJH5pQd2I/AAAAAAAAJV0/GQSyerLi5dM/s1600/IMG_9652.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THBJH5pQd2I/AAAAAAAAJV0/GQSyerLi5dM/s320/IMG_9652.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507982744355895138" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">First, they put me in a cage at The Work. I am not usually in these metal cages. I usually have my own room at The Work, with my toys and bowls and things. This cage is different. I thought maybe I should worry, but somehow, I was so tired, I could not keep my eyes open, let alone worry about anything.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THBJItbV5UI/AAAAAAAAJV8/HtifKvzmChQ/s1600/IMG_9654.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THBJItbV5UI/AAAAAAAAJV8/HtifKvzmChQ/s320/IMG_9654.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507982758256174402" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">"Katie, I feel really funny. Please hold me close - this room is spinning."<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THBJJSPIIoI/AAAAAAAAJWE/sMnvjKCzhSg/s1600/IMG_9655.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THBJJSPIIoI/AAAAAAAAJWE/sMnvjKCzhSg/s320/IMG_9655.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507982768137052802" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THBK80gbINI/AAAAAAAAJWM/0T5AdGXlsT8/s1600/IMG_9657.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THBK80gbINI/AAAAAAAAJWM/0T5AdGXlsT8/s320/IMG_9657.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507984753021362386" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">They put a little stick in my arm and then I went from a little bit sleepy to all the way asleep, and after that, I do not remember much, but Momma and Katie took lots of pictures, and this is what they said was next.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THBK-0HfxYI/AAAAAAAAJWs/PRYOVxmVqaU/s1600/IMG_9668.JPG"><br /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THBK9by_z_I/AAAAAAAAJWU/ENVO962uAyo/s1600/IMG_9658.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THBK9by_z_I/AAAAAAAAJWU/ENVO962uAyo/s320/IMG_9658.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507984763568246770" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">They opened up my mouth. I have a really big mouth, and I am proud of it. Look how big my mouth is!</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THBK94jUQ_I/AAAAAAAAJWc/py9tjTxAE0I/s1600/IMG_9660.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THBK94jUQ_I/AAAAAAAAJWc/py9tjTxAE0I/s320/IMG_9660.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507984771287106546" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;">They put this tube in my mouth and all the way into my breathing tube. I did not feel the tube, and I do not remember it, but Momma says it is real, real important to have this tube in when you are asleep, especially if you have a smooshie face like me.</span></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THBK-Strq_I/AAAAAAAAJWk/cv2AD9gyfBU/s1600/IMG_9665.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THBK-Strq_I/AAAAAAAAJWk/cv2AD9gyfBU/s320/IMG_9665.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507984778309905394" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">I do not think this is a very nice picture of me, and I do not like it that Momma put it in the blog.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THBK-0HfxYI/AAAAAAAAJWs/PRYOVxmVqaU/s1600/IMG_9668.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THBK-0HfxYI/AAAAAAAAJWs/PRYOVxmVqaU/s320/IMG_9668.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507984787276547458" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">They scrubbed my tummy, to make it all clean. I have a bath every week, and I wash my hands and face every day myself, so I did not think I was very dirty, but they told me I had to be extra-special clean for the fixing.<br /><br />They took me into the room with the bright lights and the table that moves up and down. I see this room every day, and I know that they take sleepy dogs and cats in here all the time and they are all OK, so I knew I would be, too.<br /><br />They put me on my back on the special table, and underneath me was a blanket with warm water running through it that helped keep me warm. This is very important when you are very little, because being cold makes it harder to wake up later.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THBfHLeBV2I/AAAAAAAAJW0/yXvt1bAc7l0/s1600/IMG_9671.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THBfHLeBV2I/AAAAAAAAJW0/yXvt1bAc7l0/s320/IMG_9671.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508006921216546658" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">They put a thing around my ankle to give me Blood Pressure and tied my arms down so I would not roll around. Then Momma put on some really ugly clothes and covered me all up with a blue thing. You cannot even see me, but I am there, under the blue thing. Kate is checking to make sure I am still there.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THBfHX0zsfI/AAAAAAAAJW8/uu00xdK_1fs/s1600/IMG_9677.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THBfHX0zsfI/AAAAAAAAJW8/uu00xdK_1fs/s320/IMG_9677.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508006924533346802" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Please do not laugh at Momma in her ugly clothes that do not match. She does not have any "fashion sense."</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THBtaNTbbII/AAAAAAAAJXM/aQWswy1W6qA/s1600/IMG_9746.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THBtaNTbbII/AAAAAAAAJXM/aQWswy1W6qA/s320/IMG_9746.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508022641289292930" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">OK, now we are all ready to go. </span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THGjEhacZXI/AAAAAAAAJZE/QVLe8hQXxlY/s1600/spay05_intra-op.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THGjEhacZXI/AAAAAAAAJZE/QVLe8hQXxlY/s320/spay05_intra-op.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508363117334914418" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">The next pictures might make some of you feel icky, but I think it is pretty neat to see what my insides look like. If some of you have girl dogs, you might like to see my insides, too, so you know what happened to your dogs during the fixing. It is OK - you can look.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:verdana;">Besides, I really like Momma's hands. Her hands are the best part of her. She can do lots of special things with her hands, like the fixing, so you should watch.</span><span style="font-family:verdana;"> (I will let Momma 'splain what she is doing.)</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THGkAOqTAFI/AAAAAAAAJZM/8AmtxL__G8U/s1600/spay01_first+cut.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 198px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THGkAOqTAFI/AAAAAAAAJZM/8AmtxL__G8U/s320/spay01_first+cut.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508364143093284946" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THGkAQ2mguI/AAAAAAAAJZU/SNCNcX8djfI/s1600/spay02_second+cut.jpg"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></span></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">first incision, through the skin</span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THGkAqp63lI/AAAAAAAAJZc/njM1Ixsz_zU/s1600/spay03_linea.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 219px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THGkAqp63lI/AAAAAAAAJZc/njM1Ixsz_zU/s320/spay03_linea.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508364150607896146" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">second incision, abdominal wall</span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THGkBGcEJzI/AAAAAAAAJZk/cHe1egfOmKE/s1600/spay04_snook+hook.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THGkBGcEJzI/AAAAAAAAJZk/cHe1egfOmKE/s320/spay04_snook+hook.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508364158065977138" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">using a spay hook to find the uterus</span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THGjEaZsyJI/AAAAAAAAJY8/L1wy2mhqYjU/s1600/spay06_lift+uterus.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 194px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THGjEaZsyJI/AAAAAAAAJY8/L1wy2mhqYjU/s320/spay06_lift+uterus.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508363115452745874" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">exteriorizing uterus</span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THGjD-xCytI/AAAAAAAAJY0/mUSr4JNNpqY/s1600/spay07_exteriorize+ovary.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 203px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THGjD-xCytI/AAAAAAAAJY0/mUSr4JNNpqY/s320/spay07_exteriorize+ovary.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508363108034464466" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">tugging on uterus to exteriorize ovary</span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THGjDjoez7I/AAAAAAAAJYs/UKgF10-P0Xc/s1600/spay08_ovary.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 250px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THGjDjoez7I/AAAAAAAAJYs/UKgF10-P0Xc/s320/spay08_ovary.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508363100750794674" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">pointing out ovary</span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THGjDTlRrgI/AAAAAAAAJYk/lH06GCkSTd8/s1600/spay09_triple+clamp.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 243px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THGjDTlRrgI/AAAAAAAAJYk/lH06GCkSTd8/s320/spay09_triple+clamp.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508363096442383874" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">triple clamp technique</span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THGiFT6uALI/AAAAAAAAJYc/iRYlKsN9D00/s1600/spay10_cut+ovary.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 223px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THGiFT6uALI/AAAAAAAAJYc/iRYlKsN9D00/s320/spay10_cut+ovary.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508362031380431026" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">cut between clamps</span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THGiFAYmQVI/AAAAAAAAJYU/nA99KvwGCgw/s1600/spay11_ligate+ovary1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 238px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THGiFAYmQVI/AAAAAAAAJYU/nA99KvwGCgw/s320/spay11_ligate+ovary1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508362026137043282" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">ligating ovarian pedicle</span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THGiEvVR_0I/AAAAAAAAJYM/2ZNqY1xbdOc/s1600/spay12_ligate+ovary2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 259px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THGiEvVR_0I/AAAAAAAAJYM/2ZNqY1xbdOc/s320/spay12_ligate+ovary2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508362021559729986" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">double ligatures for safety</span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THGiEfQebNI/AAAAAAAAJYE/-2DljrkBlWU/s1600/spay13_2+ovaries+out.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THGiEfQebNI/AAAAAAAAJYE/-2DljrkBlWU/s320/spay13_2+ovaries+out.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508362017244605650" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">both ovaries ligated</span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THGiELRz_hI/AAAAAAAAJX8/tO7yhEIEhR0/s1600/spay14_cervix.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 313px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THGiELRz_hI/AAAAAAAAJX8/tO7yhEIEhR0/s320/spay14_cervix.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508362011881504274" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">pointing out cervix</span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THGhoEknvKI/AAAAAAAAJX0/M0d3sNInLno/s1600/spay15_ligate+uterus.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 286px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THGhoEknvKI/AAAAAAAAJX0/M0d3sNInLno/s320/spay15_ligate+uterus.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508361529045007522" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">ligating uterine body</span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THGhn0G1K1I/AAAAAAAAJXs/MC8trRqP_dc/s1600/spay17_organs+out.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 201px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THGhn0G1K1I/AAAAAAAAJXs/MC8trRqP_dc/s320/spay17_organs+out.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508361524625091410" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">complete ovariohysterectomy<br />(removal of ovaries and uterus)</span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THGhng1aBCI/AAAAAAAAJXk/wImgfp6ZxhA/s1600/spay18_suture+linea.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 222px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THGhng1aBCI/AAAAAAAAJXk/wImgfp6ZxhA/s320/spay18_suture+linea.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508361519451735074" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">closing abdominal layer</span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THGhnL46IdI/AAAAAAAAJXc/4v56OMl9cZo/s1600/spay19_suture+skin.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 318px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THGhnL46IdI/AAAAAAAAJXc/4v56OMl9cZo/s320/spay19_suture+skin.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508361513829278162" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">closing skin layer</span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THGhmmrqGCI/AAAAAAAAJXU/M_kV1UdMml8/s1600/spay20_complete.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 185px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THGhmmrqGCI/AAAAAAAAJXU/M_kV1UdMml8/s320/spay20_complete.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508361503841589282" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">surgery finished<br /></span></span><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THBHGjAVy-I/AAAAAAAAJVk/J72ZXdeytXE/s1600/IMG_9765.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THBHGjAVy-I/AAAAAAAAJVk/J72ZXdeytXE/s320/IMG_9765.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507980522075573218" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Kate thought she would be funny with me while I was asleep. Momma says she hopes the doctors and nurses who do the fixing to people do not make fun of them when they are asleep.</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THBJHPWxWZI/AAAAAAAAJVs/KSLUtYoLSoE/s1600/IMG_9764.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THBJHPWxWZI/AAAAAAAAJVs/KSLUtYoLSoE/s320/IMG_9764.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507982733004069266" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">The black clip on my tongue is to see that I have enough oxygen in my blood. It does not pinch or hurt. I am not sure what oxygen is, but I am glad that I had enough.</span><br /></div></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THBHGH9q3PI/AAAAAAAAJVc/l9cP8qZuxvk/s1600/IMG_9771.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THBHGH9q3PI/AAAAAAAAJVc/l9cP8qZuxvk/s320/IMG_9771.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507980514816613618" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">This picture is when I was starting to wake up, but I could not swallow yet. Momma says it is important to leave the breathing tube in smooshie faced dogs until they are able to swallow, so that they do not choke. I think I remember this part, but maybe I just dreamed it.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THBHFU5sk3I/AAAAAAAAJVU/VtbC9jwcoTg/s1600/IMG_9784.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THBHFU5sk3I/AAAAAAAAJVU/VtbC9jwcoTg/s320/IMG_9784.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507980501109740402" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">It is good to have a friend with you when you wake up from the fixing. I am glad that Momma thought to bring my pink pig that day, and that they gave it to me. It made waking up nicer.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THBHE91bWHI/AAAAAAAAJVM/DsojQeM-mvc/s1600/IMG_9792.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THBHE91bWHI/AAAAAAAAJVM/DsojQeM-mvc/s320/IMG_9792.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507980494917818482" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">But, it is even better to be held and carried around when you are so sleepy, like Amanda did for me. It felt so good, I went back to sleep on her shoulder.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THBHDrhBCwI/AAAAAAAAJVE/3zh17o0yKas/s1600/IMG_9797.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THBHDrhBCwI/AAAAAAAAJVE/3zh17o0yKas/s320/IMG_9797.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507980472820501250" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">And so, now I am home and everything is all right, really. Momma gives me a little pill in my dinner every night, which is supposed to help with the belly pain, even though I do not have any belly pain. I tell her I am a big dog, and strong and brave, but she just smiles and gives me the belly pain pill anyway.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THBrEmOyNZI/AAAAAAAAJXE/qHXKGRKyCsU/s1600/IMG_9804.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THBrEmOyNZI/AAAAAAAAJXE/qHXKGRKyCsU/s320/IMG_9804.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508020071000323474" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">The only bad part is Momma says "Cage rest and leash walk only" for at least a week, and I want to run and jump on things and play with Holly and torture the cats and she says "No." Do you know how long a week is? Because I do not and I think it must be a really long time.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THBrEmOyNZI/AAAAAAAAJXE/qHXKGRKyCsU/s1600/IMG_9804.JPG"><br /></a>Kathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186814675058675885noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439217614964375870.post-37223259071026868902010-08-19T20:11:00.007-04:002010-08-25T19:44:26.525-04:00Can I gross you out? version 2.0<span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">Same warning as before: Look away if you have a low tolerance for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">ick</span>.</span><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:180%;"><br />*******</span></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:180%;" >***********</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:180%;">*******</span></span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />Still with me? OK, then, take a look at this dirty, infected laceration on the neck of a 9 year old Pug. Any idea what caused it?</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TG3Iz2cOQJI/AAAAAAAAJUM/jL4v-zKUx6A/s1600/IMG_8518.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TG3Iz2cOQJI/AAAAAAAAJUM/jL4v-zKUx6A/s400/IMG_8518.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507278712456757394" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">After sedating Miss Pugg (name changed to comply with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">HYPPA</span> laws) we began shaving the wound to inspect it more closely. This is the underside of the neck, </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TG3I1E2NS2I/AAAAAAAAJUk/GXTDiB0QrQU/s1600/IMG_8523.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TG3I1E2NS2I/AAAAAAAAJUk/GXTDiB0QrQU/s400/IMG_8523.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507278733503712098" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">but the line goes all the way around the side</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TG3I0rg8EWI/AAAAAAAAJUc/nQSqpdll4b4/s1600/IMG_8521.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TG3I0rg8EWI/AAAAAAAAJUc/nQSqpdll4b4/s400/IMG_8521.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507278726703616354" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">and across the back, completely encircling the poor dog's neck.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TG3I0Y3X2YI/AAAAAAAAJUU/AqxmwGtfFx4/s1600/IMG_8520.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TG3I0Y3X2YI/AAAAAAAAJUU/AqxmwGtfFx4/s400/IMG_8520.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507278721697438082" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">In the past, the culprit would have been a rubber band, applied <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">maliciously</span> or perhaps innocently. Today, we have a new foe:</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TG3KArb0gnI/AAAAAAAAJU0/dDngKlGn1bo/s1600/IMG_8526.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TG3KArb0gnI/AAAAAAAAJU0/dDngKlGn1bo/s400/IMG_8526.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507280032352207474" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Yep, "Silly Bandz," a rubber band updated for the 2010's, but just as tight and constricting as the original version. The family's small boy thought it was a good idea to put this modern day torture device around the dog's neck. (And then, the family went on vacation, leaving the dog at home.)<br /><br />This wound is at least a week old. The poor dog has had a rubber band around her neck for seven or more days. Do me a favor: Put a tight rubber band around your wrist for 15 minutes, and tell me how it feels. Now, imagine how this dog felt for the past 168 hours. It makes me disgusted.<br /><br />We scrubbed the wound with an antiseptic solution, then flushed it with sterile saline.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TG3J_wcgN0I/AAAAAAAAJUs/UUhJe7mln6A/s1600/IMG_8525.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TG3J_wcgN0I/AAAAAAAAJUs/UUhJe7mln6A/s400/IMG_8525.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507280016517379906" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">In a perfect world, the dog would have been anesthetized for me to trim and debride the wound edges and suture it closed for primary healing. Unfortunately, the owner was unable (or unwilling) to make the financial commitment for appropriate therapy. Instead, I gave her antibiotics and pain meds, and I am hoping that Nature will help me out with good second intention healing.<br /><br />Look at this brave old girl. Against all odds, she was gentle and sweet and cooperative throughout the whole treatment. Dog lovers out there, send up a prayer for Miss Pugg tonight. </span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TG3KBsr1S_I/AAAAAAAAJU8/9rLxtwAy76c/s1600/IMG_8551.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TG3KBsr1S_I/AAAAAAAAJU8/9rLxtwAy76c/s400/IMG_8551.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507280049867672562" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Update, Aug. 25: Here's the wound 5 days later. Granulation tissue is filling in the defect and Miss Pugg is recovering nicely. Thank goodness for Mother Nature and second intention healing!</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THWpyq8SNPI/AAAAAAAAJZs/nCJknH9zK2M/s1600/IMG_8561.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/THWpyq8SNPI/AAAAAAAAJZs/nCJknH9zK2M/s320/IMG_8561.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509496407143363826" border="0" /></a>Kathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186814675058675885noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439217614964375870.post-60196941310353996702010-08-04T19:36:00.011-04:002010-08-05T07:29:15.814-04:00What's Your Diagnosis?<span style="font-family:verdana;">My bimonthly JAVMA (Journal of the American Veterinary Association) has a regular feature called "What's Your Diagnosis?" (Or, as my sister always called it, "Exhibit Your Symptoms.") Each month, one or more X-ray pictures are printed, and the reader is given a brief synopsis of the case and invited to make a diagnosis. It always makes my day if I can guess it correctly.<br /><br />Today, I present to you a real life "What's your diagnosis" from a case I saw this afternoon. Here's the history: An elderly woman fell last evening while carrying her 9 week old kitten. Both lady and kitten appeared to be unhurt at the time. Today, however, the kitty had a very swollen neck. Fearing the kitten's neck was broken, the son brought him in to my office at about 1:30pm.<br /><br />The kitten was obviously distressed, breathing with increased effort, and his gums were cyanotic (bluish in color) indicating a lack of oxygen. He was walking OK, but seemed to tired easily. His neurological reflexes were normal, so I was reassured that his spine was not damaged.<br /><br />However, his neck was very puffy, and this swelling extended along his back and chest, right down to the kitty equivalent of a waist.<br /><br />Here's the lateral view X-ray. It's has been a while since we have done this; do you remember how to read an X-ray? Bones are white, air is black, and soft tissues (organs, blood, etc.) are shades of gray. The kitten is lying on his side. His head is on our left, his tail to our right.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TFn5-kh9MEI/AAAAAAAAJT0/t6a8B9csV4g/s1600/full+body.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TFn5-kh9MEI/AAAAAAAAJT0/t6a8B9csV4g/s400/full+body.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501703273163075650" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:78%;">[Click on any photo to enlarge.]</span></span><br /></div><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span>Here's a slightly closer view. What do you think?</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TFn5-HNpopI/AAAAAAAAJTs/t7Zahfzt9FA/s1600/chest+only.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TFn5-HNpopI/AAAAAAAAJTs/t7Zahfzt9FA/s400/chest+only.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501703265293279890" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Go ahead, take your time. I'll wait.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:180%;" >^^^^^^^</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:180%;" >^^^^^^^</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:180%;" >^^^^^^^</span></span><br /></div><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Give up? That's OK, this is a toughie. It may comfort you to know that this is only the second time I have seen this problem, and the first time I have seen it caused by a fall.<br /><br />Check out this labeled version of the first film. The skin is lifted away from the underlying tissues, and all those black spaces are collections of air under the skin. The technical term is <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">subcutaneous emphysema</span>. I have indicated several of the pockets of air with red <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">*</span>.<br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TFn5_WQqoyI/AAAAAAAAJT8/9FTGEyNv8U8/s1600/Full+body+with+text.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TFn5_WQqoyI/AAAAAAAAJT8/9FTGEyNv8U8/s400/Full+body+with+text.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501703286512329506" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">The kitten has a tracheal rupture. Every time he breathes in, some air goes into the lung, but some also escapes through the tear in the trachea and ends up under the skin. Because of the one-way valve effect, when he breathes out, the air is trapped there and slowly accumulates.<br /><br />You can diagnose this on a physical exam, by the crackling, popping feeling you get when you run your finger tips over the skin and press in slightly.<br /><br />Although this is a bad injury, believe it or not, mild cases of tracheal rupture can be treated with conservative medical management. However, let's look at that X-ray again.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TFn-04kGeHI/AAAAAAAAJUE/KHxHAsjN0Zg/s1600/close-up.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 363px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TFn-04kGeHI/AAAAAAAAJUE/KHxHAsjN0Zg/s400/close-up.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501708604300228722" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">In this closer image, we are focusing our attention on the chest cavity. Anything about this picture bother anybody?<br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">^^^^^^^</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">^^^^^^^</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">^^^^^^^</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></div><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />Let's look at the labeled version. The kitten's heart should be in contact with his sternum (breastbone.) Instead, it is elevated, lifted up by an accumulation of air in the chest cavity. One lung is all black, filled with air, while the other is much smaller and gray in color. That lung has collapsed.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TFn59h8bDMI/AAAAAAAAJTk/owuV0912OGI/s1600/close-up+with+text.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 363px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TFn59h8bDMI/AAAAAAAAJTk/owuV0912OGI/s400/close-up+with+text.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501703255288908994" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Not only does he have a ruptured trachea, he also has a pneumothorax. Now, his prognosis for survival has taken a big step backwards. If we were to attempt treatment, he would need a chest tube to evacuate the air, a tracheoscopy (using a small diameter endoscope to look down his trachea) to attempt to find the rupture, and a surgical specialist to try to find and repair the damage, if possible.<br /><br />But wait! Kitty's story is not over. When the owner woke to find her kitten in distress, she tried to help him by crushing up a 200mg ibuprofen tablet and mixing an unknown quantity of the powder into some milk. As we all know from <a href="http://katdocsworld.blogspot.com/2007/07/toxicology-tuesday-july-3.html">Toxicology Tuesday</a>, Non-Steroidal AntiInflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen are deadly poisons for cats.<br /><br />Now, we have a ruptured trachea, pneumothorax, and potential ibuprofen toxicity. Oh, and did I mention that the clients don't have any money? I suppose you can guess the final outcome of this case.<br /><br />In my job, as in my life, I try to find the good in everything. This case was tragic and very sad, but I was able to turn it into a teaching opportunity for the hospital staff and you, my gentle readers.<br /></span>Kathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186814675058675885noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439217614964375870.post-36629066169837634952010-08-03T06:00:00.000-04:002010-08-03T06:00:01.005-04:00Prairie Plants<span style="font-family:verdana;">Back after a break with more prairie pictures from June's <a href="http://www.birdingdrives.com/POTHOLESPRAIRIES.html">"Potholes and Prairies"</a> birding festival, in Carrington, ND.<br /><br />I didn't get to do as much botanizing as I would have like to on this trip. For one thing, I spent so much time looking out across the wide open spaces of the prairie that I sort of forgot about looking down, to see all the little wildflowers hidden in the thick grasses. For another, most of the time, I was weighed down with heavy rain gear and carrying binoculars and spotting scope. I didn't have enough hands to manage a camera, too. Still, I got a few precious shots to share with you.<br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />Ball Cactus</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TC_Pnm9qymI/AAAAAAAAJO4/csKik-F4tO8/s1600/Ball+cactus.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TC_Pnm9qymI/AAAAAAAAJO4/csKik-F4tO8/s320/Ball+cactus.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489834750168975970" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TC_P--7NCmI/AAAAAAAAJPI/K4Foi6NVhhM/s1600/IMG_8718.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TC_P--7NCmI/AAAAAAAAJPI/K4Foi6NVhhM/s320/IMG_8718.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489835151738079842" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">This was my biggest surprise, cactus plants on the prairie.<br /><br />Blanket Flower, <span style="font-style: italic;">Gaillardia</span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TC_PmwAsVfI/AAAAAAAAJOw/KH8mK9xPx-4/s1600/Blanket+flower.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TC_PmwAsVfI/AAAAAAAAJOw/KH8mK9xPx-4/s320/Blanket+flower.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489834735417710066" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Prairie Rose</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TC_RHG79tZI/AAAAAAAAJPY/XDitifRAZIE/s1600/Prairie+rose.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TC_RHG79tZI/AAAAAAAAJPY/XDitifRAZIE/s320/Prairie+rose.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489836390839334290" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TC--mnXTiJI/AAAAAAAAJOo/cXFLTU2vukE/s1600/IMG_9201.JPG"><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span>Prairie Smoke</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TC--lGPn65I/AAAAAAAAJOY/TFjHsFW7H8Q/s1600/IMG_9199.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TC--lGPn65I/AAAAAAAAJOY/TFjHsFW7H8Q/s320/IMG_9199.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489816015328504722" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TC--mnXTiJI/AAAAAAAAJOo/cXFLTU2vukE/s1600/IMG_9201.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TC--mnXTiJI/AAAAAAAAJOo/cXFLTU2vukE/s320/IMG_9201.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489816041398962322" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">I think the Prairie Smoke was my favorite.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">I had to pull out all the stops and e-mail pics to the <a href="http://www.juliezickefoose.com/blog/">Science Chimp</a> in order to get an ID </span><span style="font-family:verdana;">on this one </span><span style="font-family:verdana;">when I got back home. Trust Julie; even though she had not seen it before, she came up with a name for me:<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Tufted Loosestrife</span><br /></div></div></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TFYH7KiyqOI/AAAAAAAAJSk/zE3UbeEYxzE/s1600/IMG_8695.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TFYH7KiyqOI/AAAAAAAAJSk/zE3UbeEYxzE/s320/IMG_8695.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500592707903596770" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TFYJkPWWnLI/AAAAAAAAJSs/V-uhE6U_7IY/s1600/Lysimachia+thrysiflora+%28Tufted+Loosestrife%29+.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 288px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TFYJkPWWnLI/AAAAAAAAJSs/V-uhE6U_7IY/s320/Lysimachia+thrysiflora+%28Tufted+Loosestrife%29+.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500594513079868594" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Milkvetch</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TFYMKrFferI/AAAAAAAAJS8/V6u-MC1hyg4/s1600/IMG_9036.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TFYMKrFferI/AAAAAAAAJS8/V6u-MC1hyg4/s320/IMG_9036.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500597372383623858" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TFYJkdPUARI/AAAAAAAAJS0/xB-cYwocpiA/s1600/Milkvetch.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TFYJkdPUARI/AAAAAAAAJS0/xB-cYwocpiA/s320/Milkvetch.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500594516808433938" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">The group consensus on this one was "some kind of vetch"</span><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TC_PoC7pTvI/AAAAAAAAJPA/Np5bXtnbrBI/s1600/some+kind+of+vetch.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TC_PoC7pTvI/AAAAAAAAJPA/Np5bXtnbrBI/s320/some+kind+of+vetch.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489834757676682994" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">And finally, an unknown. Can anybody ID this little prairie flower from these two, admittedly poor quality, photos?</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TFYNIOjXkqI/AAAAAAAAJTE/w7JAQ9RHLBU/s1600/IMG_9045.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TFYNIOjXkqI/AAAAAAAAJTE/w7JAQ9RHLBU/s320/IMG_9045.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500598429876196002" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TFYNIfeuOWI/AAAAAAAAJTM/F2cBEvwR2_M/s1600/IMG_9046.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TFYNIfeuOWI/AAAAAAAAJTM/F2cBEvwR2_M/s320/IMG_9046.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500598434420111714" border="0" /></a>Kathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186814675058675885noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439217614964375870.post-47560377454402955882010-07-30T18:54:00.010-04:002010-08-02T20:08:10.703-04:00Let's see if I can gross you out<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" >[If you have a sensitive stomach, </span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" >you might want to skip today's post.]</span><br /></div><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />A client brought in a new-found kitten today with a sore on its neck. I was excited before I even saw the patient, because a sore on the neck of a kitten in summer usually means one </span><span style="font-family:verdana;">of my favorite summer time conditions</span><span style="font-family:verdana;">: <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Cuterebra</span>!<br /><br />But, I am getting ahead of myself. Let's go back to the beginning and that moist, icky sore on the neck of an 8 week old kitten.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TFNY2SlE_9I/AAAAAAAAJRs/OzU8SLbniOs/s1600/IMG_8499.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TFNY2SlE_9I/AAAAAAAAJRs/OzU8SLbniOs/s320/IMG_8499.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499837259673042898" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Is it an abscess? A bite wound? No, it's not.</span><br /></div><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Look closely at the hole. See the little white thing sticking out, with a dark ring in the center?</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TFNY213i1YI/AAAAAAAAJR0/iyGguwor9FM/s1600/IMG_8502.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TFNY213i1YI/AAAAAAAAJR0/iyGguwor9FM/s320/IMG_8502.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499837269145736578" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Here, I'll point it out to you.</span><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TFNaCGbLvDI/AAAAAAAAJSU/hQCKsJmee3Y/s1600/IMG_8502a.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TFNaCGbLvDI/AAAAAAAAJSU/hQCKsJmee3Y/s320/IMG_8502a.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499838562080373810" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">A close-up (Forgive the fuzzy focus - I was using the little point and shoot belonging to the office, not my Canon Rebel.)</span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TFNaRGVM9kI/AAAAAAAAJSc/4MeRNkGKm18/s1600/IMG_8502b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 262px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TFNaRGVM9kI/AAAAAAAAJSc/4MeRNkGKm18/s320/IMG_8502b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499838819753326146" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">What could it be?</span><br /></div><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />It is a spiracle, the breathing apparatus of a warble, the larval form of the Cuterebra fly, which is a member of the botfly family. Similar botflies include the ox warble that causes "grubby back" in cattle, the stomach bot in horses, and the nasal bot of sheep.<br /><br />Cuterebra primarily infest rabbits, although cats, and occasionally dogs, may be victims. The female fly lays its eggs on plants along paths frequented by rabbits. When the rabbit passes by, the eggs hatch instantly and the larvae crawl onto the host's fur. They enter the body through natural openings, (nose, mouth, anus, etc.) and migrate under the skin. They usually end up in the neck area, although I have found them on other body parts.<br /><br />The larva cuts a breathing port through the host's skin and attaches its spiracles. These respiratory openings, it should be noted, are at the butt end of the grub, not the head end like you might expect. Not pertinent to treatment, just a fun factoid I like to share.<br /><br />The developing organism sets up a strong inflammatory reaction in the rabbit or cat, leading to moist, painful wounds like we see here. A warble wound may resemble a standard cat bite abscess but for one thing: if you observe the opening carefully, you can see the movement of the larva at the breathing port.<br /><br />That's where I come in. Rather than allowing the warble to finish its life cycle, enlarge its breathing port and drop to the ground to complete its metamorphosis to an adult fly, I swoop in to remove the little bugger. Just a small nick to enlarge the hole, and I can grasp the butt of the warble and slowly, carefully extract it.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TFNY3f4XulI/AAAAAAAAJR8/6pWsTIneJ4U/s1600/IMG_8503.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TFNY3f4XulI/AAAAAAAAJR8/6pWsTIneJ4U/s320/IMG_8503.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499837280423492178" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></span><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">(Please excuse the Band-Aid. A slip with a dental elevator earlier in the day gouged my thumb.)</span></span><br /></div><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />TA-DAH! Victory!</span></span><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TFNY3ivBllI/AAAAAAAAJSE/GvlQGPtl03Y/s1600/IMG_8504.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TFNY3ivBllI/AAAAAAAAJSE/GvlQGPtl03Y/s320/IMG_8504.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499837281189598802" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Here's an even better shot, complete with a centimeter ruler for scale. </span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TFNY4NWHiaI/AAAAAAAAJSM/P6PLYgkMGfU/s1600/IMG_8506.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TFNY4NWHiaI/AAAAAAAAJSM/P6PLYgkMGfU/s320/IMG_8506.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499837292627855778" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Astute readers will note that the warble itself sustained an injury during the extraction process. This is the first warble I have ruptured during removal, and luckily, it happened after that part of the larva was out of the kitten's body. If a warble is ruptured under the skin, it could set up an anaphylactoid reaction that might prove fatal. For that reason, warbles should not be </span><span style="font-family:verdana;"> casually </span><span style="font-family:verdana;">squeezed out of the hole, but removed delicately.<br /><br />After the minor surgery, we cleaned up the kitty's neck and gave her an antibiotic injection. The wound is not sutured, but allowed to close on its own. Once healed, in 7 to 10 days, she'll be as good as new.<br /><br />Update, Aug. 2:<br /><br />Three days after warble removal, look how much better the wound looks.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TFddrn8p7RI/AAAAAAAAJTU/OxtSMY7WAcU/s1600/IMG_9503.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TFddrn8p7RI/AAAAAAAAJTU/OxtSMY7WAcU/s320/IMG_9503.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500968473895496978" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Even the kitty is happy about the outcome.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TFddsC-uCKI/AAAAAAAAJTc/o2F4noFf_QM/s1600/IMG_9506.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TFddsC-uCKI/AAAAAAAAJTc/o2F4noFf_QM/s320/IMG_9506.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500968481151912098" border="0" /></a>Kathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186814675058675885noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439217614964375870.post-78168131795775468622010-07-07T08:31:00.000-04:002010-07-07T08:31:00.233-04:00Wordless Wednesday: The most photographed barn in North Dakota<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCyY1Zlmm1I/AAAAAAAAJMg/IgQhOTFjcHo/s1600/IMG_9280.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCyY1Zlmm1I/AAAAAAAAJMg/IgQhOTFjcHo/s400/IMG_9280.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488930089026886482" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCyNBX5_kVI/AAAAAAAAJMA/5UIlKwyX-Es/s1600/IMG_9274.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCyNBX5_kVI/AAAAAAAAJMA/5UIlKwyX-Es/s320/IMG_9274.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488917100594434386" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCyNCgColvI/AAAAAAAAJMQ/X9cWWyc5DXw/s1600/IMG_8761.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCyNCgColvI/AAAAAAAAJMQ/X9cWWyc5DXw/s320/IMG_8761.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488917119958030066" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCyNB6LQLRI/AAAAAAAAJMI/RS8SYW2FWvI/s1600/IMG_8767.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCyNB6LQLRI/AAAAAAAAJMI/RS8SYW2FWvI/s320/IMG_8767.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488917109793631506" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCyNDQHswfI/AAAAAAAAJMY/Um89FpHJA9w/s1600/IMG_8769.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCyNDQHswfI/AAAAAAAAJMY/Um89FpHJA9w/s320/IMG_8769.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488917132864176626" border="0" /></a>Kathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186814675058675885noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439217614964375870.post-12254226913478217772010-07-01T10:54:00.011-04:002010-07-01T12:21:20.833-04:00Get off the bus<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">or "Herding cattle, North Dakota style"</span><br /></div><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />One day, during my "big bus" tour of North Dakota's <a href="http://www.birdingdrives.com/POTHOLESPRAIRIES.html">"Potholes and Prairies,"</a> we stopped for lunch at a semi-abandoned homestead. The house was unoccupied, but the barn, paddocks, and outbuildings were still in use. We stopped there nearly every day, both as a birding spot to see nesting Cliff Swallows and Say's Phoebes, and also because the Quonset hut at the back of the property provided nice cover for an outdoor potty, complete with a singing Warbling Vireo.<br /><br />That day, we were supplied with a sack lunch instead of dining at a local cafe. When the bus stopped and people began to get out, a cranky woman said, <span style="font-style: italic;">"Are we going to eat OUTSIDE?"</span> as if it were a nuclear waste dump. I replied, "I'm sure you can eat on the bus if you like, but I'm going to go out." <span style="font-style: italic;">"There's no place to sit,"</span> she grumbled, to which I replied, "I'm going to sit on the ground." <span style="font-style: italic;">"That doesn't look very comfortable,"</span> she snapped. Thinking that no place on earth could be more comfortable than the lap of God, I pushed passed her, vowing never to get old and grumpy.<br /><br />I had spied a dry, grassy bank with a view of the open fields across the dirt road that to my eyes appeared better than any banquette at a 5 star restaurant</span><span style="font-family:verdana;">. By then, I would have eaten outdoors if it had been pouring rain, just to make my point, but it was in fact, quite pleasant.<br /><br />It was while I was eating and casually birding </span><span style="font-family:verdana;"> and communing with nature </span><span style="font-family:verdana;">and just enjoying the sensation of being off the bus that I spied a white sedan in the ditch behind us. </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCyxNL8Ay-I/AAAAAAAAJOQ/9nXMjKisVT8/s1600/cows01.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCyxNL8Ay-I/AAAAAAAAJOQ/9nXMjKisVT8/s320/cows01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488956885958708194" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">At first, I thought the driver might have had an accident, but then I noticed he was moving, slowly and deliberately, up and down the grassy embankment.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCyxMqNFvtI/AAAAAAAAJOI/jqwteO_E7gk/s1600/cows02.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCyxMqNFvtI/AAAAAAAAJOI/jqwteO_E7gk/s320/cows02.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488956876903530194" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCyxMC3sRFI/AAAAAAAAJOA/tH7PbBuhNng/s1600/cows03.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCyxMC3sRFI/AAAAAAAAJOA/tH7PbBuhNng/s320/cows03.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488956866344797266" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Fascinated, I stood up and walked back toward the action, to see what was going on.<br /><br />Out of the bushes popped a half a dozen Angus cattle, followed by the white car. The driver was rounding up loose cattle and herding them like a 21st century cowboy.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCyxLKSYt2I/AAAAAAAAJN4/IxTRxqFarw0/s1600/cows04.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCyxLKSYt2I/AAAAAAAAJN4/IxTRxqFarw0/s320/cows04.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488956851155941218" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">He apparently recruited the driver of the blue pick-up truck, an employee of the DNR who was tailing us that day, taking publicity photos, to assist, and the two vehicles pushed the cattle down the road and in through a gate in the fence back to their pasture.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCyxMC3sRFI/AAAAAAAAJOA/tH7PbBuhNng/s1600/cows03.jpg"><br /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCyuscqSo2I/AAAAAAAAJNQ/aCqJfuKJFx8/s1600/cows05.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCyuscqSo2I/AAAAAAAAJNQ/aCqJfuKJFx8/s320/cows05.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488954124488844130" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCyusyTVXqI/AAAAAAAAJNY/LU_WgagyAVs/s1600/cows06.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCyusyTVXqI/AAAAAAAAJNY/LU_WgagyAVs/s320/cows06.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488954130298134178" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCyutV35m0I/AAAAAAAAJNg/k3KYeGTNVmE/s1600/cows07.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCyutV35m0I/AAAAAAAAJNg/k3KYeGTNVmE/s320/cows07.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488954139846744898" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCyuuK13BbI/AAAAAAAAJNo/sUr4M1OU_Fw/s1600/cows08.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCyuuK13BbI/AAAAAAAAJNo/sUr4M1OU_Fw/s320/cows08.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488954154065266098" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCyuuTveYEI/AAAAAAAAJNw/Fs7Pb5jEZ0U/s1600/cows09.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCyuuTveYEI/AAAAAAAAJNw/Fs7Pb5jEZ0U/s320/cows09.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488954156454404162" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCys_NtfwCI/AAAAAAAAJMo/AOrXHC7Zxas/s1600/cows10.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCys_NtfwCI/AAAAAAAAJMo/AOrXHC7Zxas/s320/cows10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488952247870013474" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCys_7gCoiI/AAAAAAAAJMw/BjdyTAU-X-o/s1600/cows11.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCys_7gCoiI/AAAAAAAAJMw/BjdyTAU-X-o/s320/cows11.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488952260161610274" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCytAatWuYI/AAAAAAAAJM4/DBHjJSfx3Ik/s1600/cows12.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCytAatWuYI/AAAAAAAAJM4/DBHjJSfx3Ik/s320/cows12.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488952268538952066" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCytA2lrhkI/AAAAAAAAJNA/fXifpqZBulg/s1600/cows13.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCytA2lrhkI/AAAAAAAAJNA/fXifpqZBulg/s320/cows13.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488952276022953538" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCytBT-BlTI/AAAAAAAAJNI/GRLkF1BOu5Q/s1600/cows14.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCytBT-BlTI/AAAAAAAAJNI/GRLkF1BOu5Q/s320/cows14.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488952283909690674" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">When it was all over, the rancher got back in his car and drove off, with a minimum of fuss, as if this were an every day occurrence. By then, I had called several others over to watch the process, had taken about 50 or 60 photos, and had begun planning this blog post. And all because I got off the bus. </span>Kathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186814675058675885noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439217614964375870.post-5005497126709182212010-06-30T06:26:00.000-04:002010-06-30T06:37:37.350-04:00BTs Can Play with the Big Dogs!<span style="font-family:verdana;">We interrupt the Potholes and Prairies posts for a Panda update.</span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCfCf1TFfpI/AAAAAAAAJLo/d0tj7ooh3DQ/s1600/IMG_9332.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCfCf1TFfpI/AAAAAAAAJLo/d0tj7ooh3DQ/s320/IMG_9332.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487568523113102994" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Isn't she getting big? Almost 8 pounds and 4 months old.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCfCer9mXFI/AAAAAAAAJLY/iQYfh1Iznxs/s1600/IMG_9331.JPG"><br /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Stalking her target.</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCfCe1PXvFI/AAAAAAAAJLg/KNlwy6zC22M/s1600/IMG_9330.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCfCe1PXvFI/AAAAAAAAJLg/KNlwy6zC22M/s320/IMG_9330.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487568505917652050" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Gotcha!</span></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCfCer9mXFI/AAAAAAAAJLY/iQYfh1Iznxs/s1600/IMG_9331.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCfCer9mXFI/AAAAAAAAJLY/iQYfh1Iznxs/s320/IMG_9331.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487568503427193938" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">One cannot neglect the older child in favor of the baby, so here's my sweet Holly.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCfChGizLzI/AAAAAAAAJLw/Yv125a0f8ig/s1600/IMG_9329.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TCfChGizLzI/AAAAAAAAJLw/Yv125a0f8ig/s320/IMG_9329.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487568544922283826" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br />I haven't been able to add the video to this blog post. Maybe if you follow <a href="http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1364950248569">this link</a>, you can see it on my FB page:<br /><br />Watch the grass at the edge of the pond - Heeeee-re's PANDA!<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Who said little short-faced dogs can't swim?</span>Kathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186814675058675885noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439217614964375870.post-52799589052821199192010-06-27T19:00:00.001-04:002010-06-27T19:10:09.593-04:00Birds from Potholes and Prairies<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB43AF6BZ7I/AAAAAAAAJJA/V_HeDkP-_7I/s1600/SWHA.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 279px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB43AF6BZ7I/AAAAAAAAJJA/V_HeDkP-_7I/s320/SWHA.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484881870908909490" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Swainson's Hawk - taken through a fogged-up bus window, this photo does not do him justice.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB46uzt1nOI/AAAAAAAAJJI/phucfXbOrgY/s1600/FEHA_2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 234px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB46uzt1nOI/AAAAAAAAJJI/phucfXbOrgY/s320/FEHA_2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484885972014701794" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB46wINxQJI/AAAAAAAAJJQ/i3cMmlm2ZFg/s1600/FEHA_3.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 260px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB46wINxQJI/AAAAAAAAJJQ/i3cMmlm2ZFg/s320/FEHA_3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484885994697212050" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Ferruginous Hawk - nearly as big as an eagle, and even more impressive when seen perched by the side of the road, on the right-of-way post, and showing all his field marks.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB42_gyTy8I/AAAAAAAAJI4/K_j2SmMnXG8/s1600/WHPE_2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 197px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB42_gyTy8I/AAAAAAAAJI4/K_j2SmMnXG8/s320/WHPE_2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484881860944448450" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">White Pelican. Not a life bird for me, but I still gasped every time I saw these guys. Big white birds impress southern Ohio birders - we don't see too many in our local patches.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB42_CZgVrI/AAAAAAAAJIw/rM3Ndhcv5d8/s1600/WEGR.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB42_CZgVrI/AAAAAAAAJIw/rM3Ndhcv5d8/s320/WEGR.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484881852787349170" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Western Grebe - Lifer! Later, I also saw the Clark's Grebe, which looks very similar. My 1980 4th edition of Peterson's </span><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><span style="font-family:verdana;">Field Guide, </span><span style="font-family:verdana;">eastern version,</span><span style="font-family:verdana;"> shows the Clark's as a pale morph of the Western. By the time my third edition of Peterson's Western Birds was published, in 1990, the Western Grebe was split and Clark's Grebe was named as a separate species.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB42-r3EcII/AAAAAAAAJIo/e4njKdnQxeU/s1600/Say%27s+phoebe.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB42-r3EcII/AAAAAAAAJIo/e4njKdnQxeU/s320/Say%27s+phoebe.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484881846737334402" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Say's Phoebe - another Lifer.<br /><br />Common (formerly Wilson's) Snipe was not a life species, but this behavior was quite new for me. I'm used to snipes staying low on the ground, not T-ed up on fence posts. This must be a prairie thing, as we saw many birds doing this.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4_UeXsYTI/AAAAAAAAJKU/NsZiincxPeU/s1600/Snipe_2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 318px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4_UeXsYTI/AAAAAAAAJKU/NsZiincxPeU/s320/Snipe_2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484891017166217522" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Bobolinks. Lovely to see and to listen to, trouble to photograph. Here are my best efforts.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4_S-JtWdI/AAAAAAAAJKE/Tf0On0xjKAY/s1600/BOBO_1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 262px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4_S-JtWdI/AAAAAAAAJKE/Tf0On0xjKAY/s320/BOBO_1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484890991337757138" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4_Ti5Ag5I/AAAAAAAAJKM/5xQB0j_Q3HY/s1600/BOBO_flight.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4_Ti5Ag5I/AAAAAAAAJKM/5xQB0j_Q3HY/s320/BOBO_flight.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484891001199821714" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">One of the fun things about North Dakota is how East meets West. This was really driven home to me by the overlap of two tyrant flycatcher species - </span><span style="font-family:verdana;">the Eastern </span><span style="font-family:verdana;">Kingbird, which lives and nests in my back yard</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB46w37xZPI/AAAAAAAAJJY/H0CQAw9t8s8/s1600/EAKI.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 291px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB46w37xZPI/AAAAAAAAJJY/H0CQAw9t8s8/s320/EAKI.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484886007506625778" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">and the very different Western Kingbird, a new species for me.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4-LOs8-wI/AAAAAAAAJJo/u9BWYYeoPTw/s1600/WEKI_3.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 218px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4-LOs8-wI/AAAAAAAAJJo/u9BWYYeoPTw/s320/WEKI_3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484889758829968130" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">The Western Meadowlark looks nearly identical to the more familiar eastern species, but his song was quite different.</span><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4-MKFH_PI/AAAAAAAAJJw/VAaHjb-pxrU/s1600/WEME.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 274px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4-MKFH_PI/AAAAAAAAJJw/VAaHjb-pxrU/s320/WEME.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484889774769044722" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">The ubiquitous Red-winged Blackbird was joined by the beautiful, but much less musical, Yellow-headed Blackbird, a very shy guy when it comes to having his picture taken.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4-MydOl9I/AAAAAAAAJJ4/J-XvfULCPYU/s1600/YHBB.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 238px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4-MydOl9I/AAAAAAAAJJ4/J-XvfULCPYU/s320/YHBB.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484889785607559122" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">All in all, I got 107 species of birds in four days, including the following 25 Life Birds:<br /><br />Sharp-tailed Grouse<br />Red-necked Grebe<br />Western Grebe<br />Clark's Grebe<br />Swainson's Hawk<br />Ferruginous Hawk<br />Yellow Rail (heard only)<br />Piping Plover<br />American Avocet<br />Willet<br />Upland Sandpiper<br />Marbled Godwit<br />White-rumped Sandpiper<br />Wilson's Phalarope<br />Say's Phoebe<br />Western Kingbird<br />Loggerhead Shrike<br />Spague's Pipit<br />Clay-colored Sparrow<br />Vesper Sparrow<br />Baird's Sparrow<br />LeConte's Sparrow<br />Nelson's (Sharp-tailed) Sparrow<br />Chestnut-collared Longspur<br />Western Meadowlark<br /><br />In addition, I saw my first USA Grey Partridge (my Lifer was in Scotland in 1999) and a Krider's hawk (not a separate species, but a pale morph of Red-tailed Hawk.)<br /><br />I definitely recommend the <a href="http://www.birdingdrives.com/POTHOLESPRAIRIES.html">Potholes and Prairies </a>birding festival of North Dakota for both </span><span style="font-family:verdana;">eastern and western birders. Look in your favorite field guide. This is where the range maps overlap, and everybody has a chance of seeing some life birds.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span>Kathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186814675058675885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439217614964375870.post-45333716211703852692010-06-25T11:00:00.001-04:002010-06-25T21:46:58.922-04:00Prairie Animals and their Homes<span style="font-family:verdana;">As well as 25 species of Life Birds, I also picked up four Life Mammals in North Dakota. The first was on our drive from the Minneapolis-St.Paul airport to Carrington, ND., when we stopped for a late lunch and a rest break at a Subway in West Fargo. (Not to be confused with that movie by a similar name.)<br /><br />In a suburban yard, we saw this odd looking rabbit, and three weary travelers and eager naturalists in training whipped out their cameras for a photo op.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4wjWtdOjI/AAAAAAAAJH8/jJs0pXDYb24/s1600/White-tailed+jack+rabbit+zoom.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 195px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4wjWtdOjI/AAAAAAAAJH8/jJs0pXDYb24/s320/White-tailed+jack+rabbit+zoom.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484874780133636658" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Later, on the prairie, we saw many of these <a href="http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/mammals/mammals/jack.htm">White-tailed jackrabbits</a> running across the fields or down the road, but I will never forget my first sight of one.<br /><br />A Meadow Vole scurried out from under my feet in a field one day, too quick for a picture. Lifer!<br /><br />My life Richardson's ground squirrels were </span><span style="font-family:verdana;">too far away for a photo</span><span style="font-family:verdana;">, but this Thirteen-lined ground squirrel obligingly posed for his portrait.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4wijC4EXI/AAAAAAAAJH0/rgby2Rp560c/s1600/13+lined+ground+squirrel.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 198px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4wijC4EXI/AAAAAAAAJH0/rgby2Rp560c/s320/13+lined+ground+squirrel.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484874766264832370" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">While he wasn't a Life Mammal, this handsome 2 year old male black Lab was one of the friendliest dogs of the trip, and made me miss my two girls.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4wk6Zo7sI/AAAAAAAAJIM/mfHLxQS_aZE/s1600/IMG_9290.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4wk6Zo7sI/AAAAAAAAJIM/mfHLxQS_aZE/s320/IMG_9290.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484874806894063298" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">For Susan, a Dead Mammal, this road-kill raccoon which marked the spot where I saw my first ever Loggerhead Shrike. </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4xXgIGi3I/AAAAAAAAJIY/bwVGeLHwUzo/s1600/IMG_9090.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4xXgIGi3I/AAAAAAAAJIY/bwVGeLHwUzo/s320/IMG_9090.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484875676014513010" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"> You can't believe the grief I took from the other people on the bus when I took this picture. Only for you, Susan.<br /><br />One mammal that got away was the badger, although I saw plenty of their burrows. These holes were big, but hidden in the grass. Stepping in one could severely twist your ankle, if not break it altogether.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4vkAoSm9I/AAAAAAAAJHc/y5CSZsLafAI/s1600/IMG_8715.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4vkAoSm9I/AAAAAAAAJHc/y5CSZsLafAI/s320/IMG_8715.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484873691874630610" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Other animal homes were occupied, like this Swainson's Hawk on her nest.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4yUrs_BfI/AAAAAAAAJIg/Ey2E3zWPtU0/s1600/SWHA+nest.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 152px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4yUrs_BfI/AAAAAAAAJIg/Ey2E3zWPtU0/s320/SWHA+nest.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484876727094019570" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">I also saw a Ferruginous Hawk nest, complete with two eaglets. Unfortunately, while they were visible in my scope, they were too far away for a photo.<br /><br />These holes in the bank are the home of Bank Swallows.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4vivl4kRI/AAAAAAAAJHM/RYQeFb8AZoU/s1600/IMG_8701.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4vivl4kRI/AAAAAAAAJHM/RYQeFb8AZoU/s320/IMG_8701.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484873670121263378" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4vjWfB75I/AAAAAAAAJHU/wyG7zS8G_e4/s1600/IMG_8699.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4vjWfB75I/AAAAAAAAJHU/wyG7zS8G_e4/s320/IMG_8699.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484873680561500050" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">What do Cliff Swallows do without a cliff to nest on? Why, they build their jug-like nests of mud under the eaves of an old farmhouse, that's what.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4vlM8pd1I/AAAAAAAAJHk/KabntRWrPV4/s1600/IMG_8799.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4vlM8pd1I/AAAAAAAAJHk/KabntRWrPV4/s320/IMG_8799.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484873712361109330" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Look at that detail. How can birds build something so fine with only their bills?</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4vlWcPyqI/AAAAAAAAJHs/Zuv_Lvqfb1c/s1600/IMG_8807.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4vlWcPyqI/AAAAAAAAJHs/Zuv_Lvqfb1c/s320/IMG_8807.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484873714909563554" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />As well as keeping a Life List of all the birds I have seen, I also keep a Nest List - those birds I have seen on, or building, their nests. With the addition of both hawks, Red-necked Grebe, and American Coot, I have boosted my Nest List to 51 species.<br /><br />Coming up: Birds of the prairie<br /></span>Kathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186814675058675885noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439217614964375870.post-11452238379203824962010-06-22T09:49:00.005-04:002010-06-22T09:49:00.502-04:00Birding the Prairie<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4dVO-TJaI/AAAAAAAAJEM/39Aq1n9JlSs/s1600/IMG_8676.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4dVO-TJaI/AAAAAAAAJEM/39Aq1n9JlSs/s320/IMG_8676.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484853646817699234" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">4:30AM, Carrington, North Dakota.</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">"All aboard!"</span><br /></div><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Birding the prairie involves a lot of this:</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4dVudWqXI/AAAAAAAAJEU/PMwR2kBYeLo/s1600/IMG_8679.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4dVudWqXI/AAAAAAAAJEU/PMwR2kBYeLo/s320/IMG_8679.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484853655269452146" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">and this:</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4jGO1c3lI/AAAAAAAAJGE/GKChkT7JnRs/s1600/IMG_9230.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4jGO1c3lI/AAAAAAAAJGE/GKChkT7JnRs/s320/IMG_9230.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484859986152316498" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">and yet again, this:</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4e_bnZvmI/AAAAAAAAJE8/8-wY1fdtgh4/s1600/IMG_9234.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4e_bnZvmI/AAAAAAAAJE8/8-wY1fdtgh4/s320/IMG_9234.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484855471277456994" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4e_xMspHI/AAAAAAAAJFE/D-NFl-NRtHo/s1600/IMG_9235.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4e_xMspHI/AAAAAAAAJFE/D-NFl-NRtHo/s320/IMG_9235.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484855477071029362" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Whew! Wren made it, safe and sound.</span><br /></div><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4e-mXqAYI/AAAAAAAAJE0/ZU_TNnmy3Gc/s1600/IMG_9237.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4e-mXqAYI/AAAAAAAAJE0/ZU_TNnmy3Gc/s320/IMG_9237.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484855456984334722" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">"Save the scope," was the most often heard comment. I guess clothes and skin are cheaper to repair or replace.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />Even trip leaders are not spared the ordeal of climbing over, under, or through barbed wire fences. Here, Julie and Paulette "open the gate" for Bill.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4dWWDy6GI/AAAAAAAAJEc/ondzFZ_642c/s1600/IMG_9264.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4dWWDy6GI/AAAAAAAAJEc/ondzFZ_642c/s320/IMG_9264.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484853665899669602" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Once across the fence line, you find yourself outstanding in your field,</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4jEDA9QDI/AAAAAAAAJF0/vEmFQ5IXWqw/s1600/IMG_8908.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4jEDA9QDI/AAAAAAAAJF0/vEmFQ5IXWqw/s320/IMG_8908.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484859948619612210" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">birding away, </span><span style="font-family:verdana;">joined by the occasional nosy neighbors.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4hxzx9cSI/AAAAAAAAJFs/A9SFTGNiP9g/s1600/IMG_8976.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4hxzx9cSI/AAAAAAAAJFs/A9SFTGNiP9g/s320/IMG_8976.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484858535780905250" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Just remember, when the birding's done, you still have to cross that fence to get back home.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4jFIoU6gI/AAAAAAAAJF8/pap1QN52q2Y/s1600/IMG_9000.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4jFIoU6gI/AAAAAAAAJF8/pap1QN52q2Y/s320/IMG_9000.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484859967306787330" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Not all North Dakota birding involves hazardous fence crossings. Sometimes, you hike a half mile or so along a lake, buffeted by wind and rain.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4huySFjsI/AAAAAAAAJFM/Kbx6nLK9MsE/s1600/IMG_8704.JPG"><br /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4hwIpPMOI/AAAAAAAAJFU/RtPEX7Adm-g/s1600/IMG_8705.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4hwIpPMOI/AAAAAAAAJFU/RtPEX7Adm-g/s320/IMG_8705.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484858507021725922" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4hwSueMvI/AAAAAAAAJFc/PTFjOqZGzmg/s1600/IMG_8712.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4hwSueMvI/AAAAAAAAJFc/PTFjOqZGzmg/s320/IMG_8712.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484858509728035570" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Or, you simply stop your vehicle in the middle of the road, and enjoy the view.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4e9xQJrRI/AAAAAAAAJEs/3_KMfYqBEiU/s1600/IMG_8773.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4e9xQJrRI/AAAAAAAAJEs/3_KMfYqBEiU/s320/IMG_8773.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484855442725776658" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4dW4SJPHI/AAAAAAAAJEk/WkOWPN42QsY/s1600/IMG_9256.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4dW4SJPHI/AAAAAAAAJEk/WkOWPN42QsY/s320/IMG_9256.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484853675086658674" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Just watch out for "rush hour."</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4lssKpGxI/AAAAAAAAJGM/9C5eqATpUrw/s1600/IMG_8977.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4lssKpGxI/AAAAAAAAJGM/9C5eqATpUrw/s320/IMG_8977.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484862845884111634" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">One of the funniest sights on the prairie are the street signs, a consequence of the 9-1-1 system. All the roads had to be named, so in a nod toward efficiency, we have a network of "streets" and "avenues."</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4oimEowvI/AAAAAAAAJHE/yyCGGUXhyig/s1600/IMG_9240.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4oimEowvI/AAAAAAAAJHE/yyCGGUXhyig/s320/IMG_9240.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484865970984502002" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Shouldn't there be a delicatessen, a Chinese restaurant, or a bodega at 22nd St and 22nd Ave?<br /><br />Some of the day's best birding was here, at the intersection of 44th St and 31st Ave.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4luZggnkI/AAAAAAAAJGk/YJjqstukE88/s1600/IMG_9207.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4luZggnkI/AAAAAAAAJGk/YJjqstukE88/s320/IMG_9207.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484862875235294786" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4luwHsmvI/AAAAAAAAJGs/ya7xzco7KWI/s1600/IMG_9208.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4luwHsmvI/AAAAAAAAJGs/ya7xzco7KWI/s320/IMG_9208.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484862881305238258" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4ltrBQjqI/AAAAAAAAJGc/77WBNdFe0Ks/s1600/IMG_9206.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4ltrBQjqI/AAAAAAAAJGc/77WBNdFe0Ks/s320/IMG_9206.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484862862756187810" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">And here it was at 42nd St and 32nd Ave. that I had two life-altering experiences. Not only did I see my first ever Clark's Grebe, but also it was here that I became "Prairie Woman."</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4ohCIlzKI/AAAAAAAAJG0/6YC-GhhJoo8/s1600/IMG_9213.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4ohCIlzKI/AAAAAAAAJG0/6YC-GhhJoo8/s320/IMG_9213.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484865944157539490" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4ohyl177I/AAAAAAAAJG8/ZJDY4KD_EAg/s1600/IMG_9214.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4ohyl177I/AAAAAAAAJG8/ZJDY4KD_EAg/s320/IMG_9214.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484865957165133746" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />Next up: Little homes on the prairie<br /></span>Kathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186814675058675885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439217614964375870.post-65853214154602841972010-06-20T08:50:00.015-04:002010-06-20T09:48:50.253-04:00The Great Plains<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4PjsLaI2I/AAAAAAAAJCk/kH7RGojKRT0/s1600/IMG_8682.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4PjsLaI2I/AAAAAAAAJCk/kH7RGojKRT0/s320/IMG_8682.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484838502012691298" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">You read about it in school, but until you have visited there, you cannot possible have any concept of the vast emptiness of the prairies of North Dakota. </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4PkaEBubI/AAAAAAAAJCs/kYLPZaKuloQ/s1600/IMG_8696.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4PkaEBubI/AAAAAAAAJCs/kYLPZaKuloQ/s320/IMG_8696.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484838514329762226" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">As far as you can see, there is nothing but grass and sky and water,</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4U8URjwLI/AAAAAAAAJD0/UskW0g4yKjk/s1600/IMG_9205.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4U8URjwLI/AAAAAAAAJD0/UskW0g4yKjk/s320/IMG_9205.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484844422650904754" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">broken only by barbed wire fencing </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4PmJ2D_5I/AAAAAAAAJDE/tP3yWftS9HU/s1600/IMG_8988.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4PmJ2D_5I/AAAAAAAAJDE/tP3yWftS9HU/s320/IMG_8988.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484838544335962002" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">beef cattle,</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4SonzYJiI/AAAAAAAAJDk/57IBGfeHuz0/s1600/IMG_9277.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4SonzYJiI/AAAAAAAAJDk/57IBGfeHuz0/s320/IMG_9277.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484841885272385058" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">and long, straight dirt roads that reach to the horizon.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4Q3lMvfGI/AAAAAAAAJDM/FdqE44PRGZg/s1600/IMG_9268.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4Q3lMvfGI/AAAAAAAAJDM/FdqE44PRGZg/s320/IMG_9268.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484839943248247906" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Other than the native cottonwoods that line meandering creek beds, the only places where there are trees are where people have built houses. </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4SpeYdqwI/AAAAAAAAJDs/TA2cbwxQejA/s1600/IMG_8996.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4SpeYdqwI/AAAAAAAAJDs/TA2cbwxQejA/s320/IMG_8996.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484841899923450626" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Even when the people and their buildings are gone, groves of trees and ancient lilac bushes mark the sites of forgotten homesteads.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Thursday, June 10, was my first full day of the <a href="http://www.birdingdrives.com/POTHOLESPRAIRIES.html">Potholes and Prairies</a> birding festival, and it didn't start out well. We left the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Chieftain</span> hotel before dawn, and as the sun rose, the skies remained gray and full of clouds, heavy with the pending rain. At our first stop, icy cold raindrops pelleted my face, blown sideways by the ever present wind. Not an auspice beginning.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4PlikVKlI/AAAAAAAAJC8/lBdW2En8Uxg/s1600/IMG_8706.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4PlikVKlI/AAAAAAAAJC8/lBdW2En8Uxg/s320/IMG_8706.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484838533792606802" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Between my spectacles, my binoculars, and my spotting scope, every piece of glass I owned was wet. Getting back in the vehicle and drying off didn't help, as condensation promptly fogged over everything. I didn't even bother to open my camera bag till late morning.<br /><br />By then, we were well on our way to double-digit Life Birds, having seen most of the "specialty birds" that were the focus of our day - Baird's, LeConte's, and Nelson's Sparrows, Chestnut-collared Longspur, and Sprague's Pipit, to name just a few.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4XNe9E5VI/AAAAAAAAJD8/KdIWeBuuLQ8/s1600/IMG_8713.JPG"><br /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4XNe9E5VI/AAAAAAAAJD8/KdIWeBuuLQ8/s1600/IMG_8713.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4XNe9E5VI/AAAAAAAAJD8/KdIWeBuuLQ8/s320/IMG_8713.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484846916598818130" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Here we are at some lake (I never did learn its name) looking for Piping Plovers, one of the few misses we had on our excursion with Dr. Bob Anderson. I think I ended up with 78 species that day, and 16 Lifers. But, we worked for every bird, as you can see, and our 4pm planned return to comforts of our hotel rooms stretched to 5:30. Whew!! Over 12 hours of birding in wet, cold, windy weather. Don't believe it if someone tells you birding is for wimps.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4XON-v89I/AAAAAAAAJEE/0ZqirfEEYgA/s1600/IMG_8708.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4XON-v89I/AAAAAAAAJEE/0ZqirfEEYgA/s320/IMG_8708.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484846929222300626" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">The next two days were slightly better, weather-wise, but the skies were still gray. Fortunately, into every trip, some sun must fall, and by Sunday, the weather took a 180 degree turn for the better. I was almost glad the first part of the trip was cloudy, since it made these vistas so much more dramatic.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4Pko5xCGI/AAAAAAAAJC0/OLIUJCr_oTo/s1600/IMG_9295.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4Pko5xCGI/AAAAAAAAJC0/OLIUJCr_oTo/s320/IMG_9295.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484838518313257058" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Who said Zick always brings rain to a birding festival? She and BT3 led us on the best day, and helped me bag my last three Life Birds, including those elusive Piping Plovers.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4Q4nt-CWI/AAAAAAAAJDU/_FI94Jx3EWE/s1600/IMG_9241.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4Q4nt-CWI/AAAAAAAAJDU/_FI94Jx3EWE/s320/IMG_9241.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484839961104353634" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">"The Road goes ever on and on<br /> Down from the door where it began.<br />Now far ahead the Road has gone,<br /> And I must follow, if I can,<br />Pursuing it with weary feet,<br /> Until it joins some larger way,<br />Where many paths and errands meet.<br /> And whither then? I cannot say."<br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Frodo Baggins (JRR Tolkien)</span><br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Next post: Birding the Prairie</span><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4Q5CESj7I/AAAAAAAAJDc/YltzTRwKZho/s1600/IMG_9211.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TB4Q5CESj7I/AAAAAAAAJDc/YltzTRwKZho/s320/IMG_9211.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484839968177295282" border="0" /></a>Kathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186814675058675885noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439217614964375870.post-64661194753948250072010-05-31T10:23:00.005-04:002010-05-31T10:48:36.074-04:00The one in which we break down<span style="font-family:verdana;">After working a 6-day week, I was looking forward to a relaxing holiday weekend. Perhaps a visit to the winery, followed by some light gardening, and of course, traditional Memorial Day weekend food - burgers, macaroni salad, and frozen Margaritas.<br /><br />I stopped at the grocery store after work, then picked up Panda, who had spent Saturday morning with her grandma. On the way home, I bought a flat of annual flowers, then filled the car with gas. Before I headed back to the country, I thought I might treat myself to a Frosty at Wendy's. While in the drive-thru line, I suddenly noticed clouds of steam rolling out from under the hood of the car.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TAPHODNnRvI/AAAAAAAAJCI/Dj58jTfuw78/s1600/IMG_2136.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TAPHODNnRvI/AAAAAAAAJCI/Dj58jTfuw78/s320/IMG_2136.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477440616007157490" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">That maroon red Saturn, the one with the hood up ... That's mine, dead in the Wendy's parking lot. It wasn't until <span style="font-style: italic;">after</span> I saw the steam that the warning light on the control panel lit up. Yeah, I <span style="font-style: italic;">know</span> the car's overheating. Thanks for the notice.<br /><br />Although I was more than a little stressed about my car, I was freaking out about my puppy. She had already complained about the heat when we shopped for flowers, and I didn't think the car's a/c was functioning as well as it should be. (That makes sense now, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">after the fact.)<br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TAPHn1uw_OI/AAAAAAAAJCY/jcC23uvh670/s1600/IMG_2134.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TAPHn1uw_OI/AAAAAAAAJCY/jcC23uvh670/s320/IMG_2134.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477441059064708322" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">Sitting for a few minutes in a hot car, even with all the windows wide open, Panda was panting excessively. I was slightly hysterical. I remembered this little factoid:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">"A closed car, even with the windows partially opened, reaches 102 degrees in 10 minutes at air temperatures of 85 degrees or more. The temperature will reach 120 degrees in 30 minutes."</span><br /><br />After calling AAA and getting a 30-45 minute wait time for a tow, I walked up to the drive-thru window and asked the Wendy's employees for a cup of ice water. I found the only patch of shade in their parking lot, under a bush. It was enough for Panda, if not for me.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TAPHNRq40rI/AAAAAAAAJCA/E2y3jh5tvBA/s1600/IMG_2135.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TAPHNRq40rI/AAAAAAAAJCA/E2y3jh5tvBA/s320/IMG_2135.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477440602708169394" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">We sat together, drinking water and cooling off as best we could, while waiting for help. Panda, thankfully, stopped panting and actually went to sleep.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TAPHOncVDgI/AAAAAAAAJCQ/BZys53g7U0w/s1600/IMG_2137.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/TAPHOncVDgI/AAAAAAAAJCQ/BZys53g7U0w/s320/IMG_2137.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477440625732554242" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">Finally, the tow truck came, I got my purse, my groceries, my flowers, my binoculars, and my puppy stuff out of the car. Panda slept in the cab of the tow truck (with its very powerful air conditioning) all the way to the repair shop, where my car is spending the weekend. We got a ride home (Thanks, Mom!) and I'm now hoping that the car repairs aren't too extreme.<br /><br />The take-home lessons: Never leave a dog alone in a car when it is this hot outside (mid to upper 80's) and always carry water and a pet bowl with you if you travel with your dogs. You never know when you might be stranded.</span>Kathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186814675058675885noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439217614964375870.post-86069047059146069842010-05-19T08:03:00.003-04:002010-05-19T08:13:42.269-04:00Panda in Action<span style="font-family: verdana;">I tried to get some video of Panda running around the yard. She looks like a little rabbit. These short clips aren't the greatest, but they will have to do until I can make a better movie.<br /><br />In them, you can hear my Purple Martins "chortling" in the background.<br /><br />The second one is incredibly blurry, but you can get a sense of her speed and energy. (Please ignoring the peeing at the end.)<br /></span><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxHDLkJazS1sRzz-ZsBN7FtMPfZpde2yNzM7k3im8NJ5tMWaI3yJgf87MQ-mzJr_e4hegEjRa29dVOLEyeB6Q' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyegfx3-wH05umhtRBhkr8EXLuapulbcv_NbV6FJc8CxHB_FClRc1UYfO3jH7Syhv19oq9sd7bFubQmamHiDA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">(I hope this works.)</span>Kathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186814675058675885noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439217614964375870.post-45857833207853683612010-05-16T07:27:00.011-04:002010-05-16T08:06:09.006-04:00How does one get more blog hits?<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-_W0ZlRQ7I/AAAAAAAAI-w/CCJGrTJzfsk/s1600/IMG_8573.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-_W0ZlRQ7I/AAAAAAAAI-w/CCJGrTJzfsk/s400/IMG_8573.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471828267987190706" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Feature a Boston Terrier puppy!</span><br /></div><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />Faithful readers will know that I have been waiting (im)patiently for 7 weeks for my new puppy, Panda. Yesterday, I finally got her. After a 4.5 hr trip east, I arrived at Indigo Hill to find that Jane was delayed in the mountains of West Virginia, when a short cut from PA went awry.<br /><br />I filled in the time eating a lovely lunch, featuring Boston Terrier meatloaf (No, no! <span style="font-weight: bold;">SHAPED</span> like a BT, not <span style="font-weight: bold;">MADE OF</span> one!!) and a salad with homegrown lettuce, watching Zick garden, peeking in on baby Carolina wrens, and discussing Things We Believe In with Liam. (For the record, Bigfoot - Yes. Loch Ness monster - Yes. Ghosts - Yes. UFOs/aliens - We're not sure.)<br /><br />I also supervised the play between Holly and Chet Baker, whose nose was a little bent out of shape that his buddy KatDoc actually had a dog of her own and did not need his constant attention.<br /><br />But mostly, I sat under a tree, facing the driveway, pretending to bird when in fact I was listening for the sound of tires scrunching up the gravel drive.<br /><br />Finally, finally, they arrived! Let the fun begin!<br /><br />I know you're not here for words, you only want the pictures. Here you go!<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-_bVXZndfI/AAAAAAAAI_Y/mPOsznnCvBA/s1600/IMG_8558.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-_bVXZndfI/AAAAAAAAI_Y/mPOsznnCvBA/s320/IMG_8558.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471833232383636978" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Phoebe, Liam and Panda = love all around</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-_bV1bcN4I/AAAAAAAAI_g/ESiXIUBMT-M/s1600/IMG_8564.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-_bV1bcN4I/AAAAAAAAI_g/ESiXIUBMT-M/s320/IMG_8564.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471833240444352386" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">Chet herding Panda</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-_bWjr_6rI/AAAAAAAAI_o/IXLkULmp-Qg/s1600/IMG_8603.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-_bWjr_6rI/AAAAAAAAI_o/IXLkULmp-Qg/s320/IMG_8603.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471833252861831858" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">Panda discovers Holly's tail</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-_eO4CwYDI/AAAAAAAAJAo/Q9eS_Pkbz6o/s1600/IMG_8587.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-_eO4CwYDI/AAAAAAAAJAo/Q9eS_Pkbz6o/s320/IMG_8587.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471836419421921330" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-_eOSu0CbI/AAAAAAAAJAg/sFVy7h4EwDI/s1600/IMG_8586.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-_eOSu0CbI/AAAAAAAAJAg/sFVy7h4EwDI/s320/IMG_8586.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471836409406163378" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-_eN8Sm5VI/AAAAAAAAJAY/-bpp9ESgEM8/s1600/IMG_8585.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-_eN8Sm5VI/AAAAAAAAJAY/-bpp9ESgEM8/s320/IMG_8585.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471836403382281554" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">What a great toy!</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-_ePXCWbmI/AAAAAAAAJAw/XLtpBWpVMe4/s1600/IMG_8609.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-_ePXCWbmI/AAAAAAAAJAw/XLtpBWpVMe4/s320/IMG_8609.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471836427741720162" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">Jane and Panda</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-_Ypui962I/AAAAAAAAI_Q/qPiShT9ADx4/s1600/Jane+and+Panda+1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 313px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-_Ypui962I/AAAAAAAAI_Q/qPiShT9ADx4/s320/Jane+and+Panda+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471830283659373410" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">Jane, Panda and Chet</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-_YpDcircI/AAAAAAAAI_I/jg6rNLM1L00/s1600/Jane+and+Panda+and+Chet.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 246px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-_YpDcircI/AAAAAAAAI_I/jg6rNLM1L00/s320/Jane+and+Panda+and+Chet.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471830272089697730" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">For the record, I am not letting her chew my showstring</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-_Yoj7FSqI/AAAAAAAAI_A/UyV6afxMsT8/s1600/Misbehavin%27.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-_Yoj7FSqI/AAAAAAAAI_A/UyV6afxMsT8/s320/Misbehavin%27.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471830263627860642" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-_YoAt1EvI/AAAAAAAAI-4/XGN8yo5dSw8/s1600/Mischief.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-_YoAt1EvI/AAAAAAAAI-4/XGN8yo5dSw8/s320/Mischief.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471830254177030898" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">Who, me? Chewing shoestrings?</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-_cr41_L9I/AAAAAAAAI_w/FFu6QVIbsUE/s1600/Innocent.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-_cr41_L9I/AAAAAAAAI_w/FFu6QVIbsUE/s320/Innocent.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471834718829752274" border="0" /><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">One very tired puppy</span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-_ctKulX2I/AAAAAAAAJAI/zExuhWO4zFQ/s1600/Tired+puppy.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 297px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-_ctKulX2I/AAAAAAAAJAI/zExuhWO4zFQ/s320/Tired+puppy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471834740810407778" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Buh-bye, for now</span></span><br /></div>Kathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186814675058675885noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439217614964375870.post-22969631235097750552010-05-14T22:10:00.001-04:002010-05-14T22:21:38.056-04:00Magee Report, 2010<span style="font-family:verdana;">A quick report from the field: Magee Marsh, Ottawa NWR and Metzger Marsh, May 11-13. The weather conspired against me during my 2 1/2 days of birding the "Warbler Capital of the World" and the <a href="http://biggestweekinamericanbirding.com/default.htm">Biggest Week in American Birding</a>. It was cold, gray, wet, and rather miserable. Let's just say, I have had better trips here. However, a bad day at Magee is better than a good day just about anywhere else in the world, so I'm still satisfied.<br /><br />I ended up with a Trip List of 99 species, 19 of them warblers. I missed the Kirtland's Warbler by 1.5 days, the Mourning Warbler, the Golden-winged Warbler, and the Black-billed Cuckoo by hours, the Canada Warbler by minutes, and numerous other birds that should have been easy for numerous other reasons.<br /><br />I missed getting my life Orange-crowned Warbler twice. A guy on the board walk told me he was "90% sure" that the tiny, backlit bird way, way high in the tree tops was an Orange-crowned. My own personal rule for Life Birds requires that I see the bird well enough to be able to ID it again in the future. I couldn't do it, so I didn't count it. Two days later, I saw a small, drab warbler working the edge of the parking lot, and thought I had an Orange-crowned. I studied it carefully, looking for every possible field mark. I narrowed it down to two species, and talked to Kim Kaufman in the BSBO office to help me confirm or deny my ID. I thought I had it, but on further review, I have decided I didn't seen the undertail coverts well enough to determine their color, and the rest of the field markings and behavior have made me conclude I had a female Tennessee instead.<br /><br />I did pad my trip list a bit by counting two birds seen only "in-hand" at the banding demonstration put on by <a href="http://bsbo.org/">Black Swamp Bird Observatory</a>. </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-3oShpCtwI/AAAAAAAAI-I/J9kNV0UmfTM/s1600/IMG_8478.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-3oShpCtwI/AAAAAAAAI-I/J9kNV0UmfTM/s320/IMG_8478.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471284527290824450" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">The tent set up just outside the BSBO building was crowded with observers, and I only stayed a few minutes. I picked up photos of this Northern Waterthrush, held by Kim Kaufman</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-3oTa0t69I/AAAAAAAAI-Y/qeo_jaNICtk/s1600/IMG_8520.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-3oTa0t69I/AAAAAAAAI-Y/qeo_jaNICtk/s320/IMG_8520.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471284542640614354" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">and this Black-capped Chickadee held by Mark Shieldcastle. I was trying to show its field marks, including the white frosting on the wings. Bill Thompson, III calls that mark a "hockey stick," and I can never see in the field. I prefer to use the smudgy edges of its bib, compared to the clean lines of a Carolina, but that photo was unusable.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-3oSzPxReI/AAAAAAAAI-Q/EUZBuorABEk/s1600/IMG_8499.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-3oSzPxReI/AAAAAAAAI-Q/EUZBuorABEk/s320/IMG_8499.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471284532016661986" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">I got a decent shot of a male Baltimore Oriole along the causeway at Metzger Marsh, but the female flew before I could bag her. I took very few pictures on this trip. It rained most of the time, and when it wasn't raining, the light was terrible.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-3oSBYVmeI/AAAAAAAAI-A/x-KjInahDgk/s1600/BAOR.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 285px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-3oSBYVmeI/AAAAAAAAI-A/x-KjInahDgk/s320/BAOR.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471284518630824418" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">My favorite photo was of these Barn Swallows, who were assessing the housing potential of the sign on the door at the Bird Center at Magee Marsh. This door opens and closes every couple of minutes all day long in spring, and I imagined the conversation went something like this:</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-3p78fvt6I/AAAAAAAAI-g/XqQ9pjj7hzs/s1600/BASW.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 306px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-3p78fvt6I/AAAAAAAAI-g/XqQ9pjj7hzs/s320/BASW.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471286338385852322" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">male: "Honey? What about here? This looks like a good spot."<br />female: "No, I told you over and over again. There is too much traffic here."<br />male: (mutters under his breath)<br />female: "What? I heard that. What did you say?"<br />male: "I said, 'Yes, dear.'"<br />female: (flying off) "My mother was right about you."<br /><br />My complete trip list:<br /><br />Canada Goose<br />Trumpeter Swan<br />Wood Duck<br />Gadwall<br />Mallard<br />Blue-winged Teal<br />Bufflehead<br />Ruddy Duck<br />Ring-necked Pheasant<br />Pied-billed Grebe<br />Double-crested Cormorant<br />Great Blue Heron<br />Great Egret<br />Black-crowned Night-Heron<br />Turkey Vulture<br />Osprey<br />Bald Eagle<br />Cooper's Hawk<br />Red-tailed Hawk<br />American Kestrel<br />Sora (HO=heard only)<br />Common Moorhen<br />American Coot<br />Killdeer<br />Spotted Sandpiper<br />Solitary Sandpiper<br />Greater Yellowlegs<br />Lesser Yellowlegs<br />Least Sandpiper<br />Dunlin<br />American Woodcock (doing his "sky dance")<br />Ring-billed Gull<br />Herring Gull<br />Black Tern<br />Forster's Tern<br />Mourning DOve<br />Chimney Swift<br />Ruby-throated Hummingbird<br />Red-bellied Woodpecker<br />Downy Woodpecker<br />Least Flycatcher<br />Eastern Phoebe (HO)<br />Eastern Kingbird<br />Warbling Vireo<br />Red-eyed Vireo<br />Blue Jay<br />American Crow<br />Horned Lark (HO)<br />Purple Martin<br />Tree Swallow<br />Barn Swallow<br />Bank Swallow<br />Black-capped Chickadee<br />House Wren<br />Ruby-crowned Kinglet<br />Veery<br />Gray-cheeked Thrush<br />Wood Thrush (HO)<br />American Robin<br />Gray Catbird<br />Brown Thrasher<br />European Starling<br />[warblers]<br />Tennessee (female)<br />Northern Parula<br />Yellow<br />Chestnut-sided<br />Magnolia<br />Cape May<br />Black-throated Blue<br />Yellow-rumped<br />Black-throated Green<br />Blackburnian<br />Palm (female)<br />Bay-breasted<br />Blackpoll (female)<br />Black-and-white<br />American Redstart<br />Prothonotary (pair at nest cavity)<br />Ovenbird<br />Northern Waterthrush<br />Common Yellowthroat<br />[19 total warblers]<br />Eastern Towhee (HO)<br />Chipping Sparrow<br />Song Sparrow<br />White-throaed Sparrow<br />White-crowned Sparrow<br />Northern Cardinal<br />Rose-breasted Grosbeak (3 M/2 F at one feeder)<br />Indigo Bunting<br />Bobolink (!)<br />Red-winged Blackbird<br />Eastern Meadowlark<br />Yellow-headed Blackbird (female; 1st Ohio)<br />Common Grackle<br />Brown-headed Cowbird<br />Baltimore Oriole<br />House Finch<br />American Goldfinch<br />House Sparrow<br /><br />total 99 species<br /><br />I also saw lots of birders, including both old friends and new. I had a lot of fun meeting and birding with Alan Davies, a professional bird guide from Wales (they call birding "twitching" over there, you know) and hearing his stories. He and his wife took a year off work to travel and bird the world, in an attempt to break the record for the number of species seen in a calender year. The previous record was 3662; Alan and his wife, Ruth Miller, beat that on Oct. 31, 2008. Their final total was 4341! You can read about "The Biggest Twitch" <a href="http://thebiggesttwitch.com/">here</a>.<br /><br />My 100th bird of the trip was a Life Bird, and it was well worth the two hour detour from NW Ohio to Columbia Station Reservation in Lorain County, just west of Cleveland. This was it, a Purple Gallinule, a tropical/subtropical bird that has no business being in northern Ohio. This one has been hanging around a Metropark for a couple of weeks, and it became my own personal "twitch" to chase down this vagrant.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-34z1zMhRI/AAAAAAAAI-o/r2TpSlSFNgE/s1600/PUGA.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 288px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-34z1zMhRI/AAAAAAAAI-o/r2TpSlSFNgE/s400/PUGA.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471302691823846674" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">Can you find the bird in this mess of spatterdock?<br />Well, I did, and it was great!<br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />Those of you who read my blog for my (occasional) bird posts are going to be a bit disappointed. I get my new puppy tomorrow, a 10 week old female Boston Terrier named "Panda," and I predict the blog will be filled with puppy stories for quite a while.</span><span style="font-family:verdana;"> I'll try not to gush too much or grouse too often, and I'll try to mix up puppy tales with pottery and nature, too.<br /></span>Kathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186814675058675885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439217614964375870.post-6851295245329981122010-05-13T08:00:00.002-04:002010-05-13T08:00:11.564-04:00But, did you see birds?<span style="font-family:verdana;">Right about now, I can hear my birding friends saying, "Enough, already, with the tram ride and the boat ride and even the river. Didn't you take any bird photos while you were in the New River Gorge area?"<br /><br />Here you are - the best of my bird pictures from last week:<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9w_BN3trqI/AAAAAAAAI1E/fbTCBNCk3TE/s1600/AMRO.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 328px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9w_BN3trqI/AAAAAAAAI1E/fbTCBNCk3TE/s400/AMRO.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466313337856700066" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Don't laugh and say, "It's just a robin." Good birders look at all the birds, even the common backyard ones. Nascent photographers like me appreciate robins because they are big enough, close enough, and patient enough to allow one to fiddle with the camera settings. This is my first bird portrait after attending Wil's 2 hour photography class, in Manual mode. Imagine what I could accomplish if I took one of his <a href="http://www.natureimagesandsounds.com/workshops/index.html">weekend workshops</a>!<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Studies in black, white, and shades of gray:</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9w_CYNrPlI/AAAAAAAAI1U/Cg5scVvy7pc/s1600/CACH.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 327px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9w_CYNrPlI/AAAAAAAAI1U/Cg5scVvy7pc/s400/CACH.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466313357813038674" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Carolina Chickadee</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9w_eNIH0PI/AAAAAAAAI1s/BIof_qS2ioU/s1600/WBNut.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 251px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9w_eNIH0PI/AAAAAAAAI1s/BIof_qS2ioU/s400/WBNut.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466313835873292530" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">White-breasted Nuthatch</span><br /></div><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">You all know whose hand this is.</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9w_ew9fxGI/AAAAAAAAI18/DuV1tQ7cKJc/s1600/RTHU.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 357px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9w_ew9fxGI/AAAAAAAAI18/DuV1tQ7cKJc/s400/RTHU.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466313845492401250" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Ruby-throated Hummingbird</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">For my friend Lynne of <a href="http://hastybrook.blogspot.com/">Hasty Brook</a>:</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9w_elPQPCI/AAAAAAAAI10/YznbU64SR0w/s1600/TV.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 327px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9w_elPQPCI/AAAAAAAAI10/YznbU64SR0w/s400/TV.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466313842345655330" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Turkey Vulture</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">an elusive singer, hiding in the bushes at Meadows House</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9w_d3RBkZI/AAAAAAAAI1k/YnBkEhmrd_I/s1600/CAWR.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 395px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9w_d3RBkZI/AAAAAAAAI1k/YnBkEhmrd_I/s400/CAWR.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466313830005051794" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Carolina Wren</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">How to photograph a flitty little bird:</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Focus on the lichen-covered nest and wait.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9xC4gmGcvI/AAAAAAAAI2E/yonsg_R5_II/s1600/BGgnat_nest.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 383px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9xC4gmGcvI/AAAAAAAAI2E/yonsg_R5_II/s400/BGgnat_nest.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466317586310787826" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Set your camera on "continuous" mode and keep shooting.</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9w_CmospjI/AAAAAAAAI1c/EJfUYEquBCo/s1600/GBGnat+nest+2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 374px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9w_CmospjI/AAAAAAAAI1c/EJfUYEquBCo/s400/GBGnat+nest+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466313361684473394" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Sooner or later, you get lucky.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9w_BzBBEMI/AAAAAAAAI1M/l8OqxmO-2tU/s1600/BGgnat%26nest_a.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 340px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9w_BzBBEMI/AAAAAAAAI1M/l8OqxmO-2tU/s400/BGgnat%26nest_a.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466313347827830978" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Blue-gray Gnatcatcher</span><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9w_BN3trqI/AAAAAAAAI1E/fbTCBNCk3TE/s1600/AMRO.jpg"><br /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">At a bird banding, don't blink</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9xC4xKpboI/AAAAAAAAI2M/Z_WF_5_-syQ/s1600/Blink.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 318px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9xC4xKpboI/AAAAAAAAI2M/Z_WF_5_-syQ/s400/Blink.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466317590759042690" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">or you'll miss the moment of release.</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9xDWDVMvHI/AAAAAAAAI2U/V7KlUoxYcDE/s1600/IMG_8284.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9xDWDVMvHI/AAAAAAAAI2U/V7KlUoxYcDE/s400/IMG_8284.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466318093851343986" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Good-bye to spring birding in the New River valley.</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9xDWkajzFI/AAAAAAAAI2c/QhPNqPpP8g0/s1600/IMG_8285.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9xDWkajzFI/AAAAAAAAI2c/QhPNqPpP8g0/s400/IMG_8285.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466318102732196946" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">See you next year!</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />I'm already making plans for New River, 2011. Dates are May 2-7. Will you Flock with us?<br /></span>Kathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186814675058675885noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439217614964375870.post-14647026551208713892010-05-10T19:06:00.002-04:002010-05-10T19:06:00.441-04:00Birding by Butt, 2010<span style="font-family:verdana;">Wednesday was the "Birding by Butt" day at <a href="http://www.opossumcreek.com/">Opossum Creek</a> for the Elderhostel gang. (I will never get used to "Exploritas," a really stupid name change for this long-standing program, with a tradition that you are never too old to learn something new.) The schedule is pretty much the same as it is for the participants of the <a href="http://www.birding-wv.com/">New River Birding and Nature Festival</a> - breakfast and lunch by Wendy of <a href="http://www.cathedralcafe.com/">Cathedral Cafe</a>, casual bird and nature walks with <a href="http://jimmccormac.blogspot.com/">Jim McCormac</a>, and bird banding with <a href="http://www.hiltonpond.org/">Bill Hilton, Jr.</a><br /><br />Because the early morning temperatures hovered around freezing, Bill didn't open his mist nets, but instead set feeder traps to catch some birds for his demo. He checked them before calling us out to see him work; any female bird with a brood patch was released immediately, so she could get back to her job of incubating or brooding her young.<br /><br />The first bird Bill had was this chickadee, a Carolina, not a Black-capped, in case you weren't sure.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-dBZNcbr0I/AAAAAAAAI74/jXC3lD75abA/s1600/IMG_8264.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-dBZNcbr0I/AAAAAAAAI74/jXC3lD75abA/s320/IMG_8264.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469412173826207554" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">After working through the ID and demonstrating the technique of bird banding, our little guy was ready to go.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-dBZiAHqSI/AAAAAAAAI8A/yvleHm22rns/s1600/IMG_8271.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-dBZiAHqSI/AAAAAAAAI8A/yvleHm22rns/s320/IMG_8271.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469412179344599330" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-dGcGMzz_I/AAAAAAAAI84/-Cewg1f0qDY/s1600/IMG_8278.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-dGcGMzz_I/AAAAAAAAI84/-Cewg1f0qDY/s320/IMG_8278.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469417720979378162" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-dGcpt5MCI/AAAAAAAAI9A/S7_YS3YnGBs/s1600/IMG_8281.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-dGcpt5MCI/AAAAAAAAI9A/S7_YS3YnGBs/s320/IMG_8281.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469417730513383458" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">The next bird was a White-breasted Nuthatch. We knew he was a male because of his dark black cap (the female's is lighter in color), and also because Bill had already told us he let the females go. </span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-dCTYSKP0I/AAAAAAAAI8Y/jeDvY-3Y7zY/s1600/IMG_8296.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-dCTYSKP0I/AAAAAAAAI8Y/jeDvY-3Y7zY/s320/IMG_8296.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469413173168324418" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Bill turned him over to show us the rusty-brown undertail coverts. Why a bird who spends his life with his belly plastered up against a tree would have color markings where no one (presumably) would ever see them is one of the many mysteries of birds.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-dCUKZqj8I/AAAAAAAAI8g/9qUohPwUcUw/s1600/IMG_8301.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-dCUKZqj8I/AAAAAAAAI8g/9qUohPwUcUw/s320/IMG_8301.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469413186621575106" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">But, this guy had another surprise up his sleeve, so to speak. When Bill began examining him closely, he found the bird was already banded. I have been to a number of bird banding events, and I had not witnessed a recapture until now.<br /><br />This is what banders live for - a chance to catch a banded bird and track his band number, to find out who banded the bird and when and where. It tells us a lot about bird migration, life span, and so on.<br /><br />If you have attended one of Bill's banding demos, you may have noticed the anomaly in the picture below. The bird is banded on his right leg, and Bill always bands males on the left. Why? "Because females are always right," of course! Not all banders follow this protocol, giving us our first clue that this was not a bird Bill had banded.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-dCUsCbvwI/AAAAAAAAI8o/SP1Onkgall8/s1600/Banded.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 284px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-dCUsCbvwI/AAAAAAAAI8o/SP1Onkgall8/s320/Banded.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469413195650940674" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">In searching his Opossum Creek records, Bill learned that he had held this bird before, at the New River Festival in 2008. At that time, he discovered and reported the band and received this certificate, telling him that this bird was originally banded in 2005, right on Opossum Creek property, by the guy who used to give the demos for the festival.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-dCVG73HOI/AAAAAAAAI8w/E6VjIlm2DEc/s1600/IMG_8310.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-dCVG73HOI/AAAAAAAAI8w/E6VjIlm2DEc/s320/IMG_8310.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469413202871131362" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">This makes three times the bird was been caught and handled, in 2005, 2008, and 2010. Given that he was an adult bird in 2005, at least one year old, we know that he was hatched in 2004 (or earlier), is at least 6 years old, and lives at Opossum Creek. I think that's pretty neat! It also shows that the "stress" of being caught and handled must not have bothered him too much, or that he is a pretty forgiving character, since he keeps coming back for more.<br /><br />Despite the cold, we were there for the birds, so off we went to find them. A pair of Blue-gray Gnatcatchers were working on their nest, as they do every year. I wonder if Geoff pays them to build where we can watch.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-dMqN0K7KI/AAAAAAAAI9o/fO6kv9PKNfE/s1600/IMG_8239.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-dMqN0K7KI/AAAAAAAAI9o/fO6kv9PKNfE/s320/IMG_8239.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469424560611454114" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Scott Shalaway and fellow birders watching the gnatcatchers.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-dMpoywkhI/AAAAAAAAI9g/56B2xYAA9fY/s1600/IMG_8236.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-dMpoywkhI/AAAAAAAAI9g/56B2xYAA9fY/s320/IMG_8236.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469424550673420818" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">It may not look like Jim is birding, but his bat-like ears are at work, picking out bird song.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">We did get a few birds on our morning walks, including Northern Parula (too high in the tree tops for a photo) and Ovenbird (too skulky for pics,) so I settled for plant photographs.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Blue violets. If you want a specific ID, see Jim's informative and educational <a href="http://jimmccormac.blogspot.com/2010/05/feast-of-violets.html">post </a>on identifying violets. If I had to guess, I'd say Common Blue Violet, but don't quote me.</span><br /></div><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-dJUa-ntoI/AAAAAAAAI9I/opFbr3tPMhU/s1600/IMG_8368.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-dJUa-ntoI/AAAAAAAAI9I/opFbr3tPMhU/s320/IMG_8368.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469420887652939394" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Fern fiddle heads.</span></span><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-dJVMHlwaI/AAAAAAAAI9Q/6uy8qRYqeBU/s1600/IMG_8373.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-dJVMHlwaI/AAAAAAAAI9Q/6uy8qRYqeBU/s320/IMG_8373.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469420900843897250" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">And this gorgeous wild orchid, Showy Orchis, <span style="font-style: italic;">Galearis spectabilis</span>, growing in the ditch on the side of the gravel road, very nearly overlooked.</span><em></em><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-dJVg6Y9-I/AAAAAAAAI9Y/qPdJKUyDx-s/s1600/IMG_8393.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-dJVg6Y9-I/AAAAAAAAI9Y/qPdJKUyDx-s/s320/IMG_8393.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469420906425677794" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">The only trouble with my morning at Opossum Creek Resort was that it had to come to an end.</span>Kathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186814675058675885noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439217614964375870.post-72763382675081372082010-05-09T18:59:00.000-04:002010-05-09T19:03:45.383-04:00River front property<span style="font-family:verdana;">Back on the New River, riding a jet boat and <span style="font-style: italic;">NOT</span> seeing any birds, I found myself photographing some fishing shacks, nestled comfortably between the railroad tracks and the river.<br /><br />Privacy is guaranteed - no roads to attract annoying door-to-door salesmen or people passing out religious tracts. Since there is no electricity or running water, you won't be distracted by all the comforts of home. Nothing to do but fish and watch the river roll on by. (And, probably, drink a lot of beer.)<br /><br />Can I interest you in one of these?</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-c0pqo61vI/AAAAAAAAI7I/lAtiAHgOiQQ/s1600/IMG_8127.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-c0pqo61vI/AAAAAAAAI7I/lAtiAHgOiQQ/s320/IMG_8127.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469398162889955058" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-c0oSWT-WI/AAAAAAAAI64/SpFdJTmwucA/s1600/IMG_8172.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-c0oSWT-WI/AAAAAAAAI64/SpFdJTmwucA/s320/IMG_8172.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469398139189590370" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-c0qECWR8I/AAAAAAAAI7Q/3SqpziIR72A/s1600/IMG_8165.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-c0qECWR8I/AAAAAAAAI7Q/3SqpziIR72A/s320/IMG_8165.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469398169707497410" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-c0pNdgNOI/AAAAAAAAI7A/VH0mgA9_oug/s1600/IMG_8126.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-c0pNdgNOI/AAAAAAAAI7A/VH0mgA9_oug/s320/IMG_8126.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469398155057444066" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-c2HbvTlaI/AAAAAAAAI7o/DyHMSBmPMgM/s1600/IMG_8192.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-c2HbvTlaI/AAAAAAAAI7o/DyHMSBmPMgM/s320/IMG_8192.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469399773797914018" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">How about a fixer-upper, a handyman's special? No extra charge for the rock crushing the front porch or the weeds growing on top of the caved-up roof.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-c2GKVdGcI/AAAAAAAAI7Y/y-c2vi606C8/s1600/IMG_8191.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-c2GKVdGcI/AAAAAAAAI7Y/y-c2vi606C8/s320/IMG_8191.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469399751946213826" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-c2GpBW6OI/AAAAAAAAI7g/u8OsdnNRh4E/s1600/IMG_8185.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-c2GpBW6OI/AAAAAAAAI7g/u8OsdnNRh4E/s320/IMG_8185.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469399760183421154" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-c-96VjIZI/AAAAAAAAI7w/tHkev-OfYmM/s1600/IMG_8160.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S-c-96VjIZI/AAAAAAAAI7w/tHkev-OfYmM/s400/IMG_8160.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469409505817338258" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">I thought that's what you would say.</span><br /></div><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span>Kathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186814675058675885noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439217614964375870.post-76063530210728457542010-05-02T11:25:00.002-04:002010-05-02T11:34:10.032-04:00From mountain top to river valley<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S92RI2I0KTI/AAAAAAAAI5w/U7Vh0qgIvR0/s1600/New+River+from+Hawks+Nest.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S92RI2I0KTI/AAAAAAAAI5w/U7Vh0qgIvR0/s400/New+River+from+Hawks+Nest.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466685103855118642" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Off the back patio, behind the lodge at Hawks Nest State Park, is a terrific view of the New River valley. The average guest might be content to stand and stare. The courageous take a tram ride to the bottom.<br /><br />Here's one of the little four passenger tram cars.</span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9zMna0Rs3I/AAAAAAAAI3M/0iuFbIuqJW0/s1600/IMG_7939.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9zMna0Rs3I/AAAAAAAAI3M/0iuFbIuqJW0/s320/IMG_7939.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466469025306489714" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">[click to enlarge]</span></span><br /></div><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />Please note the lack of handles on the door. The operator pulls back on the latch, then inserts a large allen wrench into the hole where a handle once resided in order to let passengers on and off. Not an auspice beginning.<br /><br />Our park ranger assured us, "If it were dangerous, they'd make you sign a waiver."</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S92SjWfR6eI/AAAAAAAAI54/KN9bZhjd3ko/s1600/IMG_8087.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S92SjWfR6eI/AAAAAAAAI54/KN9bZhjd3ko/s320/IMG_8087.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466686658727504354" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Oh, that is reassuring to someone with a fear of heights!<br /><br />And here are the two sides of the station, where one boards a tram car and begins the descent.</span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9zMo-5Z_GI/AAAAAAAAI3c/2jXAYchHRag/s1600/IMG_7948.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9zMo-5Z_GI/AAAAAAAAI3c/2jXAYchHRag/s320/IMG_7948.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466469052171549794" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S92TgX5E8qI/AAAAAAAAI6A/Nn4UezGzPe0/s1600/IMG_7947.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S92TgX5E8qI/AAAAAAAAI6A/Nn4UezGzPe0/s320/IMG_7947.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466687707076162210" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9zMoDkn0qI/AAAAAAAAI3U/GRgVOcU1gE0/s1600/IMG_7942.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9zMoDkn0qI/AAAAAAAAI3U/GRgVOcU1gE0/s320/IMG_7942.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466469036246684322" border="0" /></a><br /></div><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">"</span></span><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">M</span></span><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">ama!"</span></span><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9zMpYA7dXI/AAAAAAAAI3k/6t3indTCBDw/s1600/IMG_8059.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9zMpYA7dXI/AAAAAAAAI3k/6t3indTCBDw/s320/IMG_8059.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466469058913990002" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9zTiuWkg0I/AAAAAAAAI4U/iDg5BHbf93I/s1600/IMG_8066.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9zTiuWkg0I/AAAAAAAAI4U/iDg5BHbf93I/s320/IMG_8066.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466476641232651074" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9zROydmpoI/AAAAAAAAI38/zLOCKI9O9H4/s1600/IMG_8067.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9zROydmpoI/AAAAAAAAI38/zLOCKI9O9H4/s320/IMG_8067.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466474099715253890" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9zRPZjUl6I/AAAAAAAAI4E/cFEECUmmxvo/s1600/IMG_8078.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9zRPZjUl6I/AAAAAAAAI4E/cFEECUmmxvo/s320/IMG_8078.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466474110208219042" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Safely at the bottom, here's the lower level station.</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9zMqe2OUWI/AAAAAAAAI3s/FmirpCvMghg/s1600/IMG_8098.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9zMqe2OUWI/AAAAAAAAI3s/FmirpCvMghg/s320/IMG_8098.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466469077928005986" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9zSjwCd5dI/AAAAAAAAI4M/jIiksIkY9qY/s1600/IMG_8217.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9zSjwCd5dI/AAAAAAAAI4M/jIiksIkY9qY/s320/IMG_8217.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466475559353443794" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9zROORlPVI/AAAAAAAAI30/n1-xdZAvubw/s1600/IMG_8209.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9zROORlPVI/AAAAAAAAI30/n1-xdZAvubw/s320/IMG_8209.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466474090001153362" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">and the huge gears that run the operation.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></div><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />At the dock, we are met by <a href="http://www.newriverjetboats.com/">Cap'n Ricky and his jet boat</a>, which has two speeds - "idle" and "go very fast!"</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9zXL9FOKNI/AAAAAAAAI4g/Zl1xhAtoztk/s1600/IMG_8103.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9zXL9FOKNI/AAAAAAAAI4g/Zl1xhAtoztk/s320/IMG_8103.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466480648095934674" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></span><span style="font-family:verdana;">Not the best day for a boat ride, the weather was cool and gray and cloudy, but we made the best of it. First a quick run downstream, to the dam, where I added Great Blue Heron and Wood Duck to my trip list.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9zMo-5Z_GI/AAAAAAAAI3c/2jXAYchHRag/s1600/IMG_7948.JPG"><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9zXMT0LsdI/AAAAAAAAI4o/UxK8K-ZXhTY/s1600/IMG_8109.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9zXMT0LsdI/AAAAAAAAI4o/UxK8K-ZXhTY/s320/IMG_8109.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466480654198485458" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Then, back up river, first running parallel with the railroad track, and the ubiquitous <span style="font-style: italic;">Paulownia</span> ("Princess trees"), an accidental import from China, if you believe the tales,</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9zRPZjUl6I/AAAAAAAAI4E/cFEECUmmxvo/s1600/IMG_8078.JPG"><br /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9zXNCfIgKI/AAAAAAAAI4w/NyrXu_ZgwC0/s1600/IMG_8113.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9zXNCfIgKI/AAAAAAAAI4w/NyrXu_ZgwC0/s320/IMG_8113.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466480666726662306" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">then under the train bridge, complete with coal train!</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9zXNuWsbXI/AAAAAAAAI44/W0beNAdqE2k/s1600/IMG_8116.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9zXNuWsbXI/AAAAAAAAI44/W0beNAdqE2k/s320/IMG_8116.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466480678502428018" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">This is my "Rainman" shot.</span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Our destination? A view of the famous New River Gorge bridge, from underneath.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S92Y0mZ7GwI/AAAAAAAAI6M/sK1NrYAgB28/s1600/IMG_8152.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S92Y0mZ7GwI/AAAAAAAAI6M/sK1NrYAgB28/s320/IMG_8152.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466693552127548162" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />We had to negotiate a few rapids, but no one fell out.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S92Y1Cu582I/AAAAAAAAI6U/Ah8TFyw5LvE/s1600/IMG_8141.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S92Y1Cu582I/AAAAAAAAI6U/Ah8TFyw5LvE/s320/IMG_8141.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466693559731745634" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"> Cap'n Ricky takes every precaution, since he "can't swim a lick nor a stroke." Reassuring to have a boat captain who says, "If you hear me scream and see me jump out, grab a life preserver and follow me." He insists he has never had an accident, "because I've seen the paperwork involved." The only birds I saw on this end of the river were two Spotted Sandpipers.<br /><br />Maybe that was because this is the captain's idea of a leisurely boat ride:<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S92Z8d3UtBI/AAAAAAAAI6c/rG8oXONviBA/s1600/IMG_8158.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S92Z8d3UtBI/AAAAAAAAI6c/rG8oXONviBA/s400/IMG_8158.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466694786785522706" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Next post: River front property - can I interest you in a holiday home?<br /></span></div></div>Kathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186814675058675885noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439217614964375870.post-86625110365729953002010-05-01T13:36:00.008-04:002010-05-01T16:15:36.322-04:00Eulogy<span style="font-family:verdana;">He has made the round trip flight from Ohio to Brazil and back at least twice. He may even have been born right here, on my little five acre piece of ground. Today, he died here, murdered in his bed by an alien interloper.<br /><br />Who was he? An adult male Purple Martin, technically called ASY for "After Second Year," a bird who was hatched in 2008 or earlier, who flew south 5000 miles or more when he was only a few weeks old and who returned from South America the following spring as an SY (Second Year) bird. Who may or may not have found and defended a nesting cavity, who may have mated and could even have produced young in his adolescence. A bird who repeated that 10,000 mile migration to return to his home this year as a fully adult male, ready to take his place in my colony and pass those magnificent genes on to another generation of martins.<br /><br />He won't be able to now. Caught unawares in his round-holed Super Gourd by a larger, heavier, and meaner bird, he didn't have a chance. His delicate bill, designed for swooping up insects in flight, and his aerodynamic body were no match for the </span><span style="font-family:verdana;"> dagger-like bill, stout body and </span><span style="font-family:verdana;">aggressive attitude</span><span style="font-family:verdana;"> of a European starling.<br /><br />Look away now if you don't want to see the carnage. I show it only to help others understand why I practice lethal control of starlings and house sparrows.<br /><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:180%;">#####</span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:180%;">#####</span></span></span><br /></div><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9xsRBgyaBI/AAAAAAAAI2k/ZNEtd2-j84I/s1600/IMG_8420.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9xsRBgyaBI/AAAAAAAAI2k/ZNEtd2-j84I/s320/IMG_8420.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466363087440472082" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9xsRp_ke5I/AAAAAAAAI2s/aIMXl82Jz0s/s1600/IMG_8422.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9xsRp_ke5I/AAAAAAAAI2s/aIMXl82Jz0s/s320/IMG_8422.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466363098307001234" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9xsSEEn4rI/AAAAAAAAI20/F-YR9CGDLN8/s1600/IMG_8425.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 297px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9xsSEEn4rI/AAAAAAAAI20/F-YR9CGDLN8/s320/IMG_8425.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466363105307517618" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Addendum: I got the SOB that killed my martin. Look at these side by side comparisons, and tell me if you think the Purple Martin on the right ever had a chance against the starling on the left.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9yLi3fcpcI/AAAAAAAAI28/RFLycOFxI3s/s1600/IMG_8426.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9yLi3fcpcI/AAAAAAAAI28/RFLycOFxI3s/s320/IMG_8426.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466397478848603586" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9yLjTP7PoI/AAAAAAAAI3E/7U7Dr7zCbwg/s1600/IMG_8428.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9yLjTP7PoI/AAAAAAAAI3E/7U7Dr7zCbwg/s320/IMG_8428.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466397486299692674" border="0" /></a>Kathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186814675058675885noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439217614964375870.post-66469259428064716092010-05-01T08:46:00.015-04:002010-05-01T10:19:19.286-04:00New River "Lite"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9wo7nETBQI/AAAAAAAAI0M/j5Jf5PXR2Ok/s1600/Bridge+1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9wo7nETBQI/AAAAAAAAI0M/j5Jf5PXR2Ok/s400/Bridge+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466289052285338882" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Like most of us these days, I bird on a budget. Between arranging time off work and financial considerations, I can only make one major out-of-state birding trip a year, plus a few short local excursions in Ohio. When I decided to attend the <a href="http://www.birdingdrives.com/POTHOLESPRAIRIES.html">"Potholes and Prairies"</a> event in North Dakota in June, I knew that meant I wouldn't be able to do the <a href="http://www.birding-wv.com/">New River Birding and Nature Festival</a> this year.<br /><br />The New River is a premier birding trip. Great food, wonderful people, and of course, fabulous birds and nature make central West Virginia a very special place to be in late April/early May. I was sorry to have to miss it in 2010, especially after the terrific time I had in '09.<br /><br />Then, Mom asked me to accompany her on an Exploritas (formerly Elderhostel) trip to West Virginia. Originally, we were scheduled for a program last October, planned around Bridge Day, the local celebration of the New River Gorge Bridge. That trip was canceled due to lack of interest, but Mom suggested we sign up for the April trip instead. The bonus? It was about birds, and would </span><span style="font-family:verdana;">be held at Hawks Nest State Park, in Ansted, </span><span style="font-family:verdana;">in my favorite part of West Virgina.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9wnVcjDQ8I/AAAAAAAAIzs/cN3_5_K_oNw/s1600/IMG_7931.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9wnVcjDQ8I/AAAAAAAAIzs/cN3_5_K_oNw/s320/IMG_7931.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466287297114883010" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9wnV0QQZCI/AAAAAAAAIz0/TK47qLnnDiQ/s1600/IMG_7932.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9wnV0QQZCI/AAAAAAAAIz0/TK47qLnnDiQ/s320/IMG_7932.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466287303478502434" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Staying any place in the mountains means steps. Lots and lots of steps. Sometimes, we had to go down the stairs in order to go up, or up the steps before going down.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9wq6XM7nJI/AAAAAAAAI0U/4YUpNHF3l6c/s1600/New+River+from+Hawks+Nest.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9wq6XM7nJI/AAAAAAAAI0U/4YUpNHF3l6c/s320/New+River+from+Hawks+Nest.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466291229869972626" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">The view from the back patio of the lodge at Hawks Nest.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:verdana;">When Mom got showed me the schedule, I realized that I knew everyone involved with</span><span style="font-family:verdana;"> the 3 day </span><span style="font-family:verdana;">birding</span><span style="font-family:verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family:verdana;">program - Dave and Lynn Pollard, Connie Toops, Jeff Gordon, Bill Hilton, Jr., and Wil Herschberger. "Wow!" I thought, "It's a mini-New River festival!" I jumped at the chance to go.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9wq76SEEGI/AAAAAAAAI0k/DjbDpZbehfE/s1600/Lynn+Pollard.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9wq76SEEGI/AAAAAAAAI0k/DjbDpZbehfE/s320/Lynn+Pollard.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466291256466608226" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Lynn points out the Black-and-white Warbler's </span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">squeaky wheel song. </span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">"Wheezy-wheezy-wheezy"</span><br /></div><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9wq7I3vBGI/AAAAAAAAI0c/wIET1gDR_xs/s1600/IMG_7952.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9wq7I3vBGI/AAAAAAAAI0c/wIET1gDR_xs/s320/IMG_7952.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466291243202839650" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Interested participants listen closely. </span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">That's Mom, in the black jacket, third from the right.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Exploritas site coordinator, Joan, is in the rear.</span><br /></div><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />I had never birded with Lynn before - she's a very good trip leader, and I had a fun morning. I take back every mean lawyer joke I ever told, Lynn!<br /><br />"Announcements, announcements, announcements!" No matter what you call the event, it wouldn't be birding in the New River corridor without Dave directing traffic. "We will divide into four groups..."</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9wsYNCBkXI/AAAAAAAAI0s/CKduJSxiFkc/s1600/Dave+Pollard.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9wsYNCBkXI/AAAAAAAAI0s/CKduJSxiFkc/s320/Dave+Pollard.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466292842047574386" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Dave Pollard organizing the boat and bird walk tour. At least he didn't say, "If you are coming from the south, from Oak Hill or Fayetteville, cross the bridge and take the first left onto the unmarked road ..."</span><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br />Wil gave a great talk on using our cameras for the best bird and nature photos. While I will never get to his level, at least I am no longer afraid of the "Manual" mode on my camera.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9wuCxFzBkI/AAAAAAAAI00/J3qkeo7I6uQ/s1600/Wil+Hershberger.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9wuCxFzBkI/AAAAAAAAI00/J3qkeo7I6uQ/s320/Wil+Hershberger.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466294672793208386" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Wil Hershberger helped us understand what all those buttons and dials are for.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:verdana;">Connie Toops (green jacket) leading our 6:30am bird walk.</span><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9wv_OZFsOI/AAAAAAAAI08/cm4oeyUJW8U/s1600/Connie+Toops.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9wv_OZFsOI/AAAAAAAAI08/cm4oeyUJW8U/s320/Connie+Toops.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466296810962530530" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Those of you who have done a walk with Connie know she is one of the best all-round naturalists there is, and a terrific person to boot. That's <a href="http://sites.google.com/site/scottshalaway/">Dr. Scott Shalaway</a> in the orange coat, helping us look for the elusive Scarlet Tanager, which remained one of my "heard onlys" on this trip.<br /><br />We had indoors talks and early morning bird walks, our own version of "Birding by Boat" with a jet boat tour of the river from the dam to the bridge, and of course, a "Birding by Butt" day at Opossum Creek Resort, featuring breakfast and lunch catered by Wendy of <a href="http://www.cathedralcafe.com/">Cathedral Cafe</a>, bird banding by Bill Hilton, Jr,. and nature walks guided by Jim McCormac. More on that in later posts. First, a couple of photos to prove to last year's New River Festival attendees that it doesn't ALWAYS rain here:<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9wnXI1rcvI/AAAAAAAAI0E/Peq9QidkT64/s1600/IMG_7935.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9wnXI1rcvI/AAAAAAAAI0E/Peq9QidkT64/s320/IMG_7935.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466287326184043250" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9wnWYu-qcI/AAAAAAAAIz8/ELI43fzi8bU/s1600/IMG_7938.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qmLOexsvi3I/S9wnWYu-qcI/AAAAAAAAIz8/ELI43fzi8bU/s320/IMG_7938.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466287313271040450" border="0" /></a>Kathihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186814675058675885noreply@blogger.com2