Stuff and Glossy Ibis, and a new enlightened attitude

Having messed around with life threatening strokes and now facing a salt free life style,as I look at this platter of freshly picked tomatoes, and a shaker of Mrs Sasquatch salt substitute SWMBO stuck in front of me. God those Tomatoes deserve a sprinkle of Kosher Salt not feed store bin dregs to enhance their flavour , with just one drop of real Malt vinegar, god just one drop, I promise never to touch salt ever again....
I decided that I would adopt a new attitude.
If I find a rare bird and I get a valid picture of it. I am simply going to photocopy the relevant page from whomevers book, staple it to the picture and mail it in to the rarities committee.
Why , you ask ?
Well the judgers of your record are all legends (in their own minds) of birding and continue to bolster their reputation by repackaging each others information. Especially with the current run around of pointless bathroom browsing picture books, sorry photo guides. They carefully dissect each others books and grab a bit here and a bit there and before you know it Jon Dunn has another book !I especially love the Birds of Western America/ Eastern America concept. Conveniently leaving out birds of confusion, so you have to buy both ! Why the Hell should I write any God damn description other than Photographed Blythe July 27. Attached you will find the published information this id was based on. If the bird does not match your description, then if you reject it,I suggest you modify your learned tome, to prevent reasonable folks from screwing up in the future.Lets start with the bottom pic first. Go to Page 65 of the Dunn driven nat geo Third edition. This pic was taken in late July 2006.I am calling this a 1st Fall Glossy Ibis. Or I want those pictures removed from that Jon Dunn meal ticket. Simple attempt to clean up "THE BOOKS" from "THOSE WHO KNOW" after all if they can not admit they are wrong how will we the peasents ever know? Remember they make their living based on our bucks and belief in their knowledge, skills and observations. KInda bird bible writers.
The top picture , simple logic.
Took that yesterday Friday, long , long range.
Now the one in the middle is different from the 2 others. Agreed ?
You know , red eyes , white face feathers and pink face above and below, as opposed to brown eye blue face and white skin lining making it to half way thru the eye in the middle.
Now a phone called revealed that none of the N Breeding Western Ibis have produced flying young, especially as the adults have in the majority have not got as far as their nesting grounds.Late May/June all plegadis are moulted into breeding plumage. Multiple sources. Even Wethersbys Birds of Britain, realised that.
So I now have 2 Glossy Ibii to add to the CA list.
This is going to be a hard sell
Absolutely NO NO NO migrants.
Have a fun weekend.roger et al

id problem , retirement and migrants

Your choice,can't afford to, none.

Hm,
kinda threadbare better toss in some filler. Sewage plant today. Tiny puddle of water. 40 plus BNStilts, they breed there.11 Killdeer same as above. 3 W Sands,5 leasts,1 spotted. 2 Wilsons, 1 Semi P Plover.. And 3 dowitchers. Made them fly 3 times until they left. Here they are. One is a Short Billed, One is Long Billed, Calls of both distinctly heard. and one is either. There are their pictures. Knock yourself out !!!
Land birds ? None NONE ABSOLUTELY NNNOOOONNNNEEEE.....aaaaaargh
Could some one toss me a BHGBeak. or lets bust out for a friggin Wilsons Warbler.
Absolutely the worst spring I have experienced any where. Hellishly frustrating. Just bloody, bleeding,.......... bloody, bloody bleeding NOTHING.
Retirement, went in to meet with the principal for my end of year review. With all thats happened the last year, and money problems for the school, I thought it was headed towards the Golden Handshake.
Not so Fast Kemosaby
The pleasent young fellow warned me "That he would be all over me with regards to my professionalism, and following the Mandated teach to the test regimen". I think we will be revisiting that issue several times in the new school year !!
So you are stuck with another years Blythe Observations.
The poor fellow will not last long though,later I was told he said I was an "asset". Do not e-mail me and tell me they misheard him !
The truth hurts

id Bird revealed ! And why G Bush must go

Black Tern.
I am sure you all got it.
Here's the next frame. Hand held, and gust of wind about knocked us both over !The next one is a fun one !
As a teacher, I find a mild and somewhat childish solace, in periodically saying . "Education in this country will be so much better, if they would drag George W out of the White House, and hang him "
I realise a lot of people kindly point out to the "senile old man" that "he is no longer the president". I do not mind their pre/perception of me one bit.I cannot hear the phrase "George W.Bush is no longer in office" enough. Another year of teaching wasted. CST /No Child left behind bull shit testing, will your school be open next year based on test scores,Comes down to a half stoned punk answering multiple guess questions formulated by some asshole who has never taught.
Mathematics 90 mins . Done in 15 minutes.Yes, all 85(?) questions. Asked why "Hate that b11ch any way, maybe they fire her ass". All done in 45 mins, One student showed me his sheet quite proudly .
In the bubble box he had carefully blocked in the answer boxes so that at an angle it quite clearly spelled out "NIGAH" . .
And my job will hang, on the skills of these fools.
Thanks George W, the sooner they get rid of him the happier I will be. roger

A/another ID test

Remember the last one harder than this one
Breeding plumage Eared Grebe.
I gave you enough damn clues, and a bit of lateral intuitive thinking , and photo pondering you should have nailed it.
Come on folks. It would not have been a bird far from my house in Blythe .
Had to be one I had photod recently.And had shewn
I do not go out just to take shitty pictures. It just appears that way
Now its a water bird.
Everyone with me so far ?
And it is going in not out
. Upwelling of lobed feet pattern.
Downward head going in ripple .Wings slightly opened going in.
Arching diving bird.
Pelagic bird, I stated ?
They are all over the bloody Salton Sea, thus making them "Sea birds", ergo Pelagics.
Logic is wasted nowadays
Now todays.
High winds, no birds, over at the fish farm.
Clue. First of year for me.
Pelagic.
Rare for me.
Huge dust gust almost blew it inside out.
CLUES
First figure out which way it is going !




Giveaway.Clues




Its name is not what you see! NO LUCK





It made one to land !

Pretty bird

F O S !
Oh, first of spring as well.
FOS ?
O stands for Outstanding. Figure the rest. Four solits at Sewage plant, they fight like hell. More pics later. rh

OK, so I should not back into oncoming traffic

OK about 45 mins ago you probably heard a whip crack type sound, someone shouting jesus, a squealing of brakes and some unfortunate words. The "Crack" sound was my but snapping shut.The rest is logical. I was coming up 95 . The joy of the day has been swarms of tree swallows on the wires, I was at about 11 Banks, mixed in.So you cruise slowwly under them and hope for an odd type. Well 95 is not prone to that with boaters etc. Saw this damn thing in a long triple string of tree swalls.
Hit the brakes. Started backing up. Visions of christ knows what dancing around. Got four snaps. causing a problem, and CHP everywhere. Took off. Just ran it by . Damn, but that would make a great mystery bird sillhouette. Do not think I spelt that right, but them black paper things that victorian spinsters spent years snippimg out with nail scissors.I saw an exhibition, I believe at the V and A in London of the better ones. Utterly, scarily incredible products. Trees, and fields of flowers, all interconnected.One of the most impressive exhibitsI have seen, get a book from the library or google and see what I mean
Roger

Birds and rubbish

Well. The road sign is now on a third of all exit ramps to Blythe (ie One)
Pretty much somes up the local negative spin on out of towners !!!
The birds , you should be able to figure out. The fun one was the sparrow, Camera totally unset up for the bird in view a minute snapped first ,bins second. Chesnuty cheeks, bright yellow head stripes stunning white throat, and rufous back. I guess a savannah sparrow , though it seemed in behaviour/posture different. A race I have never seen before. The picture does it no justice , any one know a sparrow loony? A total lack of migrants.
Headed to parker to fill drug prescription tomorrow. Will bird there. Why you ask when we have a Pharmacy at Rite Aid. Cal Cost $385.
Walmart AZ generics $37:95.
Tell me someone is not "F123456g" someone.
Keep smiling RH

Stunned at Politics

Please step out find a politician, take him/her home. And introduce them to the real world. I have mine tied to the back fence, after I have read the paper I go out and thrash him with it.He is starting to sound out " stupid fool unworthy of any respect"
But it will take several more thrashings.
Some clown wants to ban wood burning fireplaces and stoves in California. Good job I still do not live on Palomar. Lock and load brother. Touch that puppy when there is no power and six foot of snow, I think not. Cut air emmisiions ? They say. How about making it liilegal to burn plastic bags, and trash in 55 Gallon Drums in your back yard on a Sunday morning. ? You could do that but there are no enforcement agents.
Why worry , be Happy.
100 year anniversary of Scouting. Girls scouting was honoured, boys not. Bitter battle in Sack-of-Mento. read the press.
Its OK to be a Lesbian Scout but not a Gay one. Intriguing. Which reminds me the only fight I have with any Homosexuality, is that Men chose the word Gay. A light hearted, joyous word in its inception , now a synonym for male Homosexuals. Why not Platonics, or something?
Oh well. Reminds me of a fun tale of two outlooks !
Two Homosexual men are stood at a crosswalk, discussing life when a stunning lady, dressed up like a dogs dinner, and literally stopping traffic walks by. They follow each step down the sidewalk until she vanishes. Their eyes meet, and one says "Its at times like this that I wish I was a Lesbian "
Birding today and some catch up. Pictures to be added in the AM, when the transmit time is faster but Saturday. 3 Swainsons Hawks, another Whimbrel (2 this spring, first 12th?) Very tough bird for Blythe, as are 2 more M Godwits, a sprinkling of Western s. 10 R N Ducks holding on, 1 fem BHead. 4 seperate Ospreys, 7 Avocets. Pair of Fuertes back ? One for sure.3 N Harriers. Thats it. Robin working on nest. WC Chipp and Brewers Sp still present. American Pipit still holding on. Verm Flycs still displaying ? Incredibly few. Guess they went to the coast. Absolutely NO migrants. Unless you need to see a Northern Oriole. Tree and Cliff Swallows gone. Whats an Empid ?Oh 2 Bronzed Cowbirds, and One RGDove male on street. Ibii vanished.
Think I will go and fill the Hummer feeders, did have a Calliope Yesterday. Most tedious.

ID Test

OK
You should be able to get the family.
Go to NAB spring migration 2002.Go to page377.
Top RH Corner "Note the heavy bill on this bird,appreciably different from that of the smaller Zinos Petrel "
Christ how stupid of me.
Has any one seen Feas and Zinos flying together ?
Or do we rely on shitty pictures, that people who do not know what they are looking at claim, based on drawings in Bird books ? And more shitty pics, this pelagic stuff seems to be like fanir and gull watching. Self feeding. rh.
Hell a pixel there a pixel here that could look like a ? !
Page380 Bottom LHS. I am still working on dark phase Pom Skua id

Simple Observation need a PhD

I may have mentioned this on assorted web sites before I got the heave ho. But I will mention it again. There seems to be as they would say in N Yorkshire "Summat tapped wi yon swallows" To which you raise your glass of draught ale, while munching your ploughmans, and say "I ken that Marrah", and spooning down some more Branston Pickle.
See how easy it was to convey birding info in the NY Moors 50 years ago !
In Blythe, no one understands that clear logic so I will set it out easily for non "Marras "to understand !
I do not claim to be be overly swift but after 9 years I catch on !
Every year around the end of March barely into April, Cliff Swallows suddenly appear. They get into a total frenzy inspecting nests, swarming around last years nest sites like we are good to go. Then they do exactly that. Gone. Went to 3 sites this am . NOT a cliff to be found. 3 weeks they will be actively building and breeding. Same thing hapens with other migrants. Couple of BHGBeaks, N Orioles, etc. Gap until Early/ mid May . Then we restart. Odd
NO empids . Robinms building nests Chippers displaying, as Brewers and carrying nest material ?
OH first of these for the spring
Double OH.
I am going to set you all up to fail.
I am simply going to post 2 pics, or maybe more?
I will entitle it "Mystery BIRD QUIZ"
Sadly for you it will not come in the same format as many, a glossy magazine dripping with articles from the birding elite, explaining that how to become a good birder is simply that you need to go on the tour or buy the bins I am pimping
YES! This will be cruel, brutal, and hopefully send you into an Abyss of Angst and emotional panic as to your skills.
Meanwhile I will squat "Toad like " on my ego scoffing at your guesses, and pointing out your incompetency, after all, I know the answer regards rh
Hint
They are Pelagic. But then so are Ptarmigan. They shewed up on a research vessel way off Alaska. I believe they had 37
You are forewarned.

3 views of a Grebe

How I spent my morning/afternoon. Spending my late afternoon clarifying logically the fact that my responsibilities from this morning were actually not mine but someone elses.Not a chance. They who hover wish I would. Too old to give them that fuel. Instead took the attack. I am supposed to be cooking my fabled sole on Fennel and scallions etc. Well I like it. Headed rapidly for fridge announced who forgot to get the fish and Basil, and drank all the white wine. I guess I will head for the store after I have changed.Guilty silence. So I am typing this and headed out. Oh I forgot the fish and basil. They drank the wine. I have enough to cook with, and as I can't have any. May forget that also.
Enjoy the day. I am. roger

Sewage farm rules

Great opening headline
Reminds me of the Monty Python Line. Whats brown and sounds like a Bell ?.........DUNG.
No-one could spout that correctly but Eric Idle !
Also reminds me of my brit birding mate, venturing out onto the drying beds, at Bev Sewage Farms in Yorkshire, Curlew/Green Sand I forget. Imagine a pie crust of indeterminate thickness,and strength and a filling of indescribable FILTH ! I had ventured out picking Tomatoes, best ever, seeds go through you, food and water. Excellent. Now I was about 2/3 his mass and height, and the crust was being kind to me. Chris ventured further to chase the bird. Exceeded the elastic strength of the "Crust". Close your eyes. Imagine away. I do not care if you are on medication for a vivid imagination. You will never, ever have the mental video that I have etched in my brain. What was more fun, we had got there on Public Transport, return trip ???!!! Awesome. Thanks Chris thats what friends are for. Oh I promised never to reveal his last name was Harbard, and I never have !
Right now my sewage plant, much different process etc, is probably the best place in Blythe. I have early birds, some late ones and some fun ones. So I will try and download pics.Down loaded.
Think we can safely say "Rusticolla"
Early SemiP Plover, a Least and a Killdeer, they were part of a flock, that suddenly froze, and froze and froze. Got out to find out why ? Peregrine on utility pole !
Eared Grebe latish. No hope on Ibii! FOS W Sands. Crappy Cliff Swallow, but reasonable percentage shewing white tips to outer retrices, and white /very pale windows.Like this New Race !
Flighty scaup on canal. Odd dot head bird at vast range. Harlequin he hoped !
700mm digital screwed with to the limits of light gathering. Reveals fem scaup. Not used to that plumag
Light is up headed for sewage hunting.regards roger

OK I have paid my dues.. back off. OK

Screwed backwards and damned forwards. Dozed OFF....
Inscrutable Dr Chua, "Eyes greeming with Joy"
Had the courtesy not to say " Hah Lodger, your charming wife and prenty flends hab been terring you for years, I been terring you. YOU HAB a STLOKE. And you hab a big lon, this time rucky not kill you. Next time you flucked, you son of a blitch".
Did not have to say it. Merely the way he tap danced down the hall, taking high fives from his staff, did a double back flip, into the splits whilst spinning his cane, as confetti fell from the ceiling and the chorus sang some number whose main theme seemed to be "WE TOLD YOU SO SUCKER"
In front of the giant screen shewing reruns of my reprobate, self indulgent life style..
Sorry, misled you. After dozed OFF... insert woke up, then carry on. Sorry, you might have thought it was an odd dream, not reality !!
Merciless.
I have made a 99% recovery I guess. BUT. I punched my ticket to the "DIET ZONE".
BIG SAMOAN dude behind me in the check out counter at Albertsons, in Border Patrol type outfit.5:30 am .As I was sneaking out yummies, and talking to Tony, so she would miss the jar of liguid pork fat, preserved in Salt. Great on low cal crackers. A sound appeared, Hey, your the teacher who had a heart attack, my daughter has you. You know you can't have that,oh put that back, no thats not good etc etc Thinking of changing states
I thought it was just Paranoia..............IT IS NOT
Even the Earth is screwing with my diet, everyone hates me.
YOU WANT PROOF ?
I spent a whole week charting my blood pressure,trembling from spam withdrawel symptoms in dark cabinets while sucking my toes and chanting "I can change my life style for this one blow out moment of decadence, I can do it"
I calculated what it would take for me to have 3 spring lamb chops that favourite butcher dan promised to cut me from the end of a rack.So I did without
Sorry,but all the debt etc was set to be wafted from my conciousness,as I was about to lift four of the six chops, medium rare onto my plate (OK so dan can't count) to nestle next to some lightly steamed, skin on tiny baby yukon potatoes, with a sprig of mint from the yard and a dash of Tarragon flakes, and the petite French Peas I had been saving, to splash My Brit Cross and Blackwell Mint sauce over with fresh ground pepper, and a just baked Flute of Sourdough bread. The pop of the merlot cork (Saved up beer credits)was awaiting.
WE HAD A FU******G EARTHQUAKE
Whose idea was that ?
By the time the train was rerailed and the phones hung up, from calling anyone and anyone, to ask if they felt the earthquake............
Chops sat there over cooked, then "Turn offf the stove, the house could catch fire" sent them into icy congealment.
Man they were beautiful. I will miss them.
Leaves me no choice but to find out who organised that fiasco, and "gun 'em down"
When the forces of nature are trying to keep you on a diet, best pay attention !
Very, very windy. Like my chum noted on ICB, lots of Yellowthroats moving through. Least Bittern, Virginia Rail,Crow and best bird Oregon Junco.
Everything as expected.
OK NO excuse for miss-ID Myarchus . Been here for a week.
regards rh
ps Neighbour told me I can not have egg yolks any more. Going to check, must be a line of insanity in his family, why did they invent boiled eggs and toast fingers with butter ?

Location Location Location !

I know "Big deal"
But as I always espouse, my rary is your yard bird, and wikky werrkay as the Romans where oft to shriek. This is probably the hardest Sawbill for me to see on the river. (See how careful I was with that statement. Tons of wriggle room !)
Almost all of my birds over 10 years have been "drop birds" long range fem/imm types. Scope jobs at best. Tough push to be annual. Just pondering as I type, this may be my first ad Male ?
Incredibly flighty, canal hopping, and running back on its self. Finally took a SWAG as to where on canal walked in sneeked up bank 8 pics an 3 hours, bird in Oregon by now !
Works for me . ADD BIG race of Canada G (will check pics), Bufflehead and that was my am birding.
Nothing stunning, but the pics work for me ! Roger

Just a re-itt.....

Amazing. Guess I do not have the global view afforded to some. A caption with a picture, on a photo site, of Smurfbirds. LOVE the site and it's links.
Here we go, drag out your CEO "health care rip off company " bonus, and follow these helpful instructions attached to one pic. "If you want to see this spectacular species, then go soon while this confiding individual is around"
I am in, if you want a ride and are willing to share gas mileage, I can pick you up and we leave first light. OK?
Pack your own lunch. Oh the bird in question. I forgot.
Ah yes "Palawan Peacock Pheasent" St Pauls NP, Phillipines.
We may have to share driving.
I wrote the idiots name down, so if I ever meet him, I will remember to slap him between the eyes with my Birds of the LCRV. What an a-hole.
Went yesterday to take pics of Cliff Swallows, and look for incipient Caves. Immediately side tracked by light and colours from graffitti on the water. Spending today trying artsy fartsy pics. Here comes the sun, gourgeous, peeking from behind the MTNs. Yesterday (Sat) Lucys and Wilsons Calling and singing. 2 L B Vireo. 1 Avocet !1 Fuertes , 2 imm rth, and N Harrier M, and 1 Fem over suitable habitat, on reserve . But different times. WT Kites Vanished. MOre news later.
roger

Not dead yet,,,logic?

Ok,
One step further from the grave !
A rather worrisome,somewhat reflective thought.
Heck, I went through maybe 2 minutes of totally bizare mental, and physical experiences, which I remember implicitly. Hit the ground remember it coming up.
20 years ago, we would we be shovelling dirt on me and, those recollections would be gone. And folk would have moved on.A fact.
Pure science and incredibly talented people kept me out of that hole, I would like to think that was all. BUT as I get out and talk to folks I did not think I knew, who say non scientific stuff like we knew you would be back, and our church prayed for you, and the kids wrote a huge get well better banner. I am starting to ponder the possibility of the fact that,,,,,,,,,, I have no answers to everything.
Went to sign on to local doc, I guess I am ahead of the curve health wise, I can not seem to absorb the logic of the systems stroke treatment regimen.( Numbers vague guesses)The first 30 days you get back 60% of what you will reacquire, then the Law of Diminishing proportions steps in. So driving , shopping, balancing check book, seeing to myself, cooking, cramming everything in I can. DR suggests I sit back rest and take it easy for 2 or 3 weeks, as does everyone else. Great, I will remember to sit back and rest for the next several years.
Strokes are like Earthquakes, there are small tremors ahead you ignore. and you get hit by the big one, life falls apart. Get up and rebuild. Here is where earthquakes differ from strokes. Strokes. Advice "you are going to get afterstrokes/shocks", (OK I now Know what I am looking for)"There could be a worse one or one nearly as bad in the future " When ?, "WE don't know but you shouldn't really .......(Pick your favourite pastime) until you know you are not going to have one"
Going birding tomorrow.
Today, supremely lucky. Allowed to drive to Docs, left super early, it can take at least 2 hours to go 14 miles if the traffic is bad.!!! Sewage plant quiet, Cemetery 2 chippers, a tour of fields revealed 1 swainsons, old catfish ponds 17 RN Ducks and a RB Gull, still WC Sparrows. On the way home swung by Fish Farms. More luck, the bank has been reduced and graded. Stood talking to owner. More luck. Out of knowhere got a "Run By". This bird appeared from nowhere dropped like a stone landed on the bank beside us, made 2 bounces, the look around, the hell NO, OUT A HERE 3 steps and left. Camera in cab,grab spin and shoot. 3 frames.
Now Godwit is a rare bird, and this is way early for a spring bird.The bbrc would have to establish a pattern. We do not see them every year. So maybe we should not count it as this might be the year we do not see one, because we do not have a pattern yet. Once I have a pattern, I will go back and see if it fits it. ID skills at their best!
Still waiting on more migrants. Going to drive some back roads on the desert margin today and look for Sparrows. A Gropper would be most excellent.WKBirds everywhere. Just after 4 am and they are whit-whittering away alreadt
roger

Enough already....ok

When the brilliant folks at Phoenix let me loose, they said go home, the next 9 days are worst for relapse so relax and take it easy. Just quiet and read a book.
I AM IN.
How in darwins name do you relax, with the reverbarating sounds of canned food headed for the food bank, as it has to much sodium, each page I read being checked for cholesterol, and my blood pressure being checked every time I fart. Which on my new diet of dead plants places me as an ozone layer destroyer.I am not going to get thinner, my excessive indulgence gut is not going away as I am growing a frigging duodenum, maybe I should buy a few Lithoblasts (?) to help the celery grinding. I have enough excersize bikes to use to equip a gym. Strange how people, who want to give them to you say things like "Look what it did for me ?". Not sure I want that to happen to me ? And "I use it all the time, it's out in the garage somewhere" Oh well stuck gazing at BC Hummers. Not supposed to be driving, but nothing at the sewage ponds. Leave me in a parked car in a car park with the keys in !
This is not shaping out well. roger

a catch up

Over the course of the last ten days "Pre-event", we had BC,Annas, Costas, and a possible Calliope displaying in the yard no selasphorous ?Robins in the cemetery assorted lingerers. Ignored medical advice went for a walk, along street ! RG Dove present. Ash Th Flyc and W Kingbs, Swallows. WC Sparrows at Drs, Chippers at the library.11 fly over Swainsons. 2 Pine Siskins. And thats about it. Oh ,larid sps 3 wife driven car. Boney size.
Talking of size. I woke up in Phoenix ICU clad in tubes, wires and a dishcloth, and bags putting in orange liquids and,filling up with the same apparent solution, at a lower altitude. Now I have never had a catheter, never discussed catheters never been to a catheter seminar. Do not know how you wear them , always assumed suction cup, cow milking device. I am a man of modest proportions, tube looked impressive enough, relax into foolish male security.Nurse comes in swapping tubes changing bags from bottom to top, run the stuff through again. Hankie dislodges. THE tube is INSIDE me.. THank whomever I was unconcious when they put THAT in.I do not process 400 gallons a minute, I don't need a city sewer access Jeez, removal was a treat also. Enough, they cried. More when I remember it !
Roger

And how was your week

No pics. Though I did see Curved Billed Thrasher !
May not get much birding done this weekend. high winds and low mobility.
Low mobility ? Stood in front of my class wednesday am, woke up in Phoenix ICU. !
Guess I had a stroke !Recouping at the moment, , price of bill probably give me another one. Oh well home and functioning.
More later. Roger

How can I be so STUPID

Am I the only person wandering around wondering why the American Public has not risen up and systematicly removed evry member of the senate and congress from office. The health care debate is not one.
"We the members of the Political Elite, whose pay checks rely on you and your working and paying taxes, here by agree that all americans receive the same health benefits and retirement packages as we do. After all the tail should NOT wag the dog"
See how simple that is.
Have I missed something?
Oh and next time there is a "Pandemic" (Mass misguided hysteria)take a cruise. They get the cure first !
Lucys' warblers arrive, raptors evaporate. Winter birds around the Cemetery. 30 plus chippers 4 WC Sp, 4 Breewers,10 W b Birds a Robin, 2 Lsr Gfs, a Siskin and 14 Swainsons, 2 Cmn Mergs

Spring has sprung

"Spring has sprung,
The grass has ris
I vonder vere der boidies is ?
Dey say
de boid is on der ving.
But thats absoid,
der ving is on de boid"
My sacred Auntie Louie, she whose name must only be uttered in Sepulchral tones, taught me that. She found great amusement in offending her brothers and sisters, and basicly anyone else. A genuine flapper of the 30's, she travelled Europe in the early sixties, and spoke not a word of any other tongue but English. She taught me how to do this.
"Roger, simply speak loudly and slowly and point a lot, you will finally find an intelligent one"
Dead 40 years, but unforgettable person. We where gathered for the annual"Its only a matter of time before the knives come out and meltdown occurs, who will be the first section to cave in and leave the Festive Blood letting family reunion" Oh ,I guess most people call it a family xmas . When my Aunt suddenly got up during the 800th spinning of the Max Bygraves and Bing Crosby sing the damned Xmas favourites. Announced to Robbo (her husband) That she was "taking the Bentley". This meant he had to drive her somewhere in the Large Walnut tomb, as she could not drive. An hour later she returned, dragged the Xmas records off the turntable."Done with that" Put on seargent peppers ! and then a beach Boys album.She knew all the words. Had to be 65 at the time !
OOPs , slipped sideways in my thought process again !
The sun is creeping up and the wind is howling. But I am set to go.
Do not expect anything, as Blythe typically is a week behind the sea and two behind the coast in spring, in front in fall.
Trust you get out, or even a walk at lunchtime brings you a spring BOID

Observation

Rushed to my field guides, no one has published one on "One Legged pheasant-types of Blythe" Struck out.
I have given up buying bird books. I have more information than I need , nor can rationalize. The huge expensive tomes, with extensive authour enamoured ids, and conflicting photos should be kept out of the clutches of young birders, and released by the Book sellers only to birders over the age of 18. The joy of youthful birding has been destroyed. Better have been to 2 0r 3 ABA conferernces by 15 yrs, tote around the latest swearofskis, whilst your parents shuttle you from Tikal trips to Asia , and at least have Jon Dunn and "Ken" give you a nod on the next Debbie Shearwater trip. Birding has gone the way of a lot of things . It is no longer "I am going birding, I have a bike and my bins" to "Honey let me load up the tripod , dad has just filled up your credit card,and slipped the Guide Magnus a couple of Grand to make sure you are up front, and see the Curlicude Petrel" .
At the work coffee fountain "you know Naomie is just 14 but she enjoys her hobby so much that she has now seen 357 species of Roller this year " .
Do not believe me ? Classic example, on some British year list race recently some arrogant d#ck posted "1453 year list, 5 year old Amy Snot....(with help from dad)"
What kind of message does that send to youthful birders, With a skateboard a pair of K Mart bins, but an interest, The hell with youthful. How many rare birds are missed because the oldfuls start glomming on to birds, have a rarie,they think but get on the net and are terrified by this aspect of birding.
Oh I have seen Anthony Jones name , I think I will e-mail his blog, he looks so nice in the pictures.
HI I am Anthony Jones. I am current leader for flyby night Tours having birded every where except Uranus . I am currently photographing all the Coturnix Cervixes in the New World in preparation for my new BBC special. If you are not currently looking for Grey Capalucho, tomorrow , then call me on the Pitta trail Monday. reprints of my pics please see my gallery, and I am bicycling everywhere and looking for my 418 mammal. and the Endemic Dacow wren. Catch a trip report of our blast in Antarctica, catch a pic of Graham trying to balance on a beer can. Sid screamed with laughter..
Elder/neophyte person.
Oh dear. I had a Hedgehog last week, and 15 species, I know when they come and when they leave, mark them on the calender. Its red like the Cardinals I get every 11th of May, Ethel down the street beat me last year, but its much greyer she says its a Pyrro something. I think its a baby Cardinal. Anyway, no need to bother anyone I guess, they are all so busy.
You would be surprised how many phone calls I have received over the years that start along the lines of.........
In an apologetic tone.
"HI is this Roger Higson" "I am sorry to bother you ,but my friend said you are really into birds" " I hate to bother you but we have had a bird on our feeder for.....and we have looked in our books and we can't find it and we asked and they gave us your name but would you like to see it if you are not too busy, it is Blue and looks like a crow. You probably see them all the time oh yes it is still here. That kind of conversation in Imperial, netted me Pinon Jay, Dickcissel and Pyrruloxia .And at least a dozen life birds for Blythe. So do not be intimidated and lose your interest in birds.
Admittedly I started birding in a different slower environment, 50 years ago, My first birding trip was on the back "Seat " of "Archies" 2 stroke Scotney Squirrel Motor bike, to meet Ray the window cleaner, Arch was a Gamekeeper who never owned a pair of bins, when I had a pair much later and went out with him much further along. He was still correctly id ing birds before I could get my bins on them. Withersbys was the field guide.Hence my philosophy. Equipment does not make a birder. Find a patch, a window view, a pond in the park, whatever, learn the birds you get on a regular basis, and when to look out for them and sooner or later. A funny-un will shew up. And a chosen one will say are you sure, and you will have the pleasure of saying, "Yes".To me that is of more birding value than Amy Snot !
Find a patch. Make it yours.

Line down ?

45 mins , no pic download,so you will have to go with the Oscars
OK Big storm, will just send see if this will go through. No birds for today. Had to poach 40 quails eggs for my Oscar Party and that bitch Mungo got his Oxcart to Albertons to snag the last of the fresh capers, and the fresh Brisling. Last time I let him and Tinkerbell use my Mexican Coriander. So there.
Gosh were are my snail wrenches. Busy Busy busy,
Lets hope the creme freche holds together..
God I hate the Oscars
Guess who does not have a TV controller, and is sat in the vague dark in the back room ?
I am going to write a letter to someone, asking why shewing a group of people sitting around mutually masturbating, as long as you stick the "Oscars" in front of it,is OK ? I admire the stamina , some of them have 4 more hours to go,
Oh, by the way we are still at war and whales are being butchered, sorry to interrupt the real world. Worst of all , my Bugs Bunny Roadrunner hour was cancelled. that is unacceptable. Power flickering, probably ... who knows.
Will send

Cancel February, Curling ROCKS, and Vomiting Mocking birds

I have cancelled February. Get a felt tip pen erase it; tear the page out of next years calender. It has gone. I hope your February was great? Mine stank. Smallest friggin month of the year, still clearing up the Tsunami of crap. Wife with Pneumonia, car broken, tree fell on landlord, septic tank blew up.
That was last god dam Monday. 2 days at a "Retreat" with pretend intellectuals, and my good friends wife died across the street. Guess it really doesn't matter where she did it, but she did it. I am glad, also for that. Semi comatose basket case , he had to 24 hour her for the last 7 years, as the state drained him until he would be forced on Medical.Like my father in law was.
This countries medical system is screwed. I wish Jim well, in moving on, he paid his dues.They should have let her die with dignity. No one was winning. Sad.
Which reminds me . Why do Americans dance around the word "Died" ? She passed away, is no longer with us , has moved on. No she has not. She died, I do not understand
Oh yes , just stick a few days on any month of your choice, or add a couple of months. Have at, after all the Catholics jerked it around , the Mayans ran out of rock, and I think there is one some where nobody can understand or translate. Linked with blood letting by the IRS.
Watched TV , whilst brow mopping. Totally into curling now. Anything that I have no idea how to do, uses language I can not understand whilst executing a pointless task, has to be good. Up there with crown green bias bowling, (sheep dog trials) and Lacrosse and Ladies Field Hockey and Polo. All personal faves
This Mocker caught my attention this am as I fruitlessly birding. It was twisting its self into weird positions, put the camera on it, hoping I could get it flying up and exploding or something . It did. Whatever those are they came out with its last thrashing. Have a good week
rh

AAAHH .... its Wheeler time

I hope you bought tons of Raptor books. Like hard cover Wheeler, both coasts ad nauseum. Drag 'em out. Nothing much around unless you were let in on the secret Ovenbird, or needed Kittiwake. Went searching in my patch.11 coot at the drop, no access to fish ponds. Berm building.
Now having waded through Immature gull silliness, admittedly by reading the definitive guides that contradict each other and looking at series of "Definitive shots " that shew a fourth week second moult immature backlavistan herring gull, even evry other frame seems to defy the straw they cling to. I have to confess that those who play that preposterous game should be made to wear distinctive clothing. So I can see them from afar and hide from them. Life is too short to waste on that sub-culture !
NOw I am having a shot at Red Taileds. During the winter season there are up to 60 in the general area of Blythe, perhaps more. Sat on phone poles. Lot of grat light and no traffic , so I can park sideways in the road, folk drive around and wave !
So here you go. Pole one pale one, pole two dark one. All taken from same spot. Click click click, swing to next etc
Here you go, enjoy the evening.
And remember there are those who can id these in the field. Probably closet Gull watchers. Have fun Roger