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