Gosh it is warm

Forgot to send this. 29/08/09. 1;30pm It hit 118 in the shade, at 4:30 hit 124.37 in the shade. This is not a Radio shack weather station but a $6k linked to NBC weather station. See "weather bug" for instant Blythe weather ! Stay cool . roger

The slow spiral into insanity

Well the school year starts tomorrow. I started a long missive discussing the stupidity of the pre-school, "Kumbya" meetings. Deleted it . Too depressing. So drop to your knees and be happy, for I will not subject thee my readers !
The first day as always consists of cramming the entire school staff into a poorly air conditioned room, being introduced to the latest sacrificial administrators (I have had nine Principals in 11 years)Who say how happy they are (until their wives get here !) WE had one , whose wife was Russian, who hung for two months , dragged him out of his car in the parking lot , thrashed him with her high heeled shoe and took everything, and the kids and went back to Russia. All in a month.It gets worse !Another time. Then we get an Inspirational speaker, about an hour of drivel, someone should have just videoed Oprah. Probably cost $5000. Then to our scattered bodies go. Newbies "Oh Mr Higson I did not see you there" . A look is sufficient.Went once, won't go again. Same as that idiotic waste of money High Scchool Graduation. Went to a dept meeting. "Do you want to be head of DPT you are most senior, Oh no you do it will be a great learning tool for you"
Another liability dodged, plus this person loves meetings and taking notes to report back. Hey, who am I to deprive a yound educator from the joy of filling out dozens of forms and attending after school meetings, so I can hit the sewage plant?
I lost complete interest, when the Tech support Guy got up and said" I know a lot of you are having trouble with the school internet, it crashing and not running, so if it crashes on you and won't work, send me an e-mail. And I will come and fix it"
Just a couple of pics from this am. The coyote pup was miles away (?) a long way off and he was playing with a stick , throwing it up and chasing it. Fine stuff. Tried to sneak up. They run from vehicles. Local sportsmen drive around in Jeeps and shoot them. Reminds me of the Pink Floyd song "Run like Hell"
Roger !

The change a summer can make, and up U2

See they change places, in Spring the Wilsons is always at the back, but in the fall they are always in the front. A helpful field note from Blythe. I do helpful mammal tips as well Male Zebras have black stripes on a white background, and females have white stripes on a black background.
Now you know why I have a teaching credential !
The summer was not long enough to recover from part of my final exam intro "Find an Earth Science word for every letter in the alphabet each one is worth 5 points so, anyone, how much is the assignment worth ?
Stunned silence
OK Lets do this on the board, anyone how many letters in the alphabet ? "
Stunned silence. Quavering voice.
20?
Twenty? Well a e i o u and sometimes Y are vowels so they are not letters.
17 years old, folks
Oh UP U2 ?
I just changed channels from the most onanistic sport in the galaxy Golf to the news
"World poverty concerned, global warming african nation citizens" doing commercials for "Blackberry"
Just how greedy are those phony bastards. Like they need the money ?
Apalled. Lets have Bono fly to Africa and cry as he hands out his brand name sunglasses and Blackberries. Maybe he slipped the Pope a freeby for a visit. catholic church loves gifts.
Put Bono down on your life list of totally sham phony celebrities whose talent has run out. I am going to put him between Anna Nicole Smth and Michael Jackson. That squeezes out Mick Jagger though. Life is full of problems
Roger
Two of the most delicate of waders and a special bird for Blythe

Ok Grab the peep book !

Just for fun. Obviously Long Toed Stint and Little stint .
Roger

A couple of pics.

Why I like shopping, and hummers

Had a great day shopping, it was way too much fun. Need to do it more often.
Essentially dragged by the Gonads to go and buy back to school clothes in Parker. Intelligent begging, crying and stamping of feet, did not work. Dropped into subtle approach, "it is 104 the Ac does not work and we are not sure if they have what we need lets go to KMART" "no wee are going to go look at the new Walmart" "I will get them to e-mail us a picture" No Luck. Got in the passenger seat of the jeep with a cooler full of ice, to fill my shirt pockets with. "You are not driving ?" "Hell NO" "Why not?" "this was your stupid idea, I am only along as an inocent victim, my participation is being quiet and not saying I told you so" Off we go. We get to the outlet store I get one shirt $8;50, top end for me. We go to WALMART. Everything is the same price as here ! Well maybe not , but not enough unless you are buying an Ark load fo TP, to justify 4 hours of birding time 125 miles on an aged vehicle in 107 heat, and 7 gallons of gas.For afriggin Hawaiian shirt.
On the way out had a brilliant idea. If you are ever inParker go to "Tacos and Beers". Fabulous spot. I was so fed up I actually walked up and said "What is on the menu?" Charming lady said "tacos and Beer". Definitely family run eatery, they were having a splendid fight in the kitchen , but the sizzling and smells held promise. Went with "Huevos Rancheros, with flour Tortillas" Food of the Gods. The best I have ever had, and I have eaten them in maany spots.The rancho sauce was so good and cri
sp and fresh. AAAAAAgh Drove home . Got home, heat stressed. Well why don't we go to KMArt ? Off she went, alone. 9 Hawaiian shirts, gorgeous. Clearence $2 each. I was dozing on the sofa, watching jeopardy. Why Men keep their mouths shut at times. "Roger,you know that was a total waste of time and money going to Parker, sorry I screwed up your birding time". You simply say "thats ok, whats for dinner"
Advice to newly weds Do not fall into the trap of saying " For Christ sakes I was telling you that for threehours this morning" " Instead you say " No I am glad we found the restraunt when it gets cooler we will go back, and thanks for driving" Never say "I told you so". Go figure the Hummers
rh
The last pic took 25 minutes. Will try again tomorrow

OK Hummers and back to school

A couple of hummer pics, you id them !
I have been working solely with Howells Photographic guide to Hummers. Absolutely essential. I love his caveat on Rufous/Allens, do not call them unless....
The only argument I have with steves book is the phrase "Based on Geographic range and timing " the bird is probably a............
He freely admits that most are impossible even in the hand. Then how do we determine their timing and range . Someone got a sack full of dead ones, a gps and a museum tray ? I think not. I suspect that the distribution maps are based on ameteurs like myself who look at the maps, that are based on the spurious records of amateurs like myself. It seems to be a self promulgating creature lke the Worm Ouroborous. Hummingbirds do not sit still with their tails spread. I was shooting at 1300/second. Took probably 500 pics. I place a couple, for your amusement. Anyone who claims they can detect primary lenghths on a flying bird is a liar, anyone who can spot indentations in tail feathers is a liar, any one who can spot lanceolate tail feathers is a liar, and frankly Allens Hummers got their distribution turned upside down recently here in CA. Good job all amateurs involved. I remember some learned discussion that "based on range and timing " they could not be such.Any way you play with the pics.
More of the same this afternoon.
THE MOST HATED DAY OF THE YEAR.Sometime soon SWMBO is going to drag me out of the house and drive me to the City to buy me back to school clothes. Why the hell I have to go I have no idea. She knows my jean size, and the fact I no longer wear anything but anti social, or rock T-shirts and "The more lurid the Better" Hawaiin shirts. And 2 pairs of white 10 1/2 wide, cheapest in the store sneakers "But you might see something nice for a change that you might want to try on" 3 flaws. NIce, change,try on. I will go, just to bird the City. Its one hell of a drive in this heat, the traffic and smog suck and there are too many people. I hate it.
Have fun with the hummers.
rh
PS Oh we are going to Parker, what a trek, better saddle up the pack terriers