Christmas

      After reading my silly Facebook posting, my friend Sami sent a message inviting me for Christmas.  !!!   Such a wonderful invitation. When I lived in Sacramento, Sami and I went birding together.  I drove to Central Valley on the 24th and she took me out birding to Colusa NWR.   So many birds to be seen !!  Christmas morning we went birding again, thru open country and to Lake Solano.  Its good to see that despite the drought birds are still hanging on.  We counted 60 species on Wednesday.  The drier conditions seemed to have helped the Yellow-billed Magpie population by decreasing the mosquitoes.  West Nile Virus carried by mosquitoes has hit the YB Magpies hard.    (Disclaimer:   this is not my photo,  its from Internet)
     It was a good Christmas, her son made a wonderful BBQ turkey for dinner.
Back on the mountain, snow is not falling from the sky. Snow-making machines are working all night to improve the ski runs for the throngs of holiday visitors.
     I stayed at Hostel Tahoe in Kings Beach, CA, on the edge of Lake Tahoe for several days.   Holiday reservations filled up the hostel and I moved to a quaint old place in west Reno,  Wildflower Hostel.  Reminiscent of small old towns in the West, Wildflower Hostel has a coffee shop, a pub, an art gallery, and old rooms with ceramic decoration and lacy curtains.  Quite charming actually.  Tomorrow I move into a large house in Truckee, as a 4th house-mate.  Hooray !!
     Tuesday afternoon:   Silver truck is now empty of boxes and bags.  Truck washing is next!!

 
House in Truckee with a house-mate's Jeep in front.  Along this road all the houses are on the downhill side, with the 2nd floor of the house at street level.  1st floor is downstairs (down the slope of the hill.).

Northstar

To finish the driving saga:   I was glad I did the Laramie to Rawlins section in the daylight.  There were patches of ice to avoid, passes of climb, and the wind was much less.  Thursday I drove all the way to Wendover, UT.  By Friday night I was in Reno.  I stayed one night at my friend's house and drove to Northstar Saturday morning.  You know you are in the right place when the parking lot attendant says,  Go to the Conference room.  The Conference room was FULL of new employees attending orientation.  Housing is NOT provided, and this continues to be an issue.
     Monday - Friday I was training with 4 other people.  4 of us from the east coast (NJ, VT, MA, and me)  !!!   One lady is from San Francisco.  Its a new property management software to learn, and the accommodations.  As well as the Northstar condos and houses, we also offer Ritz Carlton, Hyatt, Constellation, and Tahoe Mountain Properties.  The last 2 are also very upscale. 
     Topmost photo is full Moon rising over Lake Tahoe.  I was one of several drivers pulled over to watch the full Moon rise into a purple sky.  
     Today was my first day off.  I drove out to Pyramid Lake, an hour east of Reno.
     Birds !!
A large flock of Canvasbacks, a smaller flock of Tundra Swans, a few Pintails, Buffleheads, a single male Common Goldeneye and Grebes.  As I drove along the edge of the lake, I found Pied-billed, Western, and Clark's Grebes. A Raven had claimed a picnic table.
Photo below and to the left are at Pyramid Lake.


I will take some photos of the Northstar area for the next posting.

mid-section of the country

      Picking up the journey in Indiana.  Snow plows were busy early in the morning.  The highway leading south from LaPorte was merely wet.  I created a detour around Chicago using highway 30 and rejoining highway 80 at Joilet.  That turned out to be a good choice, as the TV weather reported many car accidents on the icy, slippery roads in Chicago.  Highway 80 was dry and white with salt. 
      80 is a toll road in Indiana, and they do not have people in a toll booth to give you change.  I put my ticket one slot in the machine, and a $ 20 bill in another slot.  The machine gave me a hand-full of Susan B Anthony dollar coins !!
    Bird excitement that day was a Red tail Hawk in a tree, and 2 Bald Eagles.  I spent the night just east of Des Moines.  Temperatures were forecast to be 4 F overnight, with wind chills of -15 F.
     Next morning the sun was out, and I counted 8 RT Hawks in Iowa.  I crossed into Nebraska at Omaha.  A large group of Canada Geese were gathered on a frozen pond.  A few more RT Hawks, and a maybe Mississippi Kite kiting over a field next to the highway.  I would have loved to stop to have a better look at that bird.
     Platte River valley was surprising for the lack of birds.  I did not see one Sandhill Crane !    In February and March there are 1000's of Crane and Snow Geese visible from the highway.   That night I looked at ebird reports for Sandhill Cranes, and few have been reported from NE.  
     In the morning I drove the last part of Nebraska and into Colorado.  Raptors were the stars of the show that day.  I saw 6 Rough-legged Hawks  (!!!!),   2 Bald Eagles, more Red Tailed Hawks, and several Kestrels sitting on phone wires. 
    In the afternoon I stopped at my storage unit and picked up my skis.  Working at a ski resort, I need to bring skis with me.  I drove thru Cheyenne and picked up highway 80 again.  Traveling west the highway warning signs were worrisome: "Slippery spots ahead Turn off cruise control."   Other signs read  "Warning Strong winds to 35 mph."
     It was dark when I arrived in Laramie.  Warnings signs were ominous:  "Caution strong winds to 50 mph   Trailers and small vehicles not advised."  I stayed overnight in Laramie to wait out the wind storm.  In the morning the wind was much less, and driving was better.
    Thursday I kept going from Laramie to the western edge of Utah.  Wendover is 2 bizzare towns, a painted line in the road separates Mormon Utah from the casinos of Nevada.  
     While driving I sometimes listen to my iPod with some podcasts I downloaded a few years ago.  Last night it would not charge the battery from the wall outlet so I plugged it into the computer.  iTunes was immediately automatically activated, and that program deleted all the podcasts I was listening to.  Very angry with that stupid program for deleting my bird podcasts, and very sad to have lost them.

Top photo:   Rocky Mountains from Hwy 80 in Laramie, WY.
2nd Photo:   snow-covered mountain south of hwy 80,  west of Salt Lake City.
3rd and 4th photos were taken 2 years in Wyoming.  looked just like that today.





    

driving west again

     I really didn't want to leave NH so quickly. We were having a good time.
Thursday night, as a concluding event, Sue and Jorge and friends and I went to a wonderful concert at University of Connecticut.  They are generous, big-hearted people.
      With the job being in the CAL Sierras my schedule was planned.  I packed up the truck on Thursday.  Sue and I looked at the weather maps. A winter storm with ice and snow was moving across the middle of the country.  Friday morning we talked about the weather again.  I started driving Friday afternoon into grey skies, but the rain had stopped.  As I drove into NY and Pennsylvania another rain storm moved in.  As I approached Scranton darkness and sleet were both falling.  Overnight 2 inches of snow fell.
     In the next days I enjoyed rural Pennsylvania, snow-covered conifers, and Gulls on Lake Erie as I drove on Interstates 80 and 90.  Light snow fell as I crossed Indiana.  I am worried about slippery roads as the temperature drops each evening, so no night-time driving.
     Photo:  December driving.

moving thru November

         I have been at this job hunting activity for several months.  What am I ?  Chopped Liver ?  Maybe I will stop being depressed and go do something else.  I came to New Hampshire for Thanksgiving week, and things began to happen.  Today it is official, I will spend the winter working at Northstar ski resort near Truckee, California.  Hurray !!   In a few days I will be driving across the country again.
        My Dad and I have done some excellent coastal birding in Maine, NH, and Massachusetts.  Red-breasted Mergansers, Harlequin Ducks, all 3 Scoters (Black, White-winged, Surf), Common Eiders, Buffleheads, Long-tailed Ducks, Red-throated and Common Loons, Western and Horned Grebes (!!!),  Snow Buntings.  Special Mention:  a Razorbill (Karen's Life bird),  and Snowy Owls.

 Top photo of Cocheco Falls in Dover, NH.  Old brick buildings once housed textile factories.

Great Blue Heron fishing in a shallow marsh with brown grasses at the end of autumn.

      Tufted Titmouse looking for a mid-morning snack.

Dia de los Muertos

Saturday evening we drove to New Haven for the Dia de los Muertos celebration.  The parade and evening celebration is an annual remembrance of deceased loved ones.  Jorge, Sue, friend Alicia, and I made traditional masks on Thursday night to wear during the parade.  Many skeletons, huge "spirit" puppets, children in costumes, and adults wearing masks paraded along the streets in New Haven.  A Chinese dragon, the train La Bestia, and a car with loudspeakers for Mexican music were all part of the show.  New Haven police assisted at each intersection blocking traffic to allow the parade to pass.                           Above is Jorge on the left and Alicia on the right. l                                                                          

 This is Sue on a balcony where she was giving out paper lanterns.

 2 very well decorated puppets.  Each is carried by 3 people.  One person in the center carries the weight of the structure and the other 2 people wave the arms of the puppet.

Above photo, the person wearing the white hair and black jacket is me.  A better photo can be found on the website of New Haven Register,  the local newspaper.
    Photo to the left is the Phoenix bird, again carried and animated by 3 people.

 The Chinese Dragon getting started.  Photos on Jorge's Facebook are better.

Motorcycle rider with a skeleton passenger. He was great.

Parade is underway.  2 skeleton puppets, blue Dragon in the background, and many people walking along.

Late October

Temperatures were cold for several nights with frosty grass in the morning.  Sue harvested all the unripe tomatoes from her garden for Green Tomato Marmalade.  Saturday was unusually warm and sunny for early November so we had brunch on the porch.  Torta Fritas and toast with marmalade and blueberry preserves that she made this summer.   Yum,
yum !
    I used to walk out in the morning wearing one layer of clothing, a sun hat, and the binoculars.  Now its warm coat, fleece-lined hat, mittens, and boots.  Ugh.  Winter birds like Juncos are increasing.  Scenes like these are more common.  Leaves on shrubs and bushes are changing to red and yellow, as are the maples and oaks. 
    
 A spider web in a field.  Milkweed pods bursting full of seeds.

 Greater Yellowlegs in a coastal NH marsh.  Below, a White-tailed Deer stops to look at me.

    

Migration season

Migration timetables are different for different species.  I am no longer seeing Plovers and Sandpipers on the beaches.  Now is the time for Sparrows and Warblers to stop by at a fruiting bush or to find some tasty caterpillars or insects to fuel their journey south.   The month of September gave us beautiful blue sky weather all month.  This type of weather pulls me outdoors with binoculars in the mornings.
    Viewing the White-rumped Sandpiper and a Semi-Palmated Sandpiper together was a good chance to study their differences.  
    Fall is a bittersweet time.  Its sad to see

the edges of ferns turning brown,  and grasses becoming golden.    Brightly colored Maples, Ashes, and bushes give beautiful views for a short time while sheltering the migrating birds.

In the mornings I look at the sunny edges of fields and forests, looking at Sparrows,  Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Warblers (Yellow-rumped and Pine) and sometimes Eastern Bluebirds.  Sparrows seen are:  Song, Savannah, Swamp, White-throated, Lincoln's, and Chipping.  This last photo is an Internet picture of one of my favorite Sparrows, a Lincoln's.   I cannot claim it, however.

And then I saw a Junco.  Oh no, not Winter birds already.   We need to keep Fall happening for a longer time.  

Taking the canoe for a walk

With beautiful Fall days upon us, we wanted to take the boats out.  Saturday we launched the Kevlar canoe, a small plastic kayak, and Dolphin into Willimantic River.  Dolphin has not been in the water in one entire year !!   Oh such a thing as that !!  We paddled downstream looking at the river banks and for birds.  Jorge found subjects to photograph.  A cooperative Great Egret,  2 Great Blue Herons, and sandpipers.  The water level in the river is very low, creating a mudflats for sandpipers and plovers to feed.  Killdeer, Semi-Palmated Plovers,  Solitary Sandpipers, and a Spotted Sandpiper were all feasting on small muddy tidbits.  Eastern Phoebes, Chimney Swifts, Barn and Tree Swallows swooped and flitted after insects over the water.  Cedar Waxwings and a Belted Kingfisher called from the trees.

     Sunday Sue and I decided to do a longer paddling trip with the Kevlar canoe.  We set up our car shuttle and launched into the river north of the house.  Willimantic River was pretty at first with reflections of green leaves on the water.  Then there were rocks, too many rocks, and too little water, and rocks poking up out of the water in too many places.  We spent more time wading down the river guiding the canoe between and over the rocks, then we did actually paddling from inside the canoe.  Two Ospreys and Great Blue Herons flew over us as we slogged along in the river.  Eastern Phoebes and Cedar Waxwings were busy in the trees.                                                                  So much for our paddling trip.  With the help of Fuji-bicycle we retrieved our vehicles and brought everything home.
     I do NOT want Summer to end.  We need more Summer days and more days like this.  Already I saw a few red leaves on Maple trees.  

Top photo:  Laughing Gull
2nd photo  (above):   Yellow-crowned Night-Heron caught something for breakfast.
Photo to right:  Black-capped Chickadee

Coastal birds

On Sunday I had the opportunity to go out with New Haven Bird Club.  We started in Westbrook, CT and walked along the beach to a productive mudflats at low tide.  Lots of fun !!   Semi-Palmated Sandpipers have gathering by the 100's on the mudflats in many places.  Common and Least Terns were flying over,  Ruddy Turnstones and American Oystercatchers were foraging, Black-bellied and Semi-Palmated Plovers were gathering as well.  3 species of Gulls (Ring-billed, Herring, and Great Black-backed), Little Blue Herons and both Egrets were the major attractions.  Viewing thru spotting scopes, we watched a dark adult Little Blue Heron fly into the rookery tree and feed a white juvenile.  The juveniles hold their immature plumage for a year, acquiring adult plumage by the end of their 2nd year.

 Top photo:  Ruddy Turnstone with Black bellied Plovers.  A Semi-palmated Sandpiper is barely in view.
2nd photo:  American Oystercatcher

A Semi-Palmated Plover foraging as the tide comes in.

Royal Fool

Aflac has made a royal fool out of me.  They said job in Customer Service.  I said OK, I will do the training.  It turns out this is nothing but a SALES GIG.  I am so embarrassed, I told everyone I had a job and it really isn't.  Its just cold calling on businesses, and walking into businesses who don't want you there. I would be conscripted to days of endless cold calling.  I have been kicked around enough already, I am not going to intentionally put myself in places where I will be thrown out.  I am very disappointed in myself that I fell into their trap.  I spent all this money to move to Milford, all to no avail.

On a happier note,  in early July I was invited to come with my sister to Mt Desert Island, Maine. She and friend Dorie were attending the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators summer event in Bar Harbor.  Dorie's friend owns a lovely little cabin on a lake on Mt Desert Island.  We were so lucky to be able to stay there.  It was foggy for half of our drive north, and most of  Thursday.  Friday and Saturday were just beautiful. Friday Sue let me use her car to drive around Acadia NP and the island.  very pretty place.  Saturday the artists (and me) were taken by bus and ferry to Swan's Island.  Again, a very pretty place.  I took so many photos, and will post only a few.

Sailboat at a mooring

 Boardwalk along Upper Hadlock Lake,  Mt Desert Island

Rocky coast of Acadia National Park

Settling into CT

I had been in CT for a week when I received an invitation from the Aflac insurance company to attend a group interview.  I had never considered working for an insurance company,  Things moved along, I was accepted for training, and will be appointed to the Milford office.  Its been a great deal of on-line training and a few days of office training.  There will be more office training soon.
    As much as I love my sister and her family here, I really don't like commuting long distances every day.  I have rented a room in a house in Milford and will be moving in a few days.  Its good to get all the boxes out of the truck.  Silver truck probably thinks so, too !!
    Photos from rambling around CT.      Cardinal was taking a bath in a rain puddle.
There has been alot of rain in the northeast.  Warm and humid.  While the western part of the country is having drought conditions and a big heat wave, I have been photographing flooding along the Willimantic River and tributaries.


 Osprey nest at Milford Point is raising chicks.

 Railroad Creek.  CT is so green.

      Song Sparrow in a Cedar tree singing.

June

I have been in Connecticut for a few weeks.  I will share some recent photos.

Baltimore Oriole at an orange.

                                Lady Slipper Orchid

 Rose-breasted Grosbeak singing

                          Fenton River in NE Connecticut

The afternoon of photographing hummingbirds, this is a female Ruby-throated