Greater Roadrunner outside Neal’s Lodges, Uvalde County, Texas
It’s been a long week short on inspiration, and the weekend promises to be full of rain so I will not be birding far away, if at all. As it turns out I have made plans to visit with friends and family I haven’t seen for a while. Perfect timing to include a visit to my dentist as well. My People Weekend. And with the coming July Polar Vortex, I am already dreaming of doing yard work without sweat.
I took off work early yesterday to be on hand for the tow truck driver who eventually showed up and whisked away the old car. This has been one event foremost in my mind, of things I really wanted to get done. The Taurus started happily after sitting idle in my backyard for 3 months, as if looking forward to its next destination. The cell phone picture below shows its better side with the intact side mirror. Maybe you can see the rust underneath where the side panel fell off if you click on the picture.
Final Farewell
Goodbye, Old Paint
Like Gregory the dachshund my parents gave away to an adoring childless couple after my brother was born, the car didn’t even look back at me. I suspect the car knows it’s going to a better place too.
After I came in from the yard, with the cell phone still handy, I took a picture of some of the finches waiting in the kitchen for me to resume the snack service. They seemed oblivious to cell phone pictures, but I still have hopes of stalking them with the real camera, which they resist, at an opportune moment. The four newest Society Finches (Bella, Johnnie, Franklin and Marty) are huddled together on the right with a male Zebra Finch (it could be Zorro), and one Spice Finch is preening himself at the far left.
Finches on the Pot Rack
While waiting for the tow truck to arrive, I managed to put my pictures from our Texas trip back on the laptop and started going through them, which explains the Roadrunner at the top and the rest below. There will be more to come as I rediscover them. It’s more fun to go back two-plus months in time than I thought it would be.
Barn Swallow
Barn Swallow shopping for nesting material.
Chipping Sparrows were everywhere.
Chipping Sparrow
And it seemed after we saw the first Clay-Colored Sparrow, by the end of the trip, they too were everywhere.
Clay-Colored Sparrow
I went to check our ebird list for April 30th when we birded around Neal’s Lodges that morning, and the Blue Grosbeak was not on it. I have now added it to the list.
First Summer Blue Grosbeak
I will be back with more discoveries from the Texas trip and a bird song or two.
Have a wonderful, peaceful weekend.
Great entertaining post, Lisa. Love that beautiful photo of the Blue Grosbeak. Also, Ann and I have been to the area around Neal’s Lodges several times. Like that area.
Thanks, Bob! I was envisioning having a long summer to get organized…never thought it would take me this long to get back to the photos from Texas but it’s great to visit again, if virtually. 🙂
Nice shots Lisa! Don’t put away your winter cloths yet… the winter saga continues! 🙂
Thanks HJ! There’s no way I’m getting out the comforter.
Lisa, We are really enjoying your blog and pictures. Hope we meet up again. Side story…when I bought my first car out of college I tried to trade in a 1951 Hudson. The dealer gave me $50 and told me to keep it. The next day I drove it to the auto parts yard and they gave me another $50. It too never looked back.
Thanks so much for your comment, Jim. I hope to see you both again soon too. I am contemplating a quick, early visit Sunday to Lake Katherine (Dick Riner’s recommendation) if it’s not pouring. Love your story about the Hudson. I think my mechanic was almost ready to pay me to get rid of the Taurus.
Get old and you will never have to worry about what day of the week it is again. There are downsides though. I liked the barn swallow in particular today.
I’m old already, just haven’t figured out retirement yet. So I have the best and sometimes the worst of both worlds. Wish I’d gotten better pix of your Barn Swallow when I was in Africa, for comparison.
A blue grosbeak! I very much want to see one! Do they come to feeders?
Maybe in Texas! They’re hard to find around here, but have been seen pretty regularly in DuPage County, and at Midewin, so you never know. After all if you could get a Varied Thrush…