Lotta nesting activity

Scott's Orioles are nestbuilding. I don't want to disturb them but once the nest is done I'll try to get photos. Meanwhile, Bell's Vireos are feeding new hatchlings.

Eenie- meenie-miney...

And eenie it is 

Miney doesn't look happy about that.

The courtyard pond is almost buried in vegetation.

Here's a Common Buckeye that Mac shot today. Compare it to the Tropical Buckeye I shot yesterday.

A downhill day

I started out puny, and it went downhill from there. Don't know why. I forced myself to water at CMO. Will finish in the morning. No energy. Heat and humidity don't help. And not much going on to enjoy watching.

I guess this is my favorite species of the day. A Tropical Buckeye. I should have tried for a better photo. Too lethargic.

Here are a couple of nice photos by Mac from yesterday.

Western Giant Swallowtail on Vitex Chaste Tree

American Rubyspot

Oasis morning

I treated myself to a leisure morning at the oasis to look for the California Spreadwing while Mac looked for the yellow-bellied kingbird. Having no luck, I then figured I'd water while I was looking so as not to have nothing to show for the morning. Never did see the damselfly, although I saw quite a few common spreadwing species. And wore myself out watering and pulling weeds. So much for a leisure treat.

I also watched an obnoxiously loud little wasp hovering over a hole in the ground. I have no idea what it was up to. Guarding its nest from intruders is the only theory I could come up with.

Also saw this Lubber Grasshopper. Maybe a Giant or Horse Lubber, not sure.

Back in Alpine this afternoon, the lotuses are starting to put on a show.

They're not only beautiful but the dragonflies love to perch on the buds.

Desert Whitetail

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UPDATE: See interesting info on the "wasp" in comments to this post. For starters, it's a beefly, not a wasp.

A lifer ode, sort of

The oasis looks lovely but it's really hot, has mosquitoes, and very few birds or butterflies, although a fair number of dragonflies. (The latter love mosquitoes.)

So I'm spending more time in town than normal. No need keeping ACs going at two places. Plus our television in town isn't working right. My tech-illiterate husband depends on me to keep stuff like that operating. I'm still working on it. Meanwhile, I ordered a new TV just in case. 

After I got to town I was working on the TV project and forgot to download the photos I had taken this morning before leaving the oasis. Awhile ago I finally remembered. One particular ode photo I couldn't ID, so I sent it to my dragonfly guru, Tripp Davenport. He ID'd it as a California Spreadwing. I had that species at the oasis once before, in 2012, but I didn't get a photo of it. Only even knew about it because of someone else's photo. Coincidentally, that someone was Tripp. And his was a first Texas record. Since then a handful more have been documented in Texas at the Sibley Nature Center in Midland.

It's sort of a lifer for me. I was beside Tripp when he photographed the one in 2012, but had paid no attention. At the time we both thought it was a Southern Spreadwing. California Spreadwing isn't even in my Texas damselfly guide. Wish now I had taken better photos of it. Will I ever learn? I saw and photographed so many spreadwings recently that I just took quick snapshots of most of what I saw, just in case, but no serious photos like I would have if I had known it was something different. 

Now it makes me want to go back down there and get better photos of it. Don't know if I can. I have commitments here Tuesday and Thursday. Will go back Friday for sure.

I don't recall ever losing anything before, so I refuse to let my new iPhone out of my hand. Meet my third hand.

And then there were none

Yesterday Mac told me there were baby [Say's] Phoebes in the courtyard, and when I got down here early this morning I saw four on the patio being fed by the adults.  An hour later my son arrived with a friend to see the place. During the tour I proudly pointed out the baby birds. Then I persuaded my son to go down to the oasis to fix an electrical problem. The friend stayed in the house. When we got back a short while later (electric problem solved) we were shown his friend's cell phone shots of the babies being eaten by a Western Coachwhip Snake. I did see one baby left, but don't know if it's still around or not. Not sure I even want to know.

On a brighter note, I know I've posted enough owlet photos lately (thanks to Mac) but his last night's capture is too cute for words! We believe the other one fledged and this one was left in the cavity last night but has surely followed its sibling by now.

UPDATE: No sign of any baby phoebes in the courtyard.

I guess you could compare losing my iphone to childbirth. It was worth all the pain because now I can make cell phone calls and texts from my wifi at CMO.

Recent photos by Mac

I'm stuck in town, but not for long. My son is working on my new phone now. I'll be out of solitary confinement soon!

Mac emailed some nice shots he got yesterday. I love that he finally got one with both Elf Owl nestlings in the cavity. I'm sure they're fledged by now.

Hummingbirds aren't showing up much at the feeders what with all the rain-induced flower blooms. 

Probably female Black-chinned Hummingbird

That's making it difficult for the film crew to get good display shots. It's incredible all the adversity the crew has had. Having to get towed out from mud in the park, rain threatening equipment, birds not cooperating, to name a few. They really should do a documentary on the making of the documentary.

No cell phone

Today I spent all morning working on my cell phone trauma. As soon as Apple was open for business I called them and had them walk me through the process of disabling and erasing my phone. Then I went to the Verizon store and spent another 3 hours. They were an hour late opening and had a long line and only one employee working. The bottom line is my son ordered me a new phone online, which will arrive in a day or two. I feel like I won't be functional until I get a phone. Truly!

All I can figure out that happened is when I used my phone while pumping gas and cleaning my windshield, I probably stuck it in my pocket, which was a shallow pocket. It must have fallen out and I didn't hear it, which would be unheard of for me (no pun intended). Then someone must have picked it up when I drove away and immediately disabled the tracker on it. By the time I got to the house a few minutes away and couldn't find it, my son tried to track it and I went back to the gas station. All to no avail. From what I could learn from Verizon, Apple, and our credit card company, the phone wasn't used. I guess it's within the realm of possibility that I ran over it, and someone tossed it in the trash can. Wish I had thought to go through the trash cans.

Needless to say, my phone's location will be a top priority for me in the future. I guess I'll be its slave... or prisoner. LOL

Stuck in town, I'm enjoying the baby Elf Owls vicariously through Mac's photos. Here are a couple he took this afternoon. He's positive there are two in the hole. They'll be fledged by tomorrow.

Surprise Tree Tobacco blooms

I totally didn't expect blooms on the Tree Tobacco this soon.

Yesterday's rain put a bunch of water in the upper dirt tank so I topped off the stucco tank today. 

Mac took this photo this afternoon of a baby Elf Owl. An expert told me this one will fledge in one day; two days max. Cool! Thank you, Mac!

I got to our house in town and discovered I didn't have my cell phone. Panic, because I know I had it at the gas station when I gassed up in town. Somehow it must have gotten dropped outside my pickup when gassing up and someone took it. I had my son track its location on the Find Friend app and it said location not available, so someone turned that feature off. Panic! I'll call Verizon in the morning and get it turned off and a new phone, but meantime it could run up a huge bill. I don't even know what damage can be done.

Lookin' good!

The Tree Tobacco is recovering nicely since that hail storm. Fingers crossed!

5 PM

Late this evening we got a storm with lots of wind and rain. Then the electricity was out for most of the night.

9 PM

Still searching for Mexican Amberwings, but none yet, just lots of Eastern Amberwings.

Mac located this Black Setwing. I don't recall ever seeing one this blue, especially the labrum (I think that's what it's called) on the face.

Hibiscus are blooming all over the place, as are many other flowers. This one was growing in the middle of the road.

Hibiscus coulteri

Elf Owl filming at an end

I think the owlets have fledged. Here's a photo Mac took last night of one that I presume has left the nest hole by now.

They must have hatched well before we were aware of it. A group of birders today reported seeing a young one in the bushes near the nest hole. Wish I was there. Story of my life, it seems.

Oasis lovely today

We got another shower last night so everything is green, inside and outside of the oasis. Beebrush keeps the air smelling perfumed. Best of all, the dragonfly pond is loaded with dragonflies.

A hopeful Western Wood-Pewee tried to dine on dragonflies, but didn't catch any while I watched. A mild breeze kept the mosquito numbers down, so I was able to enjoy sitting by the pond for quite a while. No new species but I added a couple to my June list.

Wore myself out with my weedeater. I feel I should do everything I can to decrease the likelihood of someone getting bitten by a rattlesnake. So I whack at the weeds until I'm exhausted. Had to take a short nap before heading to Alpine. I get so sleepy while driving otherwise.

I didn't find anything interesting to photograph today, but Mac came to my rescue again. He shot the lightning toward the north of the oasis last  night.

Scaled Quail

Male Wandering Glider

Mac photographed this frog at Rio Grande Village in Big Bend NP several days ago.

CMO draws me back early

Hadn't planned on coming down until tomorrow but couldn't stand it, as usual. Told my husband I had to work on installing the new pump  he bought me. But it was hot and mosquitoey so I didn't do much but take a few photos. I felt overwhelmed. The new pump has to be totally replumbed because the outflow pipe is on the opposite side as the old pump. Tomorrow I'll start with renewed resolve. Or not.

CMO gets plenty of attention. Mac's still here; the film crew is here; and a biology class visited late this afternoon. Here's a photo of a black scorpion the film crew captured. They're hoping to get photos of the Elf Owl capturing it. Not going to happen. The owls are feeding young now.

I couldn't resist photographing the well-photographed resident Spotted Ground-Squirrel.

Female Orange Sulphur on Beebrush

Red Saddlebags

Instead of focusing on the fact that the stucco tank lost 5" since I pumped water into it three days ago, I'm focusing on the fact that the new tank still has 65,000 gallons in it, and the big concrete tank lost less than an inch in the last three days.

No toad!

Back to normal

I feel recovered today. Hugh was able to drive so I slept a lot of the trip to Odessa. Back in Alpine no interesting odes or butterflies. Took these two shots only.

Mating Vesta Crescents

Acmon Blue

Maybe Mac will send me some interesting photos later on that I can add here. I'm going to focus more on toads in the future. I don't think I have any at the oasis and my sister a mile away thinks she has Spadefoot Toads, so I want to get that sorted out as soon as possible. The only confirmed toad at the oasis was a Narrow-mouthed Toad photographed by Barry Zimmer one year. You can go to my index and click on "toads" to see that. And a couple of times in the past 40 years a horned toad has been spotted, but that's the extent of what I know about my toads.

Puny day

I'm not sure why but really dragging today. Came to town. Hopefully, I'll feel better tomorrow. Have to accompany my husband to Odessa to the eye doctor in case he needs me to drive him. And tonight I have to monitor my drying apricots. If my husband can do the driving tomorrow, I'll sleep.

Here's the only photo I took at CMO before leaving, other than the above scenery.

Female Eastern Amberwing

Mac has been desperately trying to get a photo of newly hatched quail chicks. When they're first hatched the parents are terribly protective, knowing the chicks know nothing about how to survive. But they relax after a week or so when the chicks start behaving like they're being taught to. So today Mac finally got this shot. Better than nothing, but he hasn't given up on getting younger ones.

I love baby chicks. Could sit and watch them all day. Mosquitoes are getting bad at CMO, as are weeds. The stucco tank is leaking pretty bad, like 3" a day. That rate will lessen as the water level goes down, but it's still depressing. That's a lot of water. It takes at least an hour of hard pumping with a 3" hose to put  that  much water in the tank, so it has to be leaking like a sieve. Nothing I can do about it, so have to let it go. Even the lower dirt tank doesn't leak more than that. At least I have the new tank, and the big concrete tank doesn't leak. Just evaporates.