Feeling incompetent

Got to the oasis today to a broken connector on my water drip. So for at least 24 hours water was pouring out. I had meant to turn the main faucet that it was connected to, to a drip, just in case, but forgot.

The break took a foot of water from the stucco tank. That's at least 10,000 gallons. So careless of me! I feel like my brain isn't working efficiently anymore, but I think part of that was being sick for 3 weeks. Gotta do better! Thanks to my new tank, I'll make it through to rainy season, assuming rainy season happens next summer, but it was going to be so nice to not have to skimp on watering in the spring.

On a brighter note, since early October I've been trying to get a decent spread-tail shot of the male Allen's at the house. I was always telling myself to just give up, but couldn't help myself. Today as I sat there waiting for it to show up, there was a bee on the feeder, causing the hummer to pause long enough for me to get a spread-tail shot. I know it's not a great shot, but I also know it's the best I can expect of myself unless I get a better camera or a more cooperative bird. So I'll take it.

Also had two female Anna's around today. One is an older one that has some gorget color on top of the head.

The other was competing with the Allen's at the courtyard feeder. I suspect one of them won't be around long. The Allen's refuses to share.