Big Bear back!

That darned bear came back and some really bad damage. It seemed every conifer tree had some damage. The worst was my poor Papershell Pinyon that the bear snapped in half. So it was about 10 feet tall and now reduced to about 5 feet tall. It took me 20 years to get it that tall. So frustrating!

I don't know why he demolished so many limbs on so many trees. He pulled a tub out from under my pump in the big tank and poked a hole in it for no reason I can come up with. Here are his foot prints. I had my son (shoe size 12) stand beside them for size perspective. 

He seemed to enjoy chewing on the cypress and juniper trees too.

The good news is that the bear didn't bother the hummingbird feeders and didn't tear down the seed feeder. He did try on the seed feeder though. A lot of the spikes on the unwelcome mat were flattened and claw marks all over the greased (now re-greased) pole.

I finished all I could on the new water feature today until Mike installs the solar and pump. Deidre helped me this morning. It was great to have help and get that behind me. It should be bear-proof too.

A rare treat

I adore baby quail but almost never get to see them long enough to get a photo. Today was my lucky day. Since I was working on the new water feature most of the day (yes, in 100° heat), I guess they got tired of waiting for me to leave the feeder area and came in with me there. There were at least ten chicks because I got that many in this photo but I don't think I ever was able to get a shot with all of them in it. They flittered everywhere too fast.

Mike and Deirdra  came and worked on the water feature for a few hours this morning. They got the plumbing installed and we filled it with water. After Mike patched the bear tear, of course. I'm doing the rock work. Here's how it looked late this afternoon right after a brief shower. Mike has to install the solar and pump before it'll work.

I can't do the back wall yet until that's all installed. So far I haven't used cement. Trying not to. Tomorrow I'm going to sift more gravel to put between the rocks.

More productive day

Day before yesterday I worked so hard and then didn't like the results, but had to rest and recover yesterday. Today I was good to go plus the weather was great! Not too hot. My help didn't show up but that didn't deter me. I started with the work that didn't suit me....

And made it more to suit me. I think the main problem I have with it is because I'm used to using concrete (colored, of course) to give a more cohesive look. I may end up doing that, but gonna try not to. The first time javelina tear it up, I'll be mixing mortar. (The white looking rocks will all be covered or removed.)

Since I had to come to town this afternoon I watered most of the trees. Really wore myself out but it feels good to have made progress on the water feature. I fully expect to finish the rockwork as soon as Mike gets the liner in place. He's got to patch where the bear tore it. The 8½" tear goes 2-3" down below where the water level will be. That is such a freaky think to have happen. What are the odds!

I'll need help with some of the heavier slabs that I want to put on top.

While I was watering I sat and took photos in between moving the hose. Got a better pic of the chat today. I just love chats. Even got him in a madrone tree.

New oasis species discovered today - Gray Snakeherb (Dyschoriste cinerascens).

I just love living in my "cabin" where I can look out the windows, or new door, and see mountains and the oasis. I'm right where I want to be doing what I want to do. Doesn't get better than that!

PS: I don't think I ever posted a photo of what the new water feature looks like when it's operational. Of course ours will be different but this gives you some idea.

Overdid as usual

Got to the oasis early yesterday morning feeling good. Vertigo gone and actually had some energy. I was tired of the water feature project dragging on and on so decided to work on the retainer wall around it. Before I knew it the temperature was over 100° and I kept thinking just one more rock, etc. Rock work is really hard on my body. So I overdid myself, but that wouldn't bother me if I had been satisfied with the work.

Wasn't to be. When I finished all I could for the day, I walked over to the water feature I had built for my long abandoned cienega.

I liked it so much better, and it goes better with the molded artificial rock on top of the new water feature, that I resolved to undo my work and use the rocks from the cienega.

But early this morning I wasn't up to it. Just couldn't do it. So two wasted days and I have to go back to town tomorrow. A neighbor might come in the morning and dismantle the old water feature and put the rocks by where I'll be using them. And he can help me dismantle yesterday's work. 

However, birders come every morning and the work is near the viewing blind, so that's something I have to take into consideration. Which is one reason I found myself working in the heat of the day yesterday. And wasn't up to starting today since it got as hot faster.

While I was resting, I watched birds for a while. Would you believe that Black-chinned Hummingbird (or a different one) built another nest even closer to the walkway! That means more closed trails. At least it's not the trail to the back water feature so won't be as bad. The nest is among cones (?) eye level, in an Arizona Cypress tree.

The Yellow-breasted Chats at the oasis haven't been vocal this year like they are other places. I guess that's because there's just one pair and they don't have to defend their territory. Not sure why.

BEAR

On May 13 the bear tore down the feeder, broke a limb on a Chinkapin Oak, tore out the screen on the potty shed, and most damaging of all, tore holes in the liner for the upcoming new water feature. Lee repaired the feeder and rehung it. I bolted the chain down so the feeder wouldn't lower.

On May 14 the bear again tore down the feeder and broke the horizontal pipe holding the feeder. Lee replaced the pipe with a new one. A lot of work.

On May 15 I left the feeder empty on the ground. No damage, although the bear had taken the cone out of the feeder and minor stuff.

On May 16 I left the feeder empty on the ground. No damage.

On May 17 I woke up, looked out the window, and there was the bear at my door.

Blurry cell phone pics

Maybe he left since there's nothing for him to eat at the oasis. I rehung the feeder just half full so if he tears it down there'll be plenty for the birds but not enough to fill the bear. I also unbolted the chain. I'd rather have the feeder torn down than the pipe broke as well as the feeder torn down.

I spent the morning watering the trees that I hadn't gotten time to water yesterday. As I watered, I watched birds. There are a lot of fledglings around, including the two hummingbirds. 

This Ash-throated Flycatcher is building a nest. Maybe a second one.

Before coming to town, I greased the pole with wheel axle grease, and put out the unwelcome mat. Will have to see what happens next. At least the pole itself is bear-proof. I scattered lots of seed around the outside of the mat so the birds will have plenty for a few days. And if the bucket gets pulled down, it'll spill half a bucket on the ground for birds. If it doesn't get pulled down, there'll be enough in it for a few days when I'll go back and reassess things.

I'm just glad he's leaving the hummingbird feeders alone.

Two nights of bear devastation

 Night before last a bear tore down the seed feeder, broke off a limb on an oak tree that didn't have acorns on it, and chewed holes in the new liner for the new water feature. Also tore the screen on the potty shed door. 

My son fixed the feeder back and we hung it higher. This morning it broke off the horizontal pipe holding the feeder and another whole bag of seed ended up spilled on the ground.

It rained a third an inch in the night so there are fresh signs this morning. Here are tracks. 

Seed-laden scat

 On top of everything else, I've had vertigo for 3 days. That really takes it out of me.

I thought the baby hummingbirds would surely fledge today, but they're still [sorta] in the nest as of this evening. They're really calm. Don't get perturbed when someone approaches the nest.

Mike came down from Ft Davis and tried to secure the water feature better until we can get it finished. He's going to order a patching kit from the manufacturer.

Yellow-headed Blackbirds are really cool birds.

Different obsessions

My husband seems as obsessed with firewood as I am with the oasis. For quite a few weeks now he spends a couple of hours most days cutting firewood. He got my son to load the logs onto the trailer for him.

Looks to me like he can't live long enough to use it all up. He may live long enough, but in ten years will he be physically able to bring it inside and build a fire? I doubt it. Oh, well. It makes him happy, I guess. And keeps him more active.

Hot and exhausting

We worked on the new water feature today but it was extremely hot and everyone needed to take lots of breaks, including myself. It's still a work in progress but I think the hardest part is over. I'm pretty concerned that javelina will find a way to destroy it, or even bears. Time will tell. Here's how it looks for now. Hopefully we'll finish before long. It was very stressful for me to see birds not coming to the feeder next to where the work was happening. And without the birds, visiting birders couldn't have been having a very good time.

Too tired to blog more. Tomorrow's another day!

A mother's devotion

When the mother Black-chinned Hummingbird is bringing food to the nest she'll flush if a person gets within about 15-20 feet away and not return for a minute or two. 

In contrast, today when the temperature reached 100° or more, she wouldn't flush from the nest unless I got within 3 feet of it, and then in a few short seconds she was right back on the nest, shielding the babies from the sun. I can only imagine what she'd risk if a predator was taking one of the babies.

And speaking of contrasts, here's a comparison between two subspecies of White-crowned Sparrows. The one with the plain lores is a Z. gambelii, and the one with the black lores is a Z. leucophrys oriantha. The former winter at the oasis and the latter only show up during migration.

Here are a few, of many, bird photos I snapped yesterday and today.

Bullock's Oriole

Lazuli Bunting

Lesser Goldfinch

Wilson's Warbler

Nashville Warbler

Tomorrow a crew is coming to install the new water feature. It'll really disrupt birders, but I'll be glad to get it over with.