Update on daughter

 

She's off machines and tentatively going home tomorrow.

A Memorial weekend I'll always remember

Yesterday was crazy! For years my daughter had been suffering from bad headaches. In 2016 she had an MRI and it was considered normal. The last few months her headaches became "different" plus she began experiencing balance problems and nausea. So we discussed it a couple of weeks ago and decided she simply must have an MRI. She was able to get one scheduled for the following week on Friday (May 27) for after she got off work. 

After the MRI, they wouldn't let her leave and told her she had a brain tumor and must get straight to the ER. They did a C-SCAN, bloodwork, and prepared to get her into surgery asap. Reexamining the 2016 MRI they saw a tiny tumor had already been forming then.

Surgery was originally scheduled for 7 AM yesterday (May 29th). Finally they got her in late in the morning, only to take her right back out because the surgeon had an emergency. An hour or two later, they wheeled her back into surgery. She hadn't wanted the family to travel there, and had her devoted husband with her all the way. So we suffered from afar.

I had planned to water trees during the surgery. But as it kept being delayed I found myself unable to postpone watering any longer. Then the pump stopped working.  Could find no reason. Was it symbolizing my daughter's heart?  I was a wreck!

 

Eventually the pump started working. Expecting the surgery to be over by 10 AM, I had promised my husband I'd be to town by supper time. So there I was, in the afternoon 107° heat, watering and rushing around to keep my promise. During the drive to town I had no cell service. As soon as I got to service I got a call or text (don't remember which) that the minute the doctor had started dissecting the tumor it had started to bleed more than expected and her brain had begun to swell. He had to make an instant life or death decision to either halt the surgery or grab the tumor as best he could and get out. He opted for the latter, and luckily was able to pop out the tumor in one complete piece. (Later I learned he had told my daughter that bleeding and swelling was a possibility and if that happened he'd have to abort the surgery.)

I agonized that the bleeding and swelling would cause damage, maybe permanent, she might be in a coma, die... all kinds of stuff. In my earlier anxiety, I had rushed off to town and left water running. Fortunately, my son was there and discovered it before all my water reserve was lost, but any loss at this time is serious.

 

When my son-in-law could no longer stand not knowing her status, fearing the worst, he stopped waiting for the promised call that he could go see her, and rushed into the ICU uninvited. He found her seemingly fine and wanting to go home. I guess they had forgotten to call him, or were waiting a bit longer.

So I went from despair to euphoria in a matter of seconds! I finally got to talk to her early this morning. She's normal other than neck pain and tired. Will update soon!

Another day of watering behind me

When I got to the oasis day before yesterday, we had a 100% chance of rain in the forecast so I didn't start watering. Therefore, I had to do it all yesterday. Exhausting, and no migrants to enjoy in the process. 

Recently a visitor photographed a Marbled Whiptail at the oasis. I didn't even know there was such a species, so I was determined to locate one and photograph it. I barely managed a single shot of one yesterday. They're not considered elusive for nothing. I hope to do better in the future. Not having good birds to distract me might help.

Here is the state of the big tank as of yesterday. The Mexican Duck pair is still hanging around it (second photo).

Migration is over for spring

I can't complain since the oasis had some great migrants. The only birds here are my regular nesting species, which unfortunately includes Brown-headed Cowbirds. There's also a pair of Mexican Ducks that are year-round in the area, although I doubt they're nesting here (but they might be). Probably taking advantage of the drying up of the big tank. As the tank dries up, gambusias are left unable to escape predators. Turkey Vultures are hanging around too. Normally, I catch some of the gambusias to restock when it rains, but I'm thinking dragonflies will do better without gambusias eating their larva, so letting them go.

It would sure be awesome if it rains and fills the tanks, then baby Mexican Ducks show up in the water. Dreaming here, of course. We had 100% chance of rain today at 4 PM, but it didn't happen. So tomorrow I'm going to water trees again. The vegetation here is looking threadbare. Better days ahead.

I did very little work today but it left me exhausted, nonetheless. I'm prone to puny days, so I hope that's all it is, and tomorrow my energy will return.

Here's a picture taken of us at the Big Sit (May 14).

L-R: Michael Gray, Madge Lindsay, Bill Sain, Beth McBroom, me, Cecilia Riley, Rick Reese, Linda Hedges.
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UPDATE: Our team won again with 43 species! We can do much better if we do it a week or ten days earlier next year!

Worrisome Lucifer behavior

I noticed a female Lucifer perched on the same perch for a long time, probably more than an hour. And it made weird jerky movements. Otherwise it seemed healthy and normal. Maybe brain damage from an impact to a vehicle or window? I'm unable to upload the video here, but hopefully this link will work.

 <a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/71266137@N05/52083535223/in/dateposted-public/" title="2022 5-18 CMO (2)"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/31337/52083535223_25cb7d6f38_z.jpg" width="640" height="360" alt="2022 5-18 CMO (2)"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Other than that, while I was sitting at the back drip, trying to get a better photo of a Hooded Warbler that had been there earlier, I heard what sounded like birds mobbing something. Upon investigation, I located a Western Coachwhip snake about 7 feet high in a tree. That was definitely the cause of the uproar.

I finally did get a better photo of the female Hooded Warbler.

In spite of the 108° high temperature today, I got the watering half done. Will finish in the cool of the morning tomorrow, then back to town to catch up there.

2022 Big Sit!

I don't think I'm supposed to say anything about our success, or lack thereof, until the contest results are publicized, but here are a couple of pictures of the sit in progress.

Here's a photo of an Elf Owl that I took from within the Big Sit circle. All for now.

A moment with a wet backside!

I always enjoy watching America's Funniest Videos, so not surprisingly, it came to mind with this sighting.

This has been a moment with a bear's wet backside!

While diligently watering my trees, I heard a loud splash in the big tank. I could not imagine what could have made a loud splash, certainly not a duck. Deer and javelina don't make splashes. So I went to see what it was, just in time to see a wet bear going over the spillway, drizzling water as it departed up the arroyo. What you see is what I saw! 

A few nice birds showed up today. Here's a Western Tanager bathing in the sprinkler.

And a Warbling Vireo.

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UPDATE: Later I remembered that a few weeks before the bear sighting I had been looking for a bird back behind the spillway when I noticed the spillway had water drizzled on it. Obviously, the bear had used the tank before. At least he stays away from the rest of the oasis, so is afraid of humans. Hope it stays that way!

Too much of a good thing!

Maybe I over-indulged a bit on Gage Gardens. Today when Dale and I got there bright and early, all hyped to see great birds, it was quite dead. Not only that, but workers were all over the place with loud leaf-blowers on the walkways. There was no escaping the deafening noise. When they quit in an hour or so, three trains blasted past at short intervals. Meanwhile, the workers were spraying herbicide on all the beds, purportedly to kill weeds.

The storm that came up from the south yesterday, bringing some showers to the region, may have caused the migrants to hasten north. Oh, well, my body needs a rest from this migration frenzy. Fun while it lasted, though!

From beauty to ugly

Gage Gardens in Marathon is beautiful. Birding there feels like such a privilege.  It's uplifting, especially with rare birds showing up there so often. Post Park (Fort Pena Colorado), five miles away, on the other hand, is depressing. After spending two fun hours this morning at Gage Gardens, I decided to check out Post Park. I lasted there about 20 minutes, until I realized I wasn't having fun, so what's the point.

It was bad enough before the surrounding vegetation* was bulldozed, but now it's just a sad place to be, in my opinion. Here's the spot where I once enjoyed seeing a Groove-billed Ani. 

Birding shouldn't just be about adding another bird species to one's list, but about enjoying nature and the habitat too.  I guess the public needs a place to picnic, or feed the swarm of begging domestic-type ducks, etc., but I see no reason to go there when other places are so much more fun. I'm sure if there was a life bird there that I wanted to see, I'd hold my nose and go.

Meanwhile, I'm enjoying Gage Gardens so much that tomorrow morning, before I head to the oasis, I'm going back there with Dale again. (I went by myself today because she had other obligations.) I got my first ever photos of a Black-throated  Blue Warbler. It wasn't easy and this photo isn't sharp,** but maybe tomorrow I can do better. IDable female anyway.

And the Tropical Parula was still there, singing away. Such a treat to see!

The oasis got a little rain shower this afternoon. I'm eager to see how much. My sister, a mile away got .15" and since it came from the south, the oasis may have gotten a bit more. Hoping, but any is good!

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* To be clear, the tiny park itself was not bulldozed, just the privately owned ranch land around it.

** Autofocus won't pick the bird out from the surrounding vegetation and if I take the time to manual focus, the bird moves out of frame. Very difficult when a bird is flitting a mile a minute inside foliage.

DROUGHT

The drought brings good birds to places like Christmas Mountains Oasis and Gage Gardens in Marathon, as well as other desert havens. But, as much as I enjoy those rarities, I'd prefer rain and water. Another new oasis species was photographed by Greg Jackson today. It's a poor photo, but at least documentation of the first oasis Yellow-throated Warbler.

Meanwhile, my sister-in-law, Dale, and I got a new county species for ourselves at Gage Gardens, a singing Tropical Parula.  Also my first photo of the species.

So now I'm trying to decide whether I want to go back to Gage Gardens tomorrow and try for another rarity there (Prothonotary Warbler that Dale saw, but I didn't), or hope the rare warbler is still at the oasis and try for it. Tough decisions. And I give my body no break! A good drought-fueled spring migration doesn't come along that often. And remember last fall? Migration was practically non-existent.

I'm pretty much ignoring my Alpine habitat (Johnson Ponds), where the mulberry trees are loaded with birds and berries. Sigh! And just this afternoon we got a much welcomed rain shower in Alpine. Sigh! I hope the oasis is next!

Migration slowing down

It's been really hot. Late yesterday afternoon, I arrived at the oasis as the thermometer said 104.° Nevertheless, intrepid birders were there. They had just seen the Worm-eating Warbler. Today though, it was gone. The last sighting I had of it last night, it had flown real high into a tree and made its call note repeatedly. That was the first sound I'd heard it make since it arrived. Then it disappeared. I think it was ready to leave, and left. That was right at dusk, just like the Varied Thrush, years before, went to the top of the cottonwood tree and disappeared at dusk. Previously both species had stayed closer to the ground. (The thrush overwintered for 5 months, and the warbler rested and recovered for 5 days.)

I desperately hope we get some good rains soon. It's such a struggle to water twice a week, only to watch the vegetation looking parched all the time. And maybe javelina would give the place a break if they had more options. I'm sure they think we built the water feature just for them.

Here's an awesome shot of the Elf Owl taken recently by Rance Rogers. He's the brother of Russ Rogers, who took those perfect Lucifer display shots. (See post of  April 21) I'm not sure what the insect is that the male is carrying to the female.

Catchup

The lovely Worm-eating Warbler stayed around for another group of birders to see it another day. Since I had already seen it, I hung back and let them get looks at it, and didn't take any good photos of it myself. I'm satisfied with what I already had gotten.

Upon arriving, the group had been shown a photo of what the bird looked like, and were charged with finding it. Just a matter of time until some of the many eager eyes spotted it.

I had to come to Alpine after the group left to do catchup here. The mulberry trees are loaded with birds and berries, so that took precedence over laundry, cooking, cleaning, etc. Tomorrow I'll go back to the oasis to water trees. A lot of back and forth, trying to hang onto both worlds as long as possible.

In town there are some nice birds like a Baltimore Oriole.

And at least a dozen Western Tanagers.

My eyesight is deteriorating with age (macular degeneration), so rather challenging. And my neck doesn't turn and bend hardly at all, but I push on as best I can. Beats the alternative.

Worm-eating Warbler still at CMO

I was delighted when some visiting birders (of which there are many) located the Worm-eating Warbler this morning. Eventually, I got some more pictures of it doing its thing.

I hope it tasted better than it looks like it tasted. The poor bird probably isn't used to West Texas insects.

Another day in paradise!

Today's treasure!

This morning, maybe somewhere between 9-10 AM, the place was brimful with birders when I spotted a  warbler flitting around in the little oak patch that the Cerulean Warbler had been in when I first saw it (discovered by Lee Hoy). My first thought was "female Cerulean," but when I got binoculars on it for one briefest second, I saw a Worm-eating Warbler. As someone was on the other side of it, with the bird in between us, and walking towards it, not knowing it was there, I called to him to freeze, as I was simultaneously trying to get my camera on, and in position, for a photo. But the bird disappeared. No photo. So I spread the word to all the maybe two dozen birders milling around to watch for it. I figured with so many eyes, if it was there, someone would find it. Just in case it might help, I set up a couple of sprinklers.

 

While we were all looking, I was busy talking myself out of it being a Worm-eating. Had it been a Swainson's? Did I see some brown on the head? So I spread the word, it was one or the other. Maybe fifteen minutes, or so later (I so lose track of time), someone came up to me that they had found it.  Soon a bunch of us were photographing it as best we could as it foraged in the bushes.

I was so excited! My first photo of the species, although twice in the history of the oasis I had gotten a quick glimpse at one. I had so badly wanted a photo. Eventually, I got a satisfactory photo of it. So here is my treasure!

Birders are a treasure too! 

UPDATE: Right at dusk we found the Worm-eating Warbler eating a worm (or maybe a bug).

Birds and berries

In town this morning, headed to the oasis soon. The mulberry trees here are loaded with berries and birds. Best to visit early morning when there's the most activity. Here are Western Tanagers, a Phainopepla, Cassin's Kingbird, and female Orchard Oriole.

Surprise rain shower

Just a little over one-tenth inch, but it was very welcome, nonetheless!

 A week ago I started putting some of my reserve water into the stucco tank so I can use the pump in there to water the trees. I worried about it evaporating in between waterings, so I bought a tarp to cover the water. It took a lot of rocks and weights to keep the wind from picking up the tarp.

                         

So after today's shower, the tarp has water standing on it and I can't figure out how to get it off without dismantling the whole setup and starting over.

While all the water on it will get wasted, the bright side is, it'll help keep the tarp from blowing away. It's all an experiment. Will just have to see if it helps. I feel like without doing something, I lose half the water to evaporation.

Not many migrants visited today and those that did, didn't stay long.

American Pipit

Yellow Warbler