Feral hog trapping

 My husband traps feral hogs. We eat them. I like the ribs best. Today he caught one and was showing my son how to process it. 

I'm feeling really good about the oasis and eager for good birds to show up for us all to enjoy. Probably too late for this year, but spring will arrive soon, being as time flies!

Latest bear video

My sister's critter cam caught this 3 days ago at her watering hole a mile north of the oasis. Late afternoon so not great light.

More about the big hill

I'm back in town where I have my good computer and photoshop, so want to finish regarding the hill project. It took a full day for my brain to process everything. My only disappointment is the slick surface, but since only two tires will be on it at a time, there should be plenty of traction.  Probably will never be a problem, and if it is, we can solve it one way or the other.

Going downhill as concrete cures

Downhill during curing time

I feel like we finally tamed the hill. As I process the situation, it's finally soaking in. I've struggled with it for 43 years. 

Since it's best to keep it wet for ten days, which I can't do, I opted to try to cover it with plastic for that amount of time. My sisters helped me scrounge what plastic we could, and cover it.

It doesn't seem as steep anymore. Weird how that is!

Here's a video clip of those hard workers getting the sand from my arroyo. (I had technical problems so couldn't post it until I got to town.) They teach their kids good work ethics.

So relieved the hill is done!

Before I share my thoughts on it, here are a few photos.

8:30 AM arrival and unloading

9:30 AM after getting sand out of my arroyo

11:30 AM ready to start mixing after a quick lunch

2:00 PM over half done

By 4 PM they were packed up and gone. It was 100° so I worried the concrete would set up too fast. I rushed over and started wetting it, but it was already cracking. I felt it best to stay away while they did the job and probably shouldn't have. Didn't want to risk any unpleasantness. Men have their egos and they were working for the contractor, not me directly, plus, I would have been in their way. I guess the cracks won't hurt anything. There's wire mesh inside it and I gave them a bunch of fiber that I assume they used. 

4:30 PM sisters helping me wet the cement

Here are my thoughts and conclusions. The Mexicans are very good workers, no doubt about that. I had told the contractor repeatedly that I wanted the surface rough. Why it's slick, I don't know. At some point if that poses a problem, I'll try using acid to etch it. Will wait and see. I was adamant the water needed to run to the inside where there's bedrock and not on the outside to erode underneath the concrete. He did that great!

I can't see how the hill can be a problem anymore, but I'm eager to put it to the test. It was supposed to be 4" thick, but he used a 2X4, which is actually 3½". That and the heat made it set up too fast. Still the ground beneath is practically solid bedrock, so should be fine. Another problem is that he didn't wet the ground prior to pouring the cement. I suggested it, but I can see by looking that it didn't happen. Once the concrete dries, it'll blend in well, just like the patches I've poured do.

I predict that the hill won't be a conversation piece by visitors any more. The road is rough. It'll always be rough. Even when I've had it graded smooth, it becomes a dust bowl until the next rain, and then all rough again. I prefer to skip the dustbowl stage.

The only wildlife I observed today was what appeared on the road.

Stressing big time!

The contractor had an excuse for not coming today. At this point, I want to be optimistic, so won't share my thoughts. At best, he didn't plan or prepare well. He promised to be here early tomorrow morning. We'll see. To combat my stress, I made great effort to watch birds and odes. 

There are a few new Mexican Amberwings today, and still plenty of California Spreadwings, as best I can tell. The gnats are unbearable and my allergies go crazy outdoors, so I don't stay out long at a time.

Birding is really slow. A couple of juvenile, or maybe female, Western Tanagers took an interest in soapberry berries. I don't know if they eat them or not. The only bird I've seen actually eat them was that Williamson Sapsucker some time ago.

That's about it. Just in limbo right now.

Plague of gnats!

Trying to water the oasis today, but the gnats were voracious! Wore goggles, insect repellent, stuffed tissue in my ears, but still no relief. Not to mention my allergies were off the charts. Gonna try to finish watering early in the morning before it gets hot. The gnats won't be as bad. Not much bird activity what with everywhere an oasis, but a Mexican Jay showed up for a few minutes. First one for the oasis. Not great photos, but I was happy to get any.

Coming in early this morning there was an Aoudad at the big hill. I hope this photo is the last time we'll see the hill looking like this. Tomorrow will tell...

Something has been climbing into the Chinese Pistachio tree at night for berries and breaking lots of twigs off. Not a bear, or there would be broken limbs, so I'm thinking Ringtail.

Migration fun!

I almost never just sit and bird at the oasis. Always watering, pruning, etc. But today for a luxurious several hours I just birded. It was wondrous, even though I only can ID about half of what I see.

The first bird I had seen bathing in my new improved water drip was a Townsend's Warbler, immediately followed by another Townsend's. I had wondered if the new upper basin would be too small for bathing, but that's what the first Townsend's used.

The second one used the middle basin. I've decided to put a taller lip on the low part of that basin so it'll hold a bit more water. I'll use JB weld, or something like that.

So.... I paid a contractor $1500 to buy the concrete and steel wire for the big hill job. When he does the job, I'll owe him another $2000. I'm terrified and excited at the same time. Thanks to some donations and the GoFundMe money, the cost is now covered. I'm terrified that it won't happen and I've lost the $1500. Two trusted people recommended him, but still....

The work is supposed to be done on the 23rd and 24th. We'll see. If he does what he says he'll do, it'll be awesome! Of course I'll keep everyone updated. Birders are the best. I'm so very grateful to all of you for making this possible!

When it's done, I want you all to come and try it out. If they actually do the job when promised, visiting birders will need to park and walk in the last half mile on those two days and perhaps the following day while the concrete sets up. However, I'll be there when the job is being done and will be happy to drive anyone to the oasis from the top of the big hill. Best to let me know ahead of time so I can be watching for you though.

Yesterday and today I had a Dickcissel. Always a nice migrant

.

Also had a Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay today but only for a few minutes and no photo.

Slow birding in Alpine

Stuck in Alpine and hardly any birds. Probably dispersed from all the rain. And we got a surprise inch of rain again this afternoon. I wish the oasis would have gotten some too, but didn't. My son went to water and service feeders in my place. So that leaves me in Alpine longer than I normally am. He had some other stuff he had to do there, so no need us both going. But I'll go in a few days if I can stand to wait that long.

Here are a couple of photos of our alley here in town between the property the house is on and the bird habitat. 

I'm showing you this because the city is getting ready to uglify it. They're going to replace the utility poles and lines. I hate living in the city. It's unbearably noisy, and that's before they bring in the equipment. I'm just referring to trains, loud dogs barking in surround-sound day and night, noisy vehicles, and such. It's tolerable when there are good birds.

I still have the Allen's Hummingbird, but it only comes to the feeder a couple times a day these days.

Feeder servicing visit

Not much going on at the oasis bird-wise. I guess everywhere is an oasis and birds are dispersed. That's good for the birds and good for the vegetation. So not complaining. However, the gnats were really bad. After servicing the feeders I stayed around long enough to get a photo of a lovely male American Redstart that a visiting birder had located, then back to town.

I'm not fast enough to get a better photo of it. If it had been a rarity, I would have hung around longer and tried. For some reason I was inspired to photograph the water features at the oasis while I was there.

Hectic day!

I met with the road contractor today to discuss what he can do on the big hill, etc. Haven't got a quote yet, but it'll be between 3 and 4 thousand. I'm stressing because I want to do what's the best for the hill, but don't know. There are so many issues and variables. Too many to blog about, but I'd love to discuss it with an expert. If anyone knows one, point him in my direction.

It's scary! I don't want the gofundme money spent irresponsibly. So, as bad as I want this done, I'm not going to rush into it. I'm thinking since it's too late to get it done for fall migration, I'll focus on having it done by next spring migration. 

Didn't have much time to watch birds today, but hopefully, can tomorrow.

Migration in progress

Had an exciting day of birding right here at our ponds in Alpine! I saw a myiarchus flycatcher I couldn't ID, so submitted it to ebird as myiarchus species and asked the reviewer for help. He told me it was a Great Crested Flycatcher, which was a new species for me.

Then I saw a bird high in the sky and decided to take a photo of it, hoping just for something IDable. Steven (the ebird reviewer for this area) said it was a juvenile Mississippi Kite, which was new for my county list. And migration has barely begun!

Great monsoon season

They say this year is a rare "triple-dip La Niña". I've always hated La Niña years before, but loving this one. Too bad it's a rarity! Here's an idea how the oasis looks when it gets real rains.

Big tank looking west

Path to back water drip looking north

Back water drip looking east

Pines area looking NNW

Soapberry thicket in adjacent arroyo

Hummingbird viewing garden

Fortunately, the oasis can thrive on very little rainfall, because it's had less than seven inches so far this year. The key is getting enough during one big monsoon to harvest for watering until the next year's rainy season. That one monsoon is usually all I get per year.

Remember about a week ago when the seed feeder came down and I said bear scat had been discovered that same day? I finally took a photo of the scat. We're talking big piles here. I have no idea why one pile is dark and the other light.