Thursday's Bird Watch

 The best place to watch birds at Dallas Retirement Village recently has been at The Pavilion.  It is easy to select a comfortable chair and look in the trees to the north for a birdhouse.  This nesting box is again being used by Western Bluebirds for the third year in a row. This photo, taken on June 19th, shows the male Western Bluebird with a big bug that he is about to take to the babies in the nesting box.  This was the last day we saw any feeding activity at the nest box.  So, on June 23rd we opened up the box to check the nest.  It was empty!  We removed the nest and found one carcass.  We knew back on June 6th  that there were four babies in the nest, so it's a pretty safe assumption that the other three babies grew up and left the nest shortly after the 19th.  

Thursday's Bird Watch

Jeanette recently photographed this Spotted Towhee here in Dallas Retirement Village.  He was singing his heart out early on Saturday morning, June 8th.  At this time of year most of the birds are already paired up, many are setting on eggs, and in fact some already have babies to feed.  But this guy clearly is still trying to attract a female.  We enjoyed his explosive trilling song and are confident he will impress a female soon.  I checked some bird guides and found that they can have two to three broods a year, so it may be more likely that he is looking for a second go around. 
 

Places We Love to Bird - Baskett Slough NWR

Rich Guadagno Observation Platform

We are so fortunate that one of the places we love to bird, is also very close. Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge is literally only minutes away from our home in the Dallas Retirement Village. It is a huge refuge of 2,500 acres, containing a reservoir and 7 different marshes. Miles of roads and trails provide access from all four directions. It was developed to provide wintering habitat for Canada geese, but they have done an outstanding job of maintaining and encouraging all kinds of native trees, shrubs, and flowers. It is possible to get in a lot of birding from the seat of your car, but there are trails enough to involve a good amount of hiking in your search for birds.  Readers will, of course, guess our preference.

The idea of a good hike popped into my mind Thursday morning. It was a little over two weeks from my shoulder surgery, and I felt like I was up to a good quick morning work-out, specifically up to the top of Mt Baldy. Most people refer to it as Baskett Butte, but if you look closely at an official USGS topo map, you will see it is "Mt Baldy". From the central parking lot, we took the 3/4-mile trail to the Rich Guadagno Observation Platform.

My arm was tucked into a sling to protect my shoulder, and Jeanette packed in our birding gear. Singing Western Meadowlarks pricked up or ears immediately, great swaths of yellow and purple flowers entertained our eyes, and up the trail we went. This is the shortest trail with the biggest workout payout. On most birding experiences we prefer the longer trails, and there are many to choose from including trails to Morgan Reservoir, and Moffitti Marsh, to name just a couple.  And then of course the option of combinations. 

We have hiked, photographed, and birded Baskett Slough NWR for many years. I'm not sure of my very first trip, but looking in Cascade Ramblings at the Trip Journals, I found this link to the oldest one: Cascade Ramblings - Ramblings: Mount Baldy Hike: Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge

Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge has been a place we have loved to go for over two decades now, it is in reality a place where we seek refuge for ourselves.  

          

Thursday's Bird Watch

 In recent weeks there has been a lot of attention on the Eurasian Collared-Doves in the Central Courtyard of The Lodge here at Dallas Retirement Village.  They spend a lot of time calling from the roof-tops. The interest picked-up considerably when it was discovered that a nest had been made in the rafters of resident Diane Wetherbee's third floor balcony, and there was a baby! That excitement turned to despair when it appeared the mother was not returning to the nest to feed the baby.  Eventually, it was discovered that the baby had left the nest, and the mom had found it, and was feeding it.  This photo, taken by Jeanette Scott on June 4th, shows the mother on the right, her bill wide open to accommodate the juvenile on the left to take whatever it finds.  This was a significant event for us, as we have never seen Eurasian Collared-Doves caring for juveniles.  Stay tuned, as this could happen again, as Eurasian Collared-Doves are capable of mating year around and producing up to 6 broods a year.

Electric Scooter For Sale!

--SOLD--

I bought this Phantom electric scooter the first part of March in an effort to be able to get around without foot pain, and it worked! What was originally diagnosed as bone spurs, was after X-rays, re-diagnosed as planter fasciitis, and time off my feet, along with some medical attention, allowed them to heal!  I now walk several miles a day pain free.

If you are looking for some help in getting around, this might be your answer.  It was a life saver for me.  Simple, and easy to operate, it recharges with your household electricity. I paid $349, will sell for $299.  Additional questions? Call or text me @ 541-670-9189     

Thursday's Bird Watch

 Garden Home residents Kirk & Cheryl Wagner have a bird feeder in their back yard which has been drawing a good variety of birds.  We were very pleased to find this male Evening Grosbeak, sometimes referred to as a "clown bird", at their feeder on the morning of May 19th.  This is only our 4th sighting of Evening Grosbeaks in over four years here at Dallas Retirement Village, and the first time to get a photo.  They are rather noisy and gregarious birds, migrating through in flocks normally in April and May.  I hope other DRV resident go to see them.