No cause for alarm

 

 

Henry‘s issue is, he’s got the poops, and has for a while.  Other than that, you couldn’t tell that he isn’t perfectly healthy.  He runs, plays, eats, and sleeps just like normal.  The vet doped him up and ran some tests to see if we could determine the cause of his digestive issue.  We got the test results back today and so far, everything looks good for a little guy getting up there in years (he’s 14), except for his pancreas; that’s running a little hot.  Pancreases (pancreai?) can be sensitive to fat.  We’ll feed him a special prescription low-fat diet for a while and see if that cools things off.

 

 

This is not Henry’s usual expression

 

 

 

He went to the vet today for some tests and they gave him the good stuff.  He’s still a little stoned.

 

Near where we live

 

 

A view of the border wall from the north.

 

A view from the south, the other side.

 

There are gaps.

 

It’s U.S. property on both sides of the wall.  It’s not unusual to pass through a gap while walking and birding.

 

It looks like this close to the river.

 

Good habitat.

 

And this, right on the river.

 

 

The second possum

 

 

…from under the house.

 

 

(When I take pictures with my phone, I’m just guessing.  I can’t tell if I’ve got the focus right or not on that little screen.)

 

When we first discovered a possum under the house, Donald was good enough to seal up every possible entrance.  That means no more possums can get in, and any that are already in can’t get out.  We set a second trap just in case and after a couple failed attempts, we caught another.

 

Fresh bait in the trap, a yummy home-grown grapefruit, and we’ll see if there are any more.

 

 

It’s a harsh landscape

 

 

 

 

 

 

With a large salt lake in the middle.

 

The lake has no outlet and sits on top of a giant salt dome.  It’s up to 10 times as salty as the ocean, depending on how much water is in it.

 

It is surprising how many land animals and birds survive in this unforgiving salty environment.  In addition though, there is a tiny freshwater oasis right above it.

 

I think it’s a natural seep, with a little help from human hands to make it perennial.

 

Sal del Rey National Wildlife Refuge.

 

An Altamira Oriole

 

 

…has declared that this hummingbird feeder is actually an oriole feeder.

 

 

 

 

Love that sweet stuff.  If you stand on one side of the feeder it tips enough that the nectar just drips right out!

 

Watching drug company commercials on television

 

 

It looks like we should all want to get COPD.  Frolicking in the flowers.  Playing catch with the kids.  It looks like great fun.  Oh wait.  Diabetes.  That looks even better!

 

 

A Kiskadee and an Oriole

 

 

 

Apparently, both looking at the same thing!

 

 

 

White ibis

 

 

 

Probing the grass for yummies.

 

 

 

 

Sometimes I can get close

 

 

… but still can’t get the shot.

 

A rustle in the leaves.

 

A glimpse of tail feathers.

 

A partially obstructed silhouette.

 

Just enough information.  Crimson-collared Grosbeak!  Female.

 

If we could have seen it well, it would have looked like this.

(Not my photo)

 

It’s called crimson-collared because the male looks like this.

(Not my photo)

 

Not very many of them around.

 

 

I’ve been trying

 

 

…to get a good photo of this peregrine falcon.  He’s perched on a water tower.

 

It’s kind of far away.

 

I get as close as I can.

 

We can tell it’s a peregrine.

 

Just can’t get a great closeup.

 

Halftime report

 

 

… on the Great Backyard Bird Count 4 day weekend.

 

It’s a big deal:

Over 7,000 species of birds identified.

192 Countries reporting

 

We’ve been contributing.  30 species today from Anzalduas Park.

 

 

GBBC Halftime Report: Here's What has been accomplished so far.

There's still more fun to be had! Get out, or stay in, and join the world watching birds!

Dear Steve,    It's halftime for the 4-day Great Backyard Bird Count—and the results so far are impressive. Birders from every corner of the world are out, watching, listening, and reporting their birds. Thank you for all your collective effort. Here is a quick run-down of the results as of 6:00 a.m. ET on Sunday, February 18: 400,000+ bird enthusiasts  7,073 species identified 134,101 eBird checklists 103,207 Merlin sightings saved 192 countries reporting There's still more time to count, so let's keep the excitement going and continue to bring the world together for birds!    Scenes From GBBC Weekend   Photos left to right and top to bottom: Orang-headed Thrush in India by Vikram S / Macaulay Library; Snowy Plover in Chile (occidentalis) by Pablo Andrés Cáceres Contreras / Macaulay Library; White-eared Hummingbird in Guatemala by Chuck Babbitt / Macaulay Library; Pileated Woodpecker in Canada by Stephen Taylor / Macaulay Library.    The photos you’ve shared with us from this weekend have been inspiring. Enjoy a few of our favorite scenes from the weekend and see people coming together for birds in this photo gallery.    Explore Gallery of Bird and People Photos   What's in Store for the Second Half of the Count? With 7,073 species at halftime, there's still plenty of birds to find. Let's exceed last year's total tally of 7,538! As a reminder: Even if you've already entered sightings, you can still report birds from the same or different spots. More on how to participate.  We love seeing photos of birders and the birds they love. Keep sharing your bird and people photos! Stay tuned with our gallery if you've uploaded photos -- you might see a familiar face! Don’t forget to make use of Birds of the World during the free access period! This online archive of comprehensive life history information on birds can help you find the answer to any in-depth bird questions. Share the joy of birds and help us spread the word about #gbbc and #gbbc2024 on social media.   A group of friends having fun out birding in Jos Plateau in central Nigeria. Photo by Talatu Tende.   A Brief Look at Global Results The United States and India are checklist stand-outs. Bird lovers are coming out strong in both of these countries, together submitting 2/3 of all total checklists. Columbia and India have submitted the most diversity of bird species. People watching bird feeders in Canada and the United States are reporting high numbers of visitors this winter.    See More Global Results   Snow Geese in Holt Missouri, United States, by Alex Marine / Macaulay Library.   So Many Birds! We are seeing incredible abundance and diversity of birds around the world. Here are a few highlights on big flocks. An estimated 1.8 million Snow Geese were spotted and photographed by Alex Marine in Missouri. Approximately 4.0 million Bramblings were spotted in Germany by Kai Wess. 200,000 Lesser Flamingos were spotted in Tanzania by Akshita Rabdiya.   A peaceful morning of birding by Cynthia Staszak in the United States. Birds and bird enthusiasts never fail to provide good company and inspiration. Thank you for being a part of the GBBC. Have a great day birding!   – Your friends at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Audubon, and Birds Canada  Many thanks to GBBC founding sponsor Wild Birds Unlimited. They’re ready to help you with all your backyard bird needs via their stores and podcast.    The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a membership institution dedicated to interpreting and conserving the earth’s biological diversity through research, education, and citizen science focused on birds.   You received this email because you are subscribed to Cornell Lab News from Cornell Lab of Ornithology.   Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 159 Sapsucker Woods Rd., Ithaca, NY 14850 Unsubscribe Manage preferences