December 15, 2024
Announcing the 2025 bird count
The best stories, regardless of whether they have sad or happy endings, are best if they come with some suspense. So for now let’s skip over Saturday and skip ahead to Sunday, an interesting one with something to show for it. I promise we’ll wrap back around to pick up the vision thread, but for now let’s go off on a tangent.
The day begins with a short drive to the nearby CVS pharmacy. The drive has two purposes - to place an order for a prescription, and to refamiliarize Rachael with the driver’s seat of the Raven - a spot she hasn’t occupied for nearly two years because I’ve gradually taken over the role when we’re in the country. Rachael would and can drive, but driving is so difficult any more, and it’s a skill that really needs to be exercised often to keep sharp. Since we don’t drive much anyway, I’ve taken it over. Going forward though, Rachael could easily become a more frequent or even the primary driver, especially thinking of the long drive to Portland just ahead. So, it’s time to practice.
The day gets on an optimistic start when Rachael spots the friendly campus cat we saw when we first arrived but not since. Obviously worth a stop.
Our errand has mixed results. Rachael drives both ways except for me backing the car out and then back in again later, and does fine. We planned poorly though, because even though CVS is open when we arrive about .9:30, the pharmacy doesn’t open until 11. We forgot that it’s Sunday, and it opens later.
So we drive home, and I plan on a walk downtown later with three errands on my list: the pharmacy, a trip to Boo Boo Records, for my chance to cull through their used CD racks for some road music, and to the nearby bike store so I can pick up a mirror for the Rodriguez. I’m thinking I’ll take it down to Laguna Lake again for some birding, after I’ve gotten a mirror and after I’ve repaired my totally flat rear tire. I was lucky to have made it back home a few days ago.
Rachael gets out the door first though on the longer hike she’s been eyeing since we arrived - a climb up Bishop Peak. She’s back ten hours later, her spirits lifted up by the best hike she’s had since we arrived. She brings back a great gallery, including a raft off wild turkeys, soaring vultures, and both a direct and shadow selfie.
My little walk through town is enjoyable and rewarding but only a partial success. I make it to CVS and place my order, which will get filled as soon as they can contact Kaiser and have them ship the prescription down. Next, I walk along the small creek that flows through the middle of town along a greenspace I’d never noticed before.
While I’ve been walking I’ve had my eyes out for any birds around but haven’t seen a one yet, not even a house sparrow or pigeon or crow. My vision thing impeding my ability to spot birds. But then along the creek I look up and see what appears to be a bird at the top of a snag. I pull out the old Lumix and zoom in on him, but he’s completely backlit and just a shadow. It takes me ten minutes to figure out how to circle around and get a look from the opposite side, and then a frustratingly long time finding him in the view finder because I’m new to using the camera with my left eye. But I finally get a decent shot of him and am thrilled to se he’s a red shouldered hawk the first I’ve seen since last winter.
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And then I see a great egret wading in the creek and get a nice shot of him too. And an inspiration hits: this is the start of the Team Anderson Bird Quest . Were starting early because it’s our count and we get to set the rules, and it just makes sense to me to keep a record of what’s possible with whatever the future holds for my vision. And who knows what a reasonable goal for next year is - 50, 100, 150? I don’t think another 300 is in the cards of course but I won’t be shocked if next year’s list is heavy on the big birds. Many hawks and herons, fewer warblers and sparrows.
After launching the new bird quest I slow walk my way north up along the creek, taking my time and looking around a part of town I’ve never really noticed before.
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4 days ago
I make my way to Boo Boo Records, and walk out with five prizes: Alison Kraus with Robert Plant, Tom Rush, Bill Evans, a Judy Collins tribute album, and a collection of African folk music from the Putamyo world music series. Should get us through some miles of highway.
And then I stop for a light lunch at a coffee shop and then move on to the bike shop where I’m disappointed to be reminded that we forgot it’s Sunday and they’re closed. I’ve got mixed feelings though, because now I’ve got my excuse to put off repairing my flat tire for another day.
On the whole though it’s a nice outing that leaves me feeling upbeat and optimistic. It won’t be until the next morning that I lost my drivers license somewhere in my wanderings.
Rachael gets out the door at about the same time on the longer hike she’s been eyeing since we arrived - a climb up Bishop Peak. She’s back ten hours later, her spirits lifted up by the best hike she’s had since we arrived. She brings back a great gallery, including a raft off wild turkeys, soaring vultures, and both a direct and shadow selfie. and because we’re a team, she gets credit for birds #3 and 4 for the year. We’ll keep track, and maybe she’ll get credit for more new sightings than I do. We’re dead even for now though.
They’re lightly captioned for now, partly because I wasn’t there and partly because it’s not all that easy for me to write at the moment, it’s another on our long lists of concerns.
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After we’re both back we give Rachael another driving opp when we drive down to Lure again for an early fish dinner. It’s another fine meal which somehow produced no food photos, and the company is great . While we wait for our mains to arrive we fantasize about what might still be possible. Why not fly down to Tucson in February, rent a car there for a month, and then leave for Europe more or less on the original plan? Such optimists, those Andersons.
It’s just past sundown as we’re leaving home. Driving up Monterey Street, Rachael looks ahead and sees a totally clear moon in the clear sky, just rising above the horizon. I don’t have a suitable camera with me, so as soon as we ge home I grab the Lumix and start walking around looking for a sightline. It takes awhile, but I find it when I come to the middle of little Mitchell Park just a block away. So, the best day we can hope for under current circumstances, with good omens at the top and bottom.
Oh, and one last thing because I forgot to mention it in Friday’s post. In another strange ironic twist to this saga, when I woke up Friday the fist realized was that I missing about a third of the field of vision in my right eye. It wasn’t long after though that I noticed another change. For the first time in three weeks, my headache was gone. Two days later, it hasn’t come back. So strange.
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4 days ago
Spoiler alert: the days before and after will be considerably darker but must be recorded because we want to remember this interlude, warts and all. It’s looking like there’s light at the end of the tunnel coming though, so stay tuned. And say - since we never seem to be in the same place at the same time we might just pick up the damn phone someday.
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