I suppose you could say it is a fitting time for getting things “wrapped” up. All the excitement of seeing the festive colored boxes with their pretty bows bringing joy to kids and adults. The catalyst for this heartwarming affair, a jolly big-waisted fellow that shimmies down the chimney (or alternative burglary entry point into your homestead). Unfortunately, my coal colored gift this holiday year reflects some bad actions earlier in the year. To be exact, October 12th, one of those days that now takes its rightful place among my other noteworthy “mishaps”. The ankle specialist wasn’t wearing festive clothes yesterday, but he did take the time to wrap my gift in a shiny shade of black coal…ho, ho, ho, you are the proud recipient of a non-displaced double fracture! Grinch said WHAT!?!?! Now, in my joint’s defense I need to apologize for all the hurtful comments hurled at it since race-day. It was not faking it for sympathy, a stunt that it has pulled many times in the past – nope, it was damaged and now I am the proud receiver of a black boot that will loudly proclaim I’m damaged goods to anyone we come upon during the next 6 weeks. No running, of course, no long birding hikes (we’ll see) and beach time is likely right out. My Texas trip just took a mighty blow thanks in large part to the first orthopedic surgeon I went to in early November telling me it was nothing, take two aspirin and find your own way out of the office. Lost 4 weeks of recovery time and I’ve been doing chiro visits and physical therapy that was likely making it worse – shocked that it didn’t displace as a result of all the yanking and twisting. While I try to move on to the acceptance phase, decided it was an appropriate time to feature the totem animal for all runners.
Hit the jump for some looks at a bird that probably has more running shoes in its closet than I do..and that is saying a LOT.
Well, I have to say it has been quite the week and one of the few times I don’t mind the time accelerating past. Now we will start transitioning into the Christmas spirit here at Intrigued HQ keeping in mind there is still an important holiday to celebrate – in direct obstinacy to the corporate merchants who want us to start celebrating red and green long before orange and black has had its day. While I continue to tend to the weakened body part(s) and we get used to a sadly much quieter home, Brad is going to bring us a new feathered friend for he and Jan.
Take it away Brad…
I think I’ve found the secret for finding those small little spastic birds; let Jan take photos while I’m doing something else. Shhh! Don’t tell her. Oops, it’s probably too late since she edits my stories before they go out.
Earlier this spring Jan and I were visiting the wildlife areas near Las Vegas. Brian has posted on this particular bird from Henderson Birding Viewing Preserve (story here). I had just gotten off the phone when Jan found me wandering one of the trails of Clark County Wetlands (here), looking for her. She said she found a little yellow bird and then asked me, “What is it?” Hard to tell from the little LCD view screen on the back of Jan’s camera.
Hit the jump to read more about this desert resident.
First off, we want to send our wishes out to our Texas based family, friends and others that were recently impacted by Hurricane Beryl. Texas is our home away from home and it is disheartening to hear about them experiencing another severe weather related event. Over the years, we have barely escaped crippling ice storms, hunkered down for a wicked tropical thunderstorm and witnessed the destruction at Rockport from Hurricane Harvey (link here). You are all proven Texas Strong! Locally I am going stir crazy waiting out the final days before the big race. Been getting some Beryl fallout as it has been raining extensively here the last couple of days and likely to continue up through the race. This race is already a “sufferfest in the valleys of death” – adding in a mudfest isn’t going to help my spirits any (link here). While I make tweaks to the final race plan, Brad is going to take you back to California…no wait, Vegas…so confused ha.
Take it away Brad…
Ever have the feeling you’ve done something before? Or been someplace before that you’ve never been to. That sort of happened to me when I was reviewing photos from a recent trip to Las Vegas and points nearby.
This story, and the bird, are nearly identical to another one, except that all of the facts have been changed. The venue is different. The nearby airport is different. The bird is different (mostly). The desert setting is nearly identical. The lighting conditions are nearly identical with the featured bird sitting high on a twig like before. The camera body is the same. The lens is different. Jan took all of the photos of both birds. The fact that I was nowhere nearby is identical. In fact, I didn’t even know Jan photographed this bird, too, until I reviewed the photos at home, just like last time.
Wait a minute. Is he just re-publishing the story about the California Thrasher (here) and simply retitling it? Has Wildlife Intrigued gone bonkers? Well, sort of. See if you can spot the differences from this photo.
Jan and I were, can you guess, on vacation again. Last time we were in California at the Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve in California. This time we were at the Clark County Wetlands Park just outside Las Vegas, Nevada.
As is the custom, once we park the car, I assemble Jan’s camera first. This was the first trip with her brand-new Nikon 200-500mm lens. (Wildlife Intrigued uses exclusively Nikon equipment. If anyone from Nikon is reading this and wishes to sponsor the Wildlife Intrigued blog, please contact our Legal department.) I knew she was itching to try it out on birds. Once the lens was on the camera, I handed it over and got out of the way. For some reason, it took me a few extra minutes to assemble my camera this time. Maybe because we traveled by air and had to use two camera bags with bits scattered all over. It could also have been that I was tangled up in my new Black Rapid strap (not their fault). After a minute of untying nylon webbing knots, I was ready to go. In the meantime, Jan was busy capturing this feathered friend.
I wandered across the empty parking lot to the first trail into the brush. Literally, as my feet hit the well-groomed trail, my mobile phone rang. I didn’t recognize the phone number (it wasn’t in my contact list) and was going to let it go to voicemail. But remembering I’d had a call from that area code a few days before, with a similar number that was legit, I answered it. It was the hotel we had booked to observe the eclipse (booked 18 months prior to the eclipse). The little town near the center line of totality for the April 2024 eclipse had been hit by a tornado. About the only buildings left standing in town were our hotel and the school gymnasium. As tragic as that is, the senior center and senior housing were completely leveled. The hotel was going to house the newly homeless seniors and needed my room. After a bit of teeth gnashing, I realized I really had no choice and let the room go. It’s now scramble time for finding a spot to view the eclipse. At the time, the eclipse was less than two weeks away, which meant that finding a hotel room anywhere near the centerline of the eclipse, without costing my firstborn child, would be impossible. (See the story Twice in a Lifetime for the result of the search if you are curious.)
Just as I hung up the phone Jan came back and wanted to show me a bird. As we walked up to the twig where it was sitting, it had chosen to skedaddle. (I really didn’t get to see it until later.)
Hit the jump to find out today’s feathered friend.
Life Intrigued 