Fuana Musings

1. 10000 White Pine Butterflies gave their lives today as we drove up Hwy 395. It looked like a snow shower as we drove along. I will need to rewash the front of my truck.

2. Yesterday at the ranch must have been snake day. Three bull snakes were seen. A visitor pointed one out to me. Rand I were walking along a saw another. The third was encountered by R as she walked to the barn. She screamed, the snake hustled one way, R hustled the other. Don't know who was more frightened.

3. A small brown weasel ran across the road on the way out to the ranch yesterday.

4. There are five pronghorns hanging out by water on the refuge. The herd has been there all week. I hope they stay there until hunting season is over.

5. There are several Herons that are still using the nests in the Cottonwoods at the ranch. They are fairly quiet until one of the parents shows up with food I guess because all heck breaks loose. There's all kind of squacking and sputtering as Junior tells Mom or Dad that he wants dinner NOW! The noise continues until the adult flies away.

6. This morning, for the first time this year, I heard a sand hill crane calling. We have yet to see one this year. Last year they were everywhere. Not many ducks or geese this year either, but White Faced Ibis are very numerous. Any flocks you see here are these black birds with the wings in the middle and down-curled bills.

7. Lots of carp were caught in the Blitzen River on Saturday. Unfortunately just a drop in the bucket. They are more than a pest here in on the refuge.

8. R and I are getting acquainted with the cows at the ranch. Several that were there last year already come running when R walks up to the corral in the morning.

9. It is a full-time job keeping the hummingbird feeder filled here at our trailer. It is great fun to watch them jockey for position to get the sweet liquid. Some work so hard to guard their feeder. Others work equally hard to pester the guard. Sharing is not in their vocabulary.