Project FeederWatch Update

American Robin-1, Black capped chickadee-4, White breasted Nuthatch-3, Common Redpoll-4, Pileated woodpecker-2, Hairy woodpecker-2, Downy woodpecker-2, Cardinal-2, American Crow-2, Mourning Dove-2, Junco-4

OMG

Not sure if I'm allowed to say anything yet but OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Signs of Spring 2013

3 fresh eggs

Driveway free of snow - who am I kidding. I will need a boat pretty soon.

Creating ditches to dry up the driveway is very relaxing work.



Red buds



Ephemeral ponds.



Maple sap running



Pussywillows!

Pussywillows!

Other signs of spring include listening to my red shouldered hawk again (returned on Thursday), seeing a pair of Trumpeter swans fly over my house on Friday, and seeing my first Robin (today).  Also watching the neighborhood kids riding bikes, scooters and roller skates.

Totally Cured of PMS

An eager young friend of mine rode his motorcycle on Thursday and again today on Friday.  Coming into work he hit an icy patch of melted snow and went down.  His leg is sore but his body is pretty much okay.  He says his bike is totalled.  This has totally cured me of wanting to get on the bike for awhile.  There are certain things I won't do on a bike.  I don't ride at night.  I don't ride in the rain (unless I have to). I don't ride on busy highways.  I don't speed.  I don't drink and ride.  I don't ride when I am tired.  And now I've added another condition - I won't ride under 32 degrees.  Oh, heck, I won't ride under 50 degrees.  Riding a motorcycle should be fun not an endurance feat.

Time Warp

My hat makes my shadow look like an alien.

Today was my last day in Australia.  I was up and ready to meet my transport to the airport before the sun was up.  I flew out of Adelaide to Sydney which took a couple of hours of flight time but only a half hour of real time because the time zone is 1.5 hours different.  Time was so confusing on my trip I basically gave up on it.  I would just reset my watch to the nearest clock and not try to make sense of it in my mind.  I had lunch on the plane and after a 5 hour wait, boarded the next plane from Sydney to Los Angeles.  The flight took 14.5 hours but I arrived before I left.  Crossing the international date line can do that to you.  I sat next to the window on this long ride which I thought would be nice because I could lean into the window to sleep.  But I was oddly wide awake the entire time.  I watched two Australian movies plus the "Life of Pi" and the "Perks of Being a Wallflower."  I started to watch "Cloud Atlas" but stopped because I really wanted to enjoy this movie and my mind wasn't sharp enough at this point to pay close attention.  Quantas is a great airline.  We don't have to pay for headphones. We don't have to pay for movies.  The staff are pleasant and helpful.  We had a great dinner on the plane. They give us eye shades, a blanket and a tiny toothbrush with a tiny tube of toothpaste.  A couple hours after dinner they brought pizza to those of us who were still awake.  Yay!  Pizza!  A couple hours after that they brought us ice cream.  Yay!  Mango ice cream!  I ate it all.  What else was there to do?   The woman sitting next to me was on her way to speak at a conference on Montreal.  Already she missed the warmth of Melbourne.  I could feel her pain.  She was a nice lady who looked to be in her mid 30's.  After 12 hours of sitting next to her plump body I felt tempted to snuggle up to her. She looked so soft and comfortable.  By now I had been awake 20+ hours and I knew I wasn't thinking clearly so I did not ask if I could use her as a pillow.  We all exited the plane in Los Angeles and were sent through customs.  I walked out of terminal 5 toward terminal 3 and checked in with Delta Airlines.  I could sense the difference in customer service immediately and this was not a good change.  I have to say though, airport food is improving.  I bought an edamame salad that tasted pretty good.  Plus it was fun to spend American money for a change and to pay American prices.  Australia was so expensive it broke me of a 50+ year habit of drinking soda.  This day felt about two days long and I was getting tired.  On the plane to Minneapolis I tried to sleep but couldn't.  Offspring #2 met me at the luggage carousel.  I dug warmer clothes out of my suitcase and put on the winter coat she brought me.  Now she led the way to the train.  I really enjoyed being a follower for a change.  I visited with her for a couple hours and then drove home.  I enjoyed driving my own car and driving on the right side of the road.  My house sitter had done an outstanding job.  My house looked cleaner now than when I left.  I checked on my chickens, thanked them for the four eggs I collected, glanced at the mail, and fell into bed to sleep for 12 solid hours.  Vacation is over.  Australia was a great vacation.  I didn't get sick.  I didn't get sunburn or sun poisoning.  I saw tons of wildlife and met many interesting people.  I snorkeled the Great Barrier Reef. I saw awesome beaches and landscapes.  I learned more about this planet I live on.  Really the only thing that went wrong was loosing my camera on the first day but I found it within a couple hours.  Money well spent I'd say.

Day Two on Kangaroo Island

Remarkable Rocks on Kangaroo Island

Between a Rock and a Hard Place

A Poisonous Snake!!!

Century Palm

Splendid fairy wren

The hills on this side of the island are less rugged.

Follow This Path To Find A Surprise

A Long And Narrow Path to the Surprise

Surprise!  A Safe beach for Swimmers. A natural rocky ledge keeps the sharks out.

A Large Male Kangaroo

Love Is In The Air?

Today, for once, I didn't have to set the alarm or arrange a wake up call.  Today I could sleep as late as I wanted.  I was up about 6 but it was nice to wake up on my own and not have to hustle.  I had breakfast in bed (leftovers from the grocery store yesterday) while watching the morning news programs.  Nikki picked me up about 9 o'clock and together we had a great day and also my last real day of vacation.  Tomorrow I would be traveling for over 24 hours and today I didn't want to think about that.  She drove me around town.  She showed me her father's house and his lobster boat.  She showed me her house too.  We drove to the southern tip of the island to Flinders National Park.  We saw the Remarkable Rocks and the New Zealand Fur seals on the beaches.  Yesterday Nikki told me about being bitten by a black tiger snake - the fifth most venomous snake in the world.  She was hiking by herself and she accidentally stepped on one.  The snake bit her in the thigh with one puncture above the zipper on her zip off pant legs and the other puncture below the zipper.  Her cell phone would not work where she was standing.  She knew first aid for black tiger snake bites.  She stood completely still for an entire hour.  Walking would have spread the venom throughout her body and killed her.  I cannot imagine how long that hour must have seemed.  After standing still for an hour she hiked out of the bush and called for help.  She was taken to the hospital for observation.  Snakes can bite with injecting venom.  If she were given the anti-venom without being exposed to any venom, the treatment could also kill her.  After observation the doctors concluded she was bitten but not injected with venom.  She was given antibiotics and sent home.  So when we were walking up the boardwalk from the Remarkable Rocks and Nikki says, "Look, a black tiger snake!"  I approached cautiously.  Although poisonous this snake is not aggressive.  The business end of the snake was under the boardwalk which made me feel better.  I think it was about 5 or 6 feet long and the skin was so black it looked almost blue.  The skin had tread on it like a bike tire.  I peeked at it between the cracks of the board walk and I was very surprised when Nikki said, "Keep an eye on it and tell me if it moves."  She moved off the board walk, knelt down on the rocks and bent over to get a good picture.  80% of me wanted to tease her and yell, "It's coming your way!"  I restrained myself and let her get a good picture.  Further along the path we saw a group of quick moving birds. Nikki spotted an emu wren - another very rare bird.  This nondescript brown bird has a feathery tail that looks like it should be on a much larger bird. She got lots of good pictures of it.  She was so excited she had tears in her eyes.  All the rest of the day she told everyone we saw about the emu wren.  They were impressed too so it must be a rare bird.  She told me about a feral cat project she initiated and developed on Kangaroo Island for which she won Australia's Young Environmentalist award.  Nikki and I got along great.  Later in the day she asked me, "Feeling a bit peckish?"  I've seen that word in books and thought it meant irritable but that didn't fit this context.  I didn't feel like scratching the ground with my feet and slamming my face into the earth.  So I had no choice but to ask, "Peckish?"  She apologized for her Australian slang and replaced it with hungry.  "Oh, yes" I said, "I am feeling peckish!"  Again we drove into another private compound.  I was dropped off a ways away from the lunch location and had a chance to walk by myself for a spell.  We were in a dry area spotted with Century Palms and some eucalyptus shrubs.  We had a picnic table under a white tent.  Nikki found a rock with a depression in it so she filled it with water and we enjoyed lunch while watching splendid fairy wrens taking a bath.  We had vegie burgers, a delicious salad made with lettuce, feta cheese (from sheep's milk), olives, sun dried tomatoes, green beans, and sugar pea sprouts.  The sugar pea sprouts were very tasty.  I ate them all.  We had some yogurt sauce for the burgers also made from sheep milk that was very good.  We had chicken, bread and butter, a fruit salad with rice, wine, soda, water, and for dessert - cheesecake topped with strawberry yogurt made from sheep's milk. I ate  until I was stuffed.  Everything was so delicious. I had no idea sheep were used for milk.  The sheep cheese was less strong than goat cheese and quite delicious.  We drove north to King George beach.  The north side of the island is less rugged and has more vegetation on it.  The trees are taller too.  We saw more birds and a few more kangaroos and wallabies.  She drove me to another beach.  She pointed to some rocks and said a trail started in there.  At the end of the trail would be a surprise.  I should follow the trail and find the surprise.  The trail was difficult.  With my big sun hat I had to hold my head sideways in places or crouch down to get through.  I wondered what the surprise would be.  The only thing I could think of was a nude beach.  I kept walking and eventually the narrow, windy, cave like path came to an end and I saw another large beach. Part of this beach was bordered with a rocky ledge making it safe for swimmers.  Families with small children were swimming here and having picnics.  It was very nice.  I hiked back to the car.  Nikki and I had a lot in common and we were busy talking and sharing experiences.  The time flew by very fast and I was disappointed when it was time to take me to the Kangaroo Island International airport.  The International was a joke.  This airport had one gate.  It did have two runways but only one was paved.  Nikki and I exchanged face book information and hugged good by.  Although the flight from Kangaroo Island to Adelaide is only 20 minutes we are served water and a Mentos piece of candy.  When I checked into the Breakfree Hotel I claimed my suitcase and repacked for the long ride home tomorrow.  Where did the three weeks go?  On this vacation I had lost all track of time.  I did not miss work or home.  To keep the vacation mode going as along as I could I decided to wear my Australian clothing and not dress for Minnesota first thing in the morning.  I packed so warmer clothes could be reached without too much trouble.  I had to face facts; my vacation was coming to an end.   

Kangaroo Island

Taking the ferry to Kangaroo Island.  Mainland Australia on the left.

First View of Kangaroo Island

Kangaroos seeking shade on Kangaroo Island.

Australian pelicans

I walked down this road by myself for ten minutes to get to the lunch picnic.

Male koalas have Roman noses

Australian sea lions

Crested terns

View from my hotel balcony.  I think those are Norfolk Island Pines.

Today I left my suitcase at the Breakfree Hotel.  With two small bags I waited outside for my ride to the ferry.  Anxious to get going I stood outside for 15 minutes in the pre-dawn traffic.  Customers left the Pokie next door.  A street sweeper went by along with many taxi's.  A bus pulled up and 4 of us got on.  We stopped at the Adelaide Bus Terminal where the rest of the seats were filled with customers.  As we drove the 90 minute trip to the ferry the driver told us stories about Adelaide and the surrounding community.  As we left town the traffic from the suburbs was very bad.  This particular highway heading south was once part of a government plan to relieve traffic congestion.  All six lanes used to be two directional - coming into to town in the morning and leaving town in the afternoon.  What a novel idea!  I can just see how much easier our major highways would be in the morning and the afternoon if all the lanes were one way.  But the people didn't like it.  Not everyone was going into town in the morning and out of town in the afternoon so they switched it back to a two direction highway.  Once we got to the peninsula where the ferry was, we departed the bus and got on the boat.  As we pulled away from mainland Australia toward Kangaroo Island, I explored the boat.  The ride was only 30 minutes and we could see both shores at all times.  I stood near the railing next to a man who was missing a finger.  He pointed out to sea.  I got a glimpse of a whale breaching.  As I got off the boat I saw a woman holding up a sign with my name on it.  I love seeing my name on a sign like that.  I think the next time I pick up someone from the airport I will make a sign with their name on it.  My guide was Nikki and she was awesome.  When I mentioned I was a birder she got very excited.  She rearranged the day so we could see more birds.  We saw kangaroos and wallabies and koalas and monitor lizards too but to tell the truth, the 15th kangaroo of the day is just not as exciting as a "first time in my life" bird.  And it was so nice to be the only customer on a wildlife tour.  My friends were going to be jealous of me for sure.  We saw 33 species of birds on this day.  Nikki had an awesome camera and she took many shots of birds and animals.  We stopped at a beach to admire the Australian sea lions. She made tea while I walked the beach.  I enjoyed a cup of lemon tea while Nikki and I chatted with her high school teacher while her teacher's husband, a chemistry teacher, went surfing.  When you live on a small island you know everybody. The chemistry teacher wore a helmet as he surfed.  When I asked why he wore a helmet they explained there are a few rocks out there but the helmet keeps the ear canal warmer.  In this cold water, repeated exposure causes a bone to grow over the ear drum.  This teacher had just had surgery to remove the extra bone and restore his hearing.  We stopped off at a couple other great birding spots.  About 1 o'clock Nikki drove into a large private compound.  She dropped me off on the road and said she was driving on ahead to prepare lunch.  I was free to explore the area and walk down the road for about 10 minutes and I would find the picnic spot.  With just my hat and my camera I was dropped off.  I was all alone in the Australian bush.  Awesome!  What a great feeling to be all alone and unable to see any sign of civilization except for tire tracks on a dirt road.  How many people get to experience this?  I am so lucky.  I listened for sounds but didn't hear much.  The temperature was in the 90's and all wildlife was seeking shade and coolness.  I walked down the road and in ten minutes I saw our SUV and a white tent.  Under the white tent was a picnic table and a full lunch.  There is no bathroom here, no running water, only a picnic shelter and prawns, chicken, bread and butter, three kinds of salad, red wine, white wine, sodas, water, and for dessert - an apple muffin with custard and caramel sauce.  There was enough food for at least 5 people.  Nikki said the leftovers were not wasted.  What she didn't want to take home would be put in the worm compost.  Nikki put out a little bowl of water for the birds.  Eventually a group of three supreme fairy wrens came to take a bath.  After lunch Nikki and I did more birding.  She was involved in a glossy black cockatoo restoration project.  She took me to an area where volunteers had built nesting boxes.  Glossy black cockatoos are endemic to Kangaroo Island and there are only 200 left.  A population of at least 500 is needed to ensure they won't go extinct.  Lucky for me, one glossy black cockatoo was hot and she poked her head out of the nesting box.  I was pretty excited to get to see one.  About six o'clock Nikki helped me get registered at my hotel.  I was on my own for dinner.  The hotel had a restaurant but Nikki showed me another restaurant a block away where everyone in town frequents.  She also showed me a grocery store a block away and told me it would close in an hour.  After I put down my bags I headed to the grocery store.  I had tabbouleh salad, yogurt, popcorn and a Cadbury chocolate bar for dinner.  It was delicious.  I took a shower and walked around the hotel and the marina. As the sun set I wrote in my journal while sitting on a park bench.  Not only was this a great day (that totally made up for the day I spent in airports getting from Port Douglas), I didn't have to be ready in the morning until 9 o'clock in the morning.  Such luxury!