Well, one of my first walks into the bush here at TNC Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve.
Say that 5 times fast.
I have a speech impediment… Do you know how fun it is for me to answer the phone with “Hello, this is TNC Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve, this is ToRn, how may I help you?”
It keep’s me focused I will say that.
Anyway, this was on April 23, 2013 which was our second day here on the preserve. I walked the creek bed North/Northeast of the of the preserve, this time of year it should have water 1/4 mile N/NE but it was bone dry.
It still is bone dry and according to Matt Killeen, the preserve manager of 7+ years and a TNC staffer in this area for 16+ years, he has never seen it this dry. And not sure it was ever drier in the entire 30+ year of recorded data here. We have large areas that was running water 6″ to 8″ deep just a month ago that is now barely damp dirt.
This is at least year 15 of a drought. Possible chance of a rain storm next week. Still too early to project. Regardless, it will not be enough. But we still need it.
I am really getting off subject tonight.
April 20, 2013 around 6pm
This is our first siting of Javilina’s. Pauline and I was on our first dusk walk. We was wanting to see something but after sitting there for 45 minutes seeing nothing but rock, and as we got up to leave, Pauline saw a Javilina walking toward us, it turns out it was 2 adults and 2 piglets.
Video from April 22, 2013 around 8am
This is video of a Great Egret snatching what appears to be a pocket gopher. I have never seen a non raptor bird snag a mammal before. This bird flew over me twice, once NE then SW, both time’s I missed getting video of it, both times I had a great view of this bird as it was maybe 20′ directly above my head. So yeah, that video would have really cool had I gotten it.
But this video will do. I am about 100 yards away, due a down tree, and not wanting to make any noise to scare it off, I was standing while leaning over as low and wide as I could get, not at all comfortable and of course that means the video is shaky.
Video from April 22, 2013 around 8am
Video from April 23, 2013 around 8am
This is a Turkey Vulture warming itself in the morning sun. I think it looks like a turkey dinner gone horribly wrong.
Pauline will have to tell when this was taken.
But look at how brave the mighty hunter Drew Brees can be when there is glass between him and the big world.
It couldn’t be a online blog without a cat video right?