Good days - This morning on the ranch, and last week in town

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Good days - This morning on the ranch, and last week in town
Any day that begins with a Yellow-Headed Blackbird in my front yard as I go out to feed the livestock their breakfast has to be a good day. It can only get better when I find the barn cat, Zoey, has presented us with three lovely kittens:
As much as I love every day at the ranch, going to town isn't a bad thing either. I made the trip in last Wednesday. As we turned out the gate we noticed a hawk dive bombing a Raven that was sitting on top of a telephone pole. It isn't unusual to see the Ravens being dive bombed by smaller birds around here, but a hawk? On closer observation, we decided it was a Peregrine Falcon. We don't seem to have any resident here, just some that pass through on migration. The Falcon finally managed to knock the Raven off balance enough for him to fly away. Then the Falcon settled down on the same pole, and began to pick at his breakfast. Seems the Raven had tried to help himself to a few bites of the Falcon's catch - or maybe the Falcon was stealing a catch from the Raven. Pretty hard to tell!
On the way, I enjoyed seeing Ash Canyon, where things are really greening up. The tamarisk are in bloom along the waterside. I know everyone is supposed to "hate" Salt Cedars (as they are also called) because they are non-native trees, but I do love their appearance. Right inside town there was a very large Tarmarisk in bloom. For some reason, the blooms look faded in the photos - they are subtle, yes, but definately pinker than they look here:

After dropping the husband off at work, it was still really too early to find anything open. I decided it was the perfect opportunity to visit the park and bird along the Rio Grande.

They're allowing a good bit of water in it for the irrigation downstream. Sure makes me miss my kayak.
As I got out of the car I could hear the Red-Winged Blackbirds calling. One of my favorite birds! I stood alongside the bank, listening intently until I realized there was a large flock in one of the trees on the other side of the river. I could catch glimpses of them as they fluttered about, visiting and fussing with one another. Suddenly, the whole flock burst from the tree, circled over head and then headed off to the north. On their way to the Bosque del Apache near Socorro, NM no doubt.
I never got close enough for a photo, but it was a thrill to see them. These photos are from my phone by the way! Not too bad, considering!
I walked on down the river a little ways, hoping for another chance at a shot of a Blackbird as I could still hear more of them. There were huge carp grazing in the shallows - some easily four feet long.

A Pied Grebe and an American Coot floated together downstream. The Grebe spotted me and sank beneath the water, but the Coot was facing the other way. Still they were here and gone before I could snap a photo. Swallows skimmed over the river catching insects. Barn swallows, Rough winged Swallows, and later in the day I also saw a Cliff Swallow in the same area. Far above a Black Vulture circled. Grackles strutted about in the park behind me, calling back and forth in their loud voices. I could still hear Red-Winged Blackbirds, but they were farther down the river. I would have had to tramp across private property and climb fences. Not that important.
The walk along the river was definately the high point of my day in town.
Meanwhile, back on the ranch, we have some bulbs peeping above the ground in the yard. It will be exciting to see what they are when they bloom!
It is beautiful outside today - the wind has finally dropped down to something just right and the sun is shining. And here I am working...don't you think it is about time for a break? Me, too.
Have a great day!
Summer

Posted: Monday 14th April 2008, 11:51 AM

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