Ancient Times

Ivan and Tom spend Thursday morning on the Anti-Cline at a former Indian encampment.

The Cleaner

Got a dead fly on your window seal. Spider up in a hard to reach corner. Moth hanging out on the overhead fan. Caterpillar on the wall by the fire wood. You need a Canyon Wren. Guaranteed not to miss anything this guy/gal does it all.

Predator Monday

On Sunday, already having driven it off twice, Tom saw the Sharp-shinned land right across the driveway into a pile of White Crowned Sparrows before they could even move but it grabbed and pinned down a dark colored piece of wood that was laying there and by the time he figured it out all the White Crowned were gone. Monday morning before the sun had even come up Erich witnessed the Sharp-shinned take a Junco off the front porch and the Loggerhead Shrike made a run at another one. The Sharp-shinned is showing no fear of Tom and until Tom finds a solution, it's going to be a dangerous time for the song birds.

It's Saturday Night

December Kayak

Miracle

The Canyon Wren that for the last few weeks had been walking in the front door of the lodge and hanging around for 15 to 30 minutes every day disappeared in a flurry last week. Tom saw it walk out the front door, saw a gray blur swoop onto the front porch, heard a thud and bird scream, and the Wren disappeared. Outside Tom found 10 to 15 feathers spread around. This morning Tom stepped onto the front porch and the Wren bounced around for five or ten minutes and then walked inside again just like he owned the place. If there's a crazier bird than the Canyon Wren, Tom hasn't seen it.

It's Always Something