BB&B Plans a Birdcation

A late male Rufous Hummingbird defends his favorite creosote of the day. This creosote has been documented and is continuing at its current location; eCreosote.org will soon serve as a repository for all creosote sightings, and will most likely leave eBird in the cyberdust as far as fashionable citizen science is concerned (botanists, rejoice!). Galileo Hill, Kern County, CA.

After a very successful nonbirding trip (yes, I take those) to the bay area, I came back to Santa Cruz Island to find everything falling apart. Our running water did not run, our 1973 Land Cruiser can no longer cruise land, and most importantly for you....our internet did not internet. That said, everything seems to be coming back to life, so you will get a quick post out of me before I return to being thrown around by burly wind gusts on the crumbly cliff tops.

I did manage one solid day of quality birding last week...I got to bird some desert sites with Officer Searcy, a Bird Policeman, and the indefatigable Dipper Dan...we cruised to 115 species without much effort, and keep in mind this is without an ocean or any montane sites. Not bad! Posts to come in the near future.

Of course, the big news is that I am going on BIRDCATION next August. It will be a short one, and the lifers will not number in the double digits (unless I find a newborn to sacrifice to the bird gods), but it is something that must be done, at least once, by any serious U.S. birder...that's right, Number 7 will be doing pelagic trips off Hatteras, North Carolina! This will surly help fill the gaping hole in my life list where Atlantic seabirds should be. Stoked! I drool at the thought of exotic tubenosedry, and tremble at the images of Bridled Terns winging though my daydreams.

Well, I see the weekend is upon us. Go forth and rage, be it in the bar or the vagrant trap...Monday will be at your throat before you know it.