A new letter from Lance
As we started to close up the house Leslie called out to me as she bent down and picked up a ruby throated hummingbird that was limp, apparently with a broken neck. He flew in the open back door and headed for the clear glass storm door we have in front. We could see a little three quarter inch smudge on the clear glass where he must have hit full speed just above the spot where he lay on the ground.
We marveled at his tiny size and beautiful feathers. HUM. A few seconds later he was back to full power and hovering two inches above Leslie’s hand, still wanting to get out the front door. I opened it. And he took off in a burst of speed – he was just fine. It just made our day and L put up the hummer feeder that afternoon. As we realized it’s time for the migration again – hummers coming from the south to feed here and rest before they continue north to wherever. The giant white pelicans leave and the hummers arrive.The bird population here draws high powered bird watchers – people out there looking for masked boobies. I had no idea they were about. It’s said you can spot over 500 different kinds of birds in this area. The report on the whooping cranes was not good this year. The drought reduced the supply of blue crab, their main food source, and the park rangers were afraid some of the whoppers wouldn’t be strong enough to make it back to the far north breeding grounds. Nature is cruel as well as beautiful.
I picked up a cheeseburger and cherry limeade and headed for the beach yesterday. And ate sitting on the tailgate of my truck soaking up the warm sunshine. A long fishing pier is at one end of the parking lot there and it’s the place to catch fish year round. They charge a dollar a fishing pole to use it. It’s something like a quarter mile long and takes you out to deep enough water to catch sharks. In fact, the last time I was there some kid hauled up a three foot shark and unhooked him right in the middle of the walkway. And people were jumping back as this shark flopped all over – even a three footer has some nasty teeth. It’s fun to just walk down to the end and see what’s being caught; different kinds of fish come and go with the seasons. Right now the bait fish are all coming back into the bays and the fishing is very good when the wind lays down. The shrimp at the seafood market have been fabulous: 6 bucks a pound for fat 15/20 wild caught shrimp that really make a meal. Time is flying. Leslie is heading up to Dallas to see some kin next week. Our lovely grand daughter will be down a week later. She calls me gramps…Times change.
Lance
I like how this snippet sways to and fro.
— didi Apr 15, 07:24 AM #I’m glad the hummingbird was just knocked out….
Cute little birds, aren’t they? A month or two ago, one built a nest on the neighbor’s string of dragonfly “Christmas” lights that they have up around their porch.
— dutch Apr 24, 02:28 AM #Texas birds and bluebonnet lupines – that’s what I remember from my days working for Audubon. Every spring would find us catching the early migration, Texas is a great state –
— Patty Apr 24, 01:18 PM #Even in Maine now, the tree swallows are gathering outside my office here in the wild farm fields on the ridgetops in Waldo County, Maine. Happy Spring everybody!