Coocoo, coocoo. I look out the window to see what makes this noise. I see a pair of courting Ringed Turtle-Doves perched on the Palo Verde branch getting friendly. I do enjoy watching the birds, but maybe not that way.
And I’ve lots of time to watch birds in Congress and will have much more. On April 6th, after being on hold about starting work the word came down. “The Garfield County Commissioners, Bryce Canyon National Park, and Governor Herbert are collectively working toward a temporary closure of Bryce Canyon National Park as soon as Wednesday, April 8, 2020, until April 30, 2020.” My supervisor really tried to get me into the park before closure but, no go. “Bryce Canyon National Park will temporarily close until further notice effective Tuesday, April 7 at 5 p.m.” My new start date is May 3rd, maybe, if the park has reopened. A few days later Utah closed with virtual checkpoints whatever that means.
With the next several days predicted rain for me and snow in Bryce it was just as well. And time for me to hunker in. 
But I do try to go for walks which doesn’t happen every day. Joann showed up and that was a nice motivation for a walk. Within sight of camp stands a multi-armed Saguaro looking like a bird condo with all the openings. Sadly, we also saw jabbed into the cactus, way up high, what looked like a TV antennae and a tool of some kind. Either they’ve been there a long time or someone stood on top of a RV. Either way, it sucks, and that’s coocoo crazy. Better was the clear sighting of a female Gila Woodpecker perhaps looking for a nursery.
Now that I don’t have an artificially landscaped yard, I no longer put out birdseed. I don’t think any of the store-bought seed is native so it shouldn’t be spread around in the wild. That’s just the naturalist in me. But I do love to watch the birds and here in the desert am willing to put out water in a plastic lid that became a bird bath. All the bird photos were taken through my dirty camper window many with the phone.
Took about an hour before a Gila Woodpecker couple found the water and took turns splashing. They puffed up and spread feathers, shaking and preening on the ample branches of the Palo Verde. The word went out and soon I spotted a Curve-Billed Thrasher rushing in. Maybe the splashed water drew insects on the ground below.
A Flicker chased off the female woodpecker, while several tiny White-Crowned Sparrows watched just out of frame and Gamble Quail bobbled below.
I could be coocoo crazy under the full moon. I hear people in some parts of the world are howling at the moon nightly at 8. I’d be afraid of getting shot if I did that out here so instead I shot the moon the night before it was full but I did miss the actual rise on the horizon.
The next night I tried again, and even got the tripod out. Now I have this series I’d like to put together in a GIFF. Because we have time I looked up how to do that and it’s mostly a Photoshop thing that became beyond me so I almost screamed and gave up.
White-Crowned Sparrows
It drove me coocoo when a new neighbor pulled in, stayed one night, and drove over plants when leaving. WHY? If he pulled in he could have backed out, or planned better. I am glad he is gone. Because I’m really trying not to be crazy. I’m trying to be calm. But some days are like that.
That followed by a jet punching it overhead, breaking the sound barrier, and made Sierra and I jump more than a bit.
The camper rocked and trees blew around as the wind blew the clouds about creating a patchwork quilt of light and shadow across the desert land. The afternoon brought a few drops of rain increasing later that included brief shafts of sunlight. I searched hard for a rainbow that didn’t exist. The light matched my mood.
You know how some days you tell yourself you’re going to go for a walk, but then the wind blows cool and dusty and, you don’t?
Or is coocoo really batshit crazy, which I’m sure many of us have been trying to hold off. But I’m already crazy, so my journey is short. In fact, I haven’t journeyed more than walking distance from the camper in the ten days I’ve been boondocking in Congress. Although I’ve been social physical distancing for 36 days now.
One afternoon I walked along the dirt roads to the nearby Congress Cemetery, in use from 1887 to present. Interesting variety of markers and fences. Lots of wildflowers and plastic flowers too. I didn’t go in but maybe will on another day.
I watched a Cactus Wren couple wrestling or… Well, spring is in the air.
While some of you were eating whatever it is you eat on Easter, here the desert menu could be very different. A rattlesnake went through a neighbor’s camp, about three feet long, with no head, and nine buttons on the rattle.
Another neighbor skinned, cleaned, and cooked it. Lots of bones, not much meat, a little tough, and doesn’t taste like chicken. Now I can say I’ve tried it. Don’t see having to again unless I am powerful hungry. Besides there are lots of Cottontails around and they provide more meat with less bones.
And then when I was out shooting late light, I heard cows in the wash below, even better if I get desperate meat.
Easter ended with a crepuscular ray sunset over the Date Creek Mountains.
Some days I am almost forced to watch the birds. I saw a congregation of Grackles land on my neighbors roof. Then most of them flew onto the Palo Verde tree outside my window, up to my roof, and gone in a flash.
Might be Curve-billed Thrasher eggs
Things are just rather coocoo crazy all around right now. I don’t watch TV which keeps me from being bombarded by the “BUY! BUY! BUY! You NEED this!” Heck, all I really need is some food and water. I watch enough news to be informed and stop when my blood pressure rises.
Gilded Flickers
Sometimes, it’s just best to watch the birds.
Congress mine 1914 and today.
Wow I never realised that the Saguaro were that slow growing, quite incredible. Just love your birds shots and of course birds that I do not know so even more interesting. Re breaking the sound barrier, we had two planes overhead breaking the sound barrier simultaneously last year, wow, we thought the world was exploding under our feet. We did not even realise what it was but our neighbour enlightened us, her husband is a plane mechanic so I guess she knows more about them than we do. Now I have never tried rattlesnake, but we did try snake of some sort while in RSA, I cannot remember what it tasted like now so it obviously was not anything special or i would have taken notice, I also got around to trying flying ants, not raw as the Africans appear to enjoy them, they fried them over a braai for me and those I do remember having a nutty flavour. Not something I would rush out to snack on thought unless I was very hungry and then you would need a few hundred to to sort out hunger pains, they are way too small.
Take care and I hope that you get to work eventually. We have just had lock-down extended until the 11th of May, after that I suspect it will only be partially lifted depending on how the situation has developed.
Very best wishes, Diane and Nigel.
Thanks. I’ve been taking lots of bird shots through the window so hope practice makes better. I’d rather try insects not knowing what they were. Be well.
You must be boondocking ‘near’ Congress.
I didn’t realize Congress was so low as to support Saguaro growth. My brother has a beautiful specimen in his yard in Sun City West.
I grew up with Rattlers, don’t kill them for any reason.
I camped with one for 3-days near Post, Oregon on the South Fork of the Crooked River. He mostly stayed in the BLM firebox except at night so if I got back to camp late in the evening or at night from a hike or fireside get together at another camp, I would walk slowly and heavily into camp to give him a chance to move away. Every morning he would be in the firebox till the ground warmed up, so I did him/her the courtesy of not lighting a fire during a my to short stay.
“Virtual checkpoints”… ?
The SW is sure getting a lot of precipitation the last couple of years. Used to be seasonal, now seems to be anytime through the year. My cousin for years always complaining about the rain in the Puget Sound area moved to Sun City a couple of years ago to finally get away from the /÷×¥*;”÷%£*!!! and is still =%\’/9*?:!!! … and so it goes……
“Coocoo”… now if I was confined to the concrete & steel rat boxes of the inner urban hardscape, I would probably go ‘bat shit’ crazy or coocoo. But the sun rises everyday on a beautiful Spring. My breath still comes easy. The toilet still flushes. The lights and fridge still work. Food so far isn’t a problem. And I’m reminded of close family friend’s stories of living in bombed out Berlin with bombs dropping nearly every night as a young teenage girl.. real hardship. And I’m good.
You all be safe.
The person who heads up the Johnson & Johnson research effort foe developing a C-19 vaccine, says that it will be late 2021 or early 2022 at the earliest before a vaccine finishes testing and goes into production. We can hope for an earlier date, but that is realistic considering what’s involved.
We must remember that the Corona virus ‘MERS’, still doesn’t have a vaccine in production after 8-years, so if we can achieve a C-19 vaccine in around 2-years we should all be grateful.
Optimistic talk of life returning to normal in a few weeks or months is just that… talk, and foolish. Don’t plan on it or set your schedule around it.
The ‘curve glattening’ does not mean in anyway that life is returning to normal. If it ever does.
A new normal will replace the old normal), and that likely will be a better one. A more viable one.
A note on masks. Clean your masks after use. I use Hydrogen Peroxide in a spray application. Wash your hands after removing mask.
And this is important. Wash your face with a light soap and water, too. Not all pathogens are stopped by the mask. Some comes in around the edges of the mask so your face needs to be washed.
When in a situation like at a store, do SD & wear a mask and breathe through your nose. The nose can deal with pathogens much better then the mouth.
You all be safe, and practice safety protocols.
Protecting Yourself, Protects Others.
LOL! I should never write my comments on my phone, miss to many grammatical errors and typos.
Like the Prickly Pear Cacti and nest with Blue eggs Photo.
According to the Saguaro Graphic you provided, my brothers Saguaro must be over 100-years old.
Virtual Checkpoint Info @ https://www.thespectrum.com/story/news/2020/04/10/utah-coronavirus-travel-advisory-order-restrictions-what-to-know/5131205002/
No one will be stopped.
As you enter the state your phone will prompt you to do a virtual ‘Health Check’.
I imagine you can defeat the prompt by pulling the battery of your phone before entering Utah. Do I recommend that option. The states need critical info on C-19. How important that is versus your privacy concerns is up to you.
If “normal” is where we came from, I don’t want to go back.
I think the BLM land I’m on is adjacent to historic old Congress, not a lot of Saguaro. But the desert is still very green. And I love watching the birds here. It is one of the weirdest times I have lived in yet nothing in comparison to war conditions.
Reg; ” It is one of the weirdest times I have lived in” …
I have been preparing my kids for this very situation since they could comprehend ideas and handle tools. It had a major effect on my son, the youngest, he is handy and has skills and the right attitude, he could live under a rock and be happy, but my daughter is a mess. This doesn’t fit her plans or comfort zone, though, she does have a suburban garden and chickens.
When her sainted Grandmother wanted to teach her how to sew, she wasn’t interested. My son was, and sews, and can weld, and owns a sewing machine and a welder, and he and his partner have been making masks for friends. His partner is quite excited to actually have time for herself and them, as her job of teaching at PSU and volunteering left little time or energy for anything else.
My son’s only disappointment is not being able to finish the Sierra/Cascade Crest Trail this year, but he is young, still in his early 30’s. I didn’t even start it until I was forty.
Interestingly, I just found out that my son has a dystopian adventure book in process. I have had a dystopian book in process for several years.
They are quite different in their story line, but both based on a devastating pandemic that nearly wipes out all human life.His is a quest, involving a map and rough overland travel to locate a mystical 60’s type commune. The main characters are a couple.
Mine is about survival of an ethnically diverse group composed of those typically oppressed in our ‘normal’ so called civilization who are hunted by a Purity group similar to White Nationalists. The main character is a highly capable young woman who leads and protects her group through her practical intelligence and fierce resistance to evil. A book written for my many(7) granddaughters.
If I survive this current bump in the road, I actually might finish it.
You all wash your hands and get outside. Sunshine and exercise are good for resisting Viruses.
Answered privately.
When I first saw your title, I thought ‘not so much Congress, but none like just up Pennsylvania Avenue’. Then I remembered you don’t have TV. :).
The Eurasian Collared Dove interestingly enough gained access to the US through Florida, after 50 of them escaped captivity in the Bahamas. They are everywhere now. Listen for the screech as they are about to land.
Ha, ha. I do get news online. Pretty sure I’ve heard that screech but didn’t know it was the Doves.
Good morning Gaelyn,
The photo with the mature saguaro with the foreground lit and the hills and clouds dark just made me homesick for the lower deserts. I can almost smell the fragrances of all the green growth.
You have such pretty neighbors just going about their business chatting about the nice woman who puts out water for them and singing their songs for you.
Everyone should be so lucky.
Mary
So nice of you to say. These desert birds probably haven’t seen so much water in one place in a while. Glad you are enjoying the desert. It smells divine.
Too bad about the delay at Bryce Canyon. Hopefully you can get part of the season in.
I’d rather be in Congress right now then this apartment.
We are also experiencing high winds at this time.
Love all the pictures especially the Birds.
Be Safe and Enjoy the solitude along with your feathered friends.
It’s about time.
I never thought I’d be in Congress for so long, or want to, but it’s a good place to be and definitely better than an apartment.
Loved your bird pix. I’m at my house home with lots to keep me busy ..but no fun things like playing music with others..
Oh, well..I’ll go out and pull a few of my many weeds.
Maybe I can find a few heirloom tomato plants to put in. Later, maybe a few clones…
Glad to hear you are safely home and can start gardening.
Well I sure did recognize some of those mountain backgrounds and of course the cemetery shots. Nice to see the birds splashing about. We always kept water out for the birds as well. Hope that Bryce stint works out for you.
Heck, I am almost camped in your old yard.
ah, Gaelyn. Your fans have commented in ways my coocoo brain can’t even begin to emulate. I am coocoo brain tired. I feed out birds here, and put out water, spent the morning watering. First time I have had to water my stuff in April, usually the sprinklers don’t go on till May. Wish we had some of those rain clouds. I complained a lot about rain last month that seemed to never end, so I can’t quite figure out why we are in a moderate to severe drought all of a sudden. Ahh, the world. I lost most of this day, noticing that it is 3:30 in the afternoon. At noon, I thought, what did I do this morning…??? And days of the week? forget it. Although I had an exciting outing. I returned the puzzle to Maryruth and Gerald after sanitizing the box, and visited from a distance from her front door. That was really wonderful, actually. But I still feel incredibly loose and strangely weird, and am rambling….obviously.
Yes, I understand. I have days that blend together. Good thing I journal and have a calendar. We didn’t get enough rain to dampen the ground. The world, it is a changing. Little visits mean more. The few people I crossed trails with today in town seem, friendlier. Maybe it’s just me. I tend to smile (it’s now in the eyes) and talk to strangers.
Amazing sights!
Thanks. I’m learning more birds.
You are the safest person, I think!
I think rural is best right now.
Your phone sure takes better pictures out your window than mine. I envy you being in such a wide open and lovely environment. I’m with Sue, the hours go by and I can’t name one thing I’ve done. It’s lovely to get away with you. Thanks.
Thanks. Phone does just OK as long as I post process and the image is kept small. It’s nothing fancy. If it wasn’t for the wide open spaces, I might be insane by now instead of just a little coocoo. I journal every day to help remember I didn’t really DO anything of importance. And then I share it here.
Oh, that Congress! Ha! I thought from the headline, it was going to be a political post . … you are turning into not only a bird watcher but also a fine bird photographer. I think water dishes are supposed to be as good for attracting them as feed…. certainly in the desert that must be true…….. and oh crap I’m sorry about Bryce. Dang.
I’ve always enjoyed watching the birds but they sure are difficult to photograph.
Hi Gaelyn, with my intermittent internet and time constraints, I try to keep in contact with you through Foto Fun Friday, I haven’t had a chance to check your other posts in a long time. I LOVED this post with all the incredible birds and your beautiful photos of them. I also LOVE that another person out there doesn’t have television. Grant I never owned a TV. Both our sons grew up without TV. They spent the days outside and when indoors, read books. So they both have a healthy command of the English language and spell correctly. Their children don’t have TV either. What made me scroll through your other posts, is that I didn’t feature on today’s Foto Fun Friday I was so sure that I did submit a number – something like 1560 which is low for me. Anyway, can you put that down for me for next week. Be safe. Jo
Who needs to waste time on TV when life keeps us busy? I’m way behind reading blogs now that I’m back to working 40 hours a week. Hard to say how I missed you in a Foto Friday Fun, but next week I’ll dig out #1560 for you.