Starting on a new project

I’ve been assigned a couple of other projects during my time here at Tule Lake NWR in addition to work in the VC and doing a weekly bird survey.  I got started on one of them the other day. 

There are six photo blinds that can be reserved by photographers at the VC.  All of these blinds have been built by a local volunteer over the years.  Five are located on Tule Lake NWR, and one is located on Lower Klamath NWR.  My job is to inventory them; make suggestions for needed repairs; and make sure the written directions to get to each blind are correct.

I had to chuckle when I finally found this upland bird blind.  I just thought it was a porta-pottie out in the middle of nowhere.  Not so.  There is a stool inside, and a bucket of bird seed.  When I visited it, there was not a bird to be found anywhere.  The directions were not correct, and there was no water feature as mentioned in the description.  A fire went through this area a couple of years ago, so I’m sure that has lessened the usefulness of this blind.

There’s a little bit of interesting history about these blinds.  It seems that hunters were complaining about the $25 yearly recreation pass that they had to buy in order to hunt on the refuge, while ‘birders’ didn’t have to pay a cent to enjoy the birds.  So, if you want to use the photo blinds, you have to pay a $25 recreation pass also.  (half price for folks with the old farts pass)  Of course, I pointed out that we ‘birders’ didn’t eat the birds, but only took pictures and left footprints.

Since all the blinds are located along the auto tour routes, I could also enjoy all the wildlife along the way while checking them out.  I guess you could say I was ‘killing’ two birds with one stone.

Besides all the waterfowl on Tule Lake, I’m really enjoying seeing American Avocets.  They look so graceful to me.

                      They’re all pretty busy bulking up on food for their coming migration to Mexico.

                             They use that curved bill to sweep under water to capture tasty morsels.

It got pretty chilly here last night, and the heat pump switched over to the propane furnace.  Possible freeze tonight too before another warm up.  I’m watching the weather pretty closely.  I’m thinking that as soon as it’s cold enough to freeze the water hose it’ll be time for me to head south too.

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy