“Shhh,” the park ranger suggested, after having read a short passage from Edward Abbey’s Desert Solitaire. The intent of Arches National Park Ranger Mariah’s request that we all remain silent was for everyone to pause and consider silence as a resource. All 24 of us on the 3-hour interpretive hike obliged and quieted our day packs, coughs, and wondered what the cathedral-like room in the Fiery Furnace called “Surprise” Arch would produce.
<< Read More >>
Archive for May, 2008
Walking Through Nevada & Utah
Identified Birds as of 6/22/08
These are the birds Sooney has identified so far on our journey:
Fallon area, Nevada
Great Egrets, White-faced Ibises, Black-necked Stilts, American Avocets, Killdeers, Long-billed Curlew, Canada Geese, Turkey Vultures, Great Blue Heron, Red-winged Blackbirds, Yellow-headed Blackbirds, Western Kingbirds, Ducks way too fast for my eyes
Great Basin National Park, NV
Northern Flickers, Red-naped Sapsucker, Hairy Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Spotted Towhees, Green-tailed Towhees
Chipping Sparrows, Sage Sparrows, Warbling Vireos, House Wrens and nest building, Mountain Chickadees and nest building, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Western Tanagers, Black-headed Grosbeak, Yellow Warblers, Ravens
Maple Grove Recreation Area Campground and environs, Utah
Black-headed Grosbeak, Lazuli Bunting, Yellow Warblers, Western Meadowlarks, Red-winged Blackbirds, Black-billed Magpies, Western Kingbirds
Arches and Canyon Lands National Parks, Utah
Spotted Towhees, Black-throated Warblers, Black-throated Sparrows, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Red-tailed Hawks, Ravens, Canyon Wren, Juniper Titmice, Violet-green Swallows, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Juniper Titmice, Mountain Bluebirds, Cassin’s Finches, Say’s Phoebes, Ash-throated Flycatchers, Mourning Doves, Pinyon Jay
Breckenridge and Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
Gray-headed Juncos, Clark’s Nutcracker, Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, Bullock’s Oriole, Pine Siskins, Yellow Warblers, Black-billed Magpies, Ravens, Mountain Bluebird
Joyful Journey Hot Springs, Moffat, Colorado
House Sparrows building a nest in a nest box, Brown-headed Cowbirds, Red-winged Blackbirds, Yellow Warblers, White-crowned Sparrows, Sage Thrush, Northern Mockingbird, Barn Swallows, Common Nighthawks, Mourning Doves
Crested Butte
Great Blue Herons nesting, Immature GB Heron, Canada Geese, Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, Tree Swallows, Red-winged Blackbirds, Brown Headed Cowbirds, Steller’s Jays, Wilson’s Warbler, Yellow Warblers, White-breasted Nuthatch, Western Tanager, Robins, Gray-headed Junco, Green-tailed Towhee, Red-tailed Hawk, American Kestrel, Pine Siskins, Mtn.
Golf: A Metaphor for Life
My drive had hooked left into the woods, but the golf ball was setting up nicely in the hazard, a mere 15 feet from the fairway. Between it and the flag was heavy rough, so the only shot was a chip back to the fairway of the long par 5. Clint, a member of our foursome, began the search for another player’s ball, hit considerably deeper into the woods.
<< Read More >>