Cold Air and Little Rain

While we were gone on our trip to Brazil, folks helping to watch the ranch recorded .48 and .98 inches of rain on the 8th and 9th of October.  Both rain water tanks overflowed. 

The native flower garden that I protected from the deer with a 6 foot steel wire fence held and most of the plants are in full color.  The deer did find most of the plants outside the safe zone and ate all the leaves off a Mountain Laurel, Yellow Bells and several of the Mexican Sage.  The deer I saw today showed much of their rib cages - many will die soon as the little rain we got didn't produce any forbs and since White-tailed Deer do not eat grass, there is now almost no food left fro them to browse.

The high temperature was 88 this afternoon, but a cold front has blown in and current temps are 48 F and still dropping.  This front was supposed to bring rain, but now the weather folks are saying just a few light showers possible.  Will be in the 30's Friday night.  Time for some chili, beans and corn bread.  Maybe even the first fire of the season...

Ole-Ole-Ole-Olee - Brazil- Brazil

Just returned from a birding tour to Brazil - We saw around 400 species with about 210 lifers - met some wonderful folks on the trip and we both came home exhausted, but still feeling the excitement of seeing our first Jaguar!!!!

I plan to post a few of the 900 pictures I took during the trip as soon as I have time to select some of the better shots.

When we arrived home we found the White-crowned Sparrows had returned along with the Spotted-towhees.  We spotted  a couple of new species for the Oasis - Vesper and Fox Sparrows - certainly not as exotic as many of the Brazilian birds, but they are our birds in our home country so we can enjoy them as much as one of those skulking Antbirds of the tropics...

Vesper Sparrow

Fox Sparrow