Friday, December 27th, was the Christmas bird count for Apalachicola. I was leader for a group of 6 to Little St. George Island. Myself, Linda Allen, Donna Gaudet from Quebec, local resident George Watkins (boat captain), Melissa Forehand and Robin Vroegop. Robin and I used Audubon's 4wd vehicle and birded the east end. The other 4 folks took west end. Cold rain pelted us in the morning but about 10am the sky let more light through. Bayside Robin and I found killifish 12 feet from the water, stranded at low tide and still alive. Very strange. I wonder if they lived until high tide?
The island is ever-changing. Habitats range from sea shore to savannahs to marshland and scrub oaks which grow short and angled. Sea shells liter the beach- so many types.
We counted 64 species on the island. 75 is average but the rains kept birds in hiding. Black scoters and redheads off shore, bald eagles kept them all nervous. The eagles are nesting at this time of year. Once the eggs hatch the eagles will be more active snatching ducks from the water to feed eaglets.
Dolphins were abundant in the clear waters. Mullet are running, I think. I love a barrier island with only 6 people on it.
I just returned from the Apalachicola airport where 5 of us roamed the short grass fields to spook Sprague's pipits. We saw one and this is birdie number 557 for me. We thanked BJ for letting us break the FAR and TSA rules and walk the runways. Another beautiful day.

Sunday, December 8th, began with fog but it quickly cleared. We took another trip up to Howard's Creek Fish Camp. John, myself, Marc, Terese, Rex, Sabrina, Pamela and Paul. Wonderful day had by all. 82 degrees and muggy. I bought Christmas hats for us and Marc bought me an official Howard Creek hat. Very unique bar in a very unique community. Lots of bald eagles and ospreys.

I have been living in Apalachicola for a month and have met many new friends. Yesterday, Thanksgiving, was a bright, cool, sunny day. I was invited to dinner at Amy and Andrew Friedman's beautful home built around 150 years ago. That's a lot of dinners. Met new folks  that have moved south from Minnesota and have a small bear issue at their home in St James near Carabelle.
   It has been an exciting time here in Apalach with the sinking of the Irish Times II in the river outside the Spoonbill Lounge. The boat still sits submerged. Also have been going to Port St Joe for drinks. I was victorious in the pool tournmament at St Joe Bar. Going again this coming Thursday.
  The Audubon CBC is coming up December 27th. I hope the weather is good as I am leading a group of birders. I have explored as many dirt roads around here as I can find and travel down. Spotted two red-cockaded peckerwoods at Box R WMA. The first ones seen there, I believe.  Beautiful woods and rivers here.
   Today is black Friday and Nancy Kellett is coming to visit. Liver light might come on this weekend.  Drinks at Amy's store/gallery. Sanity Clause comes at 4pm. First I need to take a drive over the river and through the woods. I love this place.

I am at the Sheraton PDX. Early flight tomorrow. Had a fantastic time at Edgefield. Great food and wine. This has been a wonderful trip. Everything worked out perfectly. My listing says I got 57 species. I think it is correct. Missed the white-headed peckerwood. It lives  up too high for me to reach.
Looking forward to getting home. Off to St George island next week. One more swim in the Gulf before the water gets cold.
Maybe birding in Arizona soon.................

The drive from the Dalles to Edgefield hotel was gorge-ous. The Columbia River Gorge is stunning. Watched a boat from Seward cast a long net and haul in a few big Kings. Added Red-napped sapsucker to my list. Also stopped at Columbia River Gorge Hotel. The Boat pulled in at 8 this morning in The Dalles. Floating hotel.

 The hotel used to be an old-folks home, after it was a farm and manor house.

http://www.mcmenamins.com/1332-edgefield-lodging-packages.http://www.mcmenamins.com/1332-edgefield-lodging-packages

The room around the corner is named Gust Erickson. I about shit. Don't know what I would have done had I been given that room. There is a small picture of Gust on the door.  Looked like an Erickson. My room is the Kazoo Kats which was a signing group of elders. There is a brewery, winery, spa and restaurants here. Beautiful. Bathrooms are down the hall but I have a room with a sink, thanky. Every wall is painted with murals and faces decorate the pipes.

Tomorrow I will go down the where the Sand River meets the Columbia. Lewis and Clark slept there and screwed a couple Indians, probably. 

57 new species of birds. Might be done, as I don't know what else I can add this close to Portland. We'll see.

Did I mention the 10,000 mallards and 3,000 Greater White-fronted geese at Lower Klamath Refuge? Spectacular. Had to sit in the car yesterday morning and let the car heat up. The windows were iced. Then got Say's phoebe and Townsend's solitaire. Beautiful clear day and could see all the snow-covered mountains. The coyotes are smaller out here. Drove up to The Dalles, Oregon and am downtown. Very nice community.People are so kind in Or. Met a guy of the Yakima Nation and he provided a lot of information about The Dalles.
Two ore days of birding. Not sure what is left to get other that Golden eagle or Barrow's goldeneye. Staying at the Edgefield tonight. Just a 1 hour drive so lots of time for birding the Columbia Gorge.

I am  at the Running Y hotel in Klamath Falls, Oregon. On the lake at 4200 feet. Got Clarke's grebe and my mountain chickadee. So sweet. COLD, down to 28 tonight. The fucking USA government closed everything today. Went to Lava Beds National Monument only to be turned away. Crater Lake is closed also. Just as well as there is snow up there. My Nissan Versa pukes on snow. So glad to be back in Oregon. The people are so much more pleasant. No strong odors. Driving up to the Columbia River tomorrow as national parks are closed. The Dalles, or something like that. Had a wonderful day. I'll post more pics tomorrow. Woke up with Mount Shasta Lemurians looking in my window. Bastards. Food arrived. Off to bed.

I wasn't going to leave Redding until I saw the yellow-billed magpie. I went to a middle school where people said they were. Plenty of other birds (Nuttal's woodpecker) but no magpie. I was  becoming dejected. It was raining and I was hungry. I thought before I leave town I will get a snack bar and a coke. Pulled into a shopping plaza and in the parking lot where 3 magpies! Check! On the road north. Sky is clearing. Mount Shasta City here I come. And here I am at another B&B which is excellent. My room looks out at the mountain. What a fucking mountain, or volcano. 7 glaciers on it. The Lemurians live inside it. Take a hippy from Arcata and throw in mountain man and thats what you have running around here. But I want my gluten and everything is organic, asshole.Weird. More pot-heads. Ran into some old faces at the local bar.
 Don't know where I am stopping today. Klamath Falls, I think. I need a mountain chickadee.

My nerves are frayed. Route 299 from Aecata to Redding was a harrowing experience. Rock slides, no guard rails and 3400 foot elevation. The drive to Arcata was along the Avenue of the Giants. WOW! Even in the rain it was stunning.  I did pee on a Redwood.
After Weaverville I stopped along a stream to try to spot an American Dipper. I walked into the forest to pee and looked up and there it was, watching me pee-Dipper! I said thank you and zipped up and got back in the car.
 I am at the Desmond House B&B in Redding. Beautiful valley. Sacramento River across the street has salmon running-Chinook. Sundial Bridge is interesting. I am here to see the Yellow-billed magpie. People say they are here in a park. As soon as the rain lets up I am off to find this bird. Not leaving the valley until I see it. Mount Shasta is a 1.5 hour drive north. I Think I will stay tonight in Weed, Ca. Think I'll find pot-heads there? Gotta pee-bye for now.

Another day spent with binoculars around my neck. Saw some otters in the surf and thought they were sea otters. No sea otters near here, they were river otters. Watched  the parents feed their pups for an hour. Walked the nature trail up in the mountains for 2 hours and met the man who built it. Bear tracks everywhere. Black Sand beach was interesting. Hiking trail goes 25 miles up the coast. Some people never come back. Some should not. I am still in Humbolt county and the people under 50 suck. Pot-head white trash. I feel sorry for the teenagers here. One jumped off the cliff and swam out to sea last week.
Finally saw a Bewicks wren. California quail are abondanza. Fox squirel are lightly colored.. The stars are so clear when the breeze is off the Pacific. Rain today and I am off to Redding. 5 hour drive today. Inn of the Lost Coast is a must for everyone. Picture below is my hotel and off my balcony. I hope I can return. The ocean is very rough this morning. Sounds like a train.