Well-Wishes

Gilded Flicker

School has ended for now.  This has unleashed my inner Kraken!  Oh yes......birding full-time!  But on my last day, I did one last walk around campus and counted birds from my patch(an area that I am studying).  I have to admit that I was a little sad.    The babies will be all grown up when I return.  My Gilded Woodpecker friends love hanging out in certain areas near our football practice field.  On this day, I stood watching the couple and said my good-byes.

The Cacti are all in bloom and soon will shed their flowers. 

Common Ravens

The staff dislike the Common Raven couple that lives on our campus.  These intelligent birds rule the main football field and harass our Great Horned Owls.  People love owls more than ravens, but I am an advocate for this dynamic duo.  I've been with this school since the beginning.  So have these Ravens.  In many ways, they've become my friends.  They watched me as I watched them and I had a laugh.  Hopefully none of the teenagers making out in the wash saw me because I would have appeared crazy.  There is a bond with these creatures that I share.  I watch over them to make sure they are safe.

Great Horned Owlet

The owlets disappeared and staff had thought the ravens killed them.  But I knew they were tired of the 2000 plus kids gawking at them.  And I went where I thought they may have been hiding.  All 3 were alive and well on our last day.  I told the staff that they were all alive and not to worry....but I kept their location secret.   It's exciting to share our discoveries with other birders, and yet there are times when it's best to keep that inner celebration inside.  The owls are sacred.

White-winged Dove

The Saguaros continue to bloom and every bird celebrates with each new blossom opening up.  Plants struggle during this hot and dry month.  They patiently await our monsoon season.

I say the good-byes to my feathered friends.  It was on this day that I decided to take on a challenge for next year.  I am looking forward to creating a group of teenagers interested in birding around our campus and keeping records.  Our wash has litter from the general school population and I am wanting to create this birding/clean up team to help keep this part of our campus healthy and friendly to the wildlife in the area.  It's the little things we do that help make change.  For all the challenges that teaching presents today, I still believe in this idea.  "Be the change you wish to see in this world."  School is out.  Guatemala is near.  Mexico in July.  The Grand Canyon in fall.  A trip back to Wisconsin.  The adventures begin to take me out of my state and into other worlds.  Until next time......