A Busy Month

Much has happened since I wrote my last blog post. So long that I can't remember how to change this tiny script to something readable. Maybe it will publish bigger.

Lots of Black Oystercatcher surveys since the Road's End nests keep failing and the birds starting over again. Today, August 8, I saw one chick on Middle Rock but hope all 3 eggs hatched. Last clutch they hatched all 3 but all disappeared in 2 weeks. South Rock birds are on I don't know what number of nest attempts, still no chicks, apparently. I also hiked in to Cascade Head nest areas in the last month and found no active nests there this year. But the scenery is gorgeous.

Also lots of orchid tending and several orchids blooming. I send photos to the Woodhouses when their orchids and other house plants bloom. I'll attempt to insert a photo of the collage I made of the first six months of their flowers blooming here for me.

July 7 Johnny and I did our sometimes-Dipper survey up Agency Creek. We did find Dippers but I also found a tick... on my neck... that night while I was milking goats. I thought it was a pimple at first and tried to squeeze it. Then it hurt like crazy so I thought it was a bee and tried to pull it off... succeeded and saw it was a tick... washed it down the sink. My neck swelled up enormously and itched... a lot. I read up on the web and learned it could not have given me Lyme disease since the tick has to drink your blood first for a couple days before it can inject the venom, or whatever it is. But their saliva has lots of bacteria so needs to be cleansed with alcohol, which I did. That did not do a thing for my hugely swollen and itchy neck. Tried various salves and finally tried a little vial of Balm of Gilead that friend Velta makes from the buds on our poplar trees in the spring. The web said it was antibacterial and anti-inflammatory, just what I needed. Presto! Like magic the swelling went down and the itching went away. I am now a believer in Balm of Gilead and will make some myself next spring, with Velta's coaching.

We did find some Dippers on our trek, as well as the tick, including this hatch year bird sitting and apparently hoping the parents would come back and feed it.

And a whole family of Mergansers...

Johnny spent weeks clearing trees and brush from the driveway and fixing things. I mowed and weeded and watered and pulled tansy... between escapes to the cool coast. We spent a week trying to get the house cleaned up enough for company... next post will be about Steve and family's visit. I took over a 100 photos, and Johnny took a bunch, too, but I will try to whittle them down to a reasonable number.