TOWA CATO SPTO OATI BTGW WAVI BEWR AMCR CORA WREN NOFL YEWA RTHA CAQU ACWO SCJA AMGO
...an annotated list of birds observed while taking a zero at Barrel Springs, for those of you who speak birder code.
We woke up in the same spot we slept in, which I always consider to be a victory when you pitch a tent in a desert wash (flash floods are simultaneously unpredictable and highly predictable, which is why I hate sleeping in washes). We also woke up far, far later than most everyone else in camp, and relocated our tent with the haste of vampires avoiding the sun so we could snooze in peace longer, mostly without the rising sun turning our tent into a convection oven. I found a nice log that was approximately pillow-height, and set up camp near the water trough beneath a high canopy of valley and live oaks. In between day naps, I watched as a mixed flock of black-throated gray warblers, Townsend's warblers, and yellow warblers gleaned their meals from the surrounding trees. Erin blissfully slept, jotted in her journal, and focused on mending her poor feet.
And that's about it. Erin napped, and we socialized with Atlas, the Hons, Tracy & Ingrid, Craig, and a few other hikers, but most of the day was spent doing nothing but relaxing. It felt great, and was justified. Erin and I played some vigorous rounds of casino (card game), cooked a fine tuna alfredo for lunch and even attempted laundry, thanks to the good water source. However, our relaxed mindset meant that we didn't think about doing laundry until around 5 PM, which might have left our laundry time to dry before the morning hike in optimal conditions. After we washed up, Tracy and Ingrid mentioned that it might rain at our camp, which foiled the laundry drying plans. I tried to avoid being wrong on the decision to do laundry by tucking all the damp socks and Erin's damp shirt in my sleeping bag to heat them as I slept, and force them to dry in the process. The method has been successful for me using one pair of socks in the past, so why not... Erin and I finished our game of casino, I tucked in with the laundry, and went to sleep with an optimism of no rain and dry clothes for the morning.
...an annotated list of birds observed while taking a zero at Barrel Springs, for those of you who speak birder code.
We woke up in the same spot we slept in, which I always consider to be a victory when you pitch a tent in a desert wash (flash floods are simultaneously unpredictable and highly predictable, which is why I hate sleeping in washes). We also woke up far, far later than most everyone else in camp, and relocated our tent with the haste of vampires avoiding the sun so we could snooze in peace longer, mostly without the rising sun turning our tent into a convection oven. I found a nice log that was approximately pillow-height, and set up camp near the water trough beneath a high canopy of valley and live oaks. In between day naps, I watched as a mixed flock of black-throated gray warblers, Townsend's warblers, and yellow warblers gleaned their meals from the surrounding trees. Erin blissfully slept, jotted in her journal, and focused on mending her poor feet.
Group photo of us with the Flying Hons and Atlas at Barrel Springs.
Toad tadpoles in the trough at Barrel Springs.
And that's about it. Erin napped, and we socialized with Atlas, the Hons, Tracy & Ingrid, Craig, and a few other hikers, but most of the day was spent doing nothing but relaxing. It felt great, and was justified. Erin and I played some vigorous rounds of casino (card game), cooked a fine tuna alfredo for lunch and even attempted laundry, thanks to the good water source. However, our relaxed mindset meant that we didn't think about doing laundry until around 5 PM, which might have left our laundry time to dry before the morning hike in optimal conditions. After we washed up, Tracy and Ingrid mentioned that it might rain at our camp, which foiled the laundry drying plans. I tried to avoid being wrong on the decision to do laundry by tucking all the damp socks and Erin's damp shirt in my sleeping bag to heat them as I slept, and force them to dry in the process. The method has been successful for me using one pair of socks in the past, so why not... Erin and I finished our game of casino, I tucked in with the laundry, and went to sleep with an optimism of no rain and dry clothes for the morning.
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