Month: March 2019

Today while walking along the San Pedro River searching in vain for the Green Kingfisher, I ran into John Broz, his buddy Gary, and Socks the Dog. “Do I even need to ask?”, asked John, referring to my futile kingfisher search. “No”, I sheepishly answered, head down, shoulders slumped. “It’s March already, when was the last time you got something new? The clock is ticking.”, John poked, pointing out the obvious. “I know, I hear it ticking, loud and clear.” That’s when I decided to make my next move. Not much is happening here and I’m getting bored. So I’m suspending the kingfisher search and I’m busting out of town. I’m not telling you where I’m going until I get there. But it should be sweet. Very Sweet.

But not all was lost today. Past the Rte 90 bridge I heard a high, thin, “dee, dee, dee”, descending – Northern Beardless Tyrannulet (178), the first new bird in a week.

This week’s puzzler is photographic in nature. Identify this (North American) species:

Not from last week’s blizzard, but instead of my own doing. I unplugged the cable. Now I have more time in the evening to study and prepare for my Big Year. I was mad and here is how it unfolded, to the best of my memory:

Rob: Why is my new cable bill so abominable? Cox Communications: Let me transfer you to our billing and customer placater and professional soft soaper. Cox: Your initial signup discounts expired. Rob: Your prices are criminal. You should be prosecuted and incarcerated! Cox: What would you like me to do? Rob: Lower it down to the price it was before. Cox: I can’t do that but I can give you another sign up discount of seventeen fifty. Rob: Huh?! Outrageous! Then shut it off! Cox: When would you like that effective, sir? Rob: When would I like that effective? 5 minutes ago, you cable-brained knucklehead! Cox: click….

We have a winner to last week’s puzzler. After sifting through the thousands upon thousands of letters from readers across the country, I have a correct answer from Hoss Wrenn of Green Lawns, Mississippi. I’m having a little trouble reading his crayon but I think he got it right. In Arizona and New Mexico you can see Osprey, Yellow-breasted Chat, and Olive Warbler. Look for another puzzler coming up soon. Today, this first day of March, besides winter being over – it’s now in the 70’s – I searched without luck for the Green Kingfisher. I think she has a weekly pattern that she follows and I am about to crack it.