Good Folks and Good Birds

Teddy is a pretty boy

And good food too. We ventured about four hours west yesterday to meet Amber's folks. That was pretty amazing in itself. Really nice people, incredible food, pretty horses, fat cattle, and a lot of fun. We got to meet and see everybody and everything Alan has been telling us about for months.

Caspian Terns

We had an easy drive out there and got to bring home that spectacular homemade sherbet that we love. 

Trumpeter Swans

After an enjoyable visit we headed home because....see 4-hour drive above.....

I had hoped to visit Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, but we traveled a road that was easy to drive but took us well south of it. Oh, well, there is always another day....but then again they have been seeing a White Pelican in Benson Pool. Pelican....Upstate NY....amazing.

Great Egret in the pool where the pelican has been being seen

As we pulled out of the driveway the boss said, "See if you can get directions to the swamp on that phone of yours..."

"Really? But it's so far!"

"Nah, it isn't that far and I don't want you to miss it when we are already all the way out here."

So I spoke into the phone as Alan had showed me, "Take me to Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge."

And the Genie in the Box, who is usually referred to in considerably less flattering terms, did so. As usual she took us on twisted back roads rather than handy-dandy interstates, but that allowed us to see some fantastic farms and farmland. The crops out there are about three times as nice as here. Tall corn just tasseling out, rows upon rows of soy beans, fat and thick and dark green, wheat all golden brown and ready for the combine, with some fields already stubble and big, bright, bales headed for the barns. It was a treat for farmers from the eastern part of the state where crops are not looking so hot just now...too much rain and a cruddy spring have set things back quite badly.

Great Blue Heron

Once there we stopped to count the Purple Martins at the visitors center and then we were off. What a day! 27 Caspian Terns within the first ten minutes. Black Terns. Trumpeter Swans. A Dowitcher of some sort, which shall remain uncounted because my photo is so bad, but still...dowitcher! And lots and lots of other goodies.... No pelican, but that was kind of a lot to expect after all.

We didn't get home until nine to find the water heating complex the guys built was down, but I say again, what a day! I am still grinning.

Anybody care to venture an ID for the little guy in the foreground?