Time To Leave

(vacation back blips begin here)

I had to check out by 11 am so being awakened again by the Acorn woodpeckers before my alarm was actually a blessing. I had my coffee and fig cookies on the porch. I'm rarely surprised by much so when a young coati lumbered across the parking lot towards the creek I was unfazed. But moments later, a mule deer did the same. I wasn't going to rush in for the camera for the coati but I did for the deer. I usually see them as I'm driving down the mountain and they cause me to slam on the brakes. This was a nice change.

It was time to leave, so I pulled my car out of the reserved lot and turned in my key. As I was getting ready to drive away, I saw all of the birders congregate in the same area looking in the same direction through their binoculars. There was an Elegant Trogan hopping from branch to branch behind the trees. I did get to see it but not shoot it.

Among the other birds I saw but didn't get a shot were:
a Calliope hummingbird*, Broad-tailed hummingbirds*, a Berylline hummingbird, Rufous-crowned sparrows*, Bridled titmouses (titmice?), a Juniper titmouse*, Arizona woodpeckers, Heptatic tanagers, a Summer tanager*, a House wren, a Blue-headed grosbeak and a Ruby-crowned kinglet.

*first ever sightings

Today was my birthday. I spoke to Reno and Albuquerque brothers in the evening. Buffalo brother sent the perfunctory  "happy birthday" text  It was not the easiest of days but it was the last special day for me to get through until the first anniversary of mom's death.  She always made a big deal out of "my" day, like celebrating it for a month. It was the first time I didn't receive any cards or treats. Gifts only came from mom.