Palmdale Sunrise

Ima eat fine Italian dining tonight and then go cruise to San Bernardino for a party filled with work people.  Should be an amazing night.  Tomorrow is my Day of Freedom.  Still don't know what to do.  Today was chill.  Saw some stuff.  First of Spring Bullock's Oriole.  A big ol' snake.  One of them weird glider planes way up in the sky...  Just your standard Palmdale fare.  Mahalo.

Once again, this is what sunrise looks like up around Palmdale way.  I think I'm going to start a new tourist movement for Palmdale.  It will be the biggest and most prosperous tourist destination in the country.

Here's the big old snake.  It was over three feet long.  I don't know shit about snakes, but I'm pretty sure this is a gopher snake.  

Permachestcold

It takes a long time for me to do all of my own accounting.  Time sheets.  Expense reports.  They bring me to near suicide.  Luckily, I have Sultry.  She fills out all of these forms and adds up all the numbers so that I don't have to.  Thank you Sultry.  In other news, the week's end is here.  I've been on the 6 day a week work schedule, so I'm stoked to be free after tomorrow.  What should I do with my day off?  Probably birding.  What else would I do?  I apparently have no other hobbies any more.  Isn't that pathetic?  I used to be a perfectly well rounded individual with interesting and diverse pastimes.  No longer.  Now, I just roam the land with a permanent chest cold, monitoring construction and looking at birds.  How embarrassing.  I saw some stuff today.  Bird of the day was Scott's Oriole, but it migrated by too fast for a photo.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet.  I can see a little bit of its ruby crown.  How exhilarating. 

Rock Wren.  I can see some of its rock.  How exciting. 

The Magic Dodgers

Greetings.  Have you all heard the rumor that Magic Johnson now owns the Dodgers?  Truly bizarre.  I can't wait to go eat some Magic Dodger Dogs down in LA this summer while I watch the Giants trounce the home team.  Work continues to be chill, and my cold continues to plague my existence.  Oh well.  I cruised by a nice flooded ag area in Antelope Valley today after work.  Here are two things I saw:

The majestic Golden Eagle soars triumphantly over the beautiful landscape below.  He is master of all beneath him.

This Yellow-headed Blackbird was right underneath the eagle.

My Lung Fell Out

I think I just coughed my lung halfway out of my mouth.  It's ok, I shoved it back in and continued breathing.  And hacking away.  I ask that you faithful readers all pray for me tonight.  Pray that I wake up healthy and ready to start a new day.  If you do this for me, you will be rewarded with good fortune all year.

Just another dawn out on the wind farm.

My first Warbling Vireo of the year at Apollo Park.  

Does Baseball Start Soon?

Eating and drinking for free is one of my favorite parts about the job I currently have.  For example, last night at dinner I gobbled down 21 delicious pieces of sashimi.  It just feels nice to be rewarded after all these years slaving away, counting birds for the man.  That is exactly what I'm going to do after releasing this early tuesday edition of TPAD.  Pretty good day in the field today.  Finally saw a roadrunner, found a Cactus Wren nest, and spent some time around really creepy, old abandoned buildings.  All in all, a nice time.

Male Blue-gray Gnatcatcher.  

I think this is now called a Desert Hare.  Unless of course it is actually called Black-tailed Jackrabbit.  Nobody knows.  It's a mystery of science.

Cough Cough Bird

I hate to even bring it up again, but I have caught another cold.  I guess if you leave the real world for months at a time, as I am prone to do, fate will eff you to make up for all the lost time.  And so you get sick twice during your first month back home.  Life is pain.  I find Halls cough drops to be the most effective treatment.  I'm pretty sure they're the best cough drop.  And they taste pretty good too.  I worked out in the desert again today.  Saw some more great stuff.  Nothing much new though, except for the quiz bird below.

Quiz bird.

Loggerhead Shrike, hella close.

Ravens Eating Dead Stuff In The Gutter

The weather turned gnarly here in Palmdale today.  Hurricane force winds and hecka rain.  As a result, I stayed in all day and watched tv.  Also, Sultry and I went to see the movie version of kids killing each other (Hunger Games).  It was pretty good.  Hopefully I see tons of rare-ass birds at work in the morning.

Two ravens contemplating how best to cook a squirrel.

Barn Owl, being awesome as Barn Owls tend to do.

Late Homework

I haven't been good about getting my homework in on time.  Last night I fell asleep early after a long week. Working in the real world is difficult.  It'll be another double dip day for TPAD today.  Here's what I owe for yesterday.

Sage Sparrows are here and there around Palmdale.  It makes for pleasant working conditions. 

Western Kingbird is one of my all time favorite birds.  

Sunrise Glow

I will be going out in Hollywood tonight to see the nation's leading cover band, FAN HALEN.  I hope you are all ready to rock hella hard, cause I'm gonna.  Work was sick today.  Saw a bunch of desert birds that I haven't seen in a long time.  LeConte's and Sage Thrashers, Sage Sparrows, Cactus Wrens, stuff like that.  Ima go do it all again tomorrow.  

Cactus Wren basking in the warm glow of a desert sunrise.

Sage Thrasher joining in at the sunrise glow party.

Puddle Water

Work was super fun today.  Everything fell right into place.  Perfect day.  Only thirteen hours long.  I hope tomorrow is just the same!  I am ready to PTFO once again.  On a side note.  I have found that Yard House is a very good restaurant.  Go there.

Vesper Sparrow drinking puddle water in Palmdale.

Horned Lark drinking puddle water in Palmdale.

Palmdale Is The Future Of Our Great Nation

I did my first day of work today in Palmdale.  It is awesome here.  Pretty much like Disneyland.  Or Heaven.  I hope that when I die, I go to a place just like this so that I can spend eternity here.  I'm hella tired.  Again.  So Ima sleep.  Here were the first two things I saw this morning.  Tomorrow I will post awesome desert birds.

Lark Sparrow, eating seed thingys.

Common Raven, using CORA nesting habitat.

P-dale: A Thriving Cultural Mecca

I'm not gonna lie.  This whole starting work thing is really cutting into my TPAD time.  Don't worry, it will smooth out after a few days.  Before you know it, I'll be back to making you poop your pants laughing and posting the most ridick epic photos of birds and stuff.  I just checked in to a room in Palmdale, California.  It is awesome here.  I can already tell that Palmdale is a really nice place.  The kind of place you'd want to raise a family.  Or maybe start cooking meth or something.  Either way.  I had no camera in the field today, so no new photos of birdies.  So sad.

Old SF photo of Black-necked Stilt.

This is my new home.  Living like a king.

The Great Migration South Is Over

I filled out a bunch of forms and stuff today in order to start work tomorrow doing nesting bird surveys.  I start work bright and early tomorrow morning on the banks of the mighty San Gabriel.  I will find many bird nests.  I will be hella victorious.  Unlike today.  I got a call from Elias Squared today, informing me that he had located a Black-throated Green Warbler.  I chased later in the afternoon, but failed.  Perhaps tomorrow will be more lucky for me.  Here's what I saw while looking for the warbler.

A Downy Woodpecker burying it's head.  Kind of like an ostrich.  

Red-tailed Hawk.  That's all.  Just a RTHA.

Shortest TPAD Ever

Driving to LA the day after St. Patty's Day is exhausting.  Old photos of what yesterday was like:

Eating hella.

Guzzling hella.

Irish Days

Well, I just missed my deadline.  I'm officially ten minutes late.  Well, Irish Days happened.  Barely.  We braved the worst storm in one hundred years to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in Murphys.  I don't know what happened, but by noon it was snowing profusely.  Scary stuff.  So, I'm pretty tired.  Ima go to bed now.  Fun day.  I wish you all the best.  Adios.

Sultry, Starin Darren, and Lando Getting hella snowed on.

This was the final parking spot for Murphys Irish Days.  Nice car, right?

Hella Andy Feet

The Internets went down in the storm last night.  I was devastated.  It was a pretty craycray storm.  There was a good amount of lightning and thunder.  I had to go to bed at midnight, with my head hung low in defeat.  But, I woke up extra early to bring you this late issue of TPAD, so I hope you all appreciate it.  Plus, you'll get a second edition this evening at the normal time, so what are you complaining about?  Today it looks as though the storm clouds may be parting.  I can actually see some blue sky.  This is a good thing, because the St. Patrick's Day festivities up in Murphys will be twice as fun if it doesn't rain.  More on that later.

Bel you I've HELLA Andy Feet!

Nuttall's Woodpecker at brushwood.

Stormy Calaveras

It has been difficult to shoot photos in the low light that has been cursing us.  Apparently it's supposed to rain until early next week.  Good thing, seeing as how this place hasn't seen any rain for hella hella days.  I am preparing myself mentally for the great migration south which will be taking place in a few short days.  It won't be long now before I am searching out nests and watching construction workers in Southern California.  Without further ado, here is my best attempt at salvaging some low light photos.

Artist's rendition of Audubon's Warbler.

This is what it looks like for people who disrespect or destroy the environment.  After they die, they go to a fiery hell and are lorded over by a devil satan California Towhee.

Meh.

I'm only doing TPAD tonight because I have to.  Don't worry, the photos will still be phenomenal.  It rained all day here at Brushwood.  Not much going on outside.  I checked out the pond and took some photos, but they all turned out cruddy.  Instead, I will give you a few retro photos from San Francisco again.  Both species are previously unseen on TPAD, so you're welcome.  

Western Scrub-jay at the California garden in Golden Gate Park.

Hooded Merganser at Lloyd Lake,  also Golden Gate Park.

Pipits And Coyotes

The highlight of my day was pulling over next to a flooded field and looking through the pipits that had gathered to rage next to River Road. It was all downhill after that. We wandered aimlessly through the rain from car lot to car lot, hopelessly searching for a smoking deal. There was a brief high point at lunch time when we stopped at P. Wexfords for a pitcher and some wings. Then I bought a blue car. Hooray for me. I hope I do not have to do this again for many years. I feel like I lost two days of my life to this god awful process. 

This is what the typical car salesman looks like. You have to watch your private parts or they will gobble them up for lunch.

This was the highlight of my day. A distant, blurry American Pipit seen poorly through the rain. Hooray.

HondaToyotaKiaAcuraLexusHyundai

Buying a car is gnarly business.  I prefer birding.  It's much more fun.  I'm really glad that my job is birding and not buying cars.  If you can't tell, I did not succeed in making a purchase today.  I looked at a million cars and test drove a hundred.  Now I have no idea how much money I want to spend, what kind of car I want, or even who I am anymore.  Please wish me well on this horrible quest I have embarked upon.  The good news is that I went birding around Brushwood this morning before Car Hell and saw a few neat things.  Best birds were Phainopepla and Hermit Thrush.  Great success.

Anna's Hummingbird showing nicely.

The Brushwood Hermit Thrush jumped up on the fence for a nice photo shoot.  Thank you for cooperating, Hermit Thrush.

Katniss, Katpiss

I didn't feel like doing anything today.  I finished the Hunger Games books.  I did some baking(scones).  I am now making hella pizzas.  I decided to do the obligatory walk around Brushwood in order to obtain some bird photographs.  Tomorrow I will descend upon the car dealerships of the great Central Valley and I will find the perfect automobile.  Oh yeah, I recommend the Hunger Games.  It was legit enough for you to spend your time on.  Lots and lots of children killing each other.  

Lesser Goldfinch is a bird that I have been missing for the last few months.  It's the small things that you take for granted when you're trapped on a desert island with only thirty species of birds.

Red-breasted Sapsuckers are so cool that I had pretty much forgotten that they exist.  This one is hanging out on the Poplar tree in the front yard that my dad planted about fifteen years ago.  I think it provides a lot of good sap to suck on.

The Midway Thai Exposed, Part Two

I haven't explained about how being on Midway was very much like being on the island from the hit tv show Lost.  One huge contributing factor to this phenomenon is the fact that there are a bunch of guys cruising around in mysterious uniforms, doing random maintenance things.  If you'll remember from Lost, there was a company doing weird research on the island.  I can't remember the name because it has been so long since I saw the show.  In any case, you can see the  uniformed people below, in this installment of The Midway Thai Exposed, Part Two.

Moo was the main bartender on Midway.  I spent a lot of time hanging out with him.  He is a good man.  In Thai, his nickname means pig.  He is very proud and happy about this, not insulted in any way.  Moo is the kind of bartender who will gladly sit and listen to whatever you have to say simply because you are the only customer in his bar.  He then will respond with sound advice and inspirational encouragement.  

Name: Kriankrai

Nickname: Moo

Age: 38

Favorite Color: Blue

If you could be any animal: Dog, because a dog is friendly.

Tum was possibly my Thai bff.  He's a mean guitar player.  He is kind and sensitive.  He drove a sick motorcycle instead of the typical golf cart preferred by the rest of his countrymen.  I want Tum to come visit California.  I will help him in any way that I can.  Please contact TPAD if you would like to sponsor him for his first visit to the greatest country in the world.

Name: Somjat

Nickname: Tum

Age: 34

Favorite Color: Blue (dark)

If you could be any animal: Bear.  Actually, a Grizzly Bear. Because I like when they are a huggie bear.

Sick Lola

Lola the dog (http://toophotosaday.blogspot.com/2011/10/next-day-is-always-tough.html) got sick today when Sam and I went up the hill to have a look around Bear Valley.  She threw up and did other gross stuff, so I'm a bit worried about her.  She might have to go in to see the vet tonight.  Hopefully not.  Anyway, I decided to rush her home in case her condition got worse, so I didn't get to go birding up in the snow like I wanted.  Instead of some nice snow shots, here are some from the city a few days ago.  

Herring Gull, Ocean Beach SF.  This Herring was one of a few mixed in with the Thayer's Gulls in one flock.  I'd say it was a 70/30 ratio of Thayer's/Herring.

Thayer's Gull.  At least I thought it was.  Same flock as above.  

Salt Springs And Beyond

Took an old fashioned tour around the Salt Springs Valley (the greatest of all Calaveras County birding locations).  It was chill.  Nothing cray.  Lots of flyover cranes, a Burrowing Owl, and a Bald Eagle.  I've actually been spending a lot more time looking for my new car.  As most of you have probably not heard, my car (The Silver Surfer) is no more.  I'm not gonna go into the details, but yeah, I'm in the market for something really nice.  Any suggestions?  Tonight I am cruising down to Brushwood for BJ's Famous Fajitas.  They hecka good.

In the face of a Salt Springs Valley Savannah Sparrow.

This is a small portion of the 400 cranes that I saw today.

Is Pizza Bad For You When You're Sick?

When I woke up, I hacked up about 1/2 cup of bright yellow slime.  Sorry, I don't mean to gross you out, but it's true.  I think my condition has stabilized over the course of the day.  It may be okay.  I might survive.  Pray for me and keep me in your thoughts.  Wow, it's fun to feel sorry for myself on the internet.  I can just feel all of your hearts pitying me.  Thank you.  


Today I made a short effort outside of my sister's house to obtain the two photos that you see below.  It was thin pickings, but I found some common stuff.  My sister's house is up at about 3,500 feet, so the birds are a bit different than down in Angels Camp.  It's still in the overlap zone for Western Scrub Jay and Steller's Jay, but there are more Steller's.  Ima go hack up more slime now...

Stupid stick ruined another great photograph of a Spotted Towhee.

Bushtit, flexing nuts.