Oregon Birding - Day Two, Morning

Oregon Ash woodland

A short walk from my daughter's home is an open area between the housing development and a new primary school complex. A drainage runs near the edge of the development, with a stand of Oregon Ash trees that are typical of the Willamette Valley wetland terraces. Just beyond the woodland, there is a nice stretch of open grassland that is highly disturbed - probably managed so there won't be fire late in the season, very few native prairie species grow there.

American Goldfinch

American Goldfinch are abundant, including these that were perched on plant stems while eating seeds of a dandelion-like plant and grasses. These birds were very wary of me, so they would keep moving ahead of me - not letting me get a decent close-up photograph. They would keep doing this until I had bothered them enough, and then they flew away. The goldfinch traveled in flocks of five or six, and typically would land high in tree tops where they would flutter around moving from one tree to another - never coming down close to me for some more pictures. Shown in the photograph are a male (left) and female (right). Seeing how the goldfinches hang up-side-down from the feeder at home explains how they also can attach themselves to plant stems in what-ever-direction-best-suits-them in a more natural setting.

Brown Creepers

These two Brown Creepers were the best siting I made this morning. I stood on the sidewalk close to the edge of the woodland when they landed on a tree and started making their way in tandem up the trunk. After a while they flew to a neighboring tree and did the same - eventually flying to another tree further into the stand. I saw at least two other species inside the woods. All of these birds don't seem to hold still for very long - constantly moving along whatever branch they happen to be on, or jumping from one tree to another. The coloration of these birds blends in with the bark of the tree. It is easy to see the bird that stands out in contrast to the lighted background - the bird to its left is well camouflaged.

Putative Song Sparrow

Even with the clouds today, the light inside the woods is very muted, except where bright patches of light show through the canopy. The contrast is great enough to make any photograph taken near the canopy margins difficult using the automatic exposure setting on my digital camera. I tried to get a good angle for me with the bird in the picture to right so that it would look like a silhouette. As it turned out, if it wasn't for the Adjust feature in the Edit tool of iPhoto, I wouldn't have been able to make out that this bird was likely a Song Sparrow.
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Map of local environs

Here is a Google Map for the housing development and the neighboring woodland mentioned above. The woodland is to the right middle of the map - grassland extends to the right half of the map. I did most of my birding this morning from the sidewalk along the road that cuts through the upper tip of the woodland. A feature of these woodlands that is important to remember: poison oak - when looking for birds, always pay attention to where you are walking and what you are walking up against.

Oregon Birding - Day One

We arrived late last night at PDX, flying in for a couple of weeks vacation while house sitting for our daughter, checking out the Salem grand kids and their folks, and seeing our Corvallis son. The leg of the flight from Chicago to Portland was uneventful except for some spectacular lighting storms over the Rocky Mountains - from 35,000 feet we looked across and down on the tops of clouds that were lit up and silhouette by discharges of electricity in rapid succession.

Mallard Duck family

After old grandma and grandpa shared a bunk bed and air mattress with our second grandson in his room, we drove to Albany to settle in for the duration of our trip and had lunch and then some down time for the afternoon. Mid-afternoon isn't the best time for viewing birds, but I drove over to Talking Waters Garden Park and walked the a good part of the roads around the facility checking out whatever happened to be around. My son-in-law brought me here last winter for the first time. The park vegetation has grown a great deal, and azola has covered much of the water surface area, leaving the appearance of green carpets covering the ponds that quickly engulfs the wakes of the ducks as they pass effortlessly through the water.

Mallard Duck female

Mallard Ducks were the most common bird of all. They were working the azola a lot, and the most viewed pose was them exiting before I reached near where they were doing their activities. I hadn't before seen the bright blue colored patch of feathers on the females' wings.

Killdeer

There were three species of shore birds, two which I hadn't seen before. The Killdeer was common on our farm in Central California, and annually I could find nests on the gravel parking lot near my office on the west side of the Oregon State University Campus. The one today went into its defensive posture as I walked along one of the elevated roads on the berm that held one of the ponds. She announced her presence, and walked slowly away from where I was standing. After walking in her direction for a while, she would fly back in the other direction beyond where I had come, and when I walked back that way again, she repeated her previous effort. I figured roughly the area where her nest must be - as I slowly walked back and forth, she would take off and fly beyond me - again, repeating her actions as I repeated mine.

Spotted Sandpiper

The Spotted Sandpiper was one of the two new shore birds I saw today. A pair were holding their place on rocks near the drainage outlet for one of the ponds. The call was the first thing I noticed, before I had seen them. They were fairly compliant as photographic subjects - not too alarmed by me jockeying for positions where brush and tree limbs didn't obscure my line of sight.

Unknown with yellow legs

My second shore bird unknown is still that - other than having yellow legs, I can't figure out what it is. I found a Website of sandpiper that is pretty straight-forward, but that hasn't helped with the identification. I thought it was a Greater Yellowlegs, but the coloration doesn't seem to fit - the clear, white underside. Also, the range seems out-of-place - it would have to be in the process of migrating to be here. This bird walked effortlessly on the surface of the floating azola in a conducting channel along This bird's identify will have to stay a work in progress for now - I will see if any of my friends on Facebook happen to know what it is.

Song Sparrow

This Song Sparrow was the first passerine bird that I saw this afternoon - the ducks are as prominent as the ponds. The way this bird flicked its tail feathers reminded me of the Carolina Wrens that frequent our yard in Annapolis. This bird vocalized a lot while I watched it - it kept moving around on the willow bush that served as its perch. I don't have a good handle on sparrows in general, there is a guide for sparrows that is on my list of books to get sometime soon. In the mean time, there are Websites showing a range of sparrows to identify.

Red-winged Blackbird

The Red-winged Blackbirds were among the most abundant birds at the park, and also pretty much totally uncooperative for holding a pose so I could get good pictures. This female was the only bird that held in long enough for me to get close, focus, and get a decent shot. The female red-wing's size makes it easy to distinguish from a sparrow. The red and yellow shoulder patches on the males were not very obvious today, but then, the birds continually flew out of range when I tried to walk close to them.

Cedar Waxwing

This Cedar Waxwing was the most exciting find today. I had seen the bird in my birding guides, but had never seen one until today. When it flew onto the cattails, I knew what it was right away. The only challenge was trying to get the auto-focus on my camera to work in time before it flew on its way - just a so-so photograph, but at least it was good enough to document the moment and verify the identification.

More Black And White Checkers - Red-bellied Woodpecker

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Yesterday evening another kind of woodpecker showed up in our yard - this time, a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, an immature one. We have mostly been seeing Downy Woodpeckers. The suet feeder has become the central attractant of passing-through-visitors. Interesting is the variations of white-on-black plumage that a number of the woodpeckers have. Woodpeckers are small- to medium-sized birds with chisel like beaks, short legs, stiff tails and long tongues used for capturing insects. Some species have feet with two toes pointing forward, and two backward, while several species have only three toes. Many woodpeckers have the habit of tapping noisily on tree trunks with their beaks. In Maryland, eight species have been recorded.

• Red-headed Woodpecker, Melanerpes erythrocephalus
• Red-bellied Woodpecker, Melanerpes carolinus
• Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Sphyrapicus varius
• Downy Woodpecker, Picoides pubescens
• Hairy Woodpecker, Picoides villosus
• Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Picoides borealis (R)
• Northern Flicker, Colaptes auratus
• Pileated Woodpecker, Dryocopus pileatus

An old description from Audubon follows:

Audubon rendition

Much of what I have said respecting the habits of several of our Spotted Woodpeckers applies to the present species, which differs, however, in the greater extent of its migration in the spring and summer months, when the greater number of those which return from the south to our Middle and Eastern Districts proceed considerably farther northward than the Hairy Woodpecker, although not so far as the Canadian. In winter I have found the Red-bellied Woodpecker the most abundant of all in the pine barrens of the Floridas, and especially on the plantations bordering the St. John's river, where on any day it would have been easy to procure half a hundred. Indeed, on this account, and from its well-known notes, the officers and men of the United States' schooner Spark, as well as my assistants, always spoke of it by the name of chaw-chaw. Perhaps it partly obtained this name from the numbers of it cooked by the crew in the same manner as the dish known to sailors by the same name. It is, however, less common in the United States than the Hairy Woodpecker; but its range is as extensive, for I have found it from the Texas to the extremities of the British provinces of Nova Scotia, and as far inland as I have travelled. It appears, however, that it does not inhabit the Fur Countries, as no mention is made of it by Dr. RICHARDSON, in the Fauna Boreali-Americana. It is generally more confined to the interior of the forests, especially during the time of its breeding, than the Hairy Woodpecker, although in winter I have found it quite as easily approached. In autumn it frequently occurs in the corn-fields, where it takes its share of the grain, in common with the Hairy, the Downy, and other Woodpeckers. It is a lively and active bird, fond of rolling its tappings against the decayed top-branches of trees, often launching forth after passing insects, and feeding during winter on all such berries as it can procure. Its flight is strong and better sustained than that of the Yellow-bellied or Hairy Woodpeckers, and, like the Golden-winged species, it not unfrequently alights across the smaller branches of the trees, a habit which, I assure you, is oftener exhibited than has been supposed, by all our species of this interesting tribe of birds.

I never found its nest in Louisiana or South Carolina; but it is not uncommon to meet with it in Kentucky; and from Maryland to Nova Scotia these birds breed in all convenient places, usually more in the woods than out of them, although I have found their nests in orchards in Pennsylvania, generally not far from the junction of a branch with the trunk. The hole is bored in the ordinary manner. The eggs are seldom more than four in number; they measure one inch and half an eighth in length, three-fourths of an inch in breadth, are of an elliptical form, smooth, pure white, and translucent. In so far as I have been able to discover, this species produces only one brood in a season. The young remain in or about the nest until able to fly well.

The difference which this species exhibits in the sound of its notes has always been a matter of interest to me; they fall upon the ear as if the bird were suffering from a severe catarrh, and yet may be heard at times at the distance of a hundred yards. They resemble the syllable chow or chaw, quickly repeated during its movements, sometimes singly, but more usually doubled.

It feeds on all sorts of insects and larvae which it can procure, and at certain periods its flesh is strongly impregnated with the odour of its food. When procured in any part of the woods that have been burnt, the feathers of its lower parts are almost black, from the carbonaceous matter adhering to them; and generally in winter, at least in the Floridas, I have found its plumage more soiled than in summer. I have represented a male and a female, in their perfect spring plumage.

RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER, Picus carolinus, Wils. Amer. Orn., vol. i. p. 113.
PICUS CAROLINUS, Bonap. Syn., p. 45.
RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER, Nutt. Man., vol. i. p. 572.
RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER, Picus carolinus, Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. v. p. 169.

Male, 7 3/4, 15 3/4. Female, 8, 14 1/2.

Breeds from Kentucky in the West, and from Maryland to Nova Scotia and Canada. Abundant in winter in all the Southern States, from Carolina to Texas, and especially in the Floridas.

Adult Male.

Bill about the length of the head, nearly straight, being very slightly decurved or arched, strong, angular, compressed toward the tip, which is truncate and cuneate. Upper mandible with the dorsal line somewhat arched, the ridge very narrow, the sides sloping but convex, the lateral angle slight, near the ridge, the edges sharp, direct, overlapping. Lower mandible with the angle short and rather narrow, the crural outline concave, the dorsal line ascending and straight, the sides ascending and convex, the edges sharp and inflected, the tip narrow. Nostrils oblong, basal, concealed by the feathers, and placed about half-way between the ridge and the edge.

Head of moderate size, ovate; neck rather short; body full. Feet very short; tarsus very short, feathered anteriorly one-third down, in the rest of its extent covered with a few large scutella, compressed, with a series of small scutella internally behind; toes four; first toe small, fourth a little shorter than third, second and third united at the base; all scutellate above; claws large, much curved, compressed, laterally grooved, very acute.

Plumage full, soft, and blended. A tuft of reversed stiffish feathers on each side of the base of the upper mandible, concealing the nostrils; the feathers in the angle of the lower mandible also stiffish. Wings rather long; the first quill very small, being only an inch and four-twelfths long, six and a half twelfths shorter than the third, which is two-twelfths shorter than the fourth, the latter the longest, the fifth almost equal; secondaries rounded, and slightly emarginate. Tail of moderate length, cuneate, of twelve, feathers, of which the lateral, which are rounded and entire, are only an inch and a twelfth long, the next also unworn, are ten and a half twelfths shorter than the middle, which with those on each side have the tip slit, the shaft terminating abruptly.

Bill bluish-grey, dusky toward the end. Iris bright red. Feet dusky bluish-grey, claws dark brown. The upper part of the head and the hind neck are of a shining bright carmine; the back and scapulars transversely barred with black and white; the rump and tail-coverts with the white predominating; the smaller coverts, secondary coverts, and secondary quills, are also brownish-black, barred with white; the primary coverts unspotted; the primary quills patched or spotted with white at the base; the inner with several spots on their inner web, and all narrowly margined externally and tipped with white. The middle tail-feathers are black, with an oblique band of white occupying part of the outer web, and the greater portion of the inner, which is barred or spotted with black; the next three on each side are black, slightly tipped with white; the next also black, with seven external and three internal white indentations; the outer feathers black, tipped with white, but sometimes barred. The sides of the head and the lower parts are pale grey, the former and the chin yellowish and tinged with red, of which latter there is a shade over the breast, and a brighter tint on the abdomen; the axillar feathers dusky, barred with white, the lower tail-coverts yellowish-white, with a central dusky streak or zigzag mark.

Length to end of tail 9 1/4 inches, to end of wings 7 3/4, to end of claws 8 1/8; extent of wings 15 3/4; bill along the ridge 1 (1 1/4)/12, along the edge of lower mandible 1 (4 1/2)/12; wing from flexure 5 1/4; tail 3 7/12; tarsus (9 1/2)/12; first toe 4/12, its claw (3 1/2)/12; second toe (6 1/2)/12, its claw 5/12; third toe 9/12, its claw 6/12; fourth toe 8/12, its claw (5 1/2)/12. Weight 2 1/2 oz.

Adult Female.

The female is somewhat inferior to the male in size, and differs in colour only in having the upper part of the head ash-grey, the feathers at the base of the upper mandible of a dull reddish-orange, the lower parts less tinged with red.

Length to end of tail 8 inches, to end of wings 7 1/4, to end of claws 8; extent of wings 14 1/2. Weight 2 1/2 oz.

In a specimen preserved in spirits, the roof of the mouth is nearly flat, with a median prominent line; the posterior aperture of the nares linear, 9 twelfths long, and margined with papillae. The tongue is 2 inches long, nearly cylindrical for 1 1/2 inches, its terminal part tapering, slender, covered with a horny sheath, on each of the edges of which are 12 recurved acute bristles. The horns of the hyoid bone curve over the occiput, meet in the median line of the head, and reach as far forward as the vicinity of the right nostril, being, as usual, accompanied in their whole length by a muscle attached to the lower jaw. The oesophagus is 3 1/4 inches long, its average diameter 5 twelfths. The stomach is muscular, roundish, 10 twelfths long, and of the same breadth, its tendons circular and 1/4 inch in diameter. Its contents are remains of insects and a large quantity of maize. The epithelium is tough, longitudinally rugous, and of a reddish-brown colour. The intestine is 11 3/4 inches long, its average diameter 3 1/2 twelfths. The rectum, which is 4 twelfths in width, gradually enlarges to the cloaca, which is of an oblong form, with a diameter of half an inch. No coeca.

The trachea is 2 1/2 inches long, nearly of uniform diameter, only varying from 1 1/2 twelfths to 1 twelfth, a little flattened, its rings about 60. The bronchi are slender, of moderate length, with about 15 half rings. The lateral muscles, which are moderately strong, terminate on the last ring of the trachea, from which also come off the sterno-tracheal muscles; there are no inferior laryngeal.

Upcoming Bird Viewing Stops

I have three upcoming trips in the next three months. Following are birds that represent the places where my travels will take me. It is likely I will not have time to do much birding at two of the places - but maybe I will get lucky as I recently did in Hawaii. Two of the three places I have been there before. I already have handbooks for the birds found there, so no new purchases need to be made - sorry Amazon.

White Stork

The White Stork has a stout body, distinctive long neck and slender legs for wading. The iridescent black wing feathers contrast with the bright white plumage of the head, neck and body, and a patch of black skin surrounds the eyes. The bare legs and straight, conical bill possess a strong red colour that is acquired as the bird reaches adulthood. The feathers of the lower neck and upper breast are elongated, forming a ruff that can be extended during courtship displays. The two sexes appear almost identical although males can be slightly larger. The plumage of juveniles is a dull, light brown colour and has a downy appearance; the black bill and pale brown legs slowly acquire the adult colouration as the bird ages. The white stork is almost voiceless and largely silent, although it does communicate with brief hissing noises and, most importantly, bill-clattering; this is most pronounced during breeding and nesting and the sound can carry great distances. Juveniles are capable of their own rendition, often accompanied by extensive whistling and croaking.

Western Meadowlark

The Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta) is a medium-sized icterid bird, about 8.5 in (21.6 cm) long. It nests on the ground in open country in western and central North America. It feeds mostly on insects, but also seeds and berries. It has distinctive calls described as watery or flute-like, which distinguish it from the closely related Eastern Meadowlark. Adults have yellow underparts, with a black "V" on the breast, and white flanks which are streaked with black. Their upper parts are mostly brown, but also have black streaks. These birds have long pointed bills and their heads are striped with light brown and black. Their breeding habitats are grasslands, prairies, pastures, and abandoned fields, all of which may be found from across western and central North America to northern Mexico. Their nests are situated on the ground, and are covered with a roof woven from grass. There may be more than one nesting female in a male's territory. Western Meadowlarks will interbreed with Eastern Meadowlarks where their ranges overlap; however, resulting young appear to have low fertility. Western Meadowlarks are permanent residents throughout much of their range. They sometimes search for food by probing with their bills, and mainly eat insects, but also seeds and berries. In winter, they often feed in flocks. These birds have a flute-like warbled song.

Red-crowned Crane

The Red-crowned Crane is a stately long-legged, long-necked bird whose immaculate snow-white plumage is accented by black secondary feathers, a black neck with contrasting white nape, and a red crown. They stand 1.5 m tall, average 7-10 kg in weight and have a 2.5 m wing span. Unique among the four species of "white" cranes (a group that also includes the Hooded Crane, Black-necked Crane and Whooping Crane) they have snow white primary feathers. The black secondaries form an elegant curling black bustle when the bird is standing. Juvenile birds are also predominately white with black-tipped primaries and dull grayish-brown neck and secondary feathers. Sexes are similar in appearance. They are very long-lived, reaching ages greater than 70 years in captivity. Cranes have specialized vocal adaptations highlighted by an extremely long trachea that coils within a hollow sternum. They produce a wide variety of calls ranging from low pitched purrs to the loud unison calls involved in courtship and pair maintenance. The calls of male and female cranes differ in pitch. The white cranes are the most aquatic of the world's 15 crane species. They inhabit wide open marshes, bogs, and wet meadows where high visibility in daylight leaves them with less need to remain inconspicuous from predators. They have very sharp eyesight, spotting intruders and potential hazards from hundreds of meters away. Red-crowned Cranes roost overnight in rivers or streams to take advantage of the deeper water for predator defense. Their flashy plumage may aid them in territory maintenance.
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Spoiler Alert. References were directly taken from or adapted for the above descriptions: a, b, and c.

The Times, They Are A Changin'

Secretary in Vietnam

I noticed a week or so ago in the newspaper, that the Secretary of Defense had met with officials in Vietnam, and that there was to be cooperation between the two countries in the future. A Navy news release today shows how fast times can change. When making a post a couple of years ago about biofuels and the Navy, I came across a photograph of a naval exercise that showed Japanese ships training with American ones - the juxtaposition was striking considering the state of where our countries relations were 60 years ago. Eventually alliances swing and change directions - unfortunately, it took a long time to decide it is a benefit to get along - seasons turn, turn, turn.

Vietnam Welcomes a Fourth Pacific Partnership Mission

Vietnamese officials welcoming ceremony

VINH, Vietnam (NNS) -- Military Sealift Command's hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) and Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force amphibious ship Oosumi (LST4001) arrived in Vinh, Vietnam, in Nghe An province to begin the humanitarian civic assistance mission known as Pacific Partnership 2012 (PP12), July 10. The photograph to the left was an official Navy release taken at Vinh City in Vietnam on July 10, 2012.

Medical care

Both vessels are carrying complements of military and civilian medical, dental, veterinary and engineering personnel from Australia, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru, the Philippines, Singapore, and the United States; and non government organizations including Compassion Flower, Global Grins, Latter Day Saints Charities, Project Handclasp, Project Hope, University of Hawaii Schools of Nursing and Engineering, University of California San Diego Pre-Dental Society, Vietnam Medical Assistance Program, Vietnam's Women's Union, and World Vets.

The mission's motto for 2012 is "preparing in calm to respond in crisis."

"We are fortunate to again be invited by Vietnam to partner for a fourth time on this humanitarian and civic partnership, and I look forward to what we will learn from each other over the next 15 days," said Capt. James Morgan, mission commander for PP12. "This is another tremendous opportunity for our nations to come together as a team and work toward preparing for peoples' needs when a natural disaster will strike."

Vietnamese sailors

"We have been working closely with the Vietnamese government and the U.S. embassy to ensure our work with the government and people of Vietnam is a success," said Lt. Joseph Nutting, officer-in-charge, PP12 Vietnam advance work team. "From building medical clinics and providing health services, to arranging subject matter expert engagements and hosting leaders from multiple nations, the work we are going to do in Vietnam is another example of how a group of diverse nations work together."

To date, the PP12 team has already visited Indonesia and the Philippines, completing more than 10 medical civil action programs that triaged more than 24,600 patients, five biomedical equipment technician exchanges resulting in 174 equipment repairs, 22 veterinarian civil action programs with 4,600 animal encounters, eight civic engineering civil action programs resulting in new clinics and school rooms, 30 major subject matter expert engagements, 43 band performances and more than 50 multiple community service events having impacted tens of thousands of adults, children and animals.

USNS Mercy

This is the fourth visit by Mercy to various parts of Vietnam as part of the U.S. Pacific Fleet-sponsored Pacific Partnership mission. In 2007, the USS Peleliu (LHA 5) docked in Danang, marking the first U.S. vessel to have supported Pacific Partnership in Vietnam. In 2008, the Pacific Partnership team visited Nha Trang, marking the first time since 1975 a U.S. military humanitarian civic assistance mission had been permitted to perform surgeries and band performances in Vietnam. The mission returned to Quy Nhon of Bin Dinh province in 2010.

Immediately following the December 2004 tsunami that struck Oceania and the Indian Ocean basin, Mercy was deployed to support international relief efforts as part of Operation Unified Assistance. The crew's work on behalf of the people of Indonesia is the genesis of the Pacific Partnership mission. Now in the seventh year, Pacific Partnership is aimed at strengthening regional relationships with Southeast Asian and Oceania nations that might be called upon to respond to natural or humanitarian disasters.

For more news from Pacific Partnership, visit
www.cpf.navy.mil/PP,
Blog: http://pacificpartnership.wordpress.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pacificpartnership
Twitter: http://twitter.com/pacificpartner.

Sea Worthy Innovation

USS Wabash Steam Engine System

I enjoy seeing well-formed statements that support a vision. The following one has been coming into frequent use as communicated by the Secretary of the Navy to show how biofuels are a natural extension of energy innovation that has been a normal practice by the Navy for centuries. "The Navy has been at the forefront of energy innovation throughout its history," said Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus. "From sail to coal-fired steam to oil and nuclear powered submarines and carriers, we have sought and achieved technological advancement in how we power the fleet because it has made us better warfighters. The Great Green Fleet demonstration is a significant milestone in the Navy's progress to greater energy security."

An earlier blog listed a number of Web posts about the debate on biofuel use by the military. Another post came up today on CleanTechnica site (click here). The stream of stories are staying consistent - for both those positive about military development of biofuels, as well as those opposed. The statement above builds on earlier commitments since the initial press release, early reports in 2011, and later ones -  all leading up to a recent press release that follows through and reaffirms the initial commitment. A fulfillment of a painted vision for wide-use of biofuels by the military is progressing - not only working towards reality for the Navy, but also with some big names in the aviation industry committing to similar actions. The recent formation of the Midwest Aviation Sustainable Biofuel Initiative and its roll-out a week ago in Chicago is another indicator that biofuels are serious. A series of commercial aviation biofuel links can also be found with the article posted here.

Hot Night - Humid Day - No Power

The storm Friday night hit like a flash. I was already in bed, and Jan said it would be a good idea to take down the backyard umbrellas, even though they were already unfolded. I grumbled, pulled on my short pants, and went down the stairs and our the sliding glass door to the patio. After laying down the umbrellas and rolling in the canvas awnings for good measure - into the house, up the stairs, and back into bed. I wasn't in bed for more than two minutes, when the wind struck and the power went out.

Spider spinning its web

Yesterday was pretty miserable without air conditioning - we could still hang out downstairs reading, but by night time, the house temperature was 82°. We stayed out on the patio just sitting and reading until it was too dark, and then sat more with the light from the citronella torches keeping the mosquitoes away. The last of the fireflies were flashing their lights - it seemed a little higher up toward the bottom of the tree branches than earlier in the season. Across from us we could also make out a spider spinning its web between a patio table and the bamboo pole that holds the tiki torch that sell at Home Depot for about $3 each - up and down it methodically laid each strand of the net laid out for its next meal. The we could see it doing its thing from across the patio was remarkable - that my Blackberry camera caught the spider and its shadow in the backdrop of galdioluses, even more so.

Some friends of ours' across town got their power back this morning - we hope ours' will follow. So far we have gotten four showers out of our hot water heater, maybe a couple of more tomorrow. The basement is cool compared to the rest of the house - we will sleep there tonight if the power doesn't come back. I am glad we have water - Holiday Inn Express would have our business otherwise.