5-3-20 - 5-9-20 Volunteer Gig II

Sunday, we only have 4 weeks left until the end of Gig II.  We have spent the last 6 weeks being unproductive in our volunteer duties.  It is disheartening that we can't volunteer, but glad we are at a place where there is a lots of birds, blooms, critters, and such to keep our interest.

We walked the Dees Trail and Crane Lane.  As always we enjoyed looking at the plants and critters, especially the Pink Milkwort blooming, an Osprey fly over, Pitcher Plant Mining Moths, and a Pitcher Plant Mining Caterpillar.

The afternoon was spent birding at Camp Crane.

NV11 and 337 were feasting at the feeder late afternoon.

Monday, we went to the Fire Center this morning and watched them use a wrecker to load a Gyro Track they had sold.

We watched Angie and the Interns put traps in the Tadpole tanks.  We also found some pretty blooms and critters.

Our productivity of the day was washing clothes and washing the truck.  This afternoon was another evening of birding at Camp Crane.

As usual, NV11 and 337 were in the HQ yard again.

Tuesday, Lauren got up around 6 am and walked the Dees Trail.  By the time he got back around 7 am, I had our coffee ready.  We went to the bench overlooking Bayou Castille and bird watched.  We saw the usual birds, some pretty blooms, a few Wood Ducks, a Gator, bees, and spider webs.

Dikkop and Auk were at the feeder when we went to the trail.  When we came back, the Wild Child had joined them.

We took a spin in the truck this afternoon to the Pascagoula fishing piers and beaches.  We saw a Red-tailed Hawk, a Loggerhead Shrike, Gulls, and Pelicans.

We made a stop at the Arthur Street property and found a Yellow Crowned Night Hawk, a Box Turtle, a Northern Parula, a Black Swallowtail Caterpillar, and some blooming plants.

Late afternoon, we heard NV11 and 337 calling while bird watching at Camp Crane.  A closer observation found that they were irritated by the late afternoon people in the back yard.  After the people left, they came and ate at the feeder until roost time.

Wednesday, we watched Angie and the Interns check the traps at the frog tanks today. Of the trapped tadpoles, 2 were Leopard Frogs that were released in the pond.  The others were Dusky Gophers and one had completed metamorphosis.

We made a second walk on the Dees Trail today to play the Agents of Discovery game.  It is an educational app for kids to learn about the refuge. Between the two of us, we sorta figured it out.

When we started down the road to Camp Crane, Nemesis was climbing up a tree near us while NV11 and 337 were landing in the savanna by a lone Crane.  The loner left as soon as they landed.

We talked to Melissa today and found out that there is no date set for us to return to our volunteer duties.  Boo Hoo!

Thursday, today is the first time we have walked in a grocery store in 8 weeks.  We would have done pickup, but Sams would not allow purchases of fresh meat on pick up orders.

The afternoon was spent walking the Dees Trail and Crane Lane and bird watching at Camp Crane.

Friday, we had another day of walking the Dees Trail and Crane Lane and bird watching at Camp Crane.

We watched Angie and the Interns at the Frog Tanks.  There are 3 Dusky Gopher Frogs that will be ready to release next week.  All the tadpoles/frogs that they trapped, were Dusky except one Leopard Frog.

We watched Rebecca practice using a new contraption to net cranes.  It is an air gun that shoots a net. Scott was her practice target.

We got rained on before we finished our walk on the Dees Trail.  We took shelter at the VC.  While waiting for the rain to slow, we talked with Melissa, Danny, Don and Glenn.  They plan to start chopping tomorrow to put in a laundry for Camp Crane.  While they are at it, they plan to clear our view of the bayou!

Late afternoon, the Wild Child was at the feeder.

Saturday, the call of Dikkop and Auk at the VC got me up and about at 6:30 this morning.  The howling, cold, wind got me to put on my jacket and hoodie. 

We did our usual walking of the trail, up and down the road, etc. This afternoon, Glenn, with the Fire Center chopped down the brush at Camp Crane.  He did a lot of clearing in about 2 hours.  Lauren has the view that he has been asking for and Glenn spared the Eastern Red Cedar that we decorate at Christmas.

We were sure, Ferny Kat was going to hide while this was going on.  We were wrong.  She came out and watched then checked out what had been done.

We were sure the birds, squirrels, and rats would leave for a while.  We were wrong again.  They were back as soon as we put the feeders back up.


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4-26-20 - 5-2-20 - Volunteer Gig II

Sunday, our first picture of the week is of NV11 and 337 at the backyard of the VC.

We took off on a 4 1/2 mile hike this morning.  We found some neat plants and stuff on our walk.

We did our usual arm chair bird watching the afternoon.

Monday, it is Scott's and Angie's first day to come back to work since the shelter in place order.  Auk, Dikkop, and the Wild Child were at the feeder at 7:30 am.  They were all calling, (with an almost adult voice). I think they were welcoming Scott and Angie back!

We did our usual walking around at Camp Crane.  We saw blooms, critters, and such, including a Solitary Sandpiper and Nemesis.

We checked on the tadpoles and they are doing good.  It want be long until they get released.

On a sad note, Dougie and his mate no longer have their chick with them.  Dang it!!

We heard a Crane calling as he flew over us during our arm chair birding this afternoon.  He landed in the savanna where 4 others were.  They squabbled for a bit then 2 of them headed to the feeder.  We thought it was the usual Crane Gang until we checked out the pictures.  The Crane that flew over is WC 19.  A 2019 wild hatch from West Cottonmouth in Ocean Springs.

Tuesday, we walked the Dees Trail then decided to do something productive and wash the camper.  After sitting under these oaks for about 5 months, it was much needed.

We had another afternoon of armchair birding at Camp Crane and a check on NV11 and 337 at the VC feeder.

Also for our entertainment, we watched a squirrel go into the empty turtle shell we have as yard art.

Wednesday, we woke up to the sound of the pitter patter of rain early this morning.  It was nice and soothing until it thundered, and I would jump, and wake both of us up.

Around 2 pm, it stopped raining and we took a walk on Crane Lane and the Dees Trail.  The rain seemed to spruce up the blooms.

We then did our usual arm chair birding at Camp Crane after our walk.  We had a new visitor today, a Summer Tanager.

After we went in, we looked out the window and a saw a squirrel hanging on the feeder feasting on the suet.

Thursday, after our walk on Crane Lane and the Dees Trail, we headed toward Grand Bay NWR.

We made a stop along Highway 90 to check on the White Top Pitcher Plants.

There were plenty of Ospreys hanging around the multiple nests on top of the power lines and lots of small birds flitting around in the brush when we walked the boardwalk.

We saw an Indigo Bunting and a Yellow breasted Chat on our walk along the boardwalk.

On our way back to camp we checked on the crane family with their 2 chicks.

We got back and had another afternoon of armchair birding at Camp Crane.  We had a Yellow-throated Vireo visit today.

The Crane Gang minus the Wild Child spent the afternoon at HQ.

Friday, we did our usual day of walking and taking pictures at the Fountaineblue Trail and the Dees Trail.

This afternoon Carol and Charlie came over.  It was so good to see them.

We walked the Dees Trail this afternoon then did our usual armchair bird watch at Camp Crane.

Saturday, we were excited to see another Rose Breasted Grosbeak at the feeder this morning while drinking our coffee.

We are serenaded by a Mockingbird on Crane Lane every time we walk by him.  We have named him Elvis.

We have a Rattlesnake Master in the native garden that survived after being sprayed with weed killer.  We have named the plant Charley.

On our Dees walk today, we saw a Green Heron.

This afternoon we were entertained by several Hummingbirds competing for nectar at the feeder.

We never heard any Cranes calling today, but when we went to check late afternoon, NV11 and 337 were at HQ. Our first picture of this week was of them and our last picture of this week is of them.

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