• Oregon Summer 2025
    Our resident barn swallow
    Phil at sunset outside the camper.Sunset at MalheurMessy camper!Here's where we sleepA baby coot at the local birding hotspotThe male barn swallow keeping watch.New flowers and herbs for our "deck"This is a nighthawk perched on the refuge gate.Fields StationScene of Steens Mountain from the opposite side of where we are livingVolcanic landscape surrounding the sagebrush basins

    Lots of activities here

    June 19 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 79 °F

    Phil and I stayed close on our days off this week. I bought a new pair of long pants because it is supposed to be cold this weekend (highs in the 60s and lows in the 30s). We did our shopping Monday and I cleaned the bath houses here. On Tuesday, I cleaned the common areas. Wednesday, we washed some bedding and clothes. We also went to check the refuge hotspot for baby chicks and ate out for lunch. Today, we got up early and drove 100 miles one way to Lake Alvord near the Alvord Desert. We had breakfast at the Frenchglenn hotel halfway and had a milkshake for lunch at the Fields Station. It is really in the middle of nowhere.

    There are lots of new volunteers this week. The bat monitoring activity ended Monday with the Tribal Elders from the local tribe participating. Yesterday, more volunteers arrived to do "plover monitoring " (a kind of bird), and this weekend, more volunteers will arrive to do Sandhill Crane monitoring.

    Phil and I got an email today asking to help move the picnic tables as there will be yoga on the deck of HQ on Saturday. Maybe associated with the summer solstice or one of the monitoring activities. Anyway, it will be cold and buggy so I won't be joining in.    Read more