My tipsy bird

Last winter, I came home one day to what I thought was a dead bird on my deck. It was so sad.

I picked her up so that I could bury her.....and I felt her heart beating slowly. And then her eyes opened. She was okay!
What was so amazing was that she didn't seem nervous at all that I was holding her. I have held other birds (including a couple that have accidentally flown into my house) and their hearts would always beat rapidly. But this bird was content being held.

I placed her on my leg and took a few pictures- and she willingly obliged. Such a beauty!

Then I filled a dish with water and perched her on the edge. By this time, I had come to the conclusion that this wild bird was destined to be my pet. She would make a great companion, I decided. She'd travel with me to scout nurseries and gardens......Have I mentioned that I am completely delusional?

As I held my new found friend, I expanded her wings, checking to see if she was injured. That's when I noticed the red wax-like tips on her wing feathers. A Cedar Waxwing!

I found my bird field guide to make sure I had identified her correctly (I know, I am such a dork). That's when I realized what was really wrong with my bird....she was drunk.

I learned that Cedar Waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum) are fruit eaters. In the late winter, many of the berries they feast upon have fermented. As they gorge themselves on these fruits, they can become drunk and disoriented. Consequently, they accidentally fly into windows and buildings. Once they sleep off their buzz, they rejoin the flock (if they aren't devoured by a cat first).

Heartbroken that she wasn't going to be my pet, I made her a drunk tank and set her in it.
An hour or so later, she flew off and seemed fully recovered.

The berries on the Weeping Yaupon (Ilex vomitoria 'Pendula') tree by my office window are starting to ripen- Cedar Waxwings love this plant. Seeing the reddening fruit reminded me of my inebriated bird. You think she remembers her afternoon with me?

This is so typical II

I don't have TV anymore because I watched (loved) it too much. Since I canceled cable ten months ago, I haven't paid much attention to weather forecasts. And so far, it hasn't been much of a problem.

Until this week.

I left the house early Wednesday morning for a 2-day scouting trip. Uncharacteristically, I loaded the car the day before with every thing I thought I would need.

Microscope? Check. Pruning shears? Check. Toothbrush? Check. Long pants? Nope.

I didn't realize I had forgotten to grab a pair of jeans out of the dryer until I was heading north on the interstate. I really didn't think it would be a problem because I could simply wear my shorts both days.....but then the rain started. And the temperature quickly dropped from a balmy 70 degrees to a terrifying 49 degrees. Since I haven't checked a weather forecast since 2008, I didn't know how much colder it would get. But I knew I was not dressed appropriately.

I was going to look like a fool if I didn't get some pants, so I stopped at an outlet mall just off the interstate and bought the first pair of jeans that I found that were long enough. Wearing them out of the store, I thought, "Ah, crisis averted."

It rained the whole time I was on my trip. The constant chill and dampness made the palms of my hands take on a bluish tint.

Only my hands weren't cold.

In reality, my new, dark denim pants were wet and were staining everything with blue dye. Not only were my hands blue, but now my car interior is blue, too! Nice.

I did remember to pack my boots though!
I think there are two lessons that can be gleaned from this experience:
1. Always wash your jeans before you wear them.
2. Always pack at the last minute so you don't forget anything important. (ha!)
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Other than staining the light gray interior of my car, it was a good two days. As luck would have it, rain makes it easier for me to diagnose fungal diseases like Downy Mildew.

The white fluffy stuff on the underside of this rose leaf are the spores of Downy Mildew, caused by the fungus Peronospora sparsa. You can see why it has the specific epithet "sparsa":