Thursday, April 24, 2014

Squirrels, Kangaroo Rat, Mouse and 2 new birds!

It seems nothing much is going on until I look at all the photos I have waiting to be posted.

Our last day at Elephant Butte main campground I had a visit from Donna and Bob, whom I met at Rock Hound and then saw again at Poncho Villa.  I was packing up to leave when they drove up, and we spent some time visiting.  They were looking for another friend who wasn't home and saw us outside, and stopped for a bit.  After they left Tom and Roxi came over for a visit.  I met Tom at Quartzsite, and he had stopped by the day before.  He had been driving by, and recognized me.  We sat down and visited for a while, and it turns out he is camping where Roxi is, and just met her that morning.  That next morning they both came over to visit.  I was just packed up and was ready to leave, so they got there just in time.  

After the Easter weekend and all the craziness, I wanted to be in a quieter place.  So we drove out of the main park and started driving to the South Monticello campground.  I wanted to park in the parking lot above the boat ramp directly below the campground.  We stayed overnight, but I felt too isolated, so we got back on the road.

As soon as we hit the road, Katie started barking and wouldn't stop.  She was just sitting in her car seat, barking and trying to sniff the dashboard.  Oh-oh!  I stopped the car at the first pull-out and opened the hood.  EEEEKKKKK!  There was a Kangaroo Rat looking at me, sitting in a pile of cedar bits spilling out from the Fresh Cab he had chewed open. I jumped back and screamed and dropped the hood.  This photo from the Internet is what he looked like - up on his back legs looking right at me:


I'm sure he jumped back and screamed, as well, and hustled down through the engine onto the road and ran away.  When I got back with my Reacher in case I had to remove him, opened the hood again and checked, he was gone.  I checked the engine, but no damage.  Whew.  Back on the road with Kudos to Katie.  (I thought he was a pack rat until I went on-line for a photo, and realized it was a Kangaroo Rat.  I've never seen one of these guys before.)

We went into T or C and did laundry, gassed up the truck, shopped at Wal-Mart and then headed back to Caballo Lake.

I picked a campsite across from the showers which was up a ways from our previous site where we got the mice last time.  Next morning we had two squirrels and one mouse stuck on our traps in the engine.  I don't mind getting the mice because they are easy to kill (sorry), but the squirrels are different.  They were large enough to get themselves off the sticky stuff, but I don't want to go through that again.  Trust me, it hurt me way more than it hurt them.  I had no idea the squirrels were getting into the engine.  I removed the sticky traps and put small baited enclosed mouse traps in the engine with duct tape.  Then we moved down the road to be along the river and hopefully away from the squirrels.

It's peaceful here and this area is empty except for us and Ryan - The New Age Nomad, who we finally met.



When Katie and I pass by his campsite on our walks, he usually comes out to say hi and talk for while.  He's a good neighbor, and it's nice to have someone else down here with us.  It's Thursday evening, and I'm surprised we haven't gotten more campers here for the weekend.

I haven't seen a single squirrel here, even though we're pretty close to the main Riverside Campground.  Weird, but I'm happy!  I hope we'll be able to stay here the full two weeks, and so far no critters to be seen.  Just birds and the occasional duck on the river.   

Here are some of the birds I've snapped in the last week.  I think they are all from Elephant Butte down by the boat ramp.

This is a new bird for me, a Clark's Grebe:



This Killdeer was in the parking lot and we saw him as we were walking along.  He didn't seem bothered that we were there:




Pretty lizard with turquoise markings:



This is another new bird for me - a female Ring-necked duck:



I think this is a Sandpiper, or maybe a Willet?  Hazel thinks it might be a Willet, which was my second choice.  If so, then it's another First Sighting:


And some of the flowering plants at Elephant Butte State Park:





WELCOME to our newest follower, Susan Hammer.  Susan doesn't show any information, so I can't give you any links.  Susan, if you have a blog, let me know and I'll post it so our readers can check it out.  Thanks for following along with me and Katie - Welcome Aboard!  :)

From me and Katie, have a great Thursday, everybody!  :)

24 comments:

  1. That Kangaroo Rat is sure cute. I would be inclined to let him have a home in the engine as long as he agreed not to chew wires.

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    1. I agree - they are cute - but I'd want that agreement in writing. LOL

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  2. Thank you for all the beautiful flower and bird photos. Too bad about all the rodents you have to deal with.

    Check out my blog. You have a shout out in it because I wanted to share you with the rest of my readers.

    http://travelbug-susan.blogspot.com/2014/04/share-blogs-state-parks-and-splashing.html

    Susan

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  3. As usual, more beautiful pics! I love the way you love nature. All I can do right now is try to catch what's on the property here. But that's still fun too. Caught some video of a squirrel munching in the grass yesterday. Cool to review that. Hugs to Katie!

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  4. Up until yesterday, we thought we would be trailing behind you this summer...since you are ahead of us (we are still in southern CA).....but now, we have to go back to Indiana for more procedures for John....Dr. called and asked us to return ASAP.

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    1. I'm so sorry, Nan. I'm sending good wishes your way for a successful outcome with John's procedures. I hope to meet you guys in the future. :)

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  5. Oh Barbara ! With my extreme phobia I simply don't know what I would do if I had those 'critters' getting into my rig !!

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  6. That is really scary to know critters are getting into the engine compartment! Beautiful photos of birds and cactus. Enjoying seeing photos of blooming stuff from your neck of the woods.

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  7. I think your "sandpiper is a "willit". I like your photos, and am glad to see you're doing such interesting things!

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  8. I agree with Denise. I don't think I could handle all those rodents. And you sure do seem to get a lot of them. I think you are amazing that you can actually kill off even the mice. Way to go Katie for the warning.

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  9. Looks like you photographed a big fish in the first sand piper picture.

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  10. Oooo...rats, mice, and squirrels. I like them seeing them outside where they belong, but not in my home, and certainly not in my vehicle. Good luck in the new spot.

    Especially love the photo of the flowering cactus. I've never seen one before!

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  11. Cute, but not in the RV! I agree they have to go!
    The one photo shows a big fish's back, that's cool. Hard to photo a fish that is just emerging.
    Molly is a good mouser/ squirreler too. :))

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  12. Squirrels and chipmunks are rodents and can ruin the wires under the hood. I've had several incidents when I lived in NC - they chew through engine wires, fuel connections, etc. I wouldn't have a problem in the world getting rid of any of them, although I hate to say it.

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  13. I ordered some Keurig coffee using your amazon link yesterday. Just wanted to make sure I did it right so that you will get the credit. You might be on the look out for it. Don't know what the turn around time is on it for it to show up in your records.

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    1. Hi Cathie - yes I DID see a purchase for Keurig coffee - thank you! I appreciate that you used our link. Purchases show up on a list the next day. I'm a Keurig coffee person, too. Love it! :)

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    2. Great to know! That is a fast turn around. We order coffee all the time so you will be seeing that order regularly!

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  14. Boy howdy, your post today, along with the photos, make me miss the desert areas.
    Heee hee to the critters. Ya gotta love 'em. But in a engine compartment....they gotta go.

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  15. I enjoyed the fowl pics but especially cacti flowers, u must have full hands on your walks, lol... we havent been to the wide open areas of the dessert yet, so please educate me... u mentioned fueling, marketing, laundry & parking across from showers , so does the campsite supply bathrooms? how is the black water tank managed? such a pleasant community of campers to socialize with. the vermin sound like a challenge, cudos to eagle eyes & even better hearing to Katie. what would we do w/o our pets?

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    1. The New Mexico campgrounds have restrooms and showers, dump stations and water. Some have electricity, too. There are a few with limited services, but most are pretty good. You can call in advance to see what they offer. I dry camp, but if you want hookups, and especially sewer which is not always offered at the site, you make reservations on-line. Most of the campgrounds here have many nice no-reservation sites and the potable water and dump stations are available for us to use. :)

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  16. Oil of Peppermint will keep critters out. Put a few drops on a cotton ball and leave it. They hate the smell, but it’s pleasant for humans. Pats to Katie. What a brave little soul she is. :)

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  17. I wish I could take bird pics as well as you. I need more practice.

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Thank you for your comments - we LOVE them!