Washingtonia Robustas

 

Bird Watch New Years Day

You may know about the Christmas Bird Count, where folks pick a day around Christmas and count the different species they can find.   We didn't do that.  But for the past few days, we've been watching the bird action in our neighborhood. Next door (Port Royal) has two large ponds in their front. We of course have ponds on both sided of the house, as well as ponds across the street.

These photos are all taken through our windows from inside in the nice dry warm environment.

 There have been an assortment of birds ranging from gulls, and grackles, common moorhen, assorted ducks, cormorants, tricolored, little blue,and great blue heron,snowy and great egrets, bittern, white ibis, and roseate spoonbills.  The different species seem to have no problem co-existing, but sometimes there's a conflict between birds of the same species.

 We also have a kestrel that likes to hang out on the telephone wire or a-top of the light pole to watch for prey, but it and a hawk that has thus far defied identification, haven't been out and about much with the cold, rainy, and windy weather we've been experiencing.

Here, from left to right: great egret (back to camera), two roseat spoonbills, flock of ducks.

A Look at the 3rd Floor

It was cloudy when I took this, but the other day, with bright sunshine the image washed out.  While not perfect, because I did not mount the iPad on a tripod and keep it centered -- way hard to do with this tool -- it gives you a pretty good view of the 3rd floor.

You can zoom and turn the image to see the full 360 view.   Enjoy.

Outside Changes

 A little hard to see, but a couple of weeks ago we had a bit of rain and a rainbow started at the end of the street

After a long wait, there's now a shower stall built around the outside shower.   Alese loves it and uses it most every day.

And, now, out in the back yard, waiting for electricity, water, and a screen so we cah get the the hot tub is the just poured concrete pad.

Q5000 Departs Through Ship Channel

Just what is Q5000?

Saw it this morning departing from Kiewit, so went down to Roberts Point Park to watch her go by.

Q5000 has been in Ingleside getting some sprucing up I assume.

According to the brochure, Q5000 is a well intervention vehicle.

It was moving through the channel at about 3 knots and not on it's own power.  The drawing in the brochure looks like there might be wheels on the bottom of the pontoons.

Q

 In the background of the middle photo is a well platform that's been brought in and shut down.  (It's sitting on the bottom in the dockage.)  Given the price of oil these days the drilling and refinery folks have been cutting back on expenses and say they don't need to be doing a lot of exploration.   Q5000 can decommission wells, and maybe that's where she's headed.