Burrowing Owl
We arrived here in Yuma on Monday. On Tuesday we did a morning bird walk at the Yuma West Wetlands Park and saw a large number of birds,though not many species of birds. On Wednesday we did a serious day of birding, crossing back into California and birding the west side of the Colorado River up to the Imperial Dam. We have been trying to get to a 100 birds species for the New Year and we achieved that with a Spotted Sandpiper at the Imperial Dam Settling Pond.
Our most interesting bird of the day was a juvenile Vermilion Flycatcher.We ended Wednesday with a Taco Crawl. Jo Wishnie had read an article about a street here in Yuma that has several taco vendor stalls. So, Fred, Jo, Kathy and I for dinner went from stand to stand trying 1 taco at each stand. These are small soft tacos made from pork, beef, or cow’s head. I think our final consensus was that the Tacos al Pastor (marinated pork) at the first stand were the best and none of us feel a real need to have cow’s head tacos again soon. The evening ended with us opening a bottle of French champagne to celebrate our first 100 birds of the year (JC thanks for the champagne).
Thursday was a non-birding, “do-nothing” day. In reality on the “do-nothing” days we go to the Laundromat, buy groceries, etc. It is truly amazing how fast the days go by.
Friday’s adventure was a trip to Algodones, Mexico. Algodones is 10 miles from Yuma and is a town that caters to Snowbirds. Which are mostly retired Americans and Canadians, that come to Mexico for cheap dentistry, eyeglasses and prescription medicines. It is a very small town where the Anglos outnumber the Mexicans about 10 to one. The streets are lined with Pharmacies, Dentist Offices, Optical stores and Liquor stores. All business in town is done in US dollars and in English. Algodones is very clean, has maybe two bars and about three restaurants. They say that 33,000 people cross the border PER DAY in the winter time! One of the other things about Algodones is that, except for the people working there, Kathy and I were the youngest people we saw all day by many years.
Algodones street and Jo and Kathy shopping
It looks like you found your camera! We are enjoying your journal. It appears you are settling into the fulltime lifestyle very nicely! Till later,
ReplyDeleteEllie
Absolutely fantastic Owl picture Kathy
ReplyDeleteFred
Welcome to the land of the RVers! We also retired in our 50s - and we are more than that now... We have full-timed off and on for 8 years now. It's become Yuma in the winter months, because we like it being warmer than anywhere else. There are a couple of blogs on the Yuma Taco Trucks. We are still trying them out also. See you down the road.
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