How to be a cowboy part 1

After a later than expected start due to Owen and his giant breakfast burrito (note to any travellers to the USA - do not trust waitresses comments on portion sizes!) we set off on our drive to Zapata ranch. Thank god we upgraded to SUV's at the airport as the weather was verging on apocalyptic. One rain storm, fortunately whilst we were waiting for one of those giant trains to pass, had the road running like a river.
We had a quick stop at Pueblo on the way. Typical one street town, with some very un-British advertising.

 

although quite why sleeper middle America needs a specialist in chemical weapons destruction leaves the mind boggling. 

 

 

After a quick stop at a liquor store (trans: off-licence) to get beer and wine as the ranch is apparently "dry" its another two hours to the ranch - which is a sight for sore eyes after rain and cities. Quite small, literally in the middle of nowhere and birds galore!!! Within 5 minutes I had hairy woodpecker, white-breasted nuthatch and wood peewee. A short walk to check out the horses also got mountain bluebird, western tanager (below, courtesy of Owen) and violet-green swallow as well as chipmunks!!! Things are definitely looking up.

Mile-high club

Today was basically going to be travel day, with a bit of sight-seeing. We started early to get to Logan for our internal flight to Denver. Breakfast in the airport was interesting - enormous as every meal in the US seems to be, and topped off by a very early bloody Mary from two member of our party!! No problems, smooth uneventful flight, without many views as it was cloudy most of the way. We did get occasional views of flat prairies and straight roads. Landing at Denver we picked up our hire-cars, which was not as easy as it should have been. Confusion over drop-off charges didn't help but eventually we loaded up our SUV's and toddled off into Denver, about 45 minutes away. I always hate the first drive - automatics and wrong-side of the road, but I missed everything and the satnav got us to the hotel without incident.
Denver is hard to get feel for. Very modern, and the area we are in if basically a few shops and many restaurants. We has a free-form lunch, ranging from cheesecake to calamari and then shopped in the afternoon. A few books, cowboy shirts and a leather belt were acquired before another unstructured dinner of nachos and beer.
Off to the proper holiday tomorrow, with a long drive to Mosca and the Zapata ranch. Hopefully we'll stop along the way and might even get the bird list started, which is almost non-existent after 3 days so far.

I see no whales

Today was going to be the highlight of the Boston leg of the holiday. In the morning we were on a 3 hour whale watching trip and in the evening we were on a sunset cruise of the harbour, all gin and tonics and watching the sun decline over the skyscrapers.
However....
Skies were dark first thing, the weather forecast worse. We had to be at the pier by 8.30 or so. Found the booth where you check in, only to be told "sorry, the 9am cruise is cancelled due to high seas. You can rebook on the 12 o'clock." weather looked grim, but we took a vote and decided to try again. So, we had about 90 minutes to kill before they would know if the cruise would be on or not. After looking for options whilst slightly dripping onto the carpet of the Marriott hotel (posh!) we decided on Feneuil Hall for breakfast and coffee. Lots of options and between that and the shops we filled in the time till we could call the whale people. "Yes, its still on. Come along at 11.,30" - yippee!! So, a bit more shopping, including the most amazing Xmas shop. Everything you could imagine, including a string of light-up cats, which we now own!
Back at the pier at 11.30 the weather as even worse. We stood in line for about 10 minutes and then got the news we pretty much expected - cancelled. 6 to 7 foot swells.
So, sulking all round and back to plan B. We grabbed a cab and went to the Mapparium. Basically a giant globe where you are in the middle of the Earth looking at the countries all round you. Difficult to get a description to di it justice, but if you're ever in Boston make sure you go, although skip the museum dedicated to the founder of the Christian Science movement. After that we went to the Art museum to see the native American art galleries, and also had a surprise of a small but high quality Audobon exhibition.
So, our last trip was the sunset cruise - without the sunset clearly as it was still raining cats and dogs. We'd been assured (twice) there was at least shelter on the boat. On arriving though we were basically told you stand for two hours in the elements - no shelter, nowhere to sit down, imminent pneumonia. In no uncertain terms I expressed my displeasure at this thought, we gave it up as a bad job and retired to a nearby restaurant for beers and steaks, which was a much better option.
So, not exactly the day we wanted, but not a total disaster compared to what it could have been!!  I'll leave you with a couple of photos from our walk back to the hotel, with rain and car lights symptomatic of the day.  

Graves, fish and tea!

As ever when you fly West, the day starts early with the "are you awake" conversation at 5.30 in the morning. By 7.30 we'd already had coffee, showered, unpacked, sorted out and arranged to meet for a(a second!) breakfast with HPH and the family. Despite overcast skies and a chill wind, we set out on our first days excursion. Opposite the hotel was the Granary Burying ground, a large cemetery with many and some famous graves. A bit morbid to start the day, but some interesting carving on the graves, although the most famous, Paul Revere of the midnight ride fame, was quite plain.

  

After this cheery start we walked about 20 minutes or so down to the harbo(u)r area to visit the Aquarium. We visited here in, we think, 1989 so it would be interesting to see if was like we remembered. This was particularly so after visiting Atlanta last year, with one of the best aquaria on the planet.

As per the plan for most aquaria nowadays there was a large central tank around which was displayed a number of smaller tanks, based on habitat mainly. It was good, albeit so crowded it was difficult to get to see some tanks. It was in 1989 by far the best  we'd ever visited, but now seemed a bit tired and certainly not a patch on Atlanta.

Highlights? One was watching 7-8 people manhandling a giant ray into a crate to weigh it before going off for veterinary treatment. Although it was in the crate, and they could weigh fish, crate and water together they didn't have a plan for getting to the weight of the fish!! Shame I wasn't online to work, I'd have had at least 10 solutions within 5 minutes!!!! 

  

 There were a few large turtles in the main tank, but they always look a bit sad and we got some nice arty photos using light and blurring.

 

Last stop, after lunch, was the Boston Tea Party museum. In UK, this would be a few exhibits, with a bit of interpretative display. In the USA, oh no, you get the full works. 90 minutes with actors playing all the parts, the best holograms I've seen, two paintings which came alive (think Harry Potter and Hogwarts) and getting audience involvement throughout. Given enough money and thought it's amazing what you can do. After that though the summer in Boston turned into a torrential downpour, so cabs and back to hotel. Just need to stay awake and fight off the temptation for a quick half-hour nap before Legal Seafoods and our lobster supper.
Overall verdict? Well, if the rest of the holiday goes as well as today then we're well set for a great time!!!

The start of the big holiday!!

This is going to be the first post of mine and Judith's sabbatical from work. Judith's is due to starting a new job in January, mine because, well who wouldn't turn down the chance of 4 1/2 months off work.

So, 24th July, the first full day when both of us are off, and when we start our travels to the USA on holiday with Helen (Judith's sister) and her family, Yoss, Jake, Owen and Amy.

Day 1 was always going to be a relatively dull day, with an early evening flight to Boston. Good news though - BA were nice to us and we got an upgrade to Club! On the downside though we had to put our new cats - Penny, Jet and Primrose - into the cattery for the duration. Same one we've used before, Convivial Cats, who are very good if you're looking for a cattery near Rickmansworth. Anyway, nothing else much happened today, flight was fine, hotel in Boston seems ok, so I'll leave you with photos of our cats!

  

Nice morning but.....

Friday and Saturday had been really good around Ricky, with pied fly and gropper in the aquadrome. So, in a fit of madness i got up at 5.30 to get the dawn chorus and try for the gropper at Stockers Lock. Needless to say with years theme of "day after" neither were around, or were got by anyone else that day. I did get the Little Owl by the flooded lake and a really nice Sedge Warbler singing away in a bush (year list 145).

On the upside though it was a gorgeous if chilly morning, the blackcaps et al were singing really well and it felt good to be out, although i was really ready for a coffee by the time i got back!"!

Relatives can be useful

A second theme this year, after going the day after a bird was around, is the number of birds seen on trips to relatives.This time it was to Martin in Guildford for his sons 8th birthday party!! WE combined it though with a visit first to Thursley Heath, which is only about 10 minutes away. Really spring-like and warm, and quite a few cars in the car park, but the place soaks up people.
Judith had never been here before so after a bit if orienting we set off down the boardwalk. Three people ahead of us were intently studying the sky, and it soon became obvious why. Tow or possibly three hobbies were already here, hunting quite high.  We carried on through the dragonfly glade and almost immediately got onto a lovely male redstart, a target for the day, singing from the bushes and trees. Bit far but we did get a few record shots. Apparently there were whinchats around as well, but i only got a few stonechats singing away from the top of the gorse.

On the way back to car park we came across a family staring into a pool. They'd spotted a number of common newts swimming just underneath the surface. Great spot and something you rarely see nowadays. Coincidentally Judith had asked of the pools were good for newts earlier on. They also put us onto a raft spider, which we'd never had seen otherwise as it was really well camouflaged on the surface of the pond. As we were about to move on, i saw a "hawk-like" bird settle in a tree a couple of hundred yards away. Thinking it was a hobby i got the 'scope onto it, and got my first cuckoo of the year!!! Year list 144....