“You want me to be a guest blogger? I can’t do that.”
“Well, you do write the “Recent Sightings” page on the site.”
“Yes, but that is not like writing on the main page of the website where everyone is anxiously waiting to hear from you.”
“It sure would help me out while I am up at the Beaver Conference in Oregon.”
This was the conversation I had with Heidi before she left for the conference and I finally told myself, I guess I could give it a try.
Right now I am on my computer trying to come up with something to write about. Looking out of my bedroom window and up on the hill I see four deer. It is in the middle of the day, but they are out eating the new grass that is springing up all over the surrounding hills. I happen to live in the old downtown section of Martinez just off of Main Street. I have lived here around 70 years and of those 70, I have been in the same house for 60 years.
I don’t remember seeing deer around the neighborhood when I was growing up. I do remember that once, one came down into my neighbor’s backyard and the whole neighborhood came out to see and give their advice as to how to get the deer out. Someone finally put a rope around the deer’s neck and led it back up onto the hill and let it loose. Now on any given day, I can look out and I might see two or three deer starting to walk right down the street to my neighbors’ yards. The other day, I was driving up Green Street following two deer who just happened to be strolling along on their afternoon walk.
Also on our hill, we have a large flock of wild turkeys. They showed up about two years ago and they are something to see. I didn’t realize that they could get so large. They love to dig up the hill when they are looking for whatever to eat. They are slow moving birds and once I had to stop my car while thirteen of them crossed in front of me single file. They can be a nuisance I hear, but they don’t bother us.
Another thing I have noticed in the neighborhood is that we have a family of Cooper hawks that live up in the big pine trees on the hill. They have quite a distinctive cry, and they will circle around checking the backyards as many of my neighbors, including myself, feed the wild birds. Whenever I hear that cry, I notice that most of the birds are gone so I guess they are hiding in the many trees around the area. One Cooper hawk spent several hours in my neighbor’s fruit tree and we were able to get a great picture of it.
Once while going out on our deck, that over looks the river and the downtown, to check out the birdfeeders, I spotted two large turkey vultures sunning themselves on my neighbor’s roof . What a sight! That was the nearest I have ever been to them, and to me, they really aren’t very pretty birds. I thought that maybe they were waiting for some action.
When I was growing up and walking to Martinez Elementary School and Martinez Junior High, I always walked by Alhambra Creek but I really didn’t take the time to check it out. The only time I thought about the creek is when it would flood. Yes, it flooded way before the beavers every came to town. Really! I remember seeing row boats on Main Street and floating toy boats in the gutters. I started noticing the creek when I first heard there was a beaver dam downtown. I checked it out and have been a regular at the creek ever since. Since the beavers have been here, the creek has turned into a wonderland of many birds and other animals. It has made me realize that I am very lucky to live in a town where there is nature, wildlife and beautiful views all around me and I don’t even have to go more than three blocks to experience these wonders.
Good luck today, Heidi, on your presentation and can’t wait to hear from you when you get back from the conference. You have opened so many doors for us to experience our wonderful world. Thank you.
Photos by Ron Bruno
