The gift of sight is precious. Late yesterday afternoon I drove myself over to Superior, Wisconsin in search of Snowy Owls … let me repeat that fact … I drove MYSELFover to the owling grounds. While my doctor had told me not to expect the BOTOX injections for Blepharospasm to be effective till after seven days, I apparently am one of the lucky individuals where the drug works quickly. Snake venom is now blocking the miscommunication between my brain and eyes.
I can see!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yesterday was the first time I have driven a car in two months. I also took a hike while it was still sunny and bright (impossible just five days ago). I traipsed through the deep snow in the forest near my home on deer trails … easily seeing deadfall and stepping over same. I was searching for my local Great Horned Owls. This morning as I create this post at 7:15 am, my local owls are hooting away at me! Nature is welcoming me back to its world of wonder. While the battle with Blepharospasm will now be a life long war, it appears as if I will have a life worth living which includes the gift of sight.
Here is one of the two Snowy Owls I found at the Superior Railroad yards. While the photo opportunity was not grand (blah skies and location), for me the image capture was one of the happiest of my life. Perhaps this female Snowy is yelling to the other nearby owl: “The gigs up … I think he sees us!” (Location … power poles south of the intersection of Hill Ave. and 24th Ave. E.)
One man’s continuing fight against the Gray Monsters, the Bandits of the Bird Feeder. Text translated from Old Norse by Herre Hoeg as found upon a Rune Stone in northern Minnesota.
Ya … ve tak the Coca Cola drinkin horns … string dem long da vire … da critter spind und falls. Gut! Yah?
Yup … Facebook reminded me of this battle from a post I had made seven years ago. In my infinite wisdom I thought that Diet Coke bottles strung along a metal wire would prevent squirrels from reaching my feeders. I ultimately had six bottles on either side of each feeder. It didn’t work. Read on below these two images taken by Molly of a “cocky birder” (i.e. me) who learned the battle had only just begun.
For two years after my Diet Coke failure I mistakenly believed a Yankee Flipper Bird Feeder (link includes video of squirrel being flipped!) was the answer to my sunflower seed giveway. Alas, I was wrong once more. The Yankee Flipper has a powered centrifugal perch which upon feeling the weight of said squirrels, spins rapidly and throws the furballs off into the woods. While it lasted, It was fun watching squirrels being launched as if NASA astronauts, but eventually one squirrel learned if you anchored your tail and prevented a spin, the battery would eventually drain on cold Minnesota mornings. The other demons learned the method and the sunflower seeds were once more available!
One day my wife saw a YouTube video that incorporated Slinkies into the process. I did have to add a baffle because my local squirrels learned to climb up inside the Slinky and slither out to pay dirt. This combination works like a charm for my platform feeders that are pole mounted. (YouTube video link)
For my hanging feeders, I have ended purchasing the Squirrel Buster. These work like a charm when strung along my wires (where the Coke bottles failed). The weight of the demons close the feed openings. Birds as large as Cardinals and Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks are able to use my Squirrel Busters w/o a problem (Amazon link). What do other folks utilize? Any other “Slinky users” out there?
A quick update on my vision disorder. The first treatment was early Monday morning. My doctor told me to not expect results for seven days. However, the BOTOX which prevents the bad optic nerve communications seems to be working. For the first time in two months on Monday afternoon I was able to take a long hike late in the forest walking on deer trails and over deadfall without falling. More importantly I was able to see quite clearly. Yesterday a friend took me to look for Snowy Owls, and while we did not see any of the white ghosts, my vision was perfect for the entire 2.5 hour excursion. Read my wife’s perspective on this dive into depression we have suffered. Once again, Molly and I are not ready to declare victory, but there is finally some hope in our lives.
One final photo … surprisingly I have a flock of Mourning Doves which over winters in my pine trees … visiting my feeders multiple times per day. My research on eBird seems to indicate Duluth is about as far north as this species of bird even winters. Pic taken yesterday afternoon.
Mourning Dove
My heartfelt thanks to my buddies … Jim D. who took me to look for Snowy Owls yesterday evening … and Greg G. and Jeff M. who have scheduled birding excursions with me over the next seven days. Your generosity and friendship helps keep me moving forward in this horrible journey of lost vision.
Finches are unknown and unseen this winter. While I’ve had a few Goldfinch flocks visit my feeders, I do not know of anyone who has seen any Pine Siskins, Pine Grosbeaks or Common Redpolls except up near Grand Marais (some Bohemian Waxwings are also being seen in the municipal campground enjoying mountain ash berries). However, Grand Marais is 104 miles up the shore, and it’s becoming increasingly unlikely that these birds will work their way down Lake Superior’s shoreline this winter.
One bird which I always enjoy and may be found in abundance in my local pine forests are nuthatches. I particularly like the slate colored blue of the White-Breasted Nuthatches. Here are some images I took early this afternoon.
White-Breasted Nuthatch (my favorite pic of the bunch)
Two more images that better show off its plumage
Nuthatches move fast!
On the eyesight front, I had my first treatment this morning. The doctor is confident my treatments will be successful and gain my much of my vision back. However, it will take about seven days before I know the success of failure. In the meantime, wait and hope (and perhaps a Sax-Zim Bog excursion or two thanks to some friends).
