Sunset, Kailua-Kona, The Big Island, Hawaii, March 11, 2024

Sunset, Kailua-Kona, The Big Island, Hawaii, March 11, 2024
Sunset, Kailua-Kona, The Big Island, Hawaii, March 11, 2024

Thursday, May 17, 2012

A Little Bird... Thurs., May 17

Cotulla, Texas:

First off, we have a new internet booster so we have 4G internet now instead of 1-2 G's. Yay, Bob, for buying it and setting it up!

We have been gate guarding two weeks. It's hard to believe. The time has gone by fast with day after day of trucks coming and going; no weekends, no holidays, just 24/7 two of us splitting shifts and guarding the gate. But we're doing it and loving the adventure of a new place, different climate, and a totally different job than we've ever done before.

Remember the little Bewick's wren I've been telling you about? The one who got cozy with my arm yesterday? 

She has decided that we are safe and she wants to live with us. Today Bob found her building her nest under our fifth wheel slider, right next to our front door. She is very industrious but we don't want her to nest there (even though it's a great compliment to be chosen by said bird). 

Our fear is, she will lay eggs in her cozy nest, have adorable hatchlings she will need to feed, then we will have to close the slide and move; thereby crunching up her little bird family. Bye bye birdie.

All day today Bob and the wren were working against each other. And let me tell you that little bird is industrious. She had twigs and nesting material coming together into a nice nesting place. Bob kept tearing it down. She built it again. Bob tore it down. On and on. 

We didn't know what to do to dissuade her. Bob put pieces of foil on strings and hung them around where she was building. That stopped her. We're hoping she found a nice nest site in some of the desert scrub.

I forgot to mention that we have two gray cottontails who come out in the evening across the road from us. We can see them out our dining room window.

Another wildlife sighting here that is pretty cool is the scissor-tailed flycatcher. This bird sits on the telephone wires and has a long, scissor-shaped tail. It's very distinctive in flight.

Work was busy all through the night. One well site finished up coil tubing, so last night and all day today they moved big equipment out. The other well site has finished fracking and they will start coil tubing in a few days (not sure exactly when). All that equipment moved out today as well. Since almost everything is gone except for some super-large equipment, we will most likely have a quiet night. I'm going to catch some zzz's.

G'night all.


7 comments:

  1. Hi Susan and Bob, we are gate guards down the road aways from you - close to Fowlerton on Hwy 97.

    Went back to your 1st blog and finished all of them tonight. I also work nite shift-so do internet at night to keep awake. ou need to read "theforkintheroad.wordpress.com" by Debbie. This is a blog about two women gate guards who worked in Orgeon for 3 years. Kit and Jerry have met them. Great blog you are doing. The storm the past 2 weeks have been something- We lived for 11 years on Lake LBJ in Kingsland, a small community outside Marble Falls. You will enjoy all Texas has to offer

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    1. Hi Mickey,
      Welcome to our world. Wow, you read all of the posts way back to over a year ago? Cool. Thanks for letting me know.

      I subscribe to theforkintheroad blog, in fact, I subscribe to many gate guard blogs...so interesting to read how everyone does it.

      We stayed in a small RV park just outside Blanco for a few days. Love Pedernales Falls S.P. Can't wait to do more exploring (when we get a chance).

      Susan

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  2. Hi I'm a little baffled by some of the terms on here. I've had a rummage on the internet and now know alsorts of things about Ingram (little stonehenge, pop 1400 etc) but still have no idea what all these trucks are for. It sounds like a quarry.....
    Hope you sort the birdie out. :-)

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    Replies
    1. Hi dderbydave,
      By the sound of your post, I'd guess you're in England.

      All the trucks are part of a large oil drilling operation on the Eagle Ford Shale in the state of Texas.

      The bird is back with a vengeance today. It got used to the foil. Bob knocks down the rebuilt nest about every half hour.

      Thank you for stopping by to have a read.

      Susan

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  3. What brand of booster did you purchase? How did you install it within your rig? We purchased a Wilson Electronics 841245 kit which the person at Wilson recommended and are not getting what I feel is a "better" signal. Thanks for your help!!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Jim,
      We have a Wilson. We'll have to get back to you on the particulars. Bob throws all the packaging away. I'll let him dig up the info...he must have a receipt or something.

      Susan

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    2. Jim,
      Here's the info on the Wilson. It's a SignalBoost DT Desktop Cellular Signal Boost Adjustable Gain In-Building Wireless 800/1900 MHz Smart Technology II Signal Booster, Model #271265. The package came with SignalBoost DT, desktop antenna, cradle antenna, coax cables, cable connector, pole mount, wall mount and window mount options. I hope that helps.

      Bob went with the recommendation at Best Buy. They said they've never had one returned at that particular location.

      Susan

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