I got water for my first irrigation tonight. It’s so dry the land soaks up the water for a long time before it keeps flowing. Furthermore, the water level in the acequia madre keeps fluctuating, which changes the water pressure. Between bone dry land and changing water pressure, it’s going to take a long time to get everything watered tonight. I may not get everything watered tonight.
That little fuzzy head in the darkness is Mama Owl’s and Daddy Owl’s new owlet sticking its head up for the first time to say “Hello world!” I was talking to Jim between calling the owlet and taking photos, and Jim asked “Why don’t they stick their heads up when it’s light?” I told him that owls like darkness.
Mama Owl and Daddy Owl in a cottonwood in the bosque looking for Junior’s dinner.
If anyone has suggestions for names for Junior, I’m open.
“¡Hola Mundo!”
The left fork in the Y in my irrigation ditch flows through a culvert where Scrappy Skunk was sleeping. Poor Scrappy was rudely awakened by the water and he came out one end of the pipe but got offended that I was videotaping him. He crawled back in the culvert, came out the other side, went back in, and stayed in the culvert until the water got too high and finally forced him out. He was an embarrassed wet skunk when he finally climbed out of the ditch and ran off. You can watch Scrappy Skunk in all his wet glory in the video below.
Tonight’s flowers, bunny and moon follow.
Beatrice Bunny
Off Center & Not Even 
Poor Skunk… but al least, he had a good drink 🙂 Young owl mundo still looks a bit “bizar” with his strange look in his eyes. About the irrigation: is that regulated by the government ? as you wrote “I got water for my first irrigation”
Hi Rudi. The owlet looks like a little spaceman to me. The poor skunk was sad. Yes the irrigation system is regulated by the government. Interestingly enough, we use the same system of irrigating that has been in place in New Mexico since the Spanish established it over 300 years ago.
So much fluff – lovely!
Thanks, Puzzleblume.
All amazing. The ones of the wowl, espesh so. There ‘s one where the camouflage is something else.
Thanks, Shey. The owls blend right in with the cottonwoods.
You have a pic here–Mama Owl and Daddy Owl in a cottonwood in the bosque looking for Junior’s dinner– that’s YEP, pretty hard to tell the diff ‘
It’s also pretty dark so the resolution isn’t very good, either.
That don’t matter. It is a great pic.
Love how ancient and slightly grumpy the baby owl is.
He does look grumpy. Thanks, Couriers.
Is it usually this dry in this season?
I’m glad to see the babies, they are lovely. And your wisteria is very beautiful too. Mine is fine this year, but last year birds ate all the buds and the wisteria had only a few flowers.
Thanks, Flo. It is always dry here because we live in a high desert. But it’s much dryer than usual.
We have less rain here too.
Yay for ‘Fuzzy’ sticking out his fluffy head during daytime! I hope the watering system works well. Speaking of which …poor Scrappy Skunk, what a way to wake up!
Gorgeous shots and wow… that bazooka Moon!
Thanks, Marina. This is not Fuzzy. Fuzzy is older and up north with Nora Owl. I don’t know if it’s because there are so many more people who pass by Mama Owl when she is sitting, but Mama and Daddy Owl’s owlets always pop their heads up to see what’s going on in the world as soon as they can see over the edge of the hole. Much sooner than Fuzzy who is four weeks older, this this owlet, Fuzzy refused to sit up and look at me last week. If you can think of a good name for this new owlet, give me your suggestions.
As far as irrigating goes, I let the water in at 6:00 pm last night. I shut the water off at 2:15 am this morning, over 8 hours to irrigate.
Poor little Scrappy Skunk it was a rude awaking and good soaking before he decided he had to get out and make a run for it.
Hmmm, he does have this wisdom in his eyes as if already a grown up so first one that came to mind was Immanuel (Kant) but maybe René (Descartes) would suit him better. Not quite sure yet though…
I’m thinking about Unglingur, Junior in Icelandic. What do you think?
A ha ha… I love it!
Many fun adventures here today, Timothy, but that adorable new owlet takes the cake. I always enjoy your owl-in-the-stump photos, and what a fantastic surprise today to see an owlet in there now! And the skunk video was wonderful. He doesn’t know what to do about the new water flow, and then watching him waddle off, in that classic skunk gait, gave me a smile.
Thanks, Jet. The owlets are always a highlight this time of year. Like sunsets, I never get tired of the wols. I think I’m going to name him Unglingur, which is Junior in Icelandic.
I enjoyed all the photos, and that is a handsome, if wet, skunk! The little owlet looks very sombre. The world is a big place for little owls. You could give him an Indian name, like Tyee, which means chief, boss or leader.
Hi Lavinia. Good idea on the name. I’m thinking about Unglingur, which is Junior in Icelandic. Poor Scrappy Skunk. It was not very dignified to be all wet.
I have never seen a baby owl before, Tim! Thank you! A great way to celebrate earth, life, friendship!
How wonderful that you can see baby (and share) now. Poor skunk. Such a rude awakening. Fabulous photos!
Thanks, Dale.
So many gorgeous shots here, Tim. The irrigation is fascinating. Yep, it sure has been dry! For a few weeks down here, the humidity was in single digits. One day it was only 3%. It’s been somewhat less so the past week though.
The owlet is adorable. You said he looks like a space man in one comment. So, what if he’s called Major Tom? 😉
Hugs on the wing.
Good name. A lot of our plants I don’t have on drippers or soaker hoses are happy to get a drink from the irrigation water. Thanks, Teagan.
Umm, it looks like you were pretty close to that skunk, and since he was already grumpy that his home got flooded, you were taking a risk, Tim! I like the name Bowie for the new owlet, perhaps?
I was 3 to 5 feet from Scrappy Skunk. Skunks usually won’t spray unless they are threatened. I was just being pesky. I think he felt more embarrassed than threatened. Thanks, Tiffany.
Only 1 owlet this year?
I’m nicknaming him/her Peepers. Peepers Unglingur.
Sweet!
Who about Major Tom Peepers? There might be two. I suspect there’s two. Thanks, Resa.
2!!!
Yay!
Ground control to Major Peepers
Eat that owl food
And keep your tufters on!
There you are
Nesting in that tree trunk
Looking like a fluff punk
Waiting for
Waiting for
Paparazzi go away
Ground control to tree trunk nest
Hear your ears
Hear the best
In the nest
ba pa ba pa bah!
Good stuff. Unfortunately, Laurie’s computer was having major issues with its peepers, jeepers and creepers, so she is using the computer I record with until I get her a new computer, which I think will be sooner than later.
Great pics. Poor skunk! I lurve them..they’re so cute!
Thanks, Leen. Skunks are really cute.
I’ve let them walk right up to me.
I’m eagerly awaiting the first time I see a momma and babies in my backyard this year!
They are curious and non-offensive. Before the owls started thinning out our skunk population, we would often have baby skunks playing on the deck under our chairs while we were sitting outside. Years ago when I rode my bike to work, a skunk waited for me every morning and ran alongside me for about three hundred feet to see me off. Often when I got home at night he would come up and headbutt my leg a few times when I got off the bike. I was never quite sure was that was all about. I had one skunk, it might have been Scrappy, trying to play one-night several months ago. I was walking back in from the river and he ran up to me from under the car by the shed and stamped his little paws. I kept stepping back trying to get video, but it was pretty dark. Each time I stepped back he advanced and stamped is feet again. It was really cute.
I LOVE when they do stompy feet! I’ve seen them scare off raccoons.
Soooo envious of your little mate!
There’s a guy in town who has a skunk rescue. He has some kind of deficiency, so he doesn’t smell the skunk spray. He’s an interesting guy.
How interesting! I always found the smell complex… offensive only in it’s strength.
My bedroom door got sprayed last year and I only figured it out because I kept smelling REALLY strong garlic. That’s what it most often smells like now.
But we used to have one come through at night that smelled so strong, it would wake me up.
We have skunks that live under the house. When they mate in the spring they spray, and the cats have been sprayed messing with the skunks. When it’s really close and concentrated it smells like burnt rubber or burnt electrical components. When it’s dispersed it has the more classic skunk smell. What’s interesting is both Spunk and silver got sprayed point blank one morning, right before I went to work. When I got home I was expecting to have to deal with a couple of stinky cats, but surprisingly enough, neither smelled of skunk. I assume they licked off the skunk smell before it got to their skin.
Lucky you!!
AdamCat either got a small amount of spray or walked through something. I put vinegar on a washcloth, wiped him down, and it was gone.
But I keep a box of baking soda and bottle of hydrogen peroxide on hand, figuring one of us will get a direct hit someday.
Sonny for Junior! 😂
Sonny is good. Thanks, Alexis.
You’re welcome! 😂
poor little skunk – he did sort of look at you – oh! the paparazzi are at it again!
He was totally disgusted. Thanks, Holly.
poor skunky!
He was sad. I felt bad for him.
❤ He was having a rough day.
He was probably having sweet stinky dreams before I so rudely interrupted them by turning in the water.
I bet that skunk got a surprise! Wow… love the pic of the owlet, what a fluffy little guy.
Thanks, Julie.
This is the same….Major Peepers, right?
Wonderful clicks as always Tim.
Yes. That is the owlet that is got named Major tom Peepers.