Reflections on summer as autumn begins

This has been one of those summers that didn't turn out at all as I had planned. I didn't hike as much, or bird as much, as I wanted to. Or camp as much for that matter. I did make it to Yellowstone, a center of geothermal activity that I have wanted to see for the better part of 30 years. What an amazing place. I didn't have nearly long enough there and at some point I'd like to go back and backpack/hike the back country. While in Yellowstone I saw the largest elk I have ever seen, it literally seemed the size of a small buffalo, being stalked by a lone black wolf. I've longed to see a wolf in the wild since they first started the reintroduction of wolves in Yellowstone so I was delighted beyond belief at the sighting. There were also sandhill cranes in some of the grasslands of Yellowstone. Sandhill cranes are one of those birds that I never see enough of, likely in part because I don't live where the cranes live. On the way home from Yellowstone there was a stop at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, yet another place I've always wanted to visit. This one is much closer to home than Yellowstone and after having been there I'm not sure why it has taken me so long to go. There were white-faced ibis there, a bird I've always wanted to see but never make it to the Klamath NWR at the right time of year to find. There were hundreds of ibis foraging in the shallow waters of the refuge! While at MNWR I also saw a loggerhead shrike (I've missed them since my time in Boardman), common nighthawk, bank swallows, black-necked stilts and a myriad of other birds that I don't commonly see. I've always adored yellow-headed blackbirds. Before MNWR I'd only ever seen a handful, if that. At the refuge they were everywhere, it was amazing! I've also never been somewhere when swallows are staging for the flight south. They certainly seem to use MNWR as a staging sight. Along one stretch of road, perched on the powerlines, there were close to 1,000 swallows (mostly bank but also violet-greens, cliff and barn swallows). Just amazing. When I got back from the trip I was finally unemployed, in between terms and had nowhere specific to be, nothing specific to do. Needless to say I have actually been relaxing for the last few weeks. I hike or walk often but as I have my dog with me normally I don't see nearly as many birds as I'd like to see. I've been camping a few times. Finished unpacking my boxes. I also put together a rough draft for my thesis proposal (okay, a VERY rough draft), which is due at the end of fall term. If I'm approved I'll be studying the effects of recreation on grassland birds. I'm not sure where or if I'll be looking at specific birds or not, these things will unravel themselves in time. Ultimately, the downtime has been very good for me. The last year has been busy and often emotional so...it is nice to just sit and process. Here's to the changing of the seasons and to many more blogs about birds (well, I hope anyway!).