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Wednesday, Feb 27, 2008
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LIVE from the Ranch
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We trotted out yesterday morning leaving tracks in fresh snow. It was cold, but not bitter. Duke, Tex, Nicole and I, and Jeff Gossage down from the MZ. As we rode up through the South Wolf checking heifers a light fog settled over the landscape. It was a magical moment, riders and cattle in the mist. We doctored four and then headed south for the main work of the day. By the time we rode into Headquarters at 6pm we had covered a big circle. Down through the Longbranch checking bred heifers, by the Carpenter pens and into SE Burnt Creek. The sun came out and the day turned warm. We gathered over 800 cows up into the NE corner of the pasture and held them up to sort out a group of thirty 2 year old steers, around the same number of Beefmaster cows and a few calves and pairs that missed weaning. The sort went smoothly, the herd holders complimenting the cutters as a team to work the cattle out of the herd. The cows were moved into the Carpenter pasture where they will remain through calving. We recut the cut, pulling out the Beefmaster cows. Tex and I trailed them West accross SE Burnt Creek and West Burnt Creek to Dry Creek and the rest of the Beefmaster herd. Then we trotted for home,across the Whipple, Schoolhouse and Rose. Duke, Jeff and Nicole had trailed the rest of the group the several miles back to Headquarters and arrived just before us. Dave and Horacio were just pulling in also after there own adventures trying to gather yearling Beefmasters in zero visibility fog and trail them to the far south end of the ranch.
A big circle and a big day, the sun going down, tired horses, tired riders.
Today Dawn and I are headed south for Alpine Texas, and the Texas state Cowboy Poetry Gathering. Friday and Saturday we will sing for people about the life we lead. Can I put a day like that in a song?
See you all next week.
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Posted by Michael M. on 02/27/2008
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Sunday, Feb 24, 2008
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Birding at the Chico
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They're Back - Cinnamon Teal
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The earlest migrant duck, one that completely leaves Colorado during the winter was at Chico today. Two Cinnamon Teal drakes of this incredibly beautiful duck were at HQ Pond along with a other ducks that winter wherever there is open water. Cinnamon Teal are true western species only breeding in our western states. Along with Ruddy Duck, it is the only duck that breeds in both North and South America. Drakes return north first, followed by the hens. This is a species that breeds in the upland areas on Chico.
Most of the other duck species at Chico today are diving ducks compared to Cinnamon Teal and Gadwall, which are dabblers. Dabblers are usually seen close to shore where they tip over, head down and tail up, in the shallow water vegetation. They have smaller feet than the divers such as Redhead, Canvasback, and Ring-necked Ducks, whose feet need to be larger to help propel them into deeper water for their food.
I never think that winter is over until I see my first Cinnamon Teal of the year. Time for Spring.
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Posted by Bill M. on 02/24/2008
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Friday, Feb 22, 2008
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LIVE from the Ranch
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We are still recieving yearling heifers and it is feast or famine. We received two yesterday(one at 3am), and we will recieve two more today and one tomorrow. In an ideal world they would arrive in a more steady and regular manner, but when the right cattle are there at the right price you have to take advantage of the situation. This is the origional stock market, and good market timing is the critical difference between profit and loss. We hope we are buying right, then we will see if we can sell them right also.
With these extra loads coming in we have put off a cattle move till Monday we planned to do today and we will concentrate on getting these heifers processed and out on grass.
We have a new hand and family on the ranch. Tex Goates and his wife Teylor arrived from SE Oregon this past weekend and have settled into the Casita to make it their home. Teylor is pregnant with their first child which adds a level of excitment to this move for them. I am especially happy to have Tex here since we have been friends for several years. He worked for me when I managed a ranch in the mountains near Kremmling. He was 18 years old and already had some good skills, but his biggest assetts were a good attitude and lots of try. He has covered a lot of country since then and comes to us now a real hand, but I think those other assets may still be what sets him apart.
Teylor is a great match for him, with a lot of spunk( required to keep Tex in line). She hails from Iowa and has taken to ranch life like a natural. Teylor sold her car and bought a saddle and is working on her own ranch skills, but I have to admit what I am looking forward to is her pies. She is a cocinera and a trained pastry Chef.
Welcome to Tex and Teylor.
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Posted by Michael M. on 02/22/2008
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Sunday, Feb 17, 2008
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Birding at the Chico
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Western Meadowlark
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A partial exception to the "all birds are either brown and gray rule" at Chico are Western Meadowlarks. Whereas their backs are streaked with many shades of brown and tan, there ventral sides are not. This characteristic species of the western prairies is starting to sing on warm days on the Ranch. It is one of the most easily recognized bird species (except it has a look-alike species, Eastern Meadowlark that sometmes makes it to Colorado) with its lemon-yellow breast and black bib.
Western Meadowlark has an intersting latin name, neglecta, meaing overlooked. It was so named by John James Audubon, becasue it was overlooked by the Lewis and Clark Expedition. They obviously saw thousands of these birds but didn't notice that they have a different song than their eastern relatives.
On Saturday, Western Meadowlarks were starting their northbound migration and a few were visible on exposed perches, singing their beautiful flute-like loud songs.
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Posted by Bill M. on 02/17/2008
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Thursday, Feb 14, 2008
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LIVE from the Ranch
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This week has been dominated by recieving and processing cattle. Dave is on vacation(Costa Rica) and we are waiting on a new employee this weekend (more on him later). We would feel short handed if it were not for an intern from Switzerland. Nicole is 22 years old and out to discover the world. Her family runs a resturant and hotel high in the Swiss Alps which is only open during the summer, so she has the winters to go adventuring. She has been here about three weeks and will be with us through the first half of April. I can tell already we will be sad to see her go. She works hard, learns quick, and keeps a great attitude all the time. After a long day I told her we would try not to abuse her too much, but she just said, "Oh, this is like being on holiday." So much for our tough western work ethic. Nicole has been through an ag vocational program in Switzerland and hopes to be able to raise the meat served in her families resturant.
We really enjoy having visitors from around the world here at the Chico. From Mexico to Australia to Canada, Denmark, England and Germany we have meet many wonderful people. If we ever have the time and money to travel the world again, we will have lots of people to visit.
It is brisk and cold again today and spitting snow. I had better get to work.
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Posted by Michael M. on 02/14/2008
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Tuesday, Feb 12, 2008
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Birding at the Chico
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Curve-billed Thrasher - Songster
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What are the first birds to sing in the spring? Two species on Chico Basin Ranch begin to nest in late winter. Great Horned Owls can already be heard who-whowhowho-whoing at dusk and through the night, and they are already siting on eggs.
The first "songbird" to nest on Chico is probably Curve-billed Thrasher. Another one of Chico's gray birds, this distinctive large species begings to sing in Febraury in many parts of its range. All thrashers are mimics, and their loud songs are surpisingly complex. Curve-billed Thrashers start the early breeding season with whisper songs, ones that are just audible from close range. Later in early spring they will be seen in early morning perched on cholla cactus, their prefered breeding habitat, where the cactus spines protect nests from predation. When not singing, Curve-billed Thrasher can be found if you know their characteristic whitWEETwhit calls. By late March, one can often be seen perched on the large bales in the northwest cornoer of the big alfalfa field, adjacent to one of their favorite breeding areas. Another pair is always found in the big cholla patch just south of Bar JH.
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Posted by Bill M. on 02/12/2008
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Friday, Feb 08, 2008
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LIVE from the Ranch
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Over the last two days we have been moving cattle up in the Sand. Wednesday we moved 500 cows from the south end of the Sand up to the North end. About the time we started gathering, gale force winds started up out of the North and those cows were not really interested in walking into it. It started to look like we going to be in the middle of a blizzard in a few minutes, and then suddenly the wind died, and the sun even came out before it disappeared behind the Sangre De Christos. We finally put them throught the gate and onto water just as it was getting too dark to see. Yesterday, four of us gathered and moved around 1,200 head of calves, no problems at all. We would have been home by noon, but as we settled them on water one calf got tangled in the electric fence and managed to tear half a mile of it down befor he got loose. We pulled into HQ about two, in time to get all of chores done and prep for today.
This morning Horacio is headed back out to the Sand to move some pairs with baby calves we left the other day and check everything. We will recieve another load of heifers and then brand and vaccinate this afternoon.
The weather has turned warmer again, yesterday morning was single digits, but this morning it was 28 degrees. It keeps teasing us with springtime, but I think we have a way to go.
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Posted by Michael M. on 02/08/2008
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Tuesday, Feb 05, 2008
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LIVE from the Ranch
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We woke up to a blizzardy world this morning, so we postponed a cow move we had planned until tomorrow afternoon. We did recieve our first load of 88 yearling heifers. They are a nice looking group. I imagine the weather today was quite a shock. They are from Texas and may never have even seen snow before. We weighed them today and will brand and vacinate them tomorrow, before turning them out in the Horse Trap at Headquarters. Recieving young cattle is much like weaning calves. The stress of travel and a new environment can weaken their immune system. For the first 21 days we will keep a close eye on these cattle.
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Posted by Michael M. on 02/05/2008
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Merlin
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Birding at the Chico
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Sunday, my nephew Dan and I birded around HQ, by Black Squrriel Creek pond, and amongst the olives near the RMBO banding station. Dan, who is new to birding, saw five species he had never seen before, Ferruginous Hawk, Marsh Wren, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Harris's Sparrow, and Merlin.
Merilns are small falcons with attitudes. They show no fear of any other bird, smaller or larger. They perch quietly while waiting for movement and then fly directly to their prey, including birds as large as pigeons. Pigeon Hawk was an old name for this species, although it is a falcon, not a hawk.
Merlins nest in the coniferous forests across Canada and Alaska, terrorizing small birds that they pluck from the air with its talons. Like all falcons, Merlins have long legs and sharp curved talons which are used to capture prey in the air. All falcons also have notched beaks which they use to crush the neck vertebrae of their prey.
HQ pond is starting to open. Canvasback, Redhead, Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead, and Common Goldeneyes are present.
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Posted by Bill M. on 02/04/2008
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Saddle House Photos
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LIVE from the Ranch
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.JPG)
As Promised, here are a few photos of the saddle house progress.
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Posted by Kim S. on 02/01/2008
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Friday, Feb 01, 2008
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LIVE from the Ranch
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.JPG)
The Guys have been working on the construction of the saddle house all day with the exception of stopping for lunch. The weather has been pretty cooperative with the full sun and light but chilly winds coming from the west. Thanks for the emails asking about our progress. I will keep everybody up to date and informed.....
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Posted by Kim S. on 02/01/2008
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LBJs
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Birding at the Chico
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Although this is a wintering American Tree Sparrow, a far north breeder who is only here during the winter, it is a good example of what some birders call, LBJs, or Little Brown Jobs. Someone new to birding may complain that all of the birds at Chico are either gray or brown and that many seem to look alike.
Any artist would probably tell you that the predominant colors on the Eastern Plains are browns and grays, so species that also share those two colorations will be less likely to be seen by predators. The cryptic coloration of most sparrows and the fact they feed predominately on the ground, give them a greater chance of survival while foraging. Raptors and other prey species, when looking down from above, will see mottled shades of browns, the colors of the winter grasses and the winter birds. The birds will live to see another day.
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Posted by Bill M. on 02/01/2008
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