Buzzard reproduction

 https://photos.app.goo.gl/wQSQhoxhkw8HKSs39

 Now, there are two.  The second hatched today (6/29) between mid morning and late afternoon.

A few days ago, I found a buzzard had been making a mess of my south field PV equipment room, formerly a greenhouse.  I found two eggs on the ground inside the greenhouse and moved them outside.  Then, blocked the two doors into the room.  The momma is non aggressive but can almost always be found at the eggs; she just hops off when I arrive.

 6/30/2021

Chicks appear about the same as yesterday, above.

Donna and  Ray offer that they seem to be "Black Vultures" rather than the more common "Turkey Vultures":

https://txtbba.tamu.edu/species-accounts/black-vulture

 https://txtbba.tamu.edu/species-accounts/turkey-vulture/

 

7/5/2021

Nothing much to report. They've grown a bit.

 7/15/2012

Progress!  Both chicks standing outside the nest area on their feet, holding out their wings.  I was a bit worried since I had seen a loose hound dog roaming around this morning.  A dump job, likely.  Collar but no tags.

It may be that buzzards are not considered "fair game".  A few years ago, I found a dead buzzard near a vegetable field and nothing would touch it.  For your random dead animals, they get cleaned up in a day or two.  The buzzard laid there for months.

 7/23/2012  Missing chicks

I took a couple of photos and added to album 7/21 but did not post here.  Today, I drove by and was surprised to find no chicks.  The adult is usually either absent or on the ground near the chicks.  Today, the adult was perched up off the ground which is unusual.  She flew off but there were no chicks in the area.  Either "something bad" has happened or the chicks are wandering somewhere.  I'll check on them several times tomorrow and report.

9/12/2012

After an absence of near two months, during which I suspected the worst, the near grown chicks reappeared!

The whole area under that shed shows evidence of buzzard presence/activity.    The two chicks are quite timid, preferring to hide than fight or flee.   "Mildred! Be VERY still.  I don't think he sees us." I sure wish I knew what they were doing for the past two months.

9/13/2021

This morning, the chicks remain huddled up in their protected place, lumber and stuff leaning against a barn wall.  Near their hatching spot.  Still maintaining a very low profile.  No evidence of adults.

Border Radio and Charlatans

 I've started re-reading a book entitled "Border Radio".

Wikipedia article on "Border Blasters":

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Border_blaster

I recall hearing border blaster broadcasts on the radio but that must have been long after their heydays since my listening would have been no earlier than the early 1950s.

My interest was especially piqued because I had a great aunt that was convinced that she was cured of stomach cancer in Eureka Springs Arkansas by one of the principals of border radio in the 1930s:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_G._Baker

I had a false lead that the "doctor" of interest was https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_R._Brinkley but Brinkley had no Eureka Springs connection.  And Dr Brinkley's "thing" was impotence treatment with goat gonad transplants.  The family of my great aunt reports what a pleasant place Eureka Springs was.  They lived in Eureka Springs for a period of time while my aunt was treated, apparently as an outpatient.  "Treatment" was reported to be mostly ingesting great quantities of freshly extracted carrot juice.  I believe my aunt ended her days believing that she had been cured by Dr Baker.   Most family members now offer the opinion that she never had cancer.  I grew up with some association with the aunt and never considered questioning her cure belief; it was not a topic that greatly interested me at the time.   But, my interest in history has grown over the years.  The time Baker operated in Eureka Springs was brief,   He bought the Crescent Hotel, his hospital in Eureka Springs, in 1937 and he was imprisoned in May 1941.  His cancer treatment business likely fell apart at his imprisonment. 

 

PV Energy Report

 We've had about a week of pretty sunny weather following at least a month of rainy cloudy weather.  Good PV production. Listed are the four meters (with transformers) that I have.  "HillTop" was installed several months ago solely for the purpose of delivering energy to my utility. Yesterday, June 19, 2021 yielded:

1) new "topofhill" transformer        167 kwh

2) "Across the Road", ATR                328 kwh

3) "House"                                        173 kwh

4) "Pool"/"Big Barn"                        108 kwh

All are "net". Production that exceeds use.

The total for the first three is 668 kwh for which I am credited at $.06/kwh monthly.  $40 for the day.  Each day for the past week has been close to that.

The 4th meter production is credited annually at $.03/kwh.  So, about $3 for that day for that meter.  Each meter cost me about $.75/day for the "overhead" connection fee.  The 4th meter generally more than pays for the connection fees.  In addition, the 4th meter/transformer supplies me true "net metering", "use the grid as a battery".  It doesn't matter when I use the energy; I am billed nothing for it if my contributions for a month exceed my use.  For that benefit, I accept the much lower payment rate.  The rate structure on the other three meters/transformers mean that I pay $.10/kwh for night time use no matter how much I may produce during daylight hours.

I am working to bring production for all four meters up nearer their transformer capacities.  My estimates for the upper limits are 400, 400,  300, and 140 for the meters respectively.  That is, I might be able to get best day peak productions up to 1100 kwh ($66) per day for the monthly credited meters.  After that?  Time to add a 5th meter/transformer!

 

6/30/2021

20 days into my billing period with the last 10 being sub par from cloudiness.  Average over the 20 days has been about 566 kwh.  Near $34/day.  On target for a $1k month.

Original Jeddo solar project post updated

 https://wmckemie.blogspot.com/2021/01/1500-acres-of-pv-near-jeddo.html