Comments on: Welcome to Ocellated

By: Bill Shepherd

Bill Shepherd — Thu, 17 Nov 2005 21:05:18 +0000

Jay:

DEET doesn’t work as well as “flowers of sulfur” for repelling ticks. (Pour the sulfur into an old sock, tie it at the top, then beat your jeans with it.)

Permethrin, which you can buy in an aerosol can at Wal-Mart, is the best in my opinion. It may be packaged under the name REPEL. Read the label.

BE SURE TO FOLLOW DIRECTIONS FOR USE, as this stuff shouldn’t be breathed or allowed to get on your skin.

Of course, whatever chemical defense you use, you also need to have the cuffs of your pants tucked into your socks and then rubber boots over the socks.

Chiggers and ticks will grab hold of skin or fabric but not rubber.

Bill

By: Jay

Jay — Thu, 03 Nov 2005 02:23:57 +0000

Peggy, feel free to pass the site along to whoever you wish.

Mary, no, since I´m getting to fly to south Texas and back, I won´t be coming through San Antonio. But I´m sure we´ll be down there soon enough since Amy´s parent still live there and they will eventually insist on seeing their daughter again.

By: Mary Riedel

Mary Riedel — Wed, 02 Nov 2005 15:44:48 +0000

Jay,

This is such a cool website! Thanks for including me on your mailing list. Your photographs are beautiful! I especially like the fat chipmunk–haha. Have fun on your trip to South Texas. Will you be passing through San Antonio?

Mary

By: Peggy Beckham

Peggy Beckham — Wed, 02 Nov 2005 03:07:40 +0000

Hi Jay,
What a great treat browsing thro’ your blog sites…loved the picture galleries! You helped me more than you’ll ever know on butterfly identification…love the picture of the Crescent on the grey plants! You have two pics labeled ‘pale-banded caterpillar’…but one seems to have ‘graduated’ to butterfly status! You have some amazing shots…which also tells me you have amazing patience and tenacity as such pictures don’t come easily. Thank you so much for sharing them…would you mind if I sent your blog address to Jim Alexander who would enjoy it so much…he has cultivated a terrific butterfly garden at this home on Elm Creek (1158 Elmwood), and I would love for you to meet him sometime. Your So. Texas and Mexico trips sound exciting…will be anxious to read your reports. If ever you want to go to the ranch(Spring Gap in Callahan Co) please feel free to call me…still remember the good Audubon field trip several years ago and appreciated your sending me the bird list so much. Peggy B.

By: Emily Felts

Emily Felts — Tue, 01 Nov 2005 16:48:13 +0000

Hey Jay! Too bad I have not idea how to use XHTML or I would use caps and block letters and stuff. Ha! Anyway, I’m glad your blog is not just a boring-regular-everyone-has-one-now-because-they-think-they-are-cool blog. It is true that the two line conversations at church are hardly sufficient to keep the friendships alive. Monty and I were just saying the other night how we never talk to you and Amy enough anymore, and we were sad. Thanks for the email letting us know about your page…

By: Jay

Jay — Tue, 01 Nov 2005 15:12:59 +0000

I saw a pair of Ocellated Antbirds in lowland forest in northeast Costa Rica, in May of 2001. It was the coolest ant swarm I’ve ever seen, and there were birds everywhere. In addition to Ocellated Antbird, there were Bicolored, Spotted, and Chestnut-backed Antbirds.

There were also several species of Dendrocolaptids (can’t remember which ones off the top of my head). Plus a whole bunch of other stuff nearby. All going nuts on the thousands of ants darkening the forest floor. It’s one of my most vivid and exciting birding memories, thus making Ocellated a good name for a website.

By: Nick

Nick — Tue, 01 Nov 2005 10:10:38 +0000

When/where did you see Ocellated Antbird? We saw a few at a swarm in Ecuador…definitely one of the coolest birds I’ve ever seen! I look forward to seeing you next week in Harlingen.

Nick