This and that

I've been very sick with a cold for the past week and a half, but Pip has been super sweet about my not being able to play with her very much. She's not feeling all that well herself--or at least, her mouth isn't as her adult teeth keep coming in. Her baby incisors seem to be all out now, and I've found two of her baby molars--one in my shoe and one on the floor, which I stepped on. Two molars are VERY loose, but her baby canine teeth seem firmly rooted still, even though the adult ones are mostly in. The tooth fairy brought her a good chew toy and a Greenie shaped like a toothbrush.

This was while she had a double set of incisors as well as canines!

I wrote a blog post about birding with Pip for my own blog, and some photos I've taken of her have been popular on facebook. Everyone who meets her loves her.

Pip and Marge Gibson

Pip and her friends at Eagle Optics in Middleton, Wisconsin.

Pip and Drew Lanham

To protect Pip from ticks, which carry several diseases up here (and deer ticks are SO hard to safely remove!), I twice administered Parastar—a topical like Frontline. The first time didn't seem to bother her in the least, but the second time, her skin at the site of application seemed to bother her quite a bit for two days. That scared me, so next time we head into tick country, I'll be rubbing some food grade diatomaceous earth into her fur. If that works, that'll be ideal. Of course, no matter what we do, it's essential to check her closely, with literally a fine tooth comb, after outings. Being a little dog means she has less surface area to check, and being an adorable dog means she makes this little chore into a pleasure.

So our first four months together have been smooth sailing. I had a lot of hopes riding on this little puppy before she was even born, and a lot of people chuckled at my "great expectations" for her. But as big as those hopes were, living with the real live puppy turns out to be better than I'd dreamed.

Travels with Pip: Up to #198!

Pip on the back porch of my friends Kathy and Terry in late afternoon.

Since Tuesday, Pip has added another 900 miles in the car and three new species to her life list. On Tuesday, we drove to Baraboo to spend time with our friends Kathy and Terry, and their dogs Gus and Lola. Pip has had some wonderful experiences getting socialized with other dogs. While I was in their yard, I got to enjoy a bazillion Chimney Swifts along with lots of typical backyard birds.

Gus

Lola

Wednesday morning, Pip and I headed to Madison. I was a guest on the Larry Meiller Show at 11 am, but before that, Pip and I went birding at my my treasured birding spot, Picnic Point, which was a short walk from Russ's and my apartment when we lived in Madison. The first bird Pip and I heard, getting out of the car, was Warbling Vireo. When I say this was a bird "we" heard, I'm not exaggerating. Pip instantly looked up, searching the trees, when she heard the two males singing. I love how she pays such close attention to birds. 

This Warbling Vireo wasn't one of the Madison birds.

I associate Warbling Vireos with Picnic Point, and there were just as many now as in the 70s when I was going there every week day in spring and almost daily in summer. I love that feeling of being "home" when revisiting a beloved place and seeing and hearing familiar friends. 

There were plenty of orioles, too, but I didn't hear any singing—they were pigging out on insects in a few trees, and carrying some off to feed young, so the males are too busy now to think of singing very often.

One of the orioles Pip and I saw at Picnic Point

One species I ALWAYS used to see in summer at Picnic Point was the Red-headed Woodpecker. We didn't see one this time—they've declined so tragically since I started birding.

Red-headed Woodpecker decline in Wisconsin

Red-headed Woodpecker decline in Minnesota

Red-headed Woodpecker decline across the entire Breeding Bird Survey

Red-headed Woodpecker photographed in Georgia in 2010.

Red-headed Woodpeckers have declined so widely that it wasn't surprising not to see them at Picnic Point. Overall, unlike a great many places where I've birded, the habitat at Picnic Point is MUCH improved since the '70s. Honeysuckle used to run rampant almost everywhere on the bay side of the point, and was terribly invasive on the lake side, too. There's still some there, but lots of native plants have been put in, and the birds are more varied now than back then. I didn't hear American Redstarts this time—I used to be able to count on them, but this time we may have been there right when they're too busy with fledglings to be singing.

Pip did add one lifer at Picnic point. It flew past so quickly that I didn't get a photo, but I'll post a photo anyway, because it's the ABA Bird of the Year: the Green Heron.

Green Heron photographed at the Viera Wetlands in Florida

I felt really sad leaving Picnic Point—I went there so very often while we lived in Madison that I'm deeply bonded to the place. I took a bunch of photos of Pip—she seemed to love being there almost as much as I did.

We had to leave Picnic Point at 9:30 so I could find my way to Vilas Hall in time for the Larry Meiller show. While I was on the air, Pip patiently waited in the car—it was cool and cloudy outside, plus I had the car in a nice airy parking ramp. After our 2-mile hike, she was ready for a rest.

From there, we headed to Stockton, Illinois, for me to visit my close college friend and roommate, Kathie Levan and her husband Steve. They've both been treasured friends lo these many decades. On the way, we stopped at a Culver's in New Glarus. It seemed especially appropriate to introduce Pip to Culver's on the way to Kathie's, because Kathie is the one who first introduced me to Culver's. Pip LOVED it!

Pip got to play with Kathie and Steve's dog George, who was very patient with her although he's older and a little frail. She also got to play with one of their two cats, Chandler. I've never seen such a ginormous cat before. He and Pip played a lot of chase games—as long as Chandler knew he was totally in charge, he didn't seem to mind Pip at all. His little sister Phoebe, on the other hand, was much more reserved and avoided Pip altogether.

This cardinal is the only bird in Kathie and Steve's yard that let me take a photo.

Kathie and Steve have a simply gorgeous yard, filled with SO many gorgeous flowers and flowering shrubs, many native, and all the birds that gravitate to such a wealth of vegetation. In the evening, Kathie and I sat in the front yard waiting for her evening primroses to open. Pip waited too, though a bit less patiently. Here's a link to a speeded up video of the last minute and a half or so—the video takes 26 seconds.

After breakfast, I headed to Eagle Optics in Middleton, Wisconsin, so I could say hi to all my friends there. Pip had a grand time meeting everyone. I got a photo of just three of the great people who work there. (I have absolutely no business associations with Eagle Optics. But I know and trust the employees and have a great deal of respect for the owner, and know how much of their profits go into conservation, so this is the only retailer I endorse, and I endorse them enthusiastically.)

Pip and friends Tom, Ben, and Mike at Eagle Optics

I was hoping I could get Pip some more lifers on the way home. Mike suggested we stop at Indian Lake. He and Tom got me directions, and I blithely set out for there without realizing I used to go there quite a bit with Ken Wood back in the '70s. I'm afraid when I get into someone else's car I'm like a dog getting into an elevator. I get in in one place, ride a bit, and get out in an entirely different place with no idea how I got there. But when I got to the park, it was VERY familiar.

Mike thought we should be able to get Acadian Flycatchers and the species I was most hoping for, Yellow-throated Vireo. He thought it was at least possible we might also luck into a Cerulean Warbler, as well. But we got there a bit after noon, and in the heat of the day, not one of those species was singing. Nevertheless, Pip did get two lifers: several Field Sparrows were singing away, and we also spotted a couple of  Red-headed Woodpeckers--the species we didn't see at Picnic Point! So now Pip is up to 198 on her life list. I wonder what species will be her #200?

Pip at Indian Lake County Park

Pip also got a lifer mammal: a cute little mink that had been heading for a culvert. I got a LOT of photos. This was probably a mother searching for food for her young ones.

Mink running across the road

Mink in a culvert

From there, we went briefly to Goose Pond, just because I always have to check that out when I pass the Arlington exit—Tree and Barn Swallows were feeding babies, and we heard cranes and saw lots of Song Sparrows and Red-winged Blackbirds.

Red-winged Blackbird making himself beautiful at Goose Pond

Then we made another quick stop, at the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge. We got there at 4:30, so the visitor center was closed, and I was already getting tired of driving and knew I'd not be getting home until dark, so we did kind of a rush job and didn't see anything new, but it was a nice stop anyway.

Pip visits Necedah National Wildlife Refuge

We made it home by dusk. Pip was happy to be home again, but already she is on red alert anytime I go near the door to the garage—she's eager for our next adventure!

Puppy in a car

As of yesterday, Pip has logged over 5,300 miles in my car. She's an excellent little traveler—never once has she shown any kind of car sickness. On one absurdly long trip--we went about 600 miles in one day, including through rush hour in Chicago when detours and an accident sent us right through the city (it took almost 3 hours to get from the end of the Indiana toll road to just past O'Hare!)--she got a bit restless, though that simply involved a bit of whimpering and needing extra pats. Normally she settles in for the duration.

I don't know how to prevent or deal with car sickness--I've never had a dog who suffered from that. I think part of my luck in Pip's excellent car skills comes from our very first rides the weekend I got her. My sister-in-law drove from the breeder's house while I held Pip in my lap, and the trip lasted only about a half hour. Then I drove with her on short legs, giving her time to adjust to the car carrier (with the special pad her breeder gave me that smelled like her mother and brothers), and partly with my friend Kathy holding her, until our first fairly long solo trip when we went from Baraboo, Wisconsin, home to Duluth. I had her in the front seat in her carrier, and I slipped the zipper partly open so I could reach in and pat her as I drove. We stopped at every rest stop for her to sniff about, but at that point I had to be VERY careful because she hadn't had her vaccination boosters yet, so that part wasn't as fun for her as it could have been. 

I keep one mostly white baby blanket in the car, which I use to cover most of her carrier when the blazing sun is shining on her carrier as we drive. So far it hasn't been hot where I've taken her, and I've never had to leave her in the car for more than 5 minutes, but when I do have to run in for an errand, a bathroom stop, etc., I cover the top of her car set with that white blanket, open the windows a couple of inches each, and run in. I keep a shoulder bag that she's comfortable riding in in the car, so when we do start encountering hot weather or the car has to be left in a sunny parking lot, I can pop her in that and just take her along--yet another great benefit to having a small breed. 

I keep a big water bottle in the car, and a dish for water, and whenever I stop, I give her a drink. A few times after I've washed it, I have forgotten the dish at home, so at stops, I simply poured water into a cupped hand—she instantly learned to drink from my hand. 

I haven't worried about what she eats before a trip--she's not a very big eater, so at home she always has kibble available, and whenever she seems interested, I give her soft food. She's still a bit like a baby bird--after she eats, she often needs to poop right away--so I of course always take her out before we leave on any trip. I feel sorry for people whose dogs get car sick because I've really never had to think about scheduling food before a trip.

I keep some nutritious snacks in the car, and always have a few chew toys in her carrier for her. I play music or news programs while we're driving, and she seems to like it when I talk to her or sing along. I think she actually finds our time in the car fun.

I keep one retractable leash in the car, with a holder for poop bags attached. I hook that via a carabiner to my belt pouch when Pip and I are birding, so my hands are free but I can instantly rein her in if necessary. And I never, ever leave home before I put her little harness on--hooking a leash to that is much safer on a tiny dog than hooking the leash to a neck collar. But I do keep a regular collar on her, too, with her name and my phone numbers, just in case. She's also micro-chipped, but if someone were to find her, I'd want contact information to be available instantly.

I don't know how much I can credit Pip's ease in the car to her own wonderful personality, whether I'm doing something unique that has contributed to it, and whether my own calm expectation that of course she'd be good in the car has helped. But this is just one more way that I feel exceedingly lucky to have this little puppy.

Pip with her retractable leash.

Pip goes to Hunt Hill Audubon Center

Pip's lifer Golden-winged Warbler

I gave a talk at Hunt Hill Audubon Center today, and then Pip and I took a little walk so Pip could get her lifer Golden-winged Warbler. Hunt Hill is the best place I know to see them. We didn't start our walk until noon, and except for a few persistent vireos (Warbling and Red-eyed) and a very persistent Indigo Bunting, there wasn't much song, but that's okay--I can't hear Golden-wings without my hearing aids anymore anyway. I did get quick looks at two females carrying food, and one male came out long enough for some crappy back-lit photos, but that was plenty good enough for a lifer. We didn't take a lot of time--a Common Yellowthroat male got a little agitated at Pip, and I didn't want to have birds focusing on her more than on their nesting responsibilities, so we mostly kept walking except when we found a Black-and-white Warbler taking a mid-day preening session. He didn't seem to mind us watching.

Black-and-white Warbler

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Shark baby

Pip's adult teeth are coming in, but her baby teeth aren't quite ready to come out, giving her a nice set of doubles. She had a vet appointment today (weighed in at 5.2 pounds), and she confirmed that the baby teeth are loose, and should be out soon. She also said that it looks like Pip's teeth will line up perfectly.

Pip does not approve of my photographing her teeth. 

Pip goes to the bog!

Pip went to the bog with Erik Bruhnke and me for a day of birding and testing hearing aids for birding--Pip didn't actually wear a hearing aid or anything, but she helped by being very quiet when I was testing. She had a great time, and even added one lifer! She's now up to 5,100 miles in the car and 194 species on her life list.

Pip at the end of Stone Lake Road, next to shore

Pip discovers a Canada Goose feather

At home after birding with Erik

Pip will be available for autographs

Pip in the August 2015 issue of BirdWatching