On the path again

We haven't been doing full walks on our path recently because it's been so hot. Yesterday morning we walked partway on the path. Surprisingly, there was a small group of teenagers sitting on the path, between Norma and Downs. I was a little uneasy approaching them, because you never know what teenagers might do. However, this is such a dusty little town, so religious, so well-educated. I thought to myself, I'll bet nothing will happen. As we approached the group I could see that it was 2 boys and 2 girls, all dressed a little bit punk, whatever punk is called these days. I expected to see cigarettes, but there were none. They were just sitting there. I felt a pang, to think of Baby A and Baby B doing something like that someday. As the boos and I went past, none of the teens acknowledged our existence, except that I heard one of the boys singing softly "Kumbaya my lord, kumbaya." I suspect they might have been just a little stoned. Seemed rather funny. I remember being that age.

Today we took an even more abbreviated walk because it hit 90 degrees before we even left the house. We were walking down Bataan, which is a couple blocks from our house, and up ahead I saw an odd bird. It looked like a Roadrunner, but I thought, no, a Roadrunner wouldn't be on the sidewalk, it must be a Great-tailed Grackle. But no, it was indeed a Roadrunner. As we got closer, it ran into someone's yard, then up on a fence, and then up on the roof! We got a really good look at it until it ran over the other side of the roof and scared a whole flock of mockingbirds. A Roadrunner is a really goofy looking bird.

Then on our way back, on the path, I saw a bird flying and it looked different from the usual group of doves and finches and sparrows. I have started bringing binoculars on our walks, so I pulled them out and looked at it. I believe it was an American Kestrel! But it seemed darker than the ones I'm familiar with. I wonder if there's a desert version?

So despite the awful heat, some interesting bird life out there. No stoned teenagers today, it must have been too hot even for them.