Above is a video of one of the two Western Meadowlarks that Carrie and I saw in Woodford County on July 19, 2014. We drove out to find this bird after we put our dog Bobby down at our veterinarian's office. It seemed like a good way to try to get that difficult experience off of our minds. At first we saw one of the meadowlarks on the ground. Then one of the birds flew up on the power line where we could get better looks and hear it singing. This species was a lifer for Carrie. We saw them where Dr. Angelo Capparella has them every year on the stretch of 3100E Rd. between 1400N and 1600N. I had first seen them there in June 2013. We also had a Dickcissel on the power line along this stretch.
Here are a few photos of the Western Meadowlark.
On our way home, Carrie and I saw a dowitcher in a fluddle just North of 2900 N on Highway 29 between Hudson and Gridley. There were also Least Sandpipers in another fluddle just North of that one.
As for our dog Bobby, here is something I wrote about him on Facebook the same day we put him down.
"I have never had a pet that I loved so much as Bobby. Carrie had him for 11 and 1/2 years and I knew him for 7 and 1/2 of those years. When I moved from Salem Ranch to live with Carrie after we married, I was very happy to be with Carrie, but there were times when Carrie was at work that I was lonely. I missed the community of Salem, but Bobby was such wonderful company that he helped me adjust to my new home. I take comfort from my Lord who weeped when Lazarus died and said that my heavenly Father feeds the sparrows and that not one sparrow "falls to the ground apart from your Father's will." I know he loves Bobby more than we do, and I am thankful for the blessing and gift that Bobby was. Just before we were married we found out that Bobby had a kidney disease, and we thought he was going to die, but the Lord answered our prayers and gave us 7-8 more years with our dog."
We were able to take Bobby on one last walk the morning before he died. He did not want to go on a walk because he did not feel well, but I had the idea for Carrie to hold him on her lap on the front porch to see if the fresh air and the smells would make him more interested in going for a walk. It worked. After sitting on the porch for a few minutes, he was ready to take a walk. He had a difficult time drinking afterwards as the cancer had grown very rapidly and filled his mouth, pushing his tongue to the side. This was the first day that he could not drink on his own. Then I had one last car ride with Bobby on my lap, and Carrie held him on her lap at the veterinarian's office as he fell asleep and his heart stopped. His body was still warm and soft when we handed him over to our vet.
Written and published on February 25, 2014
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