Bird #6

I love these guys. They look like wild canaries. But, they are not related to real canaries.  And they are almost always found in pairs. Once again, according to the Bishop Museum:

Saffron Finches are native to S America and have been successfully introduced to Panama, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and on O’ahu and Hawai’i I in the Southeastern Hawaiian Islands (Long 1981, Lever 1987, Ridgely and Tudor 1989, AOU 1998). Populations on both islands have been established since introduction in the mid 1960s.

On Hawai’i I, individuals were apparently released along with other finches and waxbills at the Pu’u Wa’a Wa’a Ranch in or before 1965 and they were reported to be increasing by Dec 1967. . .  By the 1990s-2000s they had become established throughout the island including Volcano (e.g., 4 recorded there on the 2003 Christmas Count), being one of the most common species in drier and man-altered habitats.

Note to Carlton: You are officially dead. And we were indeed married. Today the Social Security Administration put $255 in my account. That would be the Surviving Spouse Lump-sum Death Payment. However, I really think you are worth more than $255. I’d send the money back if I thought it would give me another day with you. I will think of something to do with the money. Maybe I’ll turn it into a Starbucks Card!

On the REAL food front. For lunch I nuked a sweet potato and had it with a little chicken. I made hardboiled eggs in the rice cooker. And, I am planning on have avocado and cheese sandwich plus a beer for dinner. I have lost 3 pounds since I got here. I have been exercising more than I have been eating. But, I don’t want to start junking up my diet. I am trying to eat a little more “good stuff” every day. Beer is included in “good stuff”.