Christmas Letter 2013

Dear friends and family,

　

Michelle recorded some music this month with her friend, Mike Bartils, just in time for Christmas. For those of you who still have CD players, enjoy. If not, you can throw it in a box with your records, cassettes and eight tracks. I really married Michelle for her voice. I mean, she's pretty now, but I'll still be able to listen to her sing when she's old, wrinkly, saggy, and incontinent.

If my count is correct we still have two children. I can't remember their names or ages right now, but as you can see from the picture (the same one we sent to the nice people at Child Protective Services), they are adequately clean, nourished and clothed. Michelle can fill you in on them if she ever returns from Hobby Lobby.

We moved to a new house a couple of months ago. It's just down the street from our old house and in the same ward and school. We pretty much bought it because it smelled so nice, but now that we've been living in it for three months it just smells like us. Ewww!

Have a Merry Christmas

Love,

The Woolfs

This is Michelle. If you're reading this out loud, you should probably change to a falsetto voice and add a slight lisp to sound more feminine.

Whitney is 10, in 4th grade, and growing into a sweet young lady. She's very artistic and is torn between designing fashion, creating dream rooms, or writing novels. We just hope she stays really pretty, because all of those jobs are dumb.

Dane is 6, started kindergarten, and seems to finally be learning to behave himself. His teacher lets him stand at his desk instead of sitting down with all the other kids because he's so "energetic". He's cool.

KC is so incredibly wonderful and awesome that every morning when he leaves for work I sit hugging  and smelling his pillow, awaiting his return and yearning for his presence.  Chemists working for Giorgio Armani created Acqua de Gio by analyzing and attempting to imitate K.C.'s perspirationg.    You should all make it your New Year's resolution to be more like him.

p.s. Michelle didn't get back in time to write anything, but I'm pretty sure that's what she'd say.

Big Island Vacation

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Photo Book Tip: Create an adventurous travel photo album at Shutterfly.com.

Bird Nerd List - Hawaii, July 20123 update.

Michelle and I just got back from our trip to Hawaii, the Big Island and Oahu.  Will do another post of the whole trip later.  On the Big Island we stayed at a bed and breakfast on an old coffee plantation where I saw several of Hawaii's alien bird species, like the Northern Cardinal, Red-billed Leiothrix, Japanese White-eye, Yellow-billed Cardinal, Saffron Finch and Yellow-fronted Canary, many of them while just sitting in the hot tub with my smokin' hot wife.  I went on a guided hike into the restricted Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge up in the higher country (I couldn't talk Michelle into coming with me) where I saw several endemic forest birds, including the Hawaiian Hawk ('Io),  Hawaii 'Elepaio, 'Oma'o, Akakane ('Akepa), Hawaii 'Amakikihi, Hawaii Creeper, 'Apapane, and 'I'iwi.  On Oahu I saw the endangered Hawaiian Coot ('Alae ke'oke'o) and Hawaiian Moorhen ('Alae 'ula).  While shooting pictures of a couple of Hawaiian Moorhens I was surprised to see one climb on the other's back with both feet.  I wondered what he was doing until I saw the lower Moorhen arch forward receptively and while they went at it like avian porn stars (see pictures below).  I might send those pictures into the Audubon Magazine. 

In all I saw 24 new bird species, with 4 of which are endangered species.  I think I got descent pictures of most of them.  I also got some  better pictures of some of the ones I'de seen before in Maui, like the Apapane.  Enjoy (if you're a nerd). 

1. Muscovy Duck (CR)
2. Neotropic Cormorant (CR)
3. Anhinga (CR)
4. Bare-troated Tiger-Heron (CR)
5. Little Blue Heron (CR)
6. Great Egret (CR) (Bolsa Chica, Ca., Nov. '12)

7. Great Blue Heron (CR)(Farmington Bay, Ut., April '12)
8. Cattle Egret (CR)
9. Snowy Egret (CR)(Farmington Bay, Ut., April '12) (Bolsa, Chica, Ca., Nov. '12)

10. Green Heron (CR)
11. Tricolored Heron (CR)
12. Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (CR)
13. Black Vulture (CR)
14. Turkey Vulture (CR)
15. Broad-winged Hawk (CR)
16. Common Black-Hawk (CR)
17. Merlin (CR)
18. Northern Jacana (CR)
19. Black-necked Stilt (CR)(Farmington Bay, Ut., April '12)

20. Sanderling (CR, Antelope Island, Maui)

(in Maui)

21. Least Sandpiper (CR)
22. Red-lored Parrot (CR)
23. Mealy Parrot (CR)
24. Squirrel Cuckoo (CR)
25. Groove-billed Ani (CR)
26. Band-tailed Barbthroat Hummingbird (CR)
27. Violaceous Trogon (CR)
28. Green Kingfisher (CR)
29. Belted Kingfisher (CR)(Nebraska)
30. Amazon Kingfisher (CR)
31. Chestnut-mandibled Toucan (CR)
32. Keel-billed Toucan (CR)
33. Collared Aracari (CR)
34. Chestnut-backed Antbird (CR)
35. Yellow-bellied Elaenia (CR)
36. Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (CR)
37. Boat-billed Flycatcher (CR)
38. Great Kiskadee (CR)
39. Social Flycatcher (CR)
40. Tropical Kingbird (CR)
41. Mangrove Swallow (CR)
42. Clay-colerd Robin (CR)
43. Northern Parula (CR)
44. Summer Tanager (CR)
45. Passerini's Tanager (CR)
46. Great-tailed Grackle (CR)
47. Scarlet-rumped Cacique (CR)
49. Baltimore Oriole (CR)
50. Chestnut-headed Oropendola (CR)
51. Montezuma Oropendola (CR)
52. European Starling (Ut)
53. Red-winged Blackbird (Pineview Reservoir, Ut., March '12)
54. Black-billed Magpie (Ut)
55. Osprey (Pineview Reservoir, Ut., March '12)
56. Pine Siskin (Ut)
57. House Finch (Ut)
58. American Tree Sparow (Ut)
59. Cassin's Finch (Ut)
60. White-crowned Sparrow (Ut)
61. Mourning Dove (Ut)
62. Mallard (Ut)
63. Northern Pintail (Pineview Reservior, Ut., March, '12)
64. Northern Shoveler (Pineview Reservoir, Ut., March, '12)
65. Northern Harrier (Antelope Island, Ut., March, '12)
66. Black-capped Chicadee (Ut)
67. American Robin (Ut)
68. Eurasian Collared-Dove (Ut)
69. Rock Pigeon (Ut)
70. Canada Goose (Pineview Reservior, Ut., March '12)

71. Common Merganser (Male, Pineview Reservior, Ut., March '12) female (Causey Reservoir, Ut., May '12)
72. California Gull (Ut)
73. Western Meadowlark (Antelope Island, Ut., March, '12)

74. Wood duck(Ut, March, '12)

75. Gambel's Quail - (Ogden Nature Center - March, '12)
76. House Sparrow - (Ut., March, '12)
77. Dark Eyed Junco (Ut., March, '12)
78. American Goldfinch (Layton, Ut., March, '12)
79. Sandhill Crane (Farmington Bay, Ut., March, '12)
80. Killdeer (Farmington Bay, Ut., March, '12)
81. Bufflehead (Farmington Bay, Ut., March, '12)
82. American Coot (Farmington Bay, Ut., March, '12)
83. American Avocet (Farmington Bay, Ut., March, '12)
84. Chipping Sparrow (Farmington Bay, Ut., March, '12)
85. American Kestrel (Farmington Bay, Ut., March, '12)

86. American White Pelican (Farmington Bay, Ut., March, '12)

87. Green-Winged Teal (Farmington Bay, Ut., March, '12)
88. Cinnamon Teal (Farmington Bay, Ut., March, '12)
89. Gadwall (Farmington Bay, Ut., March, '12)
90. Downy Woodpecker (Layton, Ut., March, '12)
91. Double Crested Cormorant (Jensen's Nature Park, Ut., April, '12)
92. Yellow-headed Blackbird (Jensen's Nature Park, Ut., April, '12)
93. American Wigeon (Jensen's Nature Park, Ut., April '12)
94. Barn Swallow (Antelope Island, Ut., April '12)
95. Horned Grebe (Antelope Island, Ut., April '12)
96. Eared Grebe (Antelope Island, Ut., April '12)
97. Redhead (Antelope Island, Ut., April '12)
98. Greater Scaup (Antelope Island, Ut., April '12)
99. Lesser Scaup (Antelope Island, Ut., April '12)

100. Chukar (Antelope Island, Ut., April '12)
101. Willet (Antelope Island, Ut., April '12)
102. American Crow (Ut.)
103. Common Raven (Ut.)
104. Ring-billed Gull (Ut.)
105. Long-billed Curlew (Famington Bay, Ut., April '12)
106. Franklin's Gull
107. Caspian Tern
108. White-faced Ibis (Farmington Bay, Ut., April, '12)

109. Forster's Tern (Farminton Bay, Ut., April, '12)

110. California Quail (Jordan River Temple, Ut., May, '12)
111. Black Bellied Plover (antelope Island, Ut., May '12)
112. Bonaparte's Gull (Antelope Island, Ut., May '12)
113. Brewer's Black Bird (Antelope Island, Ut., May '12)
114. Red Tailed Hawk (Ogden Nature Center, Ut., May, '12)
115. Yellow Warbler (Memorial Park Campground, Ut., May '12)
116. Golden Eagle (Memorial Park Campground, Ut., May '12)
117. Bank Swallow (Jensen Nature Park, Ut., June '12)

118. Ring-necked pheasant (Farmington Bay, Ut., June '12)
(Photo from Maui)

119. Western Kingbird (Farminton, Ut., June '12)
120. Wilson's phalarope (Antelope Island, Ut., June '12)
121. Short-billed dowitcher (Antelope Island, Ut., June '12)
122. Rudy duck (Antelope Island, Ut., June '12)

123. Long-billed Dowitcher (Antelope Island, Ut., June'12)
124. Lazuli Bunting - (Bonneville Trail, Ut., July '12)
125. Loggerhead Shrike - (Antelope Island, Ut., July '12)
126. Bald Eagle - (Antelope Island, Ut., July '12)
127. Whimbrel (Antelope Island, Ut., July '12)

128. Horned puffin (Homer, Alaska - July '12)
129. Tufted puffin (Homer, Alaska - July '12)
130. Sooty Shearwater (Homer, Alaska - July '12)
131. Glaucous-winged gull (Homer, Alaska - July '12)
132. Common murre - (Homer, Alaska - July '12)
133. Red-breasted nuthatch - (Silver Bullet B&B - Sterling, Alaska - July '12)
134. Red breasted merganser - (Kenai River, Alaska - July '12)
135. Gray jay - (Silver Bullet B&B - Sterling, Alaska - July '12)
136. Golden crowned sparrow (Silver Bullet B&B, Sterling, Alaska - July '12)
137. Chestnut backed chickadee (Silver Bullet B&B, Sterling Alaska - July '12)
138. Harlequin duck (female) - Quartz Creek, Alaska - July '12)
139. Greater yellow legs - (Potter Marsh, Alaska - July '12)
140. Hermit thrush (Potter Marsh, Alaska - July '12)
141. Yellow rumped warbler (Potter Marsh, Alaska - July '12)
142. Lincoln sparrow (Potter Marsh, Alaska - July '12)
143. Lesser yellow legs (Potter Marsh, Alaska - July '12)
144. Mew gull (Homer, Alaska - July '12)
145. Black-legged kittiwake (Homer, Alaska - July '12)
146. House Wren (Home, Syracuse, Ut. - Aug. '12)
147. White-winged dove (Stapley's pool, Mesa, Az. - Aug. '12)
148. Anna's Hummingbird (Parent's Home, Mesa, Arizona - Aug. '12) 149. Greater Roadrunner (Brown Road, Mesa, Arizona - Aug. '12)
150. Cactus Wren (Lost Dutchman State Park, Arizona - Aug. '12)
151. Black-headed Grosbeak (Home, Syracuse, Ut. - Aug. '12)
152. Northern Cardinal (Vince Woolf's House, Omaha, NE, August, '12)
153. Harry Woodpecker (Glen Cunningham Lake, Omaha - August, "12)

154. Tree Swallow (Glen Cunningham Lake, Omaha, NE - August, '12)
155. Orchard Oriole (Female)(Glen Cunningham Lake, Omaha, NE - August '12)
156. Blue Jay (Glen Cunningham Lake, Omaha, NE - August '12)
157. White Breasted Nuthatch (Glen Cunningham Lake, Omaha, NE - August '12)
158. Wild Turkey (Glen Cunningham Lake, Omaha, NE - August '12)
159. Prothornotary Warbler (Fontanelle Forest Nature Center, NE - Aug '12)
160. Ruby Throated Hummingbird (Fontanelle Forest Nature Center, NE - Aug '12)
161. Eastern Phoebe (Fontanelle Forest Nature Center, NE - Aug '12)
162. Song Sparrow (Fontanelle Forest Nature Center, NE - Aug '12)
163. Cooper's Hawk (Indian Cave State Park, NE - Aug '12)
164. Red Headed Woodpecker (Indian Cave State Park, NE - Aug '12)
165. Red Bellied Woodpecker (Nauvoo, IL - Aug, '12)
166. Field Sparrow (Nauvoo, IL - Aug, '12)
167. Black-crowned Night-Heron (Bear River Bird Refuge, Ut - Aug, '12, Maui - Feb., '13)

168. Sage Thrasher (Bear River Bird Refuge, Ut - Aug, '12)

169. Western Grebe (Bear River Bird Refuge, Ut - Aug, '12)

170. Clark's Grebe (Bear River Bird Refuge, Ut - Aug, '12)
171. Plied Billed Grebe(Bear River Bird Refuge, Ut - Aug, '12)

172. Eastern King Bird (Bear River Bird Refuge, Ut - Aug, '12)

173. Swainson's Hawk (Bear River Bird Refuge, Ut - Aug, '12)

174. Common Grackle (Utah)
175. Cliff Swallow (Bear River Bird Refuge, Ut. - Aug, '12)
176. Northern Shrike (Antelope Island, Ut., August, '12)

177. Brewer's Sparrow (Antelope Island, Ut., August '12)

178. Marbled Godwit (Antelope Island, Ut., August, '12)

179. Vesper Sparrow (Antelope Island, Ut., August, 12)

180. Red necked phalarope (juvenile) (Antelope Island, Ut., August, '12)

181. Virginia Rail (Farmington Bay, Ut., August, '12)
182. Black Tern (Juvenile) (Farminton Bay, Ut., August, '12)
183. Snow Goose - Farmington Pond, Ut., Sept, '12)
184. Northern Flicker - Ogden Nature Center, Ut., Sept, '12)

185. Cedar Waxwing - Ogden Nature Center, Ut., Sept, '12)

186. Lincoln sparrow (Farmington Bay, Ut., Sept, '12)
187. Marsh Wren (Farmington Bay, Ut., Sept, '12)
188. Snowy Plover (Farmington Bay, Ut., Sept, '12)

189. Mountain Chickadee (Guardsman Pass, Ut., Sept, '12)
190. American Pipit (Antelope Island, Ut., October, '12)

191. Say's Phoebe (Red Rock Canyon, Nevada, November, '12)
192. Baird's Sandpiper - (Antelope Island, Ut., November, "12)
193. Common Golden Eye (Antelope Island, Ut., November, '12)

194. Western Gull (Bolsa Chica, Ca., November, 12)
195. Black Phoebe (Bolsa Chica, Ca., November, 12)
196. Savanah Sparrow (Bolsa Chica, Ca., Nov., 12)

197. Reddish Egret (Bolsa Chica, Ca., Nov., 12)

198. Barrow's Golden Eye (Antelope Island, Ut., Nov., '12)

199. Rough-Legged Hawk (Bear River Migratory Bird Refuse, Ut., Nov., '12
200. Tundra Swan (Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Ut., Nov., '12)

201. Spotted Dove (Westin Maui, Hawaii, Feb., '13)

202. Zebra Dove (Westin Maui, Hawaii, Feb., '13)

 

203. Common Myna (Westin Maui, Hawaii, Feb., '13)

204. Red-crested Cardinal (Ioa Valley, Maui, Hawaii, Feb., '13)

 

205. Java Sparrow (Kaanapali Beach Hotel, Maui, Hawaii, Feb., '13)

206. Hawaiian Owl (Pueo) (Haleakala National Park, Maui, Hawaii, Feb., '13)
207. Gray Francolin (Westin Maui, Hawaii, Feb., '13)

208. Maui Amakihi (Hosmer Grove, Maui, Hawaii, Feb., '13)

209. Apapane (Hosmer Grove, Maui, Hawaii, Feb., '13)

210. I'iwi (Hosmer Grove, Maui, Hawaii, Feb., '12)

 

211. Hawaiian Goose (Nene) (Haleakala National Park, Maui, Hawaii, Feb., '13)

212. Hawaiian Stilt (Ae'o) (Kanahana Pond Wildlife Sanctuary, Maui, Hawaii, Feb., '13)

213. Pacific Golden-Plover (Kolea) (Kealia Pond, Maui, Hawaii, Feb., '13)

(with Wandering Tattler)
214. Wandering Tattler (Ulili) (Kealia Pond, Maui, Hawaii, Feb., '13)

215. Bufflehead - (Jensen Nature Park, Ut. March, '13)





216. Gray Flycatcher - (Whitney Backyard, Layton, Ut., May, 2013)

217. Dusky Flycatcher - (Logan Canyon, Spring Hallow Campground, Ut., June, 2013)

218. Spotted Sandpiper - (Logan Canyon, Spring Hallow Campground, Ut., June, 2013)

219. Western Tanager - (Logan Canyon, Crimson Trail, Ut., June, 2013)
220. Spotted Towhee - (Trail to Waterfall Canyon, Ut., June, 2013)

221. Blue-Grey Gnatcatcher - (Trail to Waterfall Canyon, Ut., June, 2013)
222. Violet-Green Swallow - (Big Cottonwood Canyon, Ut., July, 2013)
223.  Saffron Finch - (Big Island, Hawaii, July, 2013)

224.  Japanese White-eye - (Big Island, Hawaii, July, 2013)

 

225.  Yellow-fronted Canary - (Big Island, Hawaii, July, 2013)

226.  White Tailed Tropic Bird - (Captain Cook Monument, Big Island, Hawaii, July, 2013)

227.  Yellow Billed Cardinal - (Big Island, Hawaii, July, 2013)

 

228.  Black Francolin (Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge, Big Island, Hawaii, July, 2013)
229.  Erckel's Francolin (Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge, Big Island, Hawaii, July, 2013)

230.  Kalij Pheasant (Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge, Big Island, Hawaii, July, 2013)

231.  Sky Lark (Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge, Big Island, Hawaii, July, 2013)
232.  Hawaiian Hawk ('Io) (Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge, Big Island, Hawaii, July, 2013)
233.  Oma'o (Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge, Big Island, Hawaii, July, 2013)

 

234.  Hawaii Amakihi (Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge, Big Island, Hawaii, July, 2013)

235.  Red billed Leothrix (Big Island, Hawaii, July, 2013)

 

236.  Akakane (Akepa) (Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge, Big Island, Hawaii, July, 2013)
237.  Red-vented Bulbul (Oahu, Hawaii, July, 2013)

238.  Hawaiian Coot (Alae ke'oke'o) (Oahu, Hawaii, July, 2013)

239.  Hawaiian Moorhen ('Alae 'ula) (Wiamea Valley, Oahu, Hawaii, July, 2013)

240.  Common Waxbill (Wiamea Valley, Oahu, Hawaii, July, 2013)

241.  Shama Thrush (Wiamea Valley, Oahu, Hawaii, July, 2013)

242.  Jungle Fowl (Chicken) (Maui, Big Island, Oahu, Kawaii, Hawaii, 2013). 

243.  Hawaii Creeper (Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge, Big Island, Hawaii, July 2013)

244.  Phainopepla (Lost Dutchman State Park, Arizona, October, 2013)