The Red Army Part 2

At the midnight hour, the day before we were supposed to return back to our classrooms, the deal fell through.  Anger.  Rage.  And once again, a trip up to the capital in the thousands is what many Arizona teachers did.  

"20 By 20" was Governor Ducey's response to the public education crisis in Arizona.  In other words, a 20 percent raise by the year 2020.  Originally it was 2 percent, but Arizona teachers had had it. Classrooms falling apart, support staff gone, and the loss of amazing teachers to other states were just a few issues that set off the Red For Ed movement.

Now at the midnight hour, literally, we were in the legislature once again in Phoenix.  The legislature wasn't going to pass Governor Ducey's proposed budget.  With thousands in the mall, legislation building and inside the legislation room with our lawmakers, we made it known that we weren't leaving until that budget passed.  And it did in the very early morning hours. It isn't a perfect plan, but it will do for now.  It was very clear that Arizona lawmakers didn't care about public education. They ignored the shouting from the mall and outside rooms. Their indifference spoke volumes. One representative, Kelly Townsend, wanted to fine teachers for walking out of the classroom.  Thankfully her bill didn't pass. This class act happened to be watching a movie while voting down a child care measure. Needless to say, their days are numbered. They have unwittingly created a red army come re-election night. Both Republican and Democrat teachers have joined together to stop these bad lawmakers, the Koch Brother agenda to privatize public schools and Dark Money. 

Exhausted physically and mentally by the strange hours of the strike and (not getting paid), I prepared for our fundraising event with the Wrenegades.  The crazy hours were taking their toll on my body.  I wanted to back out, but I made a promise to the team and I didn't want to break our year tradition.  

Wilson's Phalarope

 We raised lots of money for Tucson Audubon and had a very challenging time with high winds.  Each time we come together as a team, we learn lots from each other while catching up with things happening in the Arizona birding world. 

I birded, but my mind was on the strike.  How many more days would we go like this? Would our demands be met?  Would they extend our school days?  There were so many balls up in the air that it was difficult to concentrate. And my sleep schedule was all off. 

White-faced Ibis

 The birding was good and the first part of our evening passed with a beautiful reminder......

.....which was to just go with the flow.  I can't be 100 percent all the time, but I will try my best. 

Our evening was made even better when we started getting into the creepy urban wildlife spaces like the Sweetwater Wetlands.  I shared with the team why I had the heeby jeebies and they kind of all laughed it off until the person from Tucson Water, who unlocked the gate, joined us and shared a similar tale. 

There are no ghosts or goblins.  But there are strange characters that hang out at the park during all times of the day. Two such characters are known as Raccoon Bob and The Butcher.  When the lady started telling the story about the Butcher, they all burst out laughing.  I could tell that they hadn't birded Sweetwater enough to know that the Butcher was real. 

And while we were there, Raccoon Bob PASSED us in his rusty old bug TWICE!  Raccoon Bob hides in the darkness to watch mammals at night.  His favorite mammals are the raccoon.  I wasn't afraid of him.  I was more afraid of the Butcher.  He rides in an old red meat wagon and lives out of the vehicle.  Birders swear that he has been breaking into their vehicles.  And I'm also of the mind that it's the Butcher responsible for the parking lot crime wave.  We didn't see him that evening, but I knew he was around the area.  So did TEP(Tucson Electric and Power)

After the Sweetwater experience, I became a zombie up on Mt. Lemmon. I couldn't focus for the life of me.  It was 2 or 3 AM and I was cold.

In the morning, I found a letter on a rock overlooking the grand canyons of Mt. Lemmon.  The team thought I was joking around at first when I read the letter aloud, but it was a sad note.  A hiker had recently passed away on the trails after getting lost. By the time he was found, he was too far gone.  Our team member, Sara, saw his body in the bag before they took him away.  The letter was from his niece telling him that she would never forget him and that every time they looked out from that vista, she would think of him. On the rock by the letter were a pair of sunglasses and a tea packet. We folded the letter neatly up and placed it back on the rock.  It was a moment of reflection. 

Red-faced Warbler with the nest site behind

At this point, I had achieved my "2nd wind" and was excited to watch a pair of Red-faced Warblers make a nest under the roots of a tree. 

It was early morning and the woods were dark.  But how beautiful.  Then I found out the strike was off and it was back to work again getting the students ready for the finals. 

Canyon Towhee

After the Wrenegades, the strike and being back in the classroom, it was then time to guide.  Believe it or not, I looked forward to the guiding the most.  It gave me something to focus on.  

Western Screech-Owl

For 2 weekends, we chased really great birds and had success with most of them, except that blasted Arizona Woodpecker.  They were heard everywhere and yet, they were little buggers to spot.  

Western Tanager

I had a blast spending the weekends with Steve and Kathy from Wisconsin.  There is something about Wisconsin birders that I love.  Maybe it's because we're from the same state.  Maybe it's because I can slip back into my Wisconsin "don't cha no" accent and not be teased.  Or maybe because it's just nice to be around good people. 

Yellow Warbler

I take huge pride in Southern Arizona.  Showing people our secret gems from around this part of the state is always wonderful.  We are more than just a desert.  Although, I think Kathy will agree with me on this.....it's hot here!  So we went to higher elevations OR got up super early.  

Acorn Woodpeckers

We found the Rufous-backed Robins, Sinaloa Wren, Rose-throated Becard, nesting Elegant Trogons and lots of other birds.  

American Robin guarding a nest

We even spotted some weird rarities like Cassin's Finches, a Townsend's Solitaire and Williamson's Sapsucker. All lifers.  And not expected at all during their visit.  

The days fly by so quickly.  Kathy asked me what I'd do this weekend and I laughed. Nothing.  I am going to clean my house and sleep in.  No birds.  No heat.  No strikes.  No fund raising.  Just me and a cup of coffee watching my bird feeders.  

Broad-billed Hummingbird

Las Aventuras is planning 3 major treks before this "season" is over. August is the start of the new birding season. Anyhow, one trek is just exploring an area for birds in general.  The second trek will be the important one and it will hopefully propel me beyond the 1000 life bird mark.  And our 3rd will be a fun road trip to find just one bird in the US.  Stay tuned for more.......

Remember Me

I left my good camera behind for a nice walk, but thankfully I had my cell to capture this wonderful moment.  It reminds me of UP!

Locked inside of urban sprawl, green spaces provide places for birds to live, nest, or rest (during migration). They are "islands" surrounded by an ocean of concrete buildings and roads. Is it possible for both humans and birds to coexist together in a shared space?  As I am discovering, it is a very complicated story for each bird species. 

It seemed that the entire coastline was "owned" and for much of it, our ocean views were blocked. Many homes had lots of non-native plants around their very green gardens.  Currently, much of California is in a severe drought right now. It was very obvious who had money and who didn't as the landscapes either reflected green or dusty brown. 

One of our target birds was the California Gnatcatcher.  It took us a couple hours to locate several of these birds around a protected estuary.   This species is very endangered in Southern California due to habitat loss.  It prefers the coastal scrub along the ocean that humans also enjoy.  I discovered that a lot of people in the general public were very angry at this little gnatcatcher.  The CAGN was referred to as "That bird." Apparently, "that stupid bird" was blocking progress!  For the first time in my birding travels, I heard anger from the opposition. Those who were not angry were apathetic.  Real estate was MORE important. Never have I encountered this attitude while on my treks for endangered birds. 

Hermit Thrush

As I stood in the "wild" space being passed by joggers on their cell phones, bikers, and cars, I strained my ears to listen for the catlike call. I was beginning to see why this bird was in trouble.  All around me, there were people and buildings along the border of the estuary.  Airplanes and helicopters flew overhead. Boats passed through the waterway. I was beginning to have my doubts.

Downy Woodpecker

It made me miss my open Southern Arizona landscape.  How do birds do it?  How do they survive within this massive human sprawl?  Turns out that some like it while others, like the CA Gnatcatcher, could unfortunately disappear from the area in the near future.

Western Grebes

After really studying the Orange County landscape well, I discovered that there wasn't really much space at all provided for these birds.  Hence the declining numbers!  Much like the Florida Scrub-Jay, its habitat is in decline.  These birds are now locked into areas, or fragmented, from other California Gnatcatchers. How will they maintain genetic diversity within their populations?

Savannah Sparrow(Belding's Subspecies)

It's amazing to me that so many people are apathetic about saving an endangered species. If this type of thinking was left unchecked, we'd be in a really bad place today. Some say it has already happened. On a global level (and locally), we are losing little battles here and there.  At the end, all of these little losses will add up into something very sad and big.  But who cares about a little gray songbird that looks like all the other gray birds out there? I do.  And so do a lot of other people.  

Whimbrel

Now don't get me wrong, we had a blast.  I always enjoy the new challenges that come with the new territory.  So it was easy finding lots of new birds all cramped into these "green" spaces around Southern California.  The secret to birding around Cali is finding a central place inside the city and plan trips to nearby hotspots. Don't plan anything too far or you'll be on the road ALL DAY!  I learned that lesson well when I lived in the Bay Area many moons ago.

Acorn Woodpecker

There are so many wonderful California birds.  They have their own gnatcatcher, towhee, thrasher, gull and quail!  The Nuttall's Woodpecker featured below is also a California favorite....and a first for me!

Nuttall's Woodpecker-female

In all of this, I am somehow losing my mind as I try to process what is happening around me. There's no such thing as "It's just birding." anymore.  It's an obsession.  And to be honest, it scares me a little.  There are times I could just scream.  A new bathroom renovation or a trip somewhere exciting?  I get antsy.  I pace.  I need to explore and learn more stuff now.  There are times I get so tired that I don't want to do anything. But then someone will report something special and I'm back on the road! The fact is I feel good when I go out and do this. 

During our weekend trek, we stopped to check out the Tijuana estuary and walked 8 miles without even realizing it!  Micheal keeps track of our hiking.  Along the way, we meet weird people that tell us to follow them and see this "eagle" on a telephone pole.  Turns out the "eagle" is really a hawk. Another tells me about how her son would go out and shoot birds on the estuary and then tell her kid, "Hey son that's illegal. You're not supposed to do that."  From her "shared" stories on the trail, I don't think he ever listened to her. Then she told me to take a pic of a Great Egret that was too far away.  When is she going to turn off the trail??!!! Our nature trail connected with the local neighborhood for a time. Thankfully nature took over and we left the homes far behind. And the strange locals.

California Towhee

Officially we hear things are "protected" and yet, many times, there isn't anyone out "there" patrolling for poaching, shooting, etc. In many places, I see park officials stuck in information booths collecting entrance fees. I know they want to be out there working in the field.  So many of my friends in the business have told me about the endless paperwork that comes with the job.  And let's not mention all the time that goes into applying for grants to help cover the costs needed due to federal cuts, etc. We spend billions on war and killing and yet we don't have enough money to properly maintain and staff these wild areas.  Birders see it all. 

 Oak Titmouse

Imagine an oak tree without its tree sprite, the Oak Titmouse, jumping around the branches.  Or the empty holes in trees once used by the common Acorn Woodpecker. I couldn't imagine the landscape without these birds. Each species contributes something important to our environment. What will the fate of the California Gnatcatcher be?  Do we really care enough to protect it?  The real estate world is eyeing up their habitat for development and have not let this bird alone. They are pushing to have it taken off the endangered list this year.  Could they eventually win this seemingly uphill battle? 

California Gnatcatcher

For more about birds from around the world, check out Wild Bird Wednesday. 

Table Manners!

Northern Flicker

We climbed through wind and snow to check on my friend's cabin up on Mt. Lemmon. I brought a secret stash of peanuts and pineapple(thanks to Kathie!) bits to call upon some old friends from last year.

Ski Valley

Getting there wasn't easy.  The desert was warm and breezy.  And yet 25 miles away, the frigid town of Summerhaven was covered with snow!  I had been losing ground with my bird count.  While my father was visiting, I had to take a backseat on the birding and it may have cost me the Rusty Blackbird.  But I still needed new bird species for this year.  I knew they were around my friend's cabin.  Just needed to call upon their appetites:)

And within 20 minutes of me calling out to them, the Steller's Jay came quickly.  I placed the bag of goodies on the wooden post and watched them fill up.  It was cold!!!

But the Northern Flicker heard me as well and popped up for a nut.....or two........good thing this Flicker had a bib;)

Steller's Jay

But I thought we were supposed to chew our food first!!! At least that's what my mother taught me:)  However, some birds, like the Jay, will stuff in as many nuts as they can fit into their mouths for later consumption.  Clever!

We had to walk through a blanket of snow to get to the cabin.  The roads had at least 9 inches of the white stuff.  And then there were the drifts! My feet took all day to thaw for this birding expedition!

But it was worth it:)  Later the Acorn and Hairy Woodpeckers would join us around the feeders.

Acorn Woodpecker

The snow was gorgeous, but as you can see below, the cars were all lined up for skiing!  Of course this happens up in Ski Valley.  We drove up to this part to see if we could find a parking place for some hot chili.....but it was FULL!   So we headed back down to the village and ate there.

Meanwhile, back at the cabin, all the birds were clearing off the food quickly.  One Jay turned into two, then three, then four, then five.....and SIX!  I can always rely on my Jays to call the crew in:)  Other birds will also follow these loud birds.  Before one knows it, there is a party going on!

And I welcomed that party as I was able to add 5 more birds onto my Pima county list.  None were lifebirds but they were all great birds to get on the list:)  Currently in the state of Arizona, I have found 185 species of the 314 birds reported!  More are on their way and things are going to heat up in March and April!

Our walk on Grosbeak road!  No Grosbeaks....yet:)

But on this day we froze:)  That's what I love about birding.  Each journey is strange and different. Personally, this was a fun day and I'm glad my friend had to check up on the cabin.

I would spot Steller's Jay, the White-breasted Nuthatch, Mountain Chickadee, Hairy Woodpecker, Acorn Woodpecker and Northern Flicker.  Plus I was able to get closeups of these birds at the feeders!

I practically had to put my feet into the furnace to revive their walking powers again.  We were numb from the cold!

It made for a very productive day in the photography and EBIRD department!  I love playing detective and I especially love all the fun that comes with the birds:) And my friend's cabin was fine:)  Until next time.....