Dead Heat

The heat.  The hot, muggy, wet monsoonal heat. It's part of the contract we mentally signed when we agreed to live in the desert.  Anyone who says it's a dry heat, needs to visit Tucson in July through September. In fact, if you say "dry heat" to an Arizonan, they'll probably smack you:) No matter what.  It's hot here. 

The anvil builds and it's a sign that there will be a storm!

What an amazing show from Mother Nature though!  I won't lie.  During this time of year, I lock myself inside the house and watch it all from my windows.  You'd be surprised how much activity is going on out there!  But when temps are 105 degrees at 80 percent humidity, one tends to shut the curtains and imagine the possibilities of tomorrow. 

Not unlike the cold snowy winters of the north or eastern states of the US, our time of misery is now. I sit at my desk and research, crunch data, money, and plan.  Sometimes I wait for a big break in the weather to go outdoors.  And eventually, I get one!

Greater Yellowlegs

I get in my car and drive!  Migration is upon us and that means there are a lot of cool birds coming through the state.  The rain cooled air feels so good.  A cold breeze touches my skin and I discover that my goose pimples are still present.  I just stand outside, free from my chains, and breathe.  I'm birding again!  There's nothing worse than being a caged bird inside your own home!

Baird's Sandpiper

The birds seem to be happy as well.  They sit up and pose for the camera.  No sun.  No heat.  Just a wonderful moment.  That is until a Peregrine Falcon flies over and reminds everyone that they still can be eaten. 

Scaled Quail

I knew it wouldn't last forever and so I just tried to absorb the moment.  And sure enough, the next day, temperatures were on the rise as was the humidity!  The cloud cover was all but gone. 

But after the storm left, we noticed many Wilson's Warblers in our area!  During migration, storms are known for helping birds move from one area to the next!

Wilson's Warbler

While the temps are high, the birds still amaze!  Best time out here is early morning and yeah....early morning:)

Hummingbirds, peeps, warblers and so many other birds are beginning their journeys back home. May they endure the heat and long trek.  Until next time.....

The Cherry on Top

Sometimes, it's not about finding a new bird. Sometimes it's about something more.

    It's not about the elegant Ibis.

 Or the tattered gull........

 Or the scenic views.....

Or the millions of Sandpipers which included Bairds, Semipalmated, Stilt, Least and Westerns!

    Yes, it was ID hell:)  But worth the effort.......but it wasn't about that either......

Or the Dowitchers......

Not even the Curlews......

Or the plovers......

But this one was cool:)  Here's a closer shot.  Different bird but still a Semipalmated Plover. 

Or even A RARE(for the area) Common Nighthawk.......!  That was a WOW moment for both Kathie and myself.

It was about this turtle that crossed the road.  The world sped by not really noticing how special this gal was.  Teenagers and other drivers carelessly drive around Lake Cochise, Willcox to drink their beer or just ride their trucks and dirt bikes. This little turtle was in the middle of the road.  Kathie stopped the car and I got out to make sure she wouldn't get run over.  I left when I knew she was safe.  I told another driver about the turtle and she seemed to shrug this turtle off for she was there to film the Wilson's Phalaropes. Everyone went on their merry way.  I went home and looked up the turtle more.

The Ornate Box Turtle is near threatened(more so in Arizona) and one of the most difficult turtles to find out in the wild.  Much like the Montezuma Quail, Elegant Trogons or Flammulated Owls, you have to be in the right place at the right time to see them.  I'm no reptile expert so I couldn't truly appreciate the experience.  If you live in Arizona and find this turtle, please go to this website here and help the folks out. There are paper reports you can fill out, but I just emailed the sightings with these pics answering the paper form questions.  They'll document the rest.  I was asked if there had been rain the night before and the location of the turtle. Other questions were "What was the turtle observed doing?" and "What was the weather like?" One thing to note (and I found this extremely important to share)....  NEVER pick a turtle up!  One. They have bacteria that can be harmful to humans.  And two(most important).  If a turtle is picked up, it will many times urinate or rid itself of liquid which will many times dehydrate the turtle. Finally, never bring these turtles home as it is against the law. We have such an easy way to count birds instantly but as for everything else, it's still a little old fashioned.  The data is important to scientists and other herpers(the reptile people)

A special "thank you" goes out to my FB friend Tonia for alerting me about this rare find and leading me through the proper channels for documentation. As Kathie puts it, the birds are what we do, but everything else is like the cherry on top.  She thought our Great Horned Owl find was the cherry on top.  Is there a limit on how many cherries one can have?

As you can see, this summer has been full of wonderful herpe surprises. This is just a small group of all the lizards, snakes, frogs, toads and turtles.I've seen on the trail.  More exciting reports coming up......