Her Maiden Voyage

Black Rosy-Finch

With one semester completely and successfully finished, it was time to get back on the road again.  During our holiday luncheon, all I could think about was the break.  And the birds. 

Good people working together to help enrich the lives of young people. It's never easy keeping a smile but break gives us that much needed downtime to recharge our batteries. 

Now that the holidays are here, CBC(Christmas Bird Count) counts are happening all over the country. I mentioned to you all last weekend that I was supposed to do a count up on Mt. Lemmon for our local CBC.  Unfortunately, my car of 10 years had other ideas and her power steering went out early in the morning.  I promptly cancelled my participation and spent the day buying a new vehicle.  Ah the joys of new car payments!  She's a white SUV that goes by the name of Betty White.  Her code name is Manakin.  

a wintering Greater Pewee in Reid Park continues

Feeling bad about my failed CBC count on Mt. Lemmon, I helped with the Tucson count at my local patch.  Then it was off for some amazing Arizona birds!

The USS Betty White made her maiden voyage up to the northern boundaries of the state just outside of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon to search for 2 new Arizona birds, the Black and Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches.  It was a 2-for-one journey with friends Gordon Karre and Barb Meding.  

Just part of one of the flocks that zipped up and down.  They reminded us of our wintering lonspurs in the grasslands

For several years, I've always gone with Gordon in his vehicle because my car wasn't big enough to carry all of our equipment.  I should note that I purchased that car before I was a birder.  And I'm not one to sell it off because it didn't fit my needs right away.  She was a good car.  The Bea Arthur was a reliable vehicle that gave me many years of joy. 

A birder has to be careful observing birds.  With this location, I had a little vertigo.  The hillside was quite steep!

I was sad to let her go. Why name the vehicle?  I don't know.  It's what I've always done.  Plus I love/d what Bea Arthur and Betty White stand/stood for in their lives.  Not only are/were they great actresses, but Bea served in the military as a young person. And Betty White continues to be a champion for animals.  Barb thought she had passed and I thought I was going to have a heart attack.  Betty is a national treasure! She is immortal!

The very tricky Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch was a skulker for us and did not like to pose on the ground for the camera so I had to catch it in flight.   Fish or bird?  You tell me. 

Anyhow, it was so much fun.  And I was a proud driver taking my friends up to the top of the Echo Cliffs searching for these beautiful birds.  I felt like an adult!  I laughed when Gordon spilled black coffee over my place mat.  Having been an owner before of a new vehicle, I laugh at those first "oh no's!"  The first ding, the first spill, the first scratch etc.  At what point, do we let that OCD nature go?  With Bea, it was after a pork green chile incident that leaked out into my seat(and stained it forever!) because my friend didn't cap her tupperware container properly.  And then it happened again when a friend was backing out and rubbed against my car giving it a "cute" little dent.  So now, I'm a little more relaxed with everything.  Just no dents, dings or scratches on Betty for awhile please:)

A nice side-by-side comparison of the two species. They are similar and were tricky to pick apart. 

It was an incredible morning out.  Not only was the landscape gorgeous, but so were the birds!  Rosy-Finches in Arizona are a treat!  The challenging part was picking out the one Gray-crowned in the bunch.  They can look similar together. 

There were 2 large flocks that would rotate in and out of the area we were standing.  I think we got to observe both flocks twice with a 5 minute interval between their visits. I'd move once they flew to a new spot to get different angles of the birds.  

They feed from the Russian Thistle on the hillsides.  But to keep these beautiful birds there for birders to observe, people are continually throwing oilseed sunflower seeds to keep them around a little longer.  These birds love cliffs and as you can imagine, they can make it difficult for birders to get a good view.  So we employ our own tactics that keep them around a little longer.  

What a thrill to see these birds up close!  My first time was also with Gordon during our Sandia Crest journey to New Mexico.  In fact, that's where most people go to see all three species.  While we are in the southern most range for Black Rosy-Finches, they are not commonly seen like this for birders.  There's usually a once-a-year sighting by a couple birders.  However, a Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch is RARE!  Their range is the largest of all the Rosy-Finches but it doesn't dip quite down into AZ. However, they are suspected to enter the state in areas that are difficult to reach for birders. With that said, there are a few historical records including one from 2013 in a remote area of the state. The area we visited was much more accessible!

After we had that amazing observation, we went for the California Condors of Marble Canyon on the Navajo Bridge. I wanted to see the rare wild born California Condor in the area!  There was a Condor volunteer there monitoring the four birds in the canyon.  With his scope, he pointed it in the direction of the wild born bird and I was super excited!  It made me so happy.  I love condors.  Their location is also quite beautiful. And seeing a wild born one on the cliffs and not from a zoo gives me hope. As long as hunters use lead bullets, these birds will have to be monitored for lead poisoning.  Hunting for food is fine, but it's gross to think of lead in your own food.  Why not use copper bullets if you like to kill things for pleasure?  The Condors eat the lead filled carcasses left behind by the hunters.  There are 3 major threats to Condors.  1. Lead poisoning  2. Golden Eagles/Coyotes 3. Telephone Wires

Then, in a random twist for our trek back home, we took a ride to Winslow, Arizona where we had to take it easy.  

The USS Betty White promises many more treks.  Our next trek will take us into California but until then, I wish everyone a wonderful holiday season.  Until next time!

The Outer Edges

Pronghorn Sparring

The golden grasses covered the vast Chihuahuan desert lands of the west. Their tops flattened as the angry winds swept over the hillsides forcing their will upon the stillness that would otherwise be. It had the appearance of dominoes cascading one over the other. 

Sandía Crest

In the midst of this great landscape, a mountain arose higher than most. Known as Sandía Crest, the place appeared to be nothing more than a brown bump against the turquoise sky. Birds, known as Rosy-Finches, brought us to the city of Albuquerque.  It was here on the outer edges that humanity thrived and nestled at her base. It was the most populous of towns anywhere in the state. So many unknowns. What would we find? What secrets would be revealed?

Black Rosy-Finch

In my mind, I always thought the city stark.  Boring. Uninteresting. My ignorance exposed.  I know nothing.  The birds teach me to keep an open mind and explore.  The harsh frigid mornings freeze my face.  The scorching temps by afternoon teach me that layering is important.  But somehow I can't shake the inevitable runny nose or head cold inside of me. But the birds!  Oh the glorious birds!  They make me forget these minor irritations.

El Camino Family Restaurant in Socorro, NM

I sit in a diner and am reminded of my childhood.  Small town "Americana".  The real America that I thought extinct. It was the heart and soul that once thrived in many places of the US until corporations took over and created a bland uniformity.  I enter an old building with a friend and enjoy the delicious green chiles of New Mexico. There is chile in everything!  The locals come in and talk. Americana still exists! It makes me smile. A quiet older couple sits next to us. He wears a cowboy hat.  She wears a design I haven't seen in years.  She orders the baked pork chops.  He orders a chile relleno.  The waitress seems to know them and starts a conversation.  She asks how the older man is doing.  He mutters, "Barely alive."  His wife responds, "He always says that."  I drink my coffee and remember enjoying these special dinners with my grandparents from back home.  I miss them.

American Goldfinch-NOT COMMON in Southern Arizona

We walk canals, parks, and explore the mountain tops.....
I see birds that are found on the Eastern half of US, but I also see birds found on the Western half.  They somehow all coexist together in one place.   East meets West.  All of my preconceived notions shattered.  It happens often these days.  And it also excites me.  I begin to form my own opinion based on my own observations. 

Bosque Del Apache, NM

On this trip, we observe many things that disturb us. Trash litters Indian Reservation lands.  There are water holes barely full of water.  Some are completely dry. Yet people still find the need to water lawns in desert landscape. These are topics we discuss in great length while on our road trip.  Of course, we have the best solutions that make sense, but in reality, the answers are all very complicated.  

Juniper Titmouse

I walk with new friends.  They share their personal lives.  And I share mine. We face our own personal struggles, but when we come together, it's comforting.....like we are a family who understands one another.  Each different.  Each unique.  And I see the other side of humanity.....the side I love.  All the bad things that I experience everyday with the general public seems to vanish as we sit and converse happily about birds and other things. I sip my wine after a long day of birding and begin to doze off as the sun sets over the Sandía Crest mountains. It is all so comforting. I forget for these brief days that I have a job.  And I remember that I am alive. Happy. Content.

Western Meadowlark

This adventure is centered around finding the birds. But it's also more.  It's discovering and learning from our own experiences about what is out there.

Bosque Del Apache

Someone may write or tell us about what they've experienced, but our own experiences may reflect something different. I realize that it is my unique interaction with these places and people that makes each outing special.  While the facts are important, the art of birding is what speaks to me most.  My hunger and passion for it all intensifies. I want to know more.

Río Grande Nature Center "The Observation Room" I'd like one of these in my house:)

And this adventure continues....

My favorite photo from this series.  It shows the dedication and beauty that surrounds birding.  We searched for the American Dipper

A special thank you to Linda Rockwell for hosting both Gordon  and myself for a fantastic weekend of discovery. Your meals are wonderful!  And your breakfast burritos really hit the spot during our AM birding adventures:)  Thank you again!


I'm linking today with Wild Bird Wednesday