The Weight We Carry In This Life

 

                                                                       Black-throated Blue Warbler

This year has brought us joy and great sadness.  Throughout it all, many of us have found nature as an escape.  

Little gems show up in our neighborhoods nearby to get us excited like a rare Canada Warbler or Black-throated Blue Warbler. 

Ponds that have for years only held non-native turtle species are now becoming home again to our rare native Sonoran Mud Turtle. 

                                                                     Sonoran Mud Turtle

As we carry this covid weight on our shoulders, we find that there is adventure nearby.  As birders, we change the rules to make it more fun. 

                                                                    Canada Warbler in Pima County!

It hasn't been a year lost, but it has been a year of loss.  In 2019, I saw loved ones get sick.  Some passed away.  How could it possibly get any worse? And then it did.  

                                                                      Vermilion Flycatcher

I became VERY sick in October last year and it lasted until the first week of January.  Then covid hit.  Or did I have covid back in October?  Then friends got sick or had to go to the hospital.  Trips were cancelled and life came to a screeching halt.  

                                                            A rare for Pima Bell's Sparrow!

Not only does the US see a rise in covid cases AGAIN, but we've also experienced political unrest and environmental destruction caused by humans and global warming. Jobs are on the line. My job sees a rise in cases at the school.  How long will we stay open?  How long can this go on?? Food is on the line.  And we're still in a very sad place. There are those who have.  And those who don't. 

                                                            Great Horned Owl

Recently, four of our cats were poisoned by bad food. The older cats with health conditions died quickly. Two are still hanging on while our little ones seem unaffected. 

                                                                       Lincoln's Sparrow

And while it all seems overwhelming at times with tragedy after tragedy, there is a ray of hope.  A vaccine is coming.  Trump lost the election!  And Pima county has really seen some amazing and RARE warblers pass through our area! This week in Tucson, we are hosting a very cooperative Blackburnian Warbler!

                                                          Red-naped Sapsuckers

Somehow we are trying to muddle through all of this stress and anxiety.  I have to say that these past two weeks have been yet another stress test.  When there is time, which isn't often anymore, I go for a walk and do some quick birding to keep sane. 

                                                                       Pine Warbler

And there's a rare eastern warbler of the week showing up...Canada Warbler, Pine Warbler, Worm-eating Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler.........very strange times!

                                                                       Blackburnian Warbler

Warbler Woes

This is my original work. These birds are not easy:) A few warblers have since been added to this chart.

This past weekend was truly a test of patience. Target birding. Not the kind of birding some people prefer. As several birders climb to the top of this imaginary pyramid; things become trickier. Trickier birds require trickier maneuvers. On this particular weekend, birders from all over the state(s) came together.  These finds were not only epic but state firsts for many people. 

Chestnut-sided Warbler. Photo courtesy of Gordon Karre!  Thank you for helping me tell this story. 

I began this weekend with the mind set, "Warblers or die."  So I chased 4 rare warblers that were reported in the state.  My first challenge was the Chestnut-sided Warbler near ASU in Tempe. The second and third warblers were the American Redstart and lifer, Black-throated Blue Warbler within the region known as the Santa Cruz Flats. Finally, I went after the Yellow-throated Warbler in Patagonia.  Each one presented different challenges.  

The Santa Cruz Flats and within this vast land, a few Sprague's Pipits hide. 

Lately, I have turned into a binocular-before-photographer type birder. The binos allow me to reach the bird quickly and observe behaviors that I normally wouldn't see with the camera. I arrived at the ASU campus and located the Chestnut-sided Warbler in a lone Cottonwood tree.  For a few moments I saw the bird sit still long enough for me to clearly ID.  When I reached for my camera to snap a shot, the warbler was gone.  To make matters worse, an ASU sports event let out, creating chaos around me.  At that point, I put my head down and walked away. Why do birds pick these loud and obnoxious locations? Did I find the bird?  Yes.  Did I get a photo? No.  This is where my bud Gordon Karre comes in to save the day!  He did get a shot of the bird earlier that day and was very kind to share his photo on Las Aventuras this week.

The watering hole on Sasco Rd.

But I knew I was facing an uphill battle for the next day.  There were two lifers involved here.  The Sprague's Pipit and the Black-throated Blue Warbler. Both on private property! I knew that getting pics would be difficult.  We assembled the most amazing team of birders around the state to find these winged gems.  Our day was a success and the odds played in our favor. All targets accomplished.  My lifer, the Sprague's Pipit, was seen in the collection of scopes.  As the bird lifted off from one field, I snapped a poor shot of it flying into another grassy patch. Then it was off to THE house.

I hope no one lives here. 

Birders flocked to this home and waited and waited to see the reported male American Redstart, Black-throated Blue Warbler and Summer Tanager flying around the Pomegranate Tree. Technically, we were stalking. For 93 minutes we stared at that blasted house in the shade swapping stories with one another.  We still aren't sure if there were people living there, but a sheriff did come to see what we were all doing.  We blamed it all on Magill. 

I sat staring at that pony or cow creature in the yard.  Definitely cute and out of place. In fact, it looked like Samwise Gamgee's pony Bill from Lord of the Rings.  I thought about how nice the shade was.  I thought about how much I liked the people around me and wished we could hang out more often.  I wondered if the machine under the pomegranate tree was a tractor or grill.  And I wondered if that damned warbler would show up.  And eventually it did.......

Black-throated Blue Warbler gets the tractor ready

But this time, I wouldn't let the warbler get away.  So I got rid of the binos and held my camera instead. That warbler was beautiful.  WOW!  We watched as it drove the tractor around the yard a couple times.  And then it was off for more target birding.  

Ferruginous Hawk

Then it was off to the small town of Patagonia for the Yellow-throated Warbler.  This wintering warbler is currently feeding on bugs found around the mistletoe at the Patagonia City Park. However, we sat in this park for 2 hours before it BRIEFLY showed up!  We were with two other birders.  This bird was not a lifer for me so I used my binos instead. 

Yellow-throated Warbler.  Photo taken in 2013 at Sweetwater Wetlands

My ears were sharp and I spotted the bird quickly.  Unfortunately, our new birder friends had their eyes on the doppelganger Yellow-rumped Warbler.  So they followed that bird with their bins instead of keeping their eyes on our target.  Madness ensued.  Russian tourists entered the picture and chased the Yellow-throated Warbler off as they ran pointing at the bird.  Another woman decided to follow us around and chat.  When we didn't answer her, she responded, "Oh this is serious business, isn't it?"  When you wait for a bird for more than two hours, yes, it is. The other birders never saw the Yellow-throated Warbler and I never got a shot of the bird feeding at the mistletoe.  Instead while we sat under the tree waiting for the warbler, we watched this guy bored out of our minds. People watching can also be fun.  Between the Russians, Japanese and elderly, it was a busy day at the park. 

That guy hanging out on the bench for as long as we waited for the warbler

Who was he? A local? An artist?  Then I started thinking to myself. Why can't my hair grow that long?  How did I get so stuffy in my life? Blah blah blah. After a long afternoon in the park, I thought about calling my mother to wish her a happy birthday, getting home to do the laundry and finalizing some summer plans with my other half.  Ahhhh!  The joys of rare warblers.  

 I'd like to thank all the wonderful people behind this post today.  I think without each other's support, we'd have given up empty handed.  It was a blast and it's fun playing detective with you all.  Thank you Linda, Magill(for organizing), Gordon, Nathan and Muriel.   You guys rock!  It's surprising but the life list is slowly growing.  10 more birds until I reach 600.  Who will the next life bird be?  Over the next several weeks, we'll meet up with friends Randy, Cindy and Pam. Stay tuned for more....