The Monterey Bay Aquarium

I watched the people mesmerized by the dark blues and greens of the ocean at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Dunlin

I was there to study shorebirds in their aviary display. It was a rare opportunity to see these birds up close.  And it was here that I was able to study their field marks to help me ID better out in the field. 

Sea Otters in the Kelp Forest near the aquarium

The Monterey Bay Aquarium can be pricey at around 50 dollars.  But it's my birthday month, so I splurged:)

Snowy Plover

I got there early to avoid the crowds and I was mostly successful.  I planned several "must see" spots first which weren't the main attractions that most tourists visit. I actually had a bowl of clam chowder ALONE out on the deck below!  I watched wild shorebirds and sea otters from this very cool spot below.

But my study?  As you all know, I like to visit the living museum collections of our zoos and aquariums around the world.  I do an ebird hotspot list for the wild birds found in the area while also studying their aviary collections.  Many of these birds were once wild but thanks in part to places like the aquarium, these injured birds are given a second chance at life where they'll educate thousands of people (like myself).

Semipalmated Sandpiper

I oo'd and aw'd at the displays like everyone else.  But it was the sandpipers, phalaropes and other peeps that held my interest.

There is something very relaxing about being in a dark area with gentle music playing in the background.

The jellyfish displays were mesmerizing!

Red Phalarope

However, it was time to study my phalaropes.  They are often difficult to ID in the wild because of distance.  And because they are usually in their winter molt when they pass through Arizona.  I was able to see a size difference between the two birds.  But it was the bill that really grabbed my attention.  Note how strong the Red Phalarope's bill(above) is when compared to the Red-necked Phalarope's bill(below).  There is also orange at the base of the REPH's bill which I have never clearly seen from a scope.  What a great way to compare these two sometimes tricky birds!

Red-necked Phalarope

There were octopus..... 

......and more cool aquariums.......

.....and pretty Buffleheads......

drake Bufflehead

.....more awesome jellyfish......

....and lots of wild birds feeding around the waters outside of the aquarium:)

juvenile Pelagic Cormorant

I had a great morning out, but it was time to head back to Arizona where Kathie Brown was waiting for me. Here's a video from my adventure in Monterey.  I'm still smiling from all the fun.  But it was time to return back to the desert. There was work to be done.

In A Galaxy Far Far Away.......

  Around the sandy dunes along the shores of the Sea of Cortez, we searched for life.  The blinding hot light of the sun bleached the vast and often barren landscape. 

Osprey

But wherever the salty ocean kissed the shores, we were able to find some very special birds. 

Red-breasted Merganser

I have observed most of the birds, like this Red-breasted Merganser above, in the bitterly cold waters of the North. To observe them swimming around a desert oasis was quite simply....amazing!

We walked the endless shores covered in sea shells.  In the distance, we found the elderly dabbling around the water for little treasures.  In the background, Surfbirds formed a large cloud and flocked to another area to find their own little treasures.... for food.

Surfbirds fly in the distance

The tiniest of crabs scurries away from the great giants towering above this almost invisible crustacean.

Alien birds. Alien landscapes.  Nowhere to phone home.  Really!  There wasn't any cell service:)

Reddish Egret

It's a harsh landscape full of drama and danger.

We are intrigued by it all. We wonder how this magnificent wildlife can survive this harsh and sometimes terribly polluted environment.

Hermit Crab

Yet somehow it manages. We are fortunate to experience it all.  

Wilson's Plover

We can look at something and say, "How can anything survive in this?"  When I look at this landscape, I think of places like Tattoine, a desert planet, from the movie Star Wars. The desert that surrounds Rocky Point, Mexico is a barren one to the naked eye. 

Bufflehead and Red-breasted Merganser

But if one takes a closer look, they will find it full of amazing life.  Until next time......

Something About Mary

From Kachina Springs, Flagstaff, AZ

There are some wonderful benefits to the new Ebird IPHONE app known as Birdlog.  It's great! Let's say you want to go to an unknown place and bird. All you have to do is turn on your phone from your location and pretend to submit a report.  Highlighted red, blue or yellow tags will pop up showing you places where birders go seek new life and new civilizations.  And that's how we found Mary lake, Kachina Springs, and the Mormon Lake in Flagstaff.

I have lived in Arizona for a good portion of my life and had never known about these places. It was a fun car ride and along the way we made stops.....many of them! Our best views came from a family of Osprey fishing on Lower Mary Lake.  The weather was just perfect and made for some great birding!   

There were so many waterbirds that I had to really be careful.  I'm glad I did because I was able to get my Common Goldeneye.  The pic below shows many "ducks" to the common eye, but if you blow that pic up, you'd see it's a massive mix of Buffleheads, Mergansers, Ducks, Coots, and oh so much more.

So let's do it for fun!  Let's blow this pic up and take a look at some of these fantastic water birds! Here's a Common Goldeneye(below) that I found in Wisconsin. Once I have a good shot of the lifebird, I relax and observe the birds as they are.  At Kachina Springs, I was able to breathe in the fresh mountain air and count birds.

Buffleheads made for a great show.

Western Bluebirds surrounded the water areas.

Ruddy ducks....

Ring-necked ducks......

Canvasbacks....

Northern Shovelers....

Redheads.....

Common Mergansers....

Lesser Scaups....

and Green-teals ducks are all swimming together.  The trick is taking a closer look and never assuming that they're all one species.  Something Kathie taught me. Not Mary.

I do love ducks, but I love Osprey more.  It's hard to count ducks and other waterbirds when these gorgeous birds of prey are out in full hunting mode.

The views were enjoyable.  The walks were fantastic.  And the birds were just icing on the cake.  I think driving through the woods with my car window down was my favorite part.  It was like being back home in Wisconsin again.  Perfection for some is fishing.  Perfection for me is this.  All of it.  The birds, the plants, the new discoveries and of course......the experiences.  If you're up in the Flagstaff area, check out Kachina Springs, Mormon Lake and the Upper and Lower Mary Lake recreational areas.  All I have to say about it is, "Frank and beans!"  More to come....

Bosque Del Apache

Going to a new place to bird beyond your own borders can be extremely exciting. I researched and researched all the possible birds I could see to maximize viewing.  We even planned our stay at the Dancing Cranes Bed and Breakfast.  Fantastic location with fantastic hosts.  I'll have their info below. On this trip, I was hoping to add 30 new species! But I've been known to be a dreamer:)

But being that time was tight, I only found seven.  Bald Eagle, American Crow, Pine Siskins, Bushtits, Northern Loggerhead, Snow Geese and Ross' Geese. The problems with birding on a tight schedule are plenty.  I had the evening to survey the area and the morning to work on my photography.  That's it.  So I didn't have enough time to do both!  Some shots turned out wonderfully while my Bald Eagle shots are poor....and yet we saw them.

Bosque is a large area to cover and I think a person needs at least 3 days minimum to do a somewhat complete count around the grounds.  Being that it was a tight schedule, we headed towards the Northern Ponds which allowed for us to observe the Snow Geese and Sandhill Cranes....our target birds. The Southern Pond was quiet but had many worthwhile birds in hiding.

And it was sure Birds of Prey heavy!  Raptorville everywhere you looked!  Ravens, Crows, Harriers, Hawks, Eagles and Falcons!

No matter how many times I see them, American Coots make me laugh.  They are so lazy when it comes to flight.  In the pic below, they try running on ice. Not such a great idea.

I love how they huddle all together and it made for great picture taking.

One thing I was able to do better was observe Dark Eyed Juncos.  They were everywhere in New Mexico and Colorado.  I now have their calls down.  So if you're driving through New Mexico and wondering what's worthwhile to see, think about putting Bosque Del Apache on your list of "must sees!"

Of course, winter is cold in New Mexico.  So bring layers to keep yourself warm in the morning and shed a couple by afternoon.

During the time of this shoot, it was freezing cold.  You can see the ice on the waterways in the above pics.  I sometimes forget that most places outside of Tucson are cold.  Glad I remembered my pants:)

And if you're looking for a great place to stay, give Jim and Jana a try!  Their yard is full of bird feeders and lots of cool birds.  The White Winged Dove, Sandhill Cranes, Dark Eyed Juncos, White Crowned Sparrows, a Belted Kingfisher, and Great Egret were all just some highlights!

For more information, visit this post as it's a place off the grid and there really isn't any official website for the Bed and Breakfast. It's legit folks and the hosts love what they do so if you are a wildlife aficionado or just a lover of the great outdoors, they'd like to meet you. And you'll love to meet them. You'll be glad you did.  The adventure continues next week......