Arizona Birding

Five-striped Sparrow

Since I have been home from Wisconsin, I have forced myself to get out of the house to help friends and new visitors to Arizona find birds in this relentless heat. You might think they are crazy for visiting Arizona during this time of year until you see what birds have been showing up!  So here is the latest from the Arizona highway birding patrol.......

Mesquite Beetles

A couple weeks ago, birding friend Ernie came to visit from New York to find the ABA countable Five-striped Sparrow in the remote California Gulch. However, it was more than a tick for him. He just wanted to see the bird! While I was in Wisconsin, I was mentally planning for his arrival in Southern Arizona. He was doing the same on his side. The Gulch is a rough area and can be quite dangerous during monsoon. But in a miraculous turn of events, we had the most beautiful weather ever! 

The California Gulch on a cloudy day

The Gulch is hot and very remote.  Ernie rented an SUV and the ride was smooth.  He really wanted to see this sparrow and quite honestly, the summer is the best time to find it there.  We had overcast skies and a gentle rain that day.  It was an amazing morning full of wonderful birds and other critters.  But even better?  Ernie had great views of the sparrow. 

Five-striped Sparrow

I'm always afraid that I won't deliver on my part.  I try my best to help others find the birds and most of the time, the birds cooperate.  I had such a wonderful morning out with Ernie and Fran.  And we couldn't have asked for better weather on this day.  

Widow Skimmer-thank you Gordon for the ID!

We listened to the night sky and heard owls and nightjars.  And something strange that growled at us from beyond the edge of darkness!  Still not sure what it was, but I know there is a Mama Cougar in the area and the call was reminiscent of a larger mammal.  The night is dark and full of terrors!  Well if I could have ID'd the growl, it would have been less terrifying:)

The rough and beautiful Proctor Road at sunset

After Ernie left, a series of events happened.  One right after the other:)  They were quick and easy spots.  On a very hot and muggy day, I met up with Jon and Michael to find a rare Purple Gallinule at Sweetwater Wetlands.  After 20+ minutes, we located the bird.  I began to see stars from the heat and it was time to get back into the car.  But WOW! I mean....it's a purple bird.  It was a lifer for Michael and a state bird for Jon.  It was great to see their smiling faces on the trails. 

Purple Gallinule

Then it came time to go find the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher that made Sierra Vista home for a couple weeks.  So we went down to visit family but stopped along the way to view this very beautiful bird.  Easy summer birding! The heat once again pulled us back into our vehicle after a really great time observing the bird. 

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

After several expeditions between rare bird chases, I went with Gordon and Jeff to the Huachucas for some honest and real birding.  This time the bird gods would grant us a rare and beautiful Berryline Hummingbird.  Finally!  I've never been around when one shows up.  So this bird taught me to let it happen as it happens:)

Berryline Hummingbird

 While we were up in the Huachucas, the birding community received word that rare Black Skimmers and a Hudsonian Godwit were found in a hot and muggy agricultural area in Buckeye. 

The old Gillespie River Dam bridge

The Hudsonian Godwit would be a lifer and it was a no brainer.  I dipped on the Black Skimmers but had a great time observing the Hudsonian Godwit!  Again this was an easy observation.  Get out of your car.  Look through a scope(thanks Caleb and Tommy!).  And watch the bird.  Then it was back in the car.

Hudsonian Godwit surrounded by Black-necked Stilts, Killdeer and other peeps

After the viewing, I didn't want to drive back to Tucson wasting gas on just one bird.  So I met up with good friend Magill for some fun research to various areas around the Gila Bend area. We mostly birded from the car and had a lot of great laughs.  And along the way we found a bird or two checking out historical ebird hotspots.

Migration has begun and I feel it in the air.  Shorebirds and hummingbirds are beginning their journey south.  As you can see, Arizona is a hot bed for birds(in every way possible).  It has been a thrill to help out on surveys, help friends find birds, etc.  We have one last summer trip planned up into the North to find some great birds.  I need two more expected birds to complete my Arizona list.  They would be two more lifers and bring me closer to my year goal of finding 100 new birds. 

Beatty's Ranch House

Birds guide me.  By finding birds and hanging out with friends, the summer seems to be flying by quickly.  Life is good.  And so are the Arizona birds!  Until next time....

The Borderlands

The borderlands of the US are some of the wildest and most remote areas of the American Southwest.  It's often best to go with water, friends and a good vehicle for these treks. 

Ferruginous Hawk

After I returned from Wisconsin, I had wanted to go to Yuma and find a rare Streak-backed Oriole.  It's a three hour drive and I didn't want to make it alone. The trek to Yuma can be...somewhat dry:) When my friends Gordon and Muriel said they were chasing the bird, I asked if I could join them. They still thought I was in Wisconsin.  And I actually was at the time of my text:)

Streak-backed Oriole

They were very kind and let me hitch a ride on this very early morning trek. Since it was the first day of the year, we felt that it was important to start the year off with a "proper" bird:) That's the birder rule.  The other birder rule is to record every bird you see on that first day.  On this day, we would find the beautiful Streak-backed Oriole from Mexico:)

Burrowing Owls

We also made lots of other discoveries on our way back home.  There were plenty of Burrowing Owls around the farming fields. But as we were counting birds, my body decided it couldn't take the stress anymore and I crashed.  I had just returned from Wisconsin and slept for 3 hours before getting back on the road again in Arizona!  I think at one point I did some snoring.  

Can you see where the border is?  Hint:  the left side is Mexico and the right is the US.  The dry creek bed is basically the dividing line. 

I also had signed up previously to help out with the Atascosa CBC count around the California Gulch and Warsaw Canyon areas along the Mexican border the following day.  So as I said good-bye to Muriel and Gordon on Saturday, I was off with Dave and Ron on Sunday doing more area counts of birds. Yes I was still exhausted. But it was for a good cause and a way to help out Tucson Audubon. 

We print a map and find a new riparian area to bird along the Warsaw Canyon area.  I write in my notes that water in winter is very important for the Five-striped Sparrow.  There was a springs/creek along a rocky outcrop. And it was here that we found one of these sparrows.  On the other counts for the day, several other FSSP were discovered around similar spots. 

As we walked along the springs of Warsaw Canyon, we found wonderful birds like the Elegant Trogon, Five-striped Sparrow and Black-capped Gnatcatcher.  The roads along the border were rocky and steep, but somehow we managed to get to our very isolated locations. 

Common Hog-nosed Skunk

This area was full of fantastic wildlife.  Throughout the day, we had excellent views(!) of the very secretive Montezuma Quail!  Their numbers were quite impressive, but that didn't stop them from disappearing quickly into the vegetation. 

Female Montezuma Quail pretending to be a rock. It took me 5 minutes to locate her!  That's how "invisible" they can be!

The border can be hot and dangerous.  My tip to birders/historians/hikers/off road junkies/herpers/wildlife trackers, and everyone else who wants to visit these areas?  Bring food and water with you.  Use a sturdy vehicle that can handle off road conditions.  If you can, try and bring a friend or two with you. And always keep your eyes open. Cell phone service is spotty and doesn't work much of the time. Most of the time, the border crossing folk won't do any harm. I've been into other areas when I first began birding that had opened my eyes up to what is "THE BORDER".  It's the reason why I now carry a cell phone that has a tracker on it. I went 12 years without a cell phone! Now I'm addicted and straying away from my story so....With all that said, I have NEVER had issues in this area(Ruby Road/Peña Blanca Lake), but I have heard stories. Water and flat tires should be your main concern. And keep it all locked up. 

As we chased a Northern Beardless Tyrannulet, we found a water depot for people crossing this very isolated stretch of desert. A church organization from Tucson supplies water and food in this hidden location. These "watering holes" have been controversial as this church has been in the news several times for its humanitarian work along the border. I have no opinion on the matter, but I do hate the trash left behind in the nearby wash!

As Dave drove his all terrain vehicle up the sharp and rocky "roads", I laughed. I think it's something I do when I'm nervous.  But it was kinda fun:) We were going up some steep inclines! Luckily none of us had to use the bathroom! 

Northern Beardless Tyrannulet

As the day came to close, I thought about how crazy my start to the New Year had been. From snow to desert and then back to snow again.  I feel like I've finally hit my stride as a legit birder and that everything I've done has lead me to this moment in my life. And yet I still have so much to learn! My focus this year is on finding new state birds for Arizona. Over the next couple weeks, we'll explore the beautiful Ramsey Canyon, Lake Havasu and the Willcox area.  If you haven't done a CBC(or Christmas Bird Count) with your local Audubon, I highly encourage trying it out. And throughout the year, your local Audubon will have many other events planned! Check it out! It's good for the birds and it's a great way to meet new birders and make friends. And of course, learn about our feathered friends. Until next time.......

Facing the Inevitable

Only days would pass before I'd find myself back in Madera Canyon. It was inevitable. It has been a very active summer for birders here in Southern Arizona.  Many are trying to find some rather difficult birds in our very trying Arizona heat.  Mix it up with some crazy monsoon weather along with our active wildlife and as they are finding......it's a vacation they won't forget anytime soon:) So as Kathleen and Zeke left for our southern mountains, young birders Walker and Dalton arrived to find several lifers of their own. 

Lesser Goldfinch-female

One of the birds on Walker's list included the Plain-capped Starthroat.  This meant sitting at the feeders for a longer period of time.  It's amazing how one day, the bird would show up without any hestitation.  But it wasn't meant to be for Walker or Dalton.  After several hours of sitting, we abandoned the feeders only to have missed the bird by 20 minutes after we left! That stung so bad. We went back and sat for a couple more hours. NADA. The Starthroat never showed up again and Walker would dip on both days for the Starthroat.  We all have to have a Nemesis bird:)  It just makes the eventual sighting even sweeter and more special. 

male Broad-billed Hummingbird

 I have certainly mellowed out a lot over the past year on this birding thing.  I have learned to just enjoy what shows up.  Walker reminds me of what it's like to have that youthful energy.  I'm not by any means old but I knew we had our work cut out for us.  This young man was going to bird hard and I mentally tried to prepare myself for the trek ahead. Normally I don't do long hikes in this crazy heat.   But he could not afford anymore dips after the Starthroat mishap.  And so it would happen as it has for so many birders before us......a trip to the mysterious and sometimes dangerous California Gulch.  

Black-headed Grosbeak-male

 As we left the feeder birding behind, we began our long trek past the Peña Blanca Lake area and headed onto a decently maintained dirt road towards the ghost town of Ruby.  The California Gulch was just beyond this fascinating town. It has a very dark past. Last year, I went camping with Gordon at Ruby.  We had a blast but we also knew that the border was only minutes from our location.  There was a moment when we heard what we thought was a bird, but it turned out that it was someone from the Mexican side communicating something. Mexico is a great place but the border is known for drug and human trafficking....especially in that spot.  So we headed back to our camp. 

male Brown-headed Cowbird

 The heat and humidity during the day increased.  Monsoon storms seemed to be popping up and dotting the skies. 

Whiskered screech-owl

From a distant hill, we could see the flash of lighting followed by the booms of thunder. Please be nice Mother Nature!  The initial cracking sound silenced the ongoing cicada hum.  Eventually we reached the general California Gulch area, but where exactly were the Five-striped Sparrows and Buff-collared Nightjars found? No internet.  No GPS.  Nothing. So we birded a stretch of the road with some good finds.  Walker found his first Pacific-slope Flycatcher, but it wasn't one of the target birds.  He's moving to Idaho and figured he'd find this bird there.  It wasn't the Nightjar nor the Sparrow.  

White-winged Dove

 On our way into the vast expanse known as "the Gulch", we spotted at least 3 Five-striped Sparrows but they took off quickly and Walker wasn't able to get a picture or good ID of the bird.  We had to continue on.  This bird was a MUST!

Overlooking the California Gulch

Along the way, I was thrilled to find lots of our common birds jumping around with juveniles in the desert scrub.  There was evidence that nesting had been a success for several species!

Bewick's Wren

 But then something incredible would happen.  I spied a WILD Desert Tortoise in the road.  My only lifer for the day!  And it was a GOOD one!  This species is threatened and in decline due to human involvement.  

When I spot one of these rare beauties, I document the time and place with a photo.  I make sure that they are safely off the road before leaving the scene. And that means just watching to make sure it crosses.  I do not carry them and as you'll find out there's a reason why. This tortoise was on a very quiet road and was safe from getting hit by a car. 

the ancient Desert Tortoise

 Here's some stuff I learned a couple years ago about finding turtles or tortoises in the desert and grassland areas. Never pick a tortoise up as it will void.  This will cause dehydration and possible death.  If the road is active, you obviously might need to move it.  Arizona Game and Fish recommends picking up the tortoise slightly off the ground(not high) and taking it safely to the other side of the road. Recent estimates indicate that there are about 100,000 individual desert tortoises remaining in the Mojave and Sonoran deserts.  As late as the 1950's the desert tortoise population averaged 200 adults per square mile. More recent studies show the level is now between 5-60 adults per square mile. This tortoise is labeled "Threatened".  One level above the "Endangered" category. 

Five-striped Sparrow

 Eventually we met up with several other birders who were also on the same mission. Together we joined forces and made it all happen.  The Buff-collared Nightjar and Five-striped Sparrows were realized.  Walker and Dalton got their hard earned lifers. And I had a bat fly into my head.  That was a first. I think I had a huge bug on my hat.

But the real story isn't about any of us.  It's about the father/son team we met.  Enter James and Monroe McKay.  James, who is recently retired, is traveling around the ABA world with his 87 year old father.  Together they are accomplishing amazing things.  Their one rule?  Father and son must BOTH see or hear the bird before they can count it.  Night birding operates primarily with the use of our ears. If we are lucky, we will just see the shadow of the bird fly around us. If we can ID the call, we can count the bird. Well, his father could not hear the soft "laughing" of the nearby Elf Owls.  Birders united to help both these men see the owl. 

Here are some hardcore birders. From left to right, James and Monroe McKay and Walker and Dalton Noe

And within moments, we had the world's tiniest owl pass through the mesquite tree next to us where it was hanging out with some juveniles on a branch. Mission accomplished.  They moved on their way until their "laughter" disappeared further down into the canyon. While we waited for the night sky, I learned much about their wonderful adventures across the country. It is an amazing accomplishment! 

Elf Owl

 After hearing the Buff-collared Nightjar, we all drove back together in a caravan safely passing through the network of dirt roads until we reached the interstate. Border Patrol was active that night.  Several bug people were out collecting. And Common Poorwills flew around our vehicle.  Once we entered back into the Rio Rico area, Walker was able to contact his family and let them know we were okay. On MY way home, I had a crazy thing happen. A meteorite fragment flared across the front of my windshield and almost hit my car on the interstate!  Maybe the hit from the bat messed up my head. But seriously, it was a bit scary! Anyhow,what an amazingly difficult and hot day out in our beautiful desert.  There is no place like our wild Southern Arizona on this planet. The Sonoran Desert is a thing of wonder.  Scary sometimes.  But that's what makes it so amazing.  

 I wish Walker and Dalton luck on their journey ahead.  Sure Idaho won't have all those Mexican vagrants, but Arizona isn't that far away.  Plus, think about all the amazing adventures you'll have around that state.  Idaho sounds like a beautiful place to explore. And full of amazing finds!  Happy trails ahead for all!

The Glendale Recharge Ponds-normally it's a brutal survey of shorebirds.  The shorebirds are great, but the intense heat makes it a killer.  Bring plenty of water out to this area. And your scope!!  It's your one stop shopping center for shorebirds in Arizona:)  This place actually was quite beautiful as we went to find the Sabine's Gull around sunset. 

On a final note, since we are heading into September in a few days, my North American bird tally is at 493 for the year.  My latest addition is the Sabine's Gull.  There are a few that are currently migrating through the state of Arizona thanks in part to the active monsoon weather patterns here this year.  I will say this about August.  It has been a long and tough month for me as a birder.  My energy levels are waaaaay down now that work is here again.  Plus the heat makes everything so much more difficult.  In the days ahead, we will be exploring a lot more of the wild wild west. I am looking forward to these treks with great anticipation. Not only will the birds be great, if we find them, but the landscape and temps alone will make the trekking so much more fun.  And perhaps we'll meet a fellow blogger or two along the way:)  Stay tuned for more....
For more about birds check out Wild Bird Wednesday(link on the left side top) and Anni's I'd-Rather-B-Birdin'.