Beautifully Ugly

                                                     The sun sets eerily masked by the western fires

If we had to use a few words to describe the year 2020, how would we describe it? Over the past few weeks, a phrase came to mind.....beautifully ugly.  Sometimes it repeats itself during moments of tears and anger. Because behind all of this terrible sadness comes a different kind of joy.  Take for example the sun above.  Normally in Arizona, you would never be able to look straight at it.  But because of the devastating wildfires in the West, this sunset is one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen.  Beautifully ugly. 

                                                                                         Willow Flycatcher

To date, Arizona has seen some of the wildest birds this year because of all the tragedy surrounding our state.  It might be because everyone is stuck birding locally and finding very special rarities in their local patches. It might be that we have so many professional bird guides living in Arizona and out of jobs that they are forced to stay home....and bird.  Or it could be from the environmental damage happening everywhere.  The fire events in California and other states are huge but pale in comparison to the one that happened in Australia earlier this year. In any case, I think it's a little bit of everything mentioned above.  Rarities from the north, east, west and southern provinces have been showing up all over the state.  Many of us believe that this could be an even more amazing year than it already has been due to birds being forced into new or alternative migration routes. Arizona is one of those states.

                                                               Cooper's Hawk

And so while it may be exciting for birders here, it's also a national tragedy as hundreds of thousands of  birds have been found dead in many of the western states due to extreme weather conditions.  

It's chaos here in the US.  Last Friday while looking for a rare Red-eyed Vireo in Pima County, the news broke that Supreme Court Judge Ginsberg passed away.  The country was already deeply divided and this just adds to the flames.  Birders texted each other the news from a patch of willows at an urban park while we tried to find the vireo, but somehow it took the wind out of our sails.  That was a sad drive back home because she was a pretty dynamic woman. Her passing could be the end of women having rights to their own bodies or firing people who are LGBTQ from their jobs because they go against "god's wishes".  It's very sad.  What's worse is that the Republican Senate stole a seat from Democrats back in 2016 when Obama left office.  And now the hypocrites are reversing their own rule they made up and will appoint a very conservative judge on the court.  It's like we're going back in time instead of progressing forward.  Compound all of that with the tragedies happening around the world and.......well.........there's the ugly. If anything, it has made the American people wake up like I've never seen before.  So there's the beautiful.  

                                                                     Pectoral Sandpiper

Yet in all this chaos, birds keep us somewhat sane.  And excited.  A rare Ruff was reported in the nasty slop ponds of a dairy farm.  And so we, the birders of AZ, went to find the diamond in the Ruff.  

Thousands of shorebirds were spread out over 4 different ponds.  It took us about 20 minutes to locate this really cool shorebird.  It was also a chance to meet new birders.  

                                                    The rare Ruff surrounded by Baird's Sandpipers

This year has been challenging for so many people.  And in the midst of all the terrible, we discovered the kittens trapped in a storm drain back in July.  They made the news.  I saw their faces and two of them stole my heart.  It didn't make sense then.  And it doesn't make sense now.  But we are so happy they are with us.  

Last week we finally adopted these two little love bugs.  They are so wonderful.  We now have 6 cats.  Are we crazy cat hoarders?  Depends on who you ask.  Many said no, but they also have 8 to 12 cats!   They might be a little bias. 

With covid on the rise again in many states, this is the perfect time to rescue or raise a young kitten or puppy.  Home projects are great, but laughing and cuddling with new furry friends is even better in your newly renovated home.  We have to find our happiness during these dark times. For us, it came by rescuing two kittens who very much needed a home.  We needed each other.  It sounds cheesy, but we bonded quickly. Sometimes, without question, someone or something very special comes into your life.  You don't question it. You accept it unconditionally.  If you don't listen to your heart, you'll come to regret it.  And life is way too short for regrets. 

Speaking of dark, Kosmos gets into everything and easily disappears into the shadows.  I have to constantly watch where I'm walking:)  His sister, Nebula, or Little Nebbie, is often part of the action.  The two are inseparable and keep each other entertained. When they aren't playing, they're sleeping.  The older girls have their routines and these two use them as ping pongs.  It's quite the scene. 

Beautifully ugly.  That's 2020 in a nutshell.  

Until next time.....

 

Quarantinis

Gambel's Quail

As I watch lines around stores form and snowbirds fleeing the city in the thousands to get back to their doctors in their home states, I stand on the sidelines watching humanity unwind.  Meanwhile, bird migration is happening on schedule as if nothing was really happening, giving me a false sense of security.  I am absolutely fascinated by it all. 

Copulating Killdeer

I counter crowds by finding my secret spaces to find birds.  I run to all the places I need to go before quarantine takes hold. I pick up house and garden project stuff.  I get the oil change done.  I visit Holly at the bamboo ranch to get my plants for spring planting.  And for the most part, I am ready to stay indoors full time. People are no different from birds.  They also have habits that can be predicted. 

Great Egret

As of today, Covid-19 has killed more than 2000 Americans in the US. Globally, it has killed so many more people. It's quite a show watching this "President" and his Corona task force deal with this crippling blow to the US. And now I watch this house of cards finally collapse around him at the cost of his supporters and everyone else who lives in this country. I cannot believe that some people think this is just a hoax!  

Curve-billed Thrasher

I'm not angry anymore.  I just don't care.  I feel for those infected.  If I get it, I'll be okay as well.  Humanity needs a shaking up. We have been abusive and complacent in this world.  I try to do my best to make progress.  I switched out all plastic bags this year for cool grocery purses that I can reuse over and over again. I got rid of plastic bottles for a hydroflask.  But the environmental damage Trump has done to the US is unforgivable. And now, here we are with this disease thanks in part to poaching and the illegal trade market in China. Middle and western African countries are going to take yet another hit on top of all the other things they have been dealing with like HIV, Ebola, bad economies, etc etc.  We are all connected.  And we are all to blame. 

Western Diamondback Rattlesnake

I also think that there is more about this disease we DON'T know like when did it really start?  The first US case was reported January 21st.  NOW, let's go back to October when I traveled to Oregon.  If you've been following this blog, you might remember that I had a severe illness for a couple months.  I went to the ER twice.  The doctor's had said everything was fine.  I experienced GI issues, difficulty breathing doing easy things and in November and December, I had the desire to just die. 

Black-throated Sparrow

I am now feeling better.  There is still a smaller issue, but I went to the doctor again this past week to hopefully obtain the last bit of antibiotics I need to take out the last bit of this GI issue. Thousands of dollars and no answers to every single test they had done on me really made me frustrated. 

Anna's Hummingbird

Now let's fast track after winter break during the month of January.  Students were getting sick for more than several days.  In fact, they were out for weeks at my school.  I know this because all the teachers spoke about it.  We didn't get all the make up work in until that first week of March!  In my 24 years of teaching, I have NEVER had a flu take out that many kids for that amount of time.  Our attendance specialist was overloaded with absentee calls from parents.  The last three weeks of January and first week in February were terrible. This wasn't an ordinary flu.  Several students also lost their parents.  It's natural to lose a parent sometimes, but to have several students lose a mom or dad in a semester was not only sad and devastating but horrifying.    

female Anna's Hummingbird at my feeder

THEN, a teacher who is always healthy had an issue the last week of January.  She was sitting at her desk working when a student came up to ask her a question.  As he was speaking to her, some of his spittle hit her lips.  She remembered being grossed out by this and told me about it.  The next day, she couldn't function and disappeared for 4 days!  We were worried about her, but she came back the following week her normal crazy self. 

a very furry Nova chills on top a stack of freshly cleaned bathroom towels. 

Now if you're saying, "Chris but......" First, let me say this. These are just observations from a teacher of 24 years. Not fact, just observations. Here's the thing.  I work at a school where parents have weird jobs.  One student proudly told me her dad had just come back from Wuhan on a business trip after it was announced that the virus began there. We weren't taking it as serious back then. People travel over winter break and it doesn't take much for a disease to cross over and begin its work. Now these are just things that I began piecing together since my own mortality scare in October.  I NEVER get sick.  I don't trust this government we have now because they lie all the time.  I think things were building up to this moment back in January.  It was the silent enemy hitting pockets of humanity.  Now, there's no avoiding it.  In Arizona, we still can't get tested unless we are showing all the symptoms.  Trump is an idiot. We DO NOT have enough testing kits and WE ARE NOT ready. And now the US will pay the ultimate price.  But sure, Bozo.  Throw money at us.  That will fix everything!

Nova helps me

"Why don't you get tested now?"  Well because ONE I can't. There's not enough testing kits out there. And only people exhibiting the symptoms can get a test.  TWO.  I don't want to get reinfected again.  Hospitals, cruise ships, crowds and planes are a germ fest! And there are still people who want to continue their flight or cruise!  Unbelievable!  And how are children's daycares still open?  I live next door to one and there are still kids playing outside?!  I have a deep appreciation for the health workers, grocery store clerks and law enforcement agencies putting their lives at risk helping the public get through this crisis.  

Great Blue Heron at El Rio Preserve in Marana

I asked my students online what has been the greatest silver lining about doing their work at home.  It was reassuring to hear things like, "I get to spend more time with my family." or "I can learn at my own pace and take breaks when I need them." and of course the ever popular teenage response, "I get to sleep in!".  Some things never change. 

There were other responses that made me smile like, "I get to see your cats more Profe. I love your cats."  LOL!  It's true.  While I'm doing zoom or doing a video segment, I have cats who like to "help" me out.  One of the universal responses to that silver lining question was, "I get to spend more time with my dog or cat."  That made me smile. 

My Cooper's Hawk ate one of my Ladder-backed Woodpeckers

Finally, I am enjoying this quarantini moment in my life.  I am "forced" to enjoy living at home.  I am "forced" to work on my home.  I am "forced" to bird from my yard. I am "forced" to garden at home.  I never had enough time to do it all.  Now I have all the time in the world!  I choose to see the positive in this all.  It's a new challenge.  My birding has turned me into being a robin stroker...totally appropriate for the moment. And it's a treasure hunt. A game.  How many birds can I find in Pima county?  How do I stay away from the evil sickly humans who don't stand 6 feet away from each other? Seriously. And avoid the terrible people who are rude to each other in lines? This is a living video game! Avoid the crazy man who runs over the worker with his cart because there is no toilet paper(true story).  Oh it's a human shit show out there full of beautiful, sad and stupid human stories. On the plus side, gas couldn't be cheaper!

The White-winged Doves are returning to my yard again!

Spring migration is in full swing here in the desert southwest.  We all secretly whisper to each other that we are so lucky to live here because there's a lot of open spaces and a lot of birds!  But deep down, I know summer is going to be here in NO TIME!  Trump said that the virus should be gone by Easter.  Okay buddy.  Then he said it should be gone by summer because it gets warmer outside. He's a smart guy that one.  However, 115 degrees is hot and the virus has a difficult time living outside the body at certain temps.  Heck, a human can't live outside in 115 degrees for very long:) 

I head out with Celeste to do some night birding.  We listen for Elf Owls and Common Poorwills

And the other silver lining?  I control my eating.  I'm not driving an hour and half every day to school.  I can teach from my catio or side garden OR office.  Even better?  I can go for a walk in the morning like I normally would.  And I'm losing weight again!  I control HOW I do my job.  Not vice versa.  This pandemic is going to change so many things about how we do our jobs.  I'm hoping I can teach online for most of the week with 2 days of teacher supervision to make sure that students aren't cheating. And that they also get their time to socialize.  They did mention missing that aspect of school.  But I gotta tell you all.  I don't miss the classroom discipline part or the drug issues that plague most of the schools here in the US.  That's on the parents now.  I think some of them miss us:) Our schools in AZ are closed now for the rest of the year. I think everyone is in the honeymoon mode right now but it will slowly sink in as the pandemic wraps around our city more and graduations are cancelled.  Right now, everyone is acting like it's no big deal in Tucson. And that's how this disease is spreading.

A Great Egret flies over my head at Agua Caliente Park

Please stay healthy.  Spend lots of your time with your furry friends.  If you have a spouse, smile at them from across the house from time to time.  Maybe check in with them for dinner?  Wait!  Is that what dinner is all about?  Touching base with the ones you love?  What a great idea? Yes.  Some old traditional values still stick and are time honored.  How cool is THAT in this ever changing world?!  Until next time......I'm hoping:)

I Remember Well

White-lined Sphinx Moth

Looking back.  Looking forward.  And here I am.  They say autumn has begun.  I lock myself indoors pretending it's cold outside when in reality it's still like opening an oven.  So what to do? Escape to the great White Mountains and feel the sensations of being cold!

Painted Lady

I have discovered many of the birds here in the US.  Oh, there's about 50 or so I need for the US but they are in pockets here and there that require a one trip visit.  It's more than just birding now.  I want to make my home and garden come alive again.  I started cooking after almost 2 decades of not cooking and it brings me joy.  I sit and watch old episodes of Julia Child making French things like French Onion Soup:)  And it makes me want to go back to France again.  Old personalities like Julia Child and Bob Ross bring with them a sense of comfort.

We sat and watched the Elk graze in Greer at sunset

My travels abroad this summer forced me to cook in the kitchen and save money.  And it brought me joy.  I began taking notes in Trinidad, Hawaii, and Mexico.  In Maine, I collected more ideas.  Then I discovered the Farmer's Market of produce and I began to make my own fresh food again.  For 10 years, at the job that pays my health insurance, Helen always made me a fresh salad during lunch. It was the highlight of my day. But to cut costs, the district got rid of her.  In one deadly strike, I lost a friend and an amazing salad. 

So I began making my own lunches.  I got a membership to Costco, then to the National Parks and then we got a membership for the Desert Museum.  I've somewhat stepped out of the Arizona birding. Birders have told me this happens.  It's not that I am not birding.  I am.  I'm just not into chasing birds around this state as much anymore.  It seems goofy driving hours on the road observing a bird that I've seen many times in other places. So I stick to my patches.  And bird.  And cook. And save money for the big treks that are coming up. It's gotta be a really rare bird for me to chase.

Greer Lake

I get nostalgic this time of year.  I am reminded of the passing of time.  The passing of friends and family.  Of my aging.  It makes me happy.  It makes me sad.  I try to recreate recipes that my Grandma's made for me while they were still alive. After their passings, I took their iconic cookware and brought them home.  I mix salads and pastas and soups and desserts together in them. I pull out their fine glassware that they always put out for me on their tables during holidays or visits.  Sometimes I wish I could go back in time and be that dish that sat on their dinner tables just so I could hear their voices again. They stood preparing delicious foods with this glassware and now I do the same. And it connects me to those memories. 

Warbling Vireos migrate through the area

I'd, of course, have to place those dishes out-of-reach from a certain sister who likes to eat all the black olives. Sometimes Grandma would place the olives next to my Grandpa's magnifying glass where he read the newspaper, away from little hands but within reach for the adults. She didn't know that we could climb up chairs:) That fancy crystal bowl now sits in my cupboards with the rest of their dishes.  I began to pull them out again and fill them up with fresh lemons, tomatoes, onions and avocados.  My siblings would instantly recognize them because they were fun pieces that were always full of fresh veggies and crackers. They, too, bring comfort. 

The infamous West Baldy Trail #94

Over the next several weekends, I will be reflecting often.  This past weekend we escaped to Pinetop and Greer to get away from these horrible 100+ temps here in Tucson. 

Wilson's Snipe

 Then I'm off to Wisconsin where I'll spend some relaxing time with the family.  It's also a bittersweet visit in that I will say good-bye to Bernie.  He passed away a couple months ago and I was stuck here working.  I couldn't fly home for the funeral so I will go where I first met him as a child, Woodland Dunes.  I was just a beginning birder and he showed me my first Northern Saw-Whet Owls and how I could band them.  I'll meet him at that old red barn when I thought everything would last forever. Woodland Dunes was his life's work.  And today, it's his legacy.

A Sora dances around with another Sora hiding out in the reeds

I've written about this before but going home is harder the older I get.  I see people getting older; not myself you see because I'm immortal:) But this is the time of my life when I have only a few good decades, maybe years with lifelong friends who are now older.  What I wouldn't give to have unlimited money to visit them all.  I have to stay true to my goals.  And whenever possible, incorporate friends into the birding madness. 

But for now, I meander.  I go where I feel like going.  

We sat watching the elk eat the grass.  We played detective and found our friendly American Dipper.  There we sat with the dipper as the sun was setting and watched it get ready to go to bed. 

An American Dipper takes a break from the dipping

I bird my local patch every week at Reid Park and connect with my birds.  Some would say that that's boring.  I thought that once too, but now I find it a fun challenge.  When you've seen every possible bird around the region, you make it a game trying to find a new bird for your local patch.  And just like that, it's exciting again. Plus the data is super interesting from month to month and year to year.

A beautiful Cooper's Hawk perches

I drool at the blooms and butterflies this time of year.  I get excited.  Now that the outside painting is done at our place, all I want to do is work on my garden!  I stopped feeding my birds because I didn't want them to get poisoned with paint fumes.  So I removed all the water sources away from the building and let everything go quiet for awhile.

September is a great month for flower gardens and butterflies.  In fact, I believe it's also one of the best places for a birder to observe birds as migrating warblers like to feed from the bugs in the garden while finches, etc like to eat the seeds.  You could be at a stinky steamy hot slop pond searching for a Red Knot or sitting within a beautiful garden watching art naturally happen. I prefer the latter.  It's not going to get me anything rare, but I don't care.  

We live. We hike. And we explore.  Bring on the cold!  Let fall arrive!

And then in between, I want to play outside and grow plants.  During the summer, I stare out the window and think of the winter projects I want to do.  We have a wooden fence and I'd love to hang quirky bird houses on them!

Hunt's Bumble Bee, note the rusty brown band around the abdomen

Anyhow, I'm looking forward to the cooler temps and the final chapter to this year's birding. We'll visit several gardens around Tucson this month.  Then in October, we'll be back in Wisconsin visiting with friends and later in the month, we'll be in Rocky Point, Mexico having some fun with gull ID and shorebirds. Life is one grand adventure and it's always best when shared with friends.  Thank you for following Las Aventuras.  Until next week friends.....

Las Aventuras: Birds and Blooms 2017

Pomegranate.  The most expensive fruit out there and yet it grows all over the city.  So many people let this fruit go to waste.  Why?  It's too messy and stains outfits. 

I sat down this past week and began reading one of my favorite blogs, Ragged Robin's Nature Notes. While I was reading about her fun at an English garden, I began to think....which is clearly a dangerous thing for me to be doing these days:) Basically, Caroline inspired me to get off my butt and do a little local arboretum fun of my own. 

So without further ado, here's Tucson's very own Birds and Blooms 2017 edition!  Here's a little preamble before I get started.  1. If you love plant collections and desert birds, there are three places you need to visit in Tucson. The Tucson Botanical Gardens, Tohono Chul Park and my favorite, the Desert Museum.  Today we visit Tohono Chul Park.  2. Since I'm still waiting for my 500 mm lens, I have chosen to use my 55 mm lens(which I've never used before).  And that was the challenge.  So here goes.....

One of the best times to visit Tucson and Southern Arizona is during our spring months.  April really is perfection. However this year, we've seemed to skip from winter straight into summer.  For people living in Tucson, our gardens can be a sanctuary for many of our living desert creatures.  If you come from the green belt of the US, you may feel helpless and frustrated by your desert landscaping skills.  Don't worry.  You can still have a lush and beautiful desert backyard sans the grass and high water bills!

First off, I recommend visiting the three places mentioned above as they give great ideas about planning your backyard.  AND!  Each of these places offers really fun courses on Tucson gardening!  So let me start with the first thing on my mind. Shade.  

A nest......

Creating shade in our desert community is a MUST.  It can save you money on that air conditioning bill, create a space to read and have coffee in the morning OR just make things 10-20 degrees cooler in your yard.  For wildlife, it's a sanctuary.  I looked up into the canopy of this Texas Ebony Tree and whom did I spy?

A Cooper's Nest

A very silent Cooper's Hawk.  Tip number 2.  Plant ONLY things that grow in the desert!  Here we live in the Sonoran Desert which means we have SO much to choose from!  I believe we are the lushest(is that a word?) desert of the world.  So, place plants that will attract butterflies and birds into your yard.  This Baja Fairy Duster below is attractive to both hummingbirds and butterflies.  Plant a Hackberry Tree and hope to discover one day a rare Rufous-backed Robin in your yard during the winter months!

Marine Blue butterfly on the Baja Fairy Duster

And for potted plants?  Go for it.  Buy crazy colored pots(or not) for your seasonal plants.  Many Tucsonans choose herbs like lavender and basil.  They do great in our hot summer climate. 

Lavender!

 Keep the pots close to the hose so that they are easy to water.  If you are on the outskirts of town, wire mesh is needed to keep Javelina, Deer and other critters from munching on your plants.....unless of course, you don't mind:)

Recently, I spoke with several birders who created a yard just for shade and the critters.  Cathy Skow, who recently had the rare Golden-crowned Sparrow in her yard, strategically placed several key plants in her viewing line.  How did she know what to plant?  As a birder who needed ideas, she went to the one place in town that has many birds, the Sweetwater Wetlands.  There she found several key plants like the saltbush that attracts a lot of smaller birds like sparrows and warblers.  She liked what she saw and put the plant into her yard. Brilliant!  And guess what?  That's where the Golden-crowned Sparrow liked to hang out with its White-crowned Sparrow friends.  

I love color and I love pots and I love bird baths and I love tile.  We live in Tucson.  Make it colorful.  So sure, we don't have grass and that's okay.  We also don't have to mow lawns!  Make  your gardens come alive with practical things that will add color and structure to your space.  I have wind chimes and a sun catcher.  I also am addicted to cobalt blue pots.  Have fun.  The more color you add; the better. And for carpeting the desert floor with green?  Why not try agaves and other succulents like aloe and put them in clusters?  They really make a space pop!

I use my pots for my tropical cacti and succulents.  Also note.  There's a Verdin on top of one of the plants.  This lens was challenging!!!

The more I travel to other habitats outside of the Sonoran desert; the more I realize how much I love cacti.  Also, cacti in the spring will add color.  But most of all, it adds structure and character.  

I like cacti because it also adds a security benefit around our home.  It keeps the meth addicts off our property.  When you live in the city, you always have to think about protecting your home.  A nice wall of prickly vegetation will do the job:)

Water features are also nice as they add sound and attract lots of birds!  Water features can be easy.  You can do electric or use solar panels!

In the pic below, two Lesser Goldfinches come in for a quick drink and then fly off. 

Many desert gardeners like to make an informal trail around their garden.  

You can build piles of rocks into areas for lizards to hide and live. In Tucson, we have lots of them during our warm and hot months.  

Desert Spiny Tail

Some still like the living Ocotillo fences.  This was popular many years ago.  Today, the fad has kind of faded:)  Instead, plant the entire Ocotillo and watch the blossoms attract various species of hummingbirds and bees. 

A forest of Cholla cactus can be deadly for trespassers or......

......a nesting ground for your Cactus Wrens and Curve-billed Thrashers. 

The beautiful Cactus Wren

It's amazing that these birds don't stab themselves in and out of their nests.  I guess it's another good reason why they have feathers:)

I thought about my own garden while I did this trek today.  My garden that I began 7 years ago continues evolving.  The large plants have grown and now must be pruned back from structures.  They have also created shade. 

The shade has changed what I can grow under the canopy of the trees.  I haven't done that part of my garden yet.  

Zebra-tailed Lizard

I hate watering plants now so it's all native stuff.  The vegetation that needs constant watering is gone.  

Our water fountains are great except that one needs to be constantly cleaned and maintained.  I don't like that anymore so I just maintain my solar run bird bath. 

I have made my yard a better place for lots of birds.

When I came home today after my trek to the Tohono Chul Park, I felt motivated to work in the 90+ degrees.  And interesting enough....

My female Broad-billed Hummingbird let me know that she was nesting once again in the same spot as last year.  She rebuilt the nest from last year and again has chosen my garden to be her home. It's an honor!

And when I started attracting new birds and critters into my yard, I knew I had done something right.  The only problem?  I'm older and lack the motivation to begin phase 2 of the project:)  But each year, I add something new and over time that adds up. 

A note about Ragged Robin's Nature Notes😉Caroline writes from England about so many things related to nature.  She's part birder, part historian, part garden explorer and a lover of all things wonderful.  She especially likes moths. At the end of many of her treks, she'll finish with a wonderful dessert.  Sometimes I imagine having dessert and tea with her.  And maybe someday we will! Anyhow, check her blog out.  It's a perfect way to get your morning going. Until next time.....