400 Lifebirds

 Lifebirds are getting tricky. My camera abilities are strong but my reflexes aren't always the quickest.  I have come to accept that I may not get all lifebirds with a proper photo ID.  But I sure will try! As of July, I had crossed the 400 number on my life bird list.  The "list" is sacred to many.  Some use it to boast their egos.  Some keep it secret because it's very personal. And some don't mind sharing it at all with others....like me. When I began this bird journey, I wanted to be open and transparent about my finds from around the world. This is a great game of mind and physical exercise. Every morning I wake up asking myself, "Which bird will it be today?" If it's a rare visiting bird, I won't be able to sleep the night before. As I slowly tick off my Arizona list, I have moved into foreign and exotic landscapes which require a lot more research and investigation.  Every trip has a specific target list.  Every lifebird has a story.  And today I will share with you the journey that went into finding the birds from 300-400.   

At 300, the Zone-tailed Hawk is a bird with a disguise. It had probably flown over my head so many times while living in Arizona as a non-birder.  Many times it will fly among a kettle of Turkey Vultures.  Most people will look up, see the kettle and respond with, "Oh it's those ugly birds."  That's what this Zonie wants you to think and that's how they do so well in the wild.  But on this day near Phoenix with Gordon Karre and Kathie Brown, we stumbled upon a nest along a river.  Both hawks flew out of the tree screaming above our heads.  I would have walked passed them, but they scared the living hell out of me. Out of respect, we took our pictures and left ASAP.  These birds taught me on this very hot day to respect the wild.  There are birds on the world list that will kill or do serious damage if I do not pay attention to my surroundings better.

At 310, this drab little number flew in front of both Kathie and myself while birding at a truck stop. It's the Dusky Flycatcher.  Flycatchers in Arizona are difficult because there are so many kinds here.  I feel I have become stronger as a birder because of all the research these types of birds make me do.  Some look so similar that it comes down to sound and habitat or elevation.  I learned quickly that the easiest way for me to ID these birds is to listen to their calls and memorize them.  

At 320, I heard a strange call up on Mt. Lemmon.  It drove me insane.  It was new to my ears and I climbed and climbed up a steep hill to see who was making all that racket.  I forgot about my surroundings and found myself on a rock ledge staring at the Greater Pewee.  As I write this today, I will never forget that song.  On one particular outing, a park ranger whistled the tune note per note perfectly while having coffee with me on a bench.  I had a good laugh and shared the story of the Greater Pewee.....a Mexican migrant. Once you hear that tune, you won't forget it anytime soon:) 

This next bird at 330 doesn't need much introduction.  It's the crowning jewel of Southern Arizona.  I spent a year and a half searching for this bird without any success.  It sounds like a barking dog and calls mostly in the early hours of morning. Miss that call and you'll have a hard time finding this bird for the rest of the day. The research and time I put into this Trogon taught me many things.  Some birds operate on time tables (and they change daily).  It is therefore important to speak with locals and research the latest reports to find this bird. Since this write, I've discovered 4 different trogons while on my travels.  Sometimes patience and research pays off.

At 340, the Northern Pygmy Owls make a show that I'll never forget.  I was with my partner Pat when we noticed two little heads peeking out of a hole at us.  I am an owl man and forever will be.  There is nothing to gain or learn from this sighting other than I just love them.  They are the birds that make me smile and dance. Anytime I get to see one, even though I've seen them before, I smile.  Perhaps it's because they are intelligent creatures and very catlike?  I don't know but ever since I've been a kid, owls have held my fascination. Mr. Rogers always had his show of "Make Believe" where an owl would peer out of a hole.  Woodsy Owl would exclaim, "Help Keep America Looking Good!  Hoot! Hoot!" Or the Tootsie Roll Pops....just how many licks DOES it take to get to the center?  The owl says, "A one, a two, a three...." And CRUNCH! Never in my life did I expect to see all of these wonders in the wild. We sat on a log until dark watching these birds while on the trails of Miller Canyon.

Now we begin the strange and exotic.  Guatemala shot my list up over 100 birds.  I cannot afford bird guides....yet.  I speak Spanish and I know enough about birds to get to the places I need to be. Imagine waking up in a new world where the bird sounds are all foreign and alien sounding.  I couldn't sleep and like an alarm clock, these Band-backed Wrens woke me up sharply at 5 AM.  My friend, who traveled with me around Guatemala, asked me what I was doing up so early on our first day.  I said, "Can't you hear them??? There are new birds out there!!!!  And I have to find them!!!"  In my pajamas, I ran out the door to hear these loud bombastic birds. They were LOUD and over-the-top!  I hid in the outdoor shower and watched them as they ate bugs around the lights.  On the first day, I missed them but I figured out their daily routine which allowed me to capture them on the canopy of these trees.  When they fly, they call.  But they are silent when still.  These birds taught me about strategy and preparation for the photography bit.  At 350, the Band-backed Wren.

Number 360 goes to the rather plain Green-throated Mountain Gem.   Yes, it's a hummingbird and it was found near the only excellent truly birder friendly place in Antigua.  They actually had hummingbird feeders!!!    If you go to Antigua, check out the Finca Pilar.  Wonderful birds can be found on the trails and around the feeders here.   On this trek, I met a young Scottish man by the name of Justin who birded alone at one of the hostals near Antigua.  Several people kind of laughed at his obsession with birds.  When I came along, we teamed up and birded together.  My friend told me that we had a bromance going on.  Whatever the case, it was so much fun to bird with someone who knew the area.  We sat down over several days looking at his Central American bird books ID'ing the birds we had seen together.  We even took trails that I wouldn't have normally gone on.  I truly appreciated our time together searching for new birds.  And I was able to introduce him to Ebird which will be a fun new program for him to use. 

370 was a big one.  The Gold medal of this journey.  It was a gamble that I took in Coban.  This time it paid off big time.  My friend was able to share the moment with me and experience the glorious Resplendent Quetzal.  A lot of work and research went into finding this bird.  So much so that after we found 6 of them, my birding energy waned for awhile.  I began to drink Micheladas and enjoy the trip more as a tourist.  I had been to Guatemala before but never as a birder. If it wasn't for the experience and research behind the Elegant Trogon, I may have dipped on this near threatened bird.  It was an exciting moment in my life.  My friend Lynda said that I had a bird boner(highlight in front of the parentheses if you want to know).  I laughed and smiled.  She isn't a birder, but the event was spectacular.  One of the highlights of my birding adventures. 

At 380, the Swallow-tailed Kite flew among....swallows and swifts.  I had seen it twice and was in awe by it's grace and elegance.  My initial reactions were, "That's a big swallow!"  Then I saw the head on this bird and realized I was dealing with a Kite.  I checked my list and saw....Swallow-tailed Kite.  The lesson here?  Use resources like Ebird to help ID the birds found in the area.  I knew most of the bird body types(there were a few exceptions of course) and I focused on what physical features made them stand out.  In this case, the tail was unique to the Kite family.  When I looked it up on the internet for ID verification, I smiled and patted myself on the back.

We spent a day in Tikal which is one of my favorite places to search for wildlife.  And on this day, we saw more creatures than all the other tourists in the park.  Why?  We avoided the tours!!!  As a Spanish instructor, I've studied the Mayan histories many times over. When my friend asked a question, I gave her the information.   Had we been with the group, we would have missed this bird. We spied this Collared Aracari at number 390 before it flew off because of a noisy tour group.  My friend now understood why I dislike people on the trails.  She began to feel the same way as we discovered together Spider and Howler Monkeys, Deer, Coati, and gorgeous birds along the trail.  

Finally at 400, we end with a Trogon.  In fact, this post has been full of them. The Black-headed Trogon was incredible.  Every morning at 5 AM in Rio Dulce, near the Caribbean side of Guatemala, I would walk into a buggy open pasture along a stretch of untouched rain forest.  The bird, much like the Resplendent Quetzal or Elegant Trogon, moved in a similar fashion.  So why the bad shot?  Here's the story. We stayed in an A/C unit because travel was taking its toll on both of us. Well the A/C fogged up my lens every morning and by the time, I saw the Trogon in the rain and fog with my clouded lens, well.......it wasn't a great shot.  So I Instagramed it and added a little artsy look to the shot.  I am now working on my 500 list.  Life is wonderful.  So is the experience behind birding, travel and photography.  I hope you enjoyed this little jaunt back in time.  Until next time.......

Truck Stop Hookup

Brewer's Sparrow

What are truck stops really?  Or "Rest areas"? For some people, they are annoying breaks on a long trip. For example, Mom or Dad are driving from Texas with 3 kids.  It's been a grueling 8 hour drive and little Joey "has to use the bathroom".  Their destination is only 20 minutes away but Joey has to stop!  So they do.  Thirty minutes later, the annoyed drivers get back on the highway. So maybe we make a quick stop to walk around, grab a bite to eat, or use the bathroom.  Some people use them to get a little shut eye while others search for love.  Gotta wonder about that last part.  But to bird??? 

Greater Earless Lizard

Kathie suggested we stop and to be honest, I was all for it because it was such a beautiful area to take a little walk.  We hadn't birded together for some time plus I was itchin' to use my Pat's new camera. 

We had discovered so many wonderful birds at this place that we ended spending an hour walking around the parking area! 

House Sparrow screaming for attention!

There were 2 or 3 water treatment areas surrounded by great mesquite trees along with bugs galore and lots of warblers, flycatchers, ducks and other birds to boot!

Ash-throated Flycatcher

Our destination would have to wait as we were inundated by all of these birds.  We both don't mind stopping when there is high activity.

The rest stop is full of scenic rocks that make many people stop to say "oooooo":)

Dusky Flycatcher

On this day, the Dusky Flycatcher would finally make for some great pictures.  Although it did prove difficult at first, I was able to get the ID shots.

The new camera is great in that I can close in at 300 mm and pull back to 28 mm and still keep all the detail in the photos.

Now while we didn't pick up any strange characters at this rest stop, we did pic up great observations on so many things.

Kathie and I worked a mesquite for the Wilson's Warbler. The point to this story?  Truck stops or rest stops make for great birding.   Stay tuned for more.....

Wilson's Warbler

Mallard 5

Turkey Vulture 26

Swainson's Hawk 1

Red-tailed Hawk 2

White-winged Dove 1

White-throated Swift 6

Dusky Flycatcher 2

Ash-throated Flycatcher 1

Cassin's Kingbird 4

Barn Swallow 2

Curve-billed Thrasher 2

Yellow Warbler 1

Yellow-rumped Warbler 5

Wilson's Warbler 1

Chipping Sparrow 2

Brewer's Sparrow 1

Black-headed Grosbeak 2

House Finch 4

House Sparrow 30

Paying It Forward

As the list narrows, the searches become more difficult.  As a birder, I find warblers most frustrating.  They are a gift to me once spotted.  Some are easily found while others move around too much in the canopy of the trees.  But one bird still eludes me....the Elegant Trogon.  However, this time it's different.

Cooper's Hawk

On a hike into Madera Canyon, I located several nesting areas for the first time.  It was a lot of fun.  There were other birders on the trails.  One man sat devastated on a rock.  I asked him what was wrong.  He replied, "I cannot locate the Yellow-Eyed Junco!"  He was from the south and had never seen one before, but I smiled and pointed to the bush where one was hiding.  "You mean that one over there?"  His eyes flashed that excitement that birders get when finding a lifebird for the first time. I was super thrilled for him.  I called the bird out and he was able to get wonderful shots.  Some say that this bird is a "Junk bird".  I don't like that term because it sounds like it's no big thing.  The simple truth is that we can't take any one species for granted.

I walked the trails more....finding flycatchers, mammals, bugs and more.  And I came upon another group who had thought they heard the Spotted Towhee.  I had seen it on the way up.  The bird's call is unmistakable, but it also is a master of cloak and disquise.  It will disappear quickly.  However, it wasn't quick enough to hide from us this time.  The group was able to find their Towhee.  A lifebird for most of them.  I continued on my trek up the mountain trail.

Along the way, I found a Hutton's Vireo above and the House Wren below.  The bird above was confusing to me.  It acted like a Dusky.  My gut said Hutton's but I needed ID help.  Most agree it was a Hutton's and yet.....  Since the time of this shoot, I have found the Dusky several times and have been able to get nice clear shots of the bird.  It will be featured in a post coming up next week. I'd just like to thank everyone for their input when I need that extra help.

House Wren

There is a lot of sexy time going on between the birds.  I walked upon two Arizona Woodpeckers having a moment.  Luckily these were birds and not my parents.

Copulating Arizona Woodpeckers

Hummingbirds.  Who doesn't love them?  The Broad-tail below made me smile.  It's bell-like rattle swung around feeders noisily as he fed.

Broad-tail Hummingbird

I wandered.....and wandered taking it all in carefully.  Truth be told, I was hoping for Flycatchers. And found them I did!

And I picked myself up the Dusky-capped Flycatcher.    Smallest of the three similiar flycatcher species, it prefers to be near running water(check) in oak scrub(check) and near the ground to middle branches of the tree(check). But the easiest way to ID this bird??  The call.  I heard the sad "pee-ur" sound associated with the bird. The bird also lacks the distinct rufous edging on the sides of the wings(like the Ash-throated).  It's probably one of the most difficult birds to ID.  I have several shots to compare this bird with the others I've seen out in the field.

Dusky-capped  Flycatcher


Many times it comes down to observation.  The Ash-throated below is much larger and has rufous coloring along the edges of the wing.  They prefer to hang around dry washes like their much larger counterparts the Brown-Crested Flycatcher.  The calls are very different as well.

Ash-throated Flycatcher

So after awhile, it's nice to go back to easier species to ID.  And yet in this post, I've placed several of the trickier birds for people to ID.  Is it a Coopers or a Sharp-Shinned?  Is it a Dusky Flycatcher, Ruby-Crowned Kinglet or Huttons? Body posture is everything on these birds.  Is it a Dusky-capped Flycatcher, Ash-throated Flycatcher, or Brown-Crested Flycatcher? Habitat and calls for these birds.  And there are certainly many more birds that are very similar in appearance.

And so when I see the Elegant Trogon, there won't be any doubt in my mind what the bird looks like:)  I have the image burned into my memory.  Perhaps someone will help me find my new nemesis bird one of these days?  Or maybe the bird will just appear quietly as it always does while I'm alone on the trails.

Great Horned Owl

Hooo knows?:)
                                       Linking up with Stewart M for Wild Bird Wednesday

Sans Images

Wilson's Warbler

One of the things I struggle with like any birder, I suppose, is getting better shots of birds.  If I see a lifebird, but don't have great photo documentation, I get a little irritated.  The little ones are the trickiest! All of the birds featured on today's post were birds I had seen first but didn't get great shots of at the time. Take for example the Canyon Wren.  I saw the bird.  Tried to get a pic.  Ended up getting the rear end and it was gone.  Then I hear the descending call and it seals the deal.  I have to count the bird but without a decent shot.

LBJ(Little Brown Jobs) or LGJ(Little Gray Jobs) can blend in perfectly with their surroundings.  They move quick and it's important to note the field marks.  My ears are faster at "spotting" than my eyes.  The Bell's Vireo caused me a bit of confusion because it is a relatively new bird for me.  I had only seen it twice and with another birder who knew the bird.  Apparently there are 4 subspecies.  Plus Gray Flycatchers, Bushtits, Gnatcatchers, etc etc. If you don't get great observation time, these little birds become impossible to ID. So it's all about the observations!

Bell's Vireo

One of the thrills about birding is that I can't always predict who will make nice showings for the day.  I may have seen the species 100 times.  But on the 101th view, the bird might be doing something spectacular. The Lesser Yellowlegs held myself and another photographer captive for 20 minutes as it ran around with its buddy chattering away.  It made for some great laughs during their chases.

Greater Yellowlegs

Shorebirds can either be too far out, hidden behind reeds or against the sun.  When these Greater Yellowlegs made for a great show, I took the opportunity to snap off the shots.  Before this day, these birds were always out of photo reach or on the wrong side of the sun. 

A Wilson's Snipe happened to also make an appearance for me out in the open.  But the sun was setting and it made for tricky photography.  I had seen this bird last year but had poor photos to go with the sighting.  Now I am more comfortable with the shot below.

Wilson's Snipe

If I see a lifebird, I mark it down but make a mental note that I need a better shot.  A lot of energy goes into those first shots.  I would like to put a book together in several years of all the birds seen around Arizona.

Several of the birds on my list today that I don't have great shots of include the Canyon Wren, Red Crossbills(high up for the camera), Pinyon Jays(seen while on a slow moving bus loaded with wall to wall tourists at the Grand Canyon), Rough-Legged Hawks(seen while driving with 3 cars riding my tail), White-throated Swifts(oh so high!), and many of the Swallows(oh so quick!). A couple of the nocturnal birds(too dark) and of course the little birds(very spastic)......

Take for example the shot of the Warbling Vireo below.  It was too far to get a nice close up yet I was still able to get a shot of the bird.  The same goes for the Williamson's and the Yellow-Bellied Sapsuckers!

Elf Owls are small.  You all know how I love owls.  Well I stayed one night alone in a canyon in total silence.  My eyes were adjusting to the encroaching darkness.  And then I hear the call!  With my ears, I followed the faint yet continuous call.  Two other birders were in the area and had been friendly with me earlier so I led them to the sound because my eyes are terrible at night.  Having two other people look for this tiny bird would be very helpful.  It paid off.   We spotted the little tiny owl that looked like a knot in a Sycamore tree.  He was so cute.  I have a policy about filming nocturnal creatures.  No pics with flash.  And therefore, I do not have photo documentation.  I'm hoping to get shots of this bird one day.

The Lucy's Warbler.  I met this bird for the first time in mid-March.  Afterwards, the Lucy's Warbler seemed to be everywhere and allowed me some nice observations and pics.  It's the bird with the cinnamon crown and coverts. 

I also do counts at my school.  As of today, I was standing at my friend's classroom window when a Dusky Flycatcher flies right in front of me!!!  No camera.  At work.  Frustrating.  I am parallized as I am forced to watch the bird without a camera.  Inside I fight the frustration as I observe the bird alone.  No one realizes how exciting it is to see this bird.  Students snickering as I scream, "NOOOOOO!!!" as the bird flies away.  The "old man" who should have died at the age of 30 clearly had lost his mind. Oh teenagers. And yet I just saw the Dusky Flycatcher!  I just have to believe that I will eventually be in the right place at the right time with my camera to capture these birds.  The same thing happened with the Burrowing owls...and then on one perfect day, an owl sat perfectly in front of me.

Why is it important to get those shots?  My eyesight isn't great and constantly challenges me.  I need the pics to study at home.  I also heavily rely on my ears to help locate birds.  Once I have the photos, I can relax and bird.  That's why I enjoy birding at Sweetwater so much in Tucson.  I know all the birds well enough to practice my listening skills and develop my bird calls.  In a sense it's my training ground that always seems to have one or two new finds each time I visit:)

So I finish off today's write with this question.  What birds/animals/plants/bugs would you like to get better shots of?  And if you're a photographer in general(of all things not just wildlife) what would you like to get shots of?  Some fun journeys ahead.  Stay tuned for more!