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.......

"Bromance"

Rufous Sabrewing

"Bromance" is what my friend titled my new relationship with a fellow birder.  I wasn't sure what that was but I was thrilled to find another birder on our trip.  Together we planned a day in the nearby Finca Pilar close to the Central Park of Antigua.

An ancient cathedral surrounded by the rain forests around Antigua

His name was Justin and worked at the Earth Lodge.  He is a Scottish guy hanging out in Guatemala for awhile discovering all of the incredible birds around the area. Plus he was learning about the culture and language while doing some work at the lodge.  During my investigation for places to bird, the Earth Lodge came up on my internet search and with it a bird list!!!  And then I began to dream......

This bird is a mouthful to say.....Orange-billed Nightingale Thrush

The owners were great and emailed me back quickly letting me know that one of their employees also birded and would have a better idea about the birds in the area.  When I arrived there, I met Justin and was truly excited to hear about the birds found around his area.  He spoke "bird" and offered to take me to Finca Pilar near Antigua.

Band-tailed Pigeons

The following day we took off.  I brought my water pack as my body was still adjusting to the humidity factor.  We arrived at Finca Pilar and paid the entrance of 50 Quetzal(somewhere around 5 bucks).  I had read about this place on Ebird and noticed that there were hummingbird feeders on the property.  At the time, I didn't realize how rare this would be around Guatemala.

Golden-olive Woodpecker

As we entered through the gate, I noticed powerful looking hummingbirds.  More like hummingbirds on steroids.  Today I'd focus my efforts on a group of birds known as the Sabrewings.  Even the names were exotic sounding......something alien straight out of Star Wars.  The Rufous and Violet Sabrewings were two that came regularly to the feeders.  And they were such brilliantly colored birds with a large and wide flight pattern.  They are large Neotropical Hummingbirds.

Violet Sabrewing

These birds swung widely from one feeder to the other and cleared out the area for a few moments before the Magnificent hummers and gang returned.  Justin, who was familiar with these birds, gave me a heads up on the characters we might find.  I think on this trip I learned about how invaluable it was to have someone who knew the birds from around the area.  It would be one of the few times on our trip that I would go birding with someone who was indeed a birder.

At the hummingbird feeders of Finca Pilar

Justin moved closer to the area and filmed the birds up close.  It was a beautiful place full of wonderful trails and covered hideout areas to observe birds.  This is definitely a place for birders and A MUST VISIT!  The Violet Sabrewing was fast. It was brilliant in the sunlight as its glowing purple colors sped in and out of the covered canopy.  But oddly it wasn't the Violet Sabrewing that attracted my attention.......

In fact, the bird distracted from the other less colorful characters around the area and I had to really pay attention to who was coming in and out of the feeders. And not all of them were on the feeders.....some were going to the flowers.

Green-throated Mountaingem

The Magnificent Hummingbirds dominated the area and were EVERYWHERE!  I found comfort in that experience.  Usually in Southern Arizona, they are much fewer in number.  Common.  But not as numerous.

So I stood in one area for quite a long time and observed the hummingbirds and their habits.  There was so much going on that I had to focus on one bird at a time.  I crossed my fingers and began shooting off pictures.

Azure-crowned Hummingbird

And it was difficult.  I was still brand new to the area.  It was my 3rd day in Guatemala and we were in a new area full of new birds!  Just changing the habitat slightly brought in a whole new crew of characters!

El Mirador(lookout) from Finca Pilar

We trekked to the top of the hill where we could overlook the valley below.  It was such a beautiful and comfortable walk.  There were a lot of birds around the property but they were so difficult to spot in the dark woods.  By the time we'd get our eye on a bird, they'd fly off.  Many of the birds, while brightly colored, blend in very well with their surroundings.

Glasswinged Butterfly

There were lots of butterflies around the area, but this is one of my favorites for its transparent wings.   It's known as the Glasswinged Butterfly(Greta oto).  These insects are a real treat for me as they are quite unique looking.

Golden-fronted Woodpecker

I also enjoyed how cactus would grow on trees.  There were a lot of Night-blooming Cereus hanging from limbs.  Here the Golden-fronted Woodpecker eats the fruits(dragonfruit!) off of this plant.

Common Ground Doves were indeed true to their name and quite common in Guatemala. After our trek, we sat down and ID'd using Justin's large but extremely helpful book on Central American birds.  It's organized a bit differently than Sibley's etc, but it's certainly the best book out there for ID questions.  For those of you looking for a guide to use for this trip, I'd highly recommend this book below.....

While it's not the greatest to pack in a tight suitcase because of its massive size, it has great info on habitat and ID questions.  Luckily Justin had a copy of his own to share with me.

Finca Pilar is a fantastic place to bird.  Once we entered the gates, I felt safe to film and record birds with my camera.  Not all places are like this and at times, I would see a life bird and not be able to take a pic of it due to a sketchy area.  With Finca Pilar, there are no worries:)  But like any place, common sense is important.

My real focus for the day was to get shots of the Rufous Sabrewing.  I don't know why but I love the orange tones of this bird.  It was massive as it fed from a variety of flowers found around the property.  Flowers from the genus Heliconia are favorites.  Around the property, you'll discover Banana plants and Birds of Paradise situated in areas with high hummingbird traffic.

Rufous Sabrewing

This is definitely a place I'd like to go back and visit again.  We arrived later in the morning to bird here before the monsoon storms arrived.  Now I may have come earlier but my target birds were the Sabrewings and they enjoy sunlight.  If it got cloudy, the birds disappeared.  The 9-10 AM hours were always the best for sunny conditions.  It was funny how a cloud would darken the sky and the birds would disappear.

By the time we left, the skies had clouded over and it was time to go.  Bring a rain poncho or umbrella during the summer.  My "bromance" with my new friend Justin would have to end as we continued our trek into new and foreign areas.  I'd like to thank Justin for his time while we stayed at Earth Lodge.  It was a great place to hang out with lots of wonderful discoveries.  We made lots of friends who we won't forget anytime soon.  I told Justin that if he ever came up to Tucson, I'd repay the favor and take him around our beautiful desert and bird.  And that's the wonderful thing about birding, it's as much about meeting new people as it is about finding new birds.  More from our trek coming up.......

Earth Lodge overlooking the volcanoes surrounding Antigua

I'm linking with Wild Bird Wednesday.