White Winter Hymnal

The brisk cold winds of change came soon after my return to Arizona. One week after the warm border searches, it was time for some mountain fun. Winter had indeed arrived to Southern Arizona. 

the snowy Huachucas

With state birds in mind, I joined a walk I had been wanting to do for awhile in Sierra Vista. Last week it was the Streak-backed Oriole and today, I was hoping to find the secretive American Bittern at the Sierra Vista EOP(or Environmental Operations Park) It's a secured area with group lead access only on Sunday mornings. With the recent snowfall during the weekend, I couldn't resist the photography bit in both the Huachuca mountains and Cienagas Grasslands.  And this is where our story takes place today.

A Loggerhead Shrike at work.  It's Vole dinner

On our way through the gates, a participant in the group noticed a vole speared onto a branch.  It was evidence that the "Butcherbird" (aka Loggerhead Shrike) was nearby.  While the group examined the fresh kill, we tried locating the bird. No luck!  But as we left, we noticed that the vole was gone:)  

Loggerhead Shrike

Afterwards, I took a solitary walk on the snowy paths of Ramsey Canyon.  There, melting snow fell upon my head.  I was a tad wet when I left this winter wonderland.  BUT WOW!

My favorite tree in all of Arizona.  It's old and ancient.  Someday I'd like my ashes to be placed around this very large tree. I call it the Heart Tree.  It's at the center of Ramsey Canyon, one of my top ten favorite places in Arizona.

During my walk, I was surprised by how quiet the birds were.  I can only imagine how dangerous it might be as a small bird dodging the huge snow chunks falling from the trees. It was dangerous for people! I suppose it would be the equivalent to an aerial avalanche.  I made note and realized that most birds flew just below the snowline where they were active and feeding.

In the soft crunch of snow beneath my shoes, I watched a Coati run towards me on our now shared route.  We both stopped for a moment and watched each other before he turned off and headed towards the nearby abandoned cabin.

I very much like the cold.  I don't like the eternal gray skies that can sometimes come with the snow, but I do prefer the frosty temps over the hot sweltering ones of our summer months.

One path leads to another.  I stopped in the nearby grasslands and hiked some more.  Birds were present, but I was more interested in quiet reflection.  Things are changing.  I can sense it coming and I need to be ready for those changes.

Lesser Goldfinches mob the thistle feeder

"They" say change is good and inevitable. Sometimes it's about saying good-bye to the ritual and people involved around these loving spaces dedicated to birds and wildlife.  I sat at the now named Tucson Audubon's Paton Center for Hummingbirds alone.  Thankfully Tucson Audubon was able to purchase this home for current and future generations of birders.  It's a great spot for all kinds of birds and a traditional stop for many birders and tourists coming through the Patagonia area.  It's a piece of feathered folklore written in a sacred text for those who worship the bird.

The Violet-crowned Hummingbird-an established resident of Tucson Audubon's Paton's Center for Hummingbirds

Before Tucson took over, a guy by the name of Larry Morgan kept the feeders running for years after the homeowners, the Paton's, passed away.  You'd see him outside with his smiling face helping people spot their lifer Violet-crowned Hummingbird.  When Larry and his wife said they were leaving to begin a new chapter in their lives, I was both happy and sad. It wasn't quite the same without him there on this last visit.  It just proves once again how we all can make a difference for so many people. And how Larry has made a huge impact for thousands of birders across the world.  How can I write down this feeling in my Cheesehead lingo?  It's like having coffee cake with your friends on Saturday morning for many years and then.....no more Saturday morning get togethers.  You eat the coffee cake alone.  And it doesn't taste as good.  Anyhow, I'm going to miss Larry and my Patagonia routine.  He's one of the nicest people you'll ever meet! He's in Tucson now so hopefully we'll get to do some birding together now that he's closer:)

My reflections continued into the Ciénagas Grasslands near Empire Gulch where I walked alone against the biting wind. I strayed into the old abandoned buildings looking for owls and other goodies.  This is another top 10 favorite spot for me in Arizona.  There are 3 grassland sectors in this general region.....the San Rafael Grasslands, the Ciénagas Grasslands and Buenos Aires Grasslands.  ALL are spectacular!

The overall weekend was a lot of fun and full of quality alone time.  Every person has their favorite place to bird(or just visit!) While all birds are amazing, their locales are sometimes not:)  This weekend was about connecting with the places I love the most.

And as for my new state bird?  Yes, I achieved my goal.  I found that rare stinker of an American Bittern that has been hiding out for several months in Sierra Vista. The bird would have silently flown off had I not heard the rustle of reeds nearby. I was able to get everyone onto the bird before it disappeared into the far distance. I'd like to thank our group leader Bill Brown for the opportunity to bird this spot in depth.  He did an outstanding job with everyone involved. And it's always a plus working with people who are kind and friendly. Bill is as we say in Wisconsin "good people". Leading a bird tour isn't is as easy as it looks as I'd soon get to experience personally.  But that story is for next time. 

American Bittern in flight during our Sierra Vista EOP walk 

On a final note, one of the things I do with new birds is study them in various locations around the country.  The picture above is from the actual bird we saw.  It is countable. The one I studied in Utah, below, is not as it was in a large aviary.  I do hours of study on each new bird before trying to find them in the field.  And this is where I think aviaries are important as they can be a living classroom for birders and people interested in wildlife. I can read about birds and memorize their sounds, but understanding their movement and behaviors in a closed setting helps me "observe" better out in the field. 

American Bittern

From volunteer to participant to bird guide, my January continues in a most spectacular way. My quest within the state of Arizona for new state birds takes me north into unexplored territory. Stay tuned for more.....

The Chuparosa Challenge-When You Wish Upon a Star

 It had been a long summer of chasing a dream.  One that would drive me mad until the goal was achieved.  The shots today are not anything special....or are they?  At first glance, the male Rufous hummingbird shines bright and true.  "You'll know it when you see it."

"You'll know it when you see it."  I kept repeating that line over and over.  I certainly saw the Rufous and his golden glow in the sunlight. But hello there.....who are you to the far left?

"You'll know it when you see it."  I went to every canyon for you and suffered bites all over my body....and not find you.  I look for you in the middle of nowhere and almost got killed by illegal crossers.  I even gave up on you. 

"You'll know it when you see it."  A man doing a "Big Year" came to find you and he did.  I missed you by minutes one day.  Many people missed you and waited and searched and searched for you.

I thought I had seen you once.  I submitted your photo to the rare bird gurus and they told me that I'd know you when I saw you.  I had a picture of something else.   Do I glance you now on the feeder?  Larger than the rest.  Please stay long enough so that I can get a clear shot.  You are the final hummingbird to see for this season.

And I do spy you behind that feeder.  Please come out more.  I know you'll only be around for a very short time. 

Do you know how many nights I couldn't sleep until I found you?

And in your grand shadow and starry gorget I only hope to see you clearly.

Please let the other hummers stop chasing you off.  My heart is beating as fast as yours right now.

And then you chase a female off showing your white feathered back......

......your profile shows the long dark bill.........

......the feeder shows me that you are very large for a hummingbird.......

.......and your gorget shows a dark thick streak of pink........and I know that I've finally found you.  Like a great finale to a beloved TV series, I sigh and smile sharing the briefest of inner applauses inside my head.  I did it!  I spotted you.....you rare rare Plain Capped Starthroat.

I have moved from beginner to low intermediate birder. But please don't quiz me on my buntings, sparrows, or other little bitty flycatchers:)  I'm still studying this group and many others. Today ends the Chuparosa(Hummingbird) challenge for this year.  It was exciting.  Frustrating.  And always educational.  On this day I would suffer over a hundred chigger bites on my feet waiting for this bird.  It was the worst pain that I've felt for this year.  But the price was well worth it.  Two more posts on hummingbirds.  One which includes this years photography stats.  I hope you enjoy the shots.  They were collected from many many hours of observations.  I'd like to thank Warren for planting this series into my brain.  Because of this challenge, I discovered many of our beautiful canyons and just how unique they all are.  I'll be moving into the grasslands soon with Kathie.  Just a few of the many bloggers who inspire me to be a better person everyday.  Thank you all for your own work from your part of the world. More tomorrow.....

The Chuparosa Challenge-Cool Blue

Hey hey hey!  I'm back with another Chuparosa update.  Soon the hummingbird season will be over.  By mid October, most of our summer migrants will be gone.  But before they do leave us, I thought I'd share with you the Blue Throated Hummingbird.

This hummingbird is a giant in the world of hummers.  When I look at this particular bird, two thoughts come to my mind.  One.  The body is shaped in an awkward fashion. and Two.  When we think of hummingbird flight patterns, this is the species we tradionally think of when a hummingbird flies.  It definitely moves much more differently than its peers. 

During this photo shoot search, I spotted this hummer in all canyons along the running streams of the Huachuca mountains.  If there aren't streams nearby, you may have a difficult time spotting this particular hummer.  Today's photos are from the CAS at Beatty's Orchards in Miller Canyon.

Lots of people will sometimes get excited at seeing a blue throated hummingbird and incorrectly label the juvenile male Broad Bill hummer as a Blue Throat Hummer. 

But the markings are very clear and the bird is rather large compared to its counterparts.  I spotted this bird during the last week of August. I had never been to the CAS at Miller Canyon so it was a real treat to sit there and watch the amazing numbers of hummers fly around us.   There was a running stream nearby the hill as we climbed to the top and sat on the bleachers.  Very cool.

It can be difficult picking out hummers at times with the flight frenzy that goes on, but this hummer is easy to pick out.  But be careful not to confuse the Magnificent hummers with this guy.  They are about the same size.

I love how this one curves to the side as it hovers. The shot below captures that movement as it backs away from the feeders.

This bird had been difficult for me to find.  I knew it was definitely at Beatty's but I had old tires on my car that had to be replaced making it difficult for me to get to the top of the canyon on that rocky dirt road.  Once they were replaced, it was the first place with went. 

On this particular rainy day, we'd find them in Carr, Miller, and Ramsey. I have one more surprise for everyone and then a stat update with each hummingbird found featured.  But on this particular day, a trek up Miller Canyon would also prove exciting thanks to a bird tip from a hiker.  Hint.  It has to do with the header of Las Aventuras. More tomorrow....

Sulphur Butterflies

The softer side of our desert is quite lovely. During the time of this shoot, Sulphur butterflies owned the airwaves:)

Attracted to Salvia, these butterflies floated from one flower to the next.

Fragile.  Soft.

Really....just perfection.

"We are like butterflies who flutter for a day and think it is forever." ~Carl Sagan

High Humidity

Blue Mud Dauber.  Look carefully and you'll see that this wasp has captured dinner:)  It ran quickly into its nest under the trunk of a tree.  Very cool find!

Antsy.  Sick of getting stuck inside my home.  I escaped to Miller Canyon in the Huachuca Mountains where it rained.  Bear had been busy knocking down hummingbird feeders.  I searched for bear and hummingbirds and didn't find any of them.  Well hummingbirds I did:)  But I did discover so much more.....

A Queen Butterfly on a dead branch

Miller Canyon was severely burned by last years fires and isn't as green as the other canyons of the Huachuca Mountains, BUT there is plenty of growth coming back.  Many of the Mesquite trees that were burned have new growth near their trunks.   But again, I was thrilled to find a lot of insect life. These little critters grabbed my attention on our walk.

In the gray and very humid atmosphere, we could see shots of color.   Remember that plants with long tubular flowers are attractive to hummingbirds....especially ones with orange and red color.:) Perhaps this is why Miller Canyon is renown for all the hummingbird sightings. 

The Firecracker Bush

To get here, we went up a well graded dirt road and stopped along the way looking for hiding birds or coati:)  Eventually the road ends at Beatty's Guest Ranch. We parked there at the trailhead.  But a great place to spot one of a kind hummers is at this ranch.  They don't mind if you want to look for hummingbirds BUT you need to call ahead and DO NOT trespass without their permission.  Go to their website first and read:)  We didn't go here on this day because there was a lot to see around the canyon area.  We parked near their property and took the trail to hike up the mountain.  

Black Chinned Hummingbird

There was a lot that was burned but look at the base of the trees to find the bright new green growth.

During rain storm events, I find it better to hike and relax than trying to endure 100+ temps.  Ridiculous!   I am hoping we continue with the rain because it always means I get to go out and explore.

Yarrow's Spiny Lizard

But of course the humidity and heat, bring out all the colorful bugs and lizards in Southern Arizona. 

Willow Flycatcher

We also stopped back by Ramsey Canyon on the way home to do some more hummingbird/bear search but no luck.  It was a gorgeous evening here.

And of course the views aren't bad either:)

As the sun set, we walked the trails alone surrounded by butterflies, deer and lots of birds.

Best time to go hiking is after a gentle rain event.  Always keep an eye open at the washes.  NEVER cross them during a rainstorm.  If there is a lot of lightening, do not hike.  But when things have calmed down, it's really a great time to get out and enjoy the rain cooled air. And the answer to my favorite bird home.  Option 13.  The Muy Mexicano or blue and white tile home.  Thanks everyone for chirping in your comments.  That was fun:) More tomorrow....