A Novel Approach

Costa's Hummingbird

With a global pandemic upon us all, the Covid-19 virus has really turned everything upside down. Spring break has been extended until the end of the month for students. I don't think I've wrapped my head around all of it yet. 

A beautiful walk.  No people.  Just nature. 

Last week I prepped my work to go out of the classroom with my students in case we have to go online. Of course no one told us to do this, but common sense told me to prepare for the inevitable. 

Inca Dove

In Tucson, it's more of a blessing than a curse. Warm weather. Great outdoor scene. Migration happening.  What's not to love? One. I get to be home every day during migration? What??!! Two. It's the nicest time of year here so do I work on house projects or bird?  Three. Cancelled events that bring in way too many people to Tucson?! YES! Thank you corona! And sports have been cancelled?  That's like the cherry on top of the sundae! What will people do with their free time?  Hopefully get out and reflect.  Take a nice hike or bike and go somewhere wonderful in nature. 

A rare Townsend's Solitaire

And my garden!  I can work on my garden!  

Rufous-winged Sparrow

Sadly, yet smartly, my friends from Wisconsin cancelled their trek to Arizona.  It sucks.  I was looking forward to their visit, but I completely understand.  I would have done the same thing. Being on a plane or cruise is just plain dumb right now.  Even after telling my students about the dangers, they still went to Italy, Hawaii and elsewhere.  Now they are having a nightmare of a time getting back.  No one listens to the teacher.  I give them an "F" for not listening to my lectures. The congestion in the airport alone would make me go mad.  And the exposure rate is MUCH greater. Yikes.   

a nesting Cactus Wren

I am bothered that there isn't any toilet paper available in the stores.  And if you have someone who always uses up the last toilet paper roll in the house and doesn't tell you, like my other half, then it makes it even worse!  We had to go to 4 stores to find ONE package of toilet paper!

Pipevine Swallowtail

I guess being a bird has its advantages.  They don't need toilet paper.  This virus has put a hold on everyone's lives.  Birders have had trips cancelled. But in a way, I'm thankful for this time out.  It really forces us to appreciate the beauty around us.  I actually got drunk from the sunshine over the past couple days. If this is what it's like to be retired, I'm all for it. 

Gila Woodpecker in nest

We had rains last week and the ground is nice and soft to put in new plants for the year.  

Black-throated Gray Warbler

Warblers, hawks, vireos and other birds are making their move north. Never in my career have I been given 2 weeks to linger around the natural corridors of Arizona at free will.  It's kind of a gift. I can sleep in late if I want. 

Stay safe. Be smart. And enjoy the solitude if you can.  Spring is here and the birds are moving north.  It'll certainly take your mind off of things.  

It doesn't matter where you are.  Nature is there. Until next time. 

A Little Spring Cleaning

Friend Khanh and Robert come to visit family.  Together we explore the beautiful Sabino Canyon

This time of year brings everyone together in the desert.  We are always in transit.  Well, I was always in transit never quite allowing myself to become stationary for too long.  These past several months have allowed me to enjoy wildlife watching with old and new friends alike. Observing their reactions through their eyes for the first time is exciting. 

Pyrrhuloxia

After everything that had happened last year with family and friends and my own health issues, I have found myself more comfortable being comfortable in my own shoes.  After shedding the last vestiges of negativity at my work, I have found joy again in my job.  I had to step away from it all to see clearly why a simple change was necessary for my sanity. Negative people try and pull you into their own misery and negative space. We don't get to choose who our co-workers are, but we can modify certain practices in our routine to avoid that negative contamination of the mind.

I finally made that change this year. Like buying a new car, my new room makes me happy each day I enter it. It's a magical space that's far away from the drama of others. After 20 years at the same job, it was time for a change in setting. Examine the pic above.  Travel and language are the centers of decor.  Birds decorate the walls.  Fresh flowers bring in the natural element.  Cats give it a whimsy.  The upside down umbrella is a message to all that EVERYONE is welcome in my room(leave the negativity at the door).  And the table is for playing cards after their work is done.  Bird cards are given at the table.  Lunch can also be eaten there.  Not featured is the tea and coffee pot to the side. Lighting is key, dim the lights to cut the bright harsh glare. Soft jazz or classical music plays in the background. A new teacher said it was like an apartment in my room.  It has a fridge and microwave. And a couch. Yes. It's a safe zone for kids to speak their minds.  I have found my center again in teaching.  This time around, I am very protective of who I allow into that bubble. I remember my days in my kindergarten classroom fondly. It was also an amazing classroom full of nooks and crannies. I've never forgotten how comfortable I felt as a student in that classroom. As another spring season arrives, I am thankful to be alive and appreciative for all that renews me. 

Nature is powerful.  Standing by a cold mountain stream in the canyon renews my faith in people. In a world full of toxicity, it is so vital to spend time with friends in these places and get through these terrible times. Like the classroom, nature can heal the mind and body. I love my fellow winter birding friends.  We spend a great day outdoors together.  Then share a meal later. That's what it's all about.  House chores can wait. 

Gambel's Quail

All the signs point towards spring.  A male Rufous-winged Sparrow sings in a tree.  Khanh follows the bird for a beautiful close up. 

Khanh photographs a singing male Rufous-winged Sparrow.  Listen to the bird's song in the video below.

Maybe it's weird.  But it's fun watching people observe our Arizona birds. 

I always have to remind them to look at their surroundings.  It's not every day you get to see the clouds meander in and out of the Catalina mountains. 

The beauty of the Santa Catalina mountain and our gorgeous Sonoran desert.  The large cactus is called a Saguaro.  The one in the middle is over a hundred years old. 

Or watch a beautiful White-throated Swift dive in and out of a canyon catching bugs.  

White-throated Swift

Or search for a Grasshopper Sparrow on an overcast day. 

I see these Snow Geese at a local park and wonder how long they'll stay.  I begin to see spring arrivals.  The temperatures warm up.  Gardens begin to awaken from their slumber.  

Snow Geese

 Birds like the Northern Cardinal begin to call in my neighborhood. 

From left to right.  Pine Siskin, Northern Cardinal, White-crowned Sparrow

 The muffled cries of "NO HOPE!" are heard inside nearby trees emanating from the secretive Inca Doves.

Inca Dove

 In Tucson, their numbers are few.  So when I get a glance of this species, I let my eyes linger a little longer. Everyone else around the state laughs at Tucson birders for getting excited over an Incan Dove.  But I think if they didn't have them at their feeders, they'd understand why we enjoy these birds so much.  They were once common here.  I remember having them at my feeders in the 90's.  They were even my favorite doves back when there were many!

Windows of time are all we really have anymore.  I watch the Sandhill Cranes for the last time during the winter season and think, "Wow.  Another winter has come and gone. Where has the time gone?"  

John photographs a couple thousand Sandhill Cranes

 I take a couple out to Sweetwater Wetlands who have seen Yellow-headed Blackbirds in small groups.  But they had never seen thousands of Yellow-headed Blackbirds flock together over our heads at sunset.  There's magic in this.  

Yellow-headed Blackbird

A yearly burn at the wetlands exposes a Black-crowned Night Heron having a "light" dinner.  Frog legs are on the menu. 

Black-crowned Night Heron

And on my way to work, I see a Turkey Vulture on a pole in my neighborhood.  This is a true sign that spring has arrived. Vultures, hawks and falcons are on the move north.  Turkey Vultures are not common in my neighborhood so I get excited seeing one up close. It's a bird both ugly and beautiful at the same time and a welcome visitor to the yard!

Turkey Vulture

Over the next several weeks, we go into full spring mode in Southeastern Arizona exploring hummingbirds, raising money for charity, investigating the Sedona area, and reporting on our annual Arizona birds and blooms.  As the year warms up, we'll be getting into some hotter locations including a trek to Mexico and Panama.  Until next time.....

Dirty Work

Feedlots have some amazing birds.  Keep out of the way of workers and look for great birds in the Santa Cruz Flats!

This week's addition of Arizona birding is strictly for the birds.  I don't often visit certain places around the state because they are gross and smell like %&^!.  But I had a friend who needed some state birds for his list and we made the trek to several international AZ birding hotspots where people can find unique and specific birds.  I swore that once I had found my LeConte's Thrasher, I'd never go back to that spot again, but I was wrong. Several years later, I found myself back at this Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome location. "Two men enter, one man leaves!"  Thankfully that wasn't the case this time. Let's begin with our first stop, the infamous Thrasher Spot near the town of Buckeye outside of the Phoenix area. 

The nuclear wasteland known as the Thrasher Spot

Sure.  You're saying to yourself, That's pretty. Nope.  That's just the artist in me trying to make the location pretty:)  The thrasher spot is truly a unique experience.  BUT.  It's the one place in the US, you can get all your thrashers at one stop.  Well, most of them.  Here you can find the beautiful LeConte's Thrasher, near threatened Bendire's Thrasher, Crissal Thrasher, Sage Thrasher and even Curve-billed Thrasher. 

The first and last time I've gone after a LeConte's Thrasher.  Beautiful bird in a very ugly habitat. 

Two of these thrasher species, the LeConte's and Crissal, are often very secretive and difficult to observe.  During our visit, Steve needed the LeConte's Thrasher for his AZ list.  Most of the time, a birder can just drive to the spot and easily add Crissal and Bendire's Thrasher to their lists. Well, not on that day. 

A "secretive" Crissal Thrasher

The best time to visit this location is towards the end of February until the first or second week of April when the thrashers are actively calling during their breeding season.  The important part is that you arrive early. Sometimes they are singing and other times, they need a little time to get going. 

the near threatened Bendire's Thrasher

We walked through broken sink fixtures and torn up bed mattresses like you'd see in the movie, Mad Max.  This location is also known for many Sagebrush Sparrows and a few Bell's Sparrows.  Sparrows are my specialty so we were able to find both species to add to Steve's state list.  Thrashers on the other hand were difficult!  We had to work for our Bendire's Thrashers.  It would have been embarrassing to leave the "Thrasher Spot" without a Thrasher.  We had both Bendire's and Sage but NO Crissal or LeConte's!  The Thrasher group can be a tough one.  Patience.  Lots and lots of patience is needed for these birds. Often, a return trip is required. I had that experience this past week with my Streak-backed Oriole in my neighborhood.  It took 11 attempts before I saw that blasted bird!

Burros are commonplace in the Lake Pleasant.  Be careful driving the highways there

Our next stop was another place I hadn't visited in a long time.  In fact, the last time I went was during my 2014 Big Year in the US. I needed several scoters for the state and one for my national list, the White-winged Scoter.  This location is known for lots of great ocean birds during the winter months. In fact, the one and only time I was there, I was able to capture a White-winged Scoter in flight.  The pic was published in the Birds of Phoenix and Maricopa County by Janet Witzeman, Troy Corman and Tommy D. It's a great guide for birding in Maricopa county.  And this Pima County birder was able to help:) I should mention that if you're looking for a human bird guide, there's a great guy by the name of Gordon Karre who does a lot of these treks to the spots I'm writing about today. He's situated in Maricopa and knows this county best.  I think his spirit bird is the Gray Vireo which he has a knack for finding.  In fact, he's often asked for assistance with Rosy-faced Lovebirds, LeConte's Thrashers, Gray Vireos and Black-chinned Sparrows along with the many other AZ birds. He's on Facebook and he's an excellent bird guide.  So if you're in the area and need a guide, look him up.  

Back to our challenge at hand.  So we went to this Lake Pleasant to find the Barrow's Goldeneye.  If you are new to this hotspot, I'd recommend a scope. Many of the birds are often far out in the lake and require a scope to find them. There are several points all around the park for a person to bird.  There's even burros:)

female Common Goldeneye

There were quite a number of goldeneyes in the area.  The ONLY male Barrow's Goldeneye was near the shore. 

Barrow's Goldeneyes are common in winter further north of the state.  To have one in the Phoenix area was nice

It was an easy add and a new bird for my Maricopa list and a state bird for Steve. 

Easiest Barrow's Goldeneye ever near Scorpion Point at Lake Pleasant

Then it was more gross birding in poop.  Nasty, gross poop. So we headed to the feedlot. I dreaded lowering my window. But sometimes you gotta bite the bullet. Our noses were assaulted with the stench of fecal matter. I think I need to buy breathing masks for these treks:) Doves.  They are beautiful but they do like poopy areas. 

Inca Dove

Steve needed Ruddy Ground-Doves which are very common in Mexico but rare for Arizona.  They can show up anywhere but they seem to like garbage areas around the state that don't have the most "scenic" habitat. We made an educated guess and found the doves hanging out with cattle. 

Ruddy Ground-Dove

We drove off with the lingering smells trapped inside our noses. 

So for every dirty stinky birding trek, I have to balance it out with some beautiful and scenic Arizona scenery.  And that's just what I did.  Either way, it was a fun bird outing with Steve. Until next time....

Las Aventuras: 7 Years Strong

male Rufous Hummingbird

This past March, Las Aventuras celebrated 7 years of "work" on the internet machine.  Slowly this blog is getting closer to a million hits which blows my mind away.  The journey has been incredible!

Broad-billed Hummingbird

People ask why I blog.  Sometimes they think it's kind of a joke, but I'll tell you why it's not.  When I began blogging, I couldn't have answered these questions because I didn't know much at all!  I just wanted to have a running diary of my garden. Today, it's crystal clear why I do what I do.  If you're looking into blogging on blogger or wordpress, here's what you need to know. 

Common Raven

It takes time. None of it was overnight.  I began with an idea and it turned into something else.  I wanted to document my garden plans around our place and it was great until I stopped gardening.  Then, the title, "Las Aventuras" really hit its mark when I discovered birds.  The blog truly shows the beginnings of my birding career and the adventures that have ensued since I began chasing our planet's birds. 

Chihuahuan Raven

From novice to ?  As a birder I am continuing to grow.  But when I began this blog, I really knew nothing.  Today I help guide people around southern Arizona to find birds.  It's not a job but a way to connect with my readers and make new friends. And it's also a way to manage my sanity in this crazy world of ours. 

Dark-lored White-crowned Sparrow

The social connection.  I have met so many painters, birders, photographers and friends because of this blog.  Many people joke about the world of online social media, but it isn't a laughing matter if you use it the right way.  I wouldn't have met MANY of the incredibly talented and wonderful people out there if it wasn't for this blog.  I have grown as a birder because of their knowledge and expertise. And vice versa.  We grow together and accomplish the impossible when we put our minds together.....at ANY age. 

Canyon Towhee

Writing.  On a blog, you can write whatever comes into your brain.  My advice?  Keep it short and sweet.  The writing and photography are my favorite parts about putting a post together.  NEVER delete your old work.  Look back at it and discover how much you've grown as a writer, photographer and blogger.  

Inca Dove and Pyrrhuloxia

Photography.  I LOVE THIS PART!  When I began this blog, I found pics on the internet to help aide with my writing.  I then purchased primitive cameras to help begin the narration of my stories.  Plants don't move so it's easy to get a pic of them. Were they quality shots?  That part is debatable:)  But when I got into the wildlife part of the blog, it became tricky.  I'll admit it. I had lens envy and today after about 5 camera upgrades and thousands of dollars, I have a nice set up.  Of course that requires a financial commitment but I am now satisfied with the captured details from our amazing observations out yonder.  Finding the right camera equipment is important.  I thank Gordon Karre for aiding me in that department.   

Cell phones take GREAT photos!

You can take courses on photography, as many do, but it's your experience with the camera out in the field that makes you stronger. Weather conditions, lighting conditions, and positioning oneself to safely capture wildlife in action are all biggies.  Never endanger yourself or the subject you're observing.  That's proper etiquette out in the field.  PLUS, you'll really get to see some amazing behaviors by not interfering with the wildlife.  And I shouldn't forget to add.  It's not the size of your lens that matters.  Some of my purchased work here in Tucson had me using a point-and-shoot camera.   It's the photographer that makes the magic happen. So my point?  Get out there and start taking pics!  Photography is an exciting part of our blogs!

Western Screech Owl

And most of all, a blog is YOUR story.  As much as I do it for others; I also do it for myself.  Writing down my information helps me retain the data in my head while helping others interested in birding the places I've visited.

Lincoln's Sparrow

Both blogging and birding have changed my life for the better.  It's not just a "hobby"; it's part of who I am.  There is a quote that sticks with me to this day in regards to how learning never stops.  Albert Einstein once said, "I have no special talent, I am only passionately curious."  And in this case, for me, this refers to our planet, our planet's birds and the preservation of habitat for future generations. It's also about the human stories that tie into the birds.  

White Wagtail at the Ajo Sewage Plant

This blog is uniquely my own and I am proud of what I have done. Ok enough of this stuff. Let's quickly talk about the Arizona Code 5 bird of the week!  A White Wagtail is currently being seen in the ancient mining town of Ajo!!!  Code 5 is serious business because it's rare!  The only AZ record of this bird was back in 1985 at the Grand Canyon.  The lure for me?  Drop everything and GO!  This was a lifebird, a state bird AND a county bird.  When a bird meets all 3 of these criteria, it's an absolute no brainer!  The White Wagtail hails from Europe and Asia and is seen yearly in the US.  But to have one in AZ?!!!  That is big news.  Until next time friends!  And thank you for reading Las Aventuras..... 

New friends, the Teuke family, from Wisconsin stop and search for the White Wagtail in a very remote area of our state.  EPIC!