There is no gain without risk. While my post has birds, it isn't necessarily about birds. Some of the craziest things are happening in my life right now. I have opened myself up to possibilities again. And change. While I won't go into the various projects for now, I'll just write that things have gotten interesting.
The Great Egret stalking a lizard in a local Tucson park.......after several minutes, the lizard became lunch
I had become so stuck in my routine that I forgot to look up and remember who I was. After a particularly hard day at work, I went to go birding and clear my mind but instead I sat down on a park bench watching people pass me by.
A Jackrabbit at Saguaro National Park
I sat watching the sun sink behind the trees with an even greater sinking feeling inside. What am I doing with my life? Is this what a midlife crisis is? Perhaps instead of a nice big car, I'm looking for something else. Something more. This is where the wildlife has changed me. I don't know what it is about this year, but I have found myself on every outing surrounded by wonderful animals and birds. They don't mind that I am with them. But the minute other people enter this sacred world of trust, the animals disappear. They whip down the roads in their cars, speak loudly so that the whole world can hear their conversations and leave their garbage behind. I found a plastic bottle wedged in the hole of tree.....home to so many nesting owls.
I drive my car onto strange roads. Sometimes I am in the middle of nowhere without cell connection. When I stand in these locations I think about how liberating it is. About how this part of my life has opened my mind to the strange that is birding. The closer I am to nature; the harder it is for me to understand these pack creatures known as humans. I'm one of them. I'm trying to help educate the young minds. Sometimes I succeed and sometimes I don't.
The Red-tailed Hawk
I am at a crossroads in my life right now. All of it good, but of course, it is a bit scary. This idea of change. Comfort is nice. Having a home is nice. Being with someone you love is awesome. However, it creates a routine. And I have found myself stuck in that routine for several years now. Oh change......how I despise you and love you at the same time!
The Pygmy Nuthatch on Mt. Lemmon
The older I get; the harder it becomes to take a risk. So much to consider. So much to keep in mind.
Olive Warbler on the Incinerator Ridge Trail of Mt. Lemmon
And yet while standing above it all, does any of it matter?
So as I sat on that bench contemplating my life, I sorted out some heavy thoughts. I know what I have to do, and I've put myself out there to let it happen. And it feels good.
Night birding at Madera Canyon for the Whiskered Screech-Owl
Another epic trek is about to begin to take my mind off of things.
I would like to say that this week has been a week of crazy. The month of September is one hot blazing mess. Many people not of the desert wonder what we do during the day. Well I'll tell you that we work in air conditioned buildings. Or stay inside our air conditioned homes. It's at night that we all become vampires. So during this past week, Kathie and I have done some late night birding together with some really fantastic finds BUT I won't bore you all with the details. I'll just share with you all what has happened on our last two outings together on this Friday night roundup.
Barn Owl
One night we headed out to explore several recharge basins to find some new birds for our Arizona list. We accomplished our mission by finding the Pectoral Sandpiper. And I accidentally found the Black-bellied Plover thanks to some Northern Pintails and noisy Killdeer. Overall, the night was wonderful. We sat under a gazebo in the dark and went over our lists together. No one was around except us. Or so we thought. Normally I wouldn't hang around the area but because Kathie was with me, we stayed a few minutes longer. Rattlesnakes are still out and about and they love the evening hours. It's also during this time of night that the temps are actually enjoyable! The next day I found out someone had committed suicide not too far away from where we did our counts that night! Creepy! We were the last people there. A poor morning walker found the person hanging. The strange bit is that I didn't hear a single thing about it on the news. But the birder world knew thanks to a rare bird spotted in the area. Thankfully we both only saw birds. As you'll see in this post, people aren't the only ones out there past dark.
Lesser Goldfinch
In the darknesss, birds begin to hunker down. Nocturnal animals, birds and reptiles wake up and begin their nightly hunts. Kathie and I both reunite up again on Thursday for dinner and a quick evening survey of night birds around Saguaro National Park. We hear a Great Horned Owl, Common Poorwills and see a Lesser Nighthawk. A fat rattlesnake also moves out in front of us along with several Kangaroo Rats. Then we head back to her place to observe the many Nectar Bats feeding from her hummingbird feeders. And it does not disappoint! We ate the quiche she made(yum!) and watch bats at her feeders. At one point, one of the bats went to the bathroom on my arm. It was like a drop of rain but not.
The giant Jackrabbit
My night vision isn't so great. My targeting on the lens had to go to manual and I had to be ready for these fast moving bats! So while I am happy with this shot, I was even happier with my next one.....a surprise guest...well....surprised us. My hearing and sense of smell are both top notch. They make up for that blind eye I have. I sensed a disturbance in the force........
Nectar Bat
......and I looked up to see this Ring-tailed Cat watching us from Kathie's roof! I am tall so I was able to watch this silent mammal run across her roof with lightning speed. The long tail and smooth body reminded me of the old cartoon Rikki Tikki Tavi. He would come back several times watching us and then quickly vanish again. A life mammal for me. And as Kathie discovered on this night, a resident. I manual toggled my camera and was able to get off three pics before he disappeared. We heard him climb around the building. Apparently Nectar Bats are delicious. We both could smell a strong and not so fresh smell. As we traced the source of the smell, we were led out to her front yard where we discovered that this mammal(not a cat but related to the raccoon family) sprayed around her mesquite tree. We also discovered that he did indeed use that tree to get onto her roof.
Ring-tailed Cat
Birds, mammals and quiche with a friend. It doesn't get much better than that. So Kathie's boys watched football(since when is it on Thursday nights??!!!) while we watched the live action stuff going on just right outside her sliding doors. Now that is what I call fun. Happy weekend everyone!
It's not always about the birds, plants or landscapes. Sometimes it's about the furry critters great and small that we find on the trails. Here are just several from the various photo shoots around Arizona and Colorado. Spying on birds has led me to these wonderful mammals by accident. Many times they are unaware that I am near. Birds will fly around people, but mammals hide. Most of these shots were taken in the absence of humankind. Do you have a special encounter? And if so, which critter was it? And where did it happen? Hope you have a wonderful weekend! Chris
Gray Squirrel at Ramsey Canyon
Rock Squirrel at Box Canyon
Coyote near the Santa Cruz River, Tucson
Javelina in Patagonia, AZ
Antelope Ground Squirrel at Saguaro National Park, Rincon Unit
Bobcats in the shade. Tucson, AZ
Bighorn Sheep at the Desert Museum, AZ
Mountain Lion at the Desert Museum, AZ
Ocelot at the Desert Museum, AZ
Mule Deer in Yarnell, AZ
Hooded Skunk on the Proctor Trail, Madera Canyon, AZ
Coati, Madera Canyon
Red Fox at Bear Creek Nature Center, Colorado Springs
Sonoran Pronghorn, Empire Ranch near Sonoita
Jackrabbit at Saguaro National Park
Mexican Fox Squirrel, Portal, AZ
Coues White-tailed Deer near Ramsey Canyon
Feral Cat, El Presidio Gardens, Tucson
Feral Cats checking out the bird feeders at El Presidio
It was so blasted hot! And it's October! But the need to bird is constant and never letting up. With windows down at 5 mph, Kathie and I take a slow drive through Saguaro National Park. Can you believe I had never been? It's desert and I've seen it all before. But I hadn't.
Antelope Jackrabbit
"Can you turn the radio off?" Yes. I'm such a dope. If you're birding, you need to listen for birds. Duh! But I was in my car....a place one normally doesn't bird(in my mind). Yet on my drive to and from work what do I do? Look at birds. But to bird from the car.....It was strange and so much fun all at the same time. So we listened and drove slowly.
This is going to be fun. Kathie and I have had some incredible journeys into the strangest places. Places that I'd normally overlook. Drive and bird? Who does that? "Chris, can you turn that a/c down more?" But it's hot Kathie:) As I whine to myself in my brain. It's like a bazillion degrees outside. And we're birding......
Black Throated Sparrow
And it's incredible fun. We see a Jackrabbit and for the first time in my life, I realize that I've never seen one before. How many years have I lived here? So I've been seeing the Peter Cottentail types.....but never a Jackrabbit. And it's exciting.
Eventually we stop the car and begin to walk and bird. There's activity in the hot desert. Amazing that anything can survive these temps. And yet they are. Soon the sun begins to set and time is limited and there are birds out there. We see and hear them. They hide from our gazes. But we walk sandy washes watching for snakes. It's a total thrill. We count many birds which include a Turkey Vulture, Red Tail Hawk, Gambel's Quail, Black Throated Sparrow and oh so many more birds. For my plant friends, we find a Christmas Cholla and many Hackberry bushes loaded with the orange berries....and popular with the birds:)
I'm going through something in my life. I can't explain it. But it's powerful. It was always there but I've let it come to surface over these past couple of years. There is a calm and peace from it all. It's more than just some hobby. It's a passion. A calling. All I have to do is take that first step, but I'm scared. I speak Spanish. I have a plant and wildlife background. I have an education background. But I need to learn to shoot a firearm. I know it sounds ridiculous, but it's true. That's what is holding me back. If I can do this, I can make a career change happen. I did it once when I wasn't so settled and invested. While "Drive By Birding", we notice a Border Patrol agent checking out something suspicious in the wash. Incredible wild terrain full of dangerous things. Over the past several years, one Park Ranger was killed on the job and of course, several border patrol agents and a rancher were shot dead. As of this write on October 2nd, a border patrol agent was killed this morning. It has hit Southern Arizona pretty hard.....yet again.
Before I pursued education, I sat in a Ranger booth and welcomed visitors to the park in Wisconsin. Then teaching called.
But Kathie pulls me out of my deep reverie and this stupid midlife crisis and we search for birds. At the end of the night, we sip wine on her balcony enjoying the beautiful night sky of Arizona. A perfect way to end an amazing weekend exploring Southern Arizona. And speaking of driving, this is one of my songs I'm liking right now on the radio. There is language so you've been warned:) Stay tuned for more....
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