The body grows tired, and my work gets mixed up in flowers, lizards, snakes, bats and bugs. But onward I trekked with an amazing crew of wildlife trackers and herpers. Being one of two birders, we safely entered the state of Sonora, Mexico which borders the southern part of Arizona.
Flame Skimmer
We camped for several days and nights without electricity, air conditioning and other creature comforts. And yet the rewards were higher on this trek than any other because we were in some remote areas around Sonora. While the birds were in great numbers, they took a backseat on this trek.
Pallid Bats
Some of the greatest mysteries still remain on the mountain tops of Northern Mexico. Sonora is an amazing state full of surprises. As I've reported before, Arizona is a well birded state in most of the various regions. In contrast, much of Sonora has not been ebirded. It's rather sad since it's all connected. Part of my job at our locale was to find birds and other rarities. Birds like Green Kingfishers and Five-striped Sparrows are often seen in these places and this time was no different.
I'm not a rough and rugged hiker as I do prefer the softer side of camping. And yes, camping can be fun and comfortable! One of my big dislikes for this time of year comes in the form of scaly fanged critters known as snakes. It makes birding a challenge! There were rattlesnakes and other venomous creatures hanging out in the thick grasses. In one situation, I had a Black-tailed Rattler sound off with a loud "RAAAAATTTTLE!" and flee further back into the grasses! I did my heebie jeebie dance and got away from the area. The herper with me was sad that it had escaped. While I was freaking out, he was running after the snake! Hopefully he didn't look back and see me doing my willy nilly freak out. And yes, guys can admit that snakes freak them out. Just don't kill them. They are good to have around.....just not my personal space. Herpers are a fascinating group of people. Both birders and herpers are nerds in their own sense but I'll just say that one group is wilder than the other:) Might have to challenge those stereotypes!
It was hard to ignore the many beautiful butterflies around the area. However our mission was to track Jaguars. These elusive creatures had been found around several spots and so we went to check equipment around the various locations.
Queen Butterfly
I am truly fascinated by this state. This year Las Aventuras took you to Rocky Point, Sonora for a seabird adventure. Now we're visiting the interior mountain region of the state. It's a large area to cover and I hope to get further south for a closer look at the indigenous peoples and their tropical birds.
Dark Buckeye
Finding a crew to go to Mexico is no easy task. Not many Americans feel comfortable these days crossing the border. And rightly so! BUT crossing the border was a much safer option for me than staying near the border on the Arizona side to observe Five-striped Sparrows. This year we ran into drug trafficking around the Ruby Road area and it was a bit unsettling.
Africanized Bees! Very dangerous when a swarm becomes upset. Each year several people will die from their stings.
One of my favorite things about the Sonoran desert is how wild and dangerous it all can be. Poisonous critters, spiky cacti, heat and strange human varieties all inhabit this vast landscape. Coming from Wisconsin, this place continues to fascinate me. Every day I wake up in MY HOME, I think.....I live here! I really really live here! Purple sunsets. Prickly cactus pads. Sparkling hummingbirds. Colorful lizards. Outdoor dining. Mountains. Canyons. It's all so beautiful and overwhelming at times. And much of it is still so very wild.
Ocotillo line a wash
The Sonoran desert enters a good portion of Mexico. Political lines, drug issues and very remote and rocky roads can make this area very undesirable to explore. And maybe language barriers:) I'd love to piece together the "birdscape" puzzle between Arizona and the state of Sonora. I'd get to use my Spanish and study birds. Pretty awesome!
Southern Dogface
While on this trek, a major discovery happened for me. I glanced down on the ground and noticed this strange looking snake. But it wasn't a snake. Instinctively I knew this but it took me time to wrap my head around the creature I was staring at intently. Once my brain ID'd this lizard.....yes lizard......I did a secret herper lifer dance. The move looks something like a snake wrapping itself around its prey. Not pretty at all. There are not many lizards or snakes that inspire me to move in a positive manner, but the Madrean Alligator Lizard is like finding a Montezuma Quail! Herpers and birders alike rejoice at these beauties. Note their tiny tiny feet.
Madrean Alligator Lizard
With the recent monsoon rains, the canyon was ALIVE! Imagine Julie Andrews singing the "Hills are Alive" running through the grasses and then getting bit by a venomous snake. That's how green the mountains and canyons were! Black and Turkey Vultures would quickly find her body and have a snack. Definitely not a Disney production:) Thankfully Julie never ran through THOSE grasses.
Common Lesser Earless Lizard
Most of the time, it's all very brown. Yet with a wet rainy season, everything really greens up nicely! All of this happens within a matter of a month!
The warbler migration has begun. Most evident were the Nashville, MacGillivray's, Yellow and Wilson's Warblers dripping from the trees! They were everywhere. Blue Grosbeaks and Yellow-breasted Chats were also very abundant.
Five-striped Sparrow
However, my mission this year was to observe Five-striped Sparrows and a Green Kingfisher. I could not relocate the Rose-throated Becard. Their nest was still present, but no one was home!
MacGillivray's Warbler
I am now home after a long weekend of satisfying work and bug bites!
A special thank you goes out to Kathy Cooper and her daughter Mary Ann for making such wonderful meals. It truly takes talent to work off the grid feeding a group of people without having the use of electricity. Each meal was an amazing piece of art and our group was grateful for their hard work. Kathy and Mary Ann, you both are one of a kind. Thank you for organizing this spectacular event.
Ares Metalmark
While it was a challenging weekend, we each completed our goals to help keep tabs on the wildlife in that area so that they stay protected. We discovered Mountain Lions, Javelina, Coues Deer and so much more. As for the Jaguars? I hope they keep their secrets hidden from humans. I know they are out there. Once, 6 years ago, I came across one in the Amazon. We briefly made eye contact and I smiled. Some secrets are sacred. For more on wild birds and other fun things found around our world, check out Wild Bird Wednesday!
I took a much needed break from birding. On the road. Off the road. It felt good to just do laundry, clean the dishes, get a haircut, and do.......absolutely......nothing. The rule for the weekend? Stay within a two block radius of the house and see what there was to see. It turned out to be a fun game.
Bald Eagle-working with some of my photography from when I was in Wisconsin
I have been in a reflective mood lately. Sometimes I just prefer to write while other times it's all about the pics. So I write when I feel like it and put the post off until I'm in the photography mood.
Michael Summers' painting in the middle. The photographs were taken from a photo shoot last year on a post titled Splash!
It has been a time of art and reflection for me. I am burned out by it all and I realize it's important to take breaks. So instead I began to watch my garden and my plants. Work on and enjoy my discoveries this past year. A young artist by the name of Michael Summers contacted me and asked to use my photography for a painting on a Lorikeet photo shoot I did last year. The theme for that photo shoot was capturing color and water droplets while the bird was taking a bath. I was excited to see what he'd do with the photos and BAM! He created a beautiful masterpiece! Thank you Michael Summers for inspiring me. Art is very healing and I needed a little magic to perk me up.
Still not complete but almost finished
There is a garden outside that needs tending. All summer long it was enjoyed from my window. Early morning, I would feed the birds and just watch as some plants burned to death while others thrived. I have several cacti and fun plants to finish up my little area but it requires clean up. Our fountain is finally finished after a lot of work and thought went into plant choices. The rule? Only native low growing plants. Why? Well obviously less watering, but also to attract more of our local birds and butterflies. The rocks around the fountain base will allow for lizards to make that area home. The rocks on top of the fountain will allow small birds to perch and sip from the flowing water.
American Kestrel
We have officially created a bird friendly atmosphere attracting some of the most incredible birds to our space.....Ash-throated Flycatcher, Western Tanager, my nesting Cardinals, a Nashville and Yellow Warbler, nesting Anna's hummingbirds and so many other birds.
MacGillivray's Warbler on our Argentine Mesquite
Before there was nothing. Absolutely nothing. I planted the trees and the shrubs and the cacti....and it took a couple years for it to all establish itself.....but it happened. And now the homeowners are taking part in this community effort. One of the homeowners, John, brought the rocks and plants to El Presidio(a big thank you!!). I am now President so I can oversee it all come together. And it is. I am appreciative to the homeowners who have taken an active interest in creating one of the most beautiful living spaces in central Tucson. Next project is the parking lot and then painting....:)
Horse Lubber Grasshopper
My first posts on Las Aventuras are all about gardening and plants. Officially, I have passed over the reigns of El Presidio landscaping to other homeowners and it feels good. With all the travel I do now, it was time consuming....and it was time to step down after 5 years of work. I hope they find joy in the work as much as I did.
Wood Duck
Now it's over. I can sip my coffee on Saturday morning and just....be. Soon I will make another trek elsewhere, but not today. Today it's all about watching the birds from my window, drinking the coffee, watching movies in my pajamas and of course....doing laundry.
Snow Geese fly with Canadian Geese over my parent's house in Wisconsin
Along the way, it becomes wearisome. It doesn't go away. Sometimes, I wish I could just shut it off, but it holds great power over me like a bad addiction. I go back to the routines of work and feel the weight of them pressing me down. It also distracts my brain. I research and read and research some more wanting to be out in the field. I take this shot of a Praying Mantis near a Hummingbird feeder at my home and forgot that these bugs kill hummers! But I left for work only realizing afterwards what was going on AFTER I took the pics! Thankfully, my nesting hummers are fine. That little tidbit I learned at a lecture in Portal, AZ last year. If I could have my way, I'd lock myself into my house at night and read about birds. And during the day, I would find them.
Hooded Oriole
Now I know it doesn't seem apparent but I have actually taken a break from chasing birds. I've just planned out my posts until I get back on the road again which will be soon. The fact of the matter is that I needed to take a break about 4 months ago! I don't know how people with Big Years do it! There will always be rare birds flying in and out of the state. Sometimes, I just have to sit back and say, "Time out." And I'm actually okay with it this time. I like taking a stroll and counting birds without feeling that anxiety of dipping on a bird.
Harris Hawk
Surprisingly enough that is when I found another lifebird.....the MacGillvray's Warbler. I was at a picnic table just sitting and watching several tiny birds flitting around on the ground. This bird gave for a good show and got me a bit excited:) It was nice just to see it as I saw it and not follow a report.
MacGillivray's Warbler
There are plenty of distractions like seeing a bat fly around during daylight hours. It only did so because a Gila Woodpecker was bugging it's sleeping spot. Sometimes it's about knowing our own birds well. It's fun to observe wildlife.
So while I am taking a break, I've been putting together several photo essays dealing with black birds, hummingbird migration, warblers, and kingbirds. There are several more posts from Guatemala, New Mexico, Colorado, Wisconsin and Northern Arizona coming up. As you can see, a break was needed.
This video was taken in Tucson, Arizona by a resident. You can see why the hummingbirds are stand offish at the feeders. At about 2:25, the Mantis captures a bee coming to a feeder. It's amazing the battles that can happen right outside of our windows. I love hummingbirds and I love the mantis but I don't like these intelligent insects around my feeders:) Thankfully they only show up during the monsoon season:) Much more coming up! Until next time......
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