As Rare as a Unicorn

The incredible beauty of Portal, AZ.  A must visit place for all people to see, especially for birders

On the day the Eared Quetzal showed up in Southern Arizona, it would also be the day I was in a no WiFi zone in Box Canyon with Celeste. There we casually observed a beautiful group of White-throated Swifts feeding babies.  Meanwhile the birding world was literally and figuratively on fire elsewhere. Our Catalina mountain near Tucson is STILL on fire.  The other fire was the one that spread just as fast, only by word of mouth.

White-throated Swift

In the background, we had Scott's Orioles and Five-striped Sparrows singing. A Lucifer Hummingbird buzzed us with a loud speeding motorcycle VROOOM!  Sure, they are all exceptional birds but so were the swifts.  Since when do we ever get chances to see this species in action?  There, in the high rocks on the cliff in that little crack, the little ones called out to the group with their hungry call, "Feed us!"  And the group of swifts would all go and feed the babies. 

As we left our beautiful trek from Box Canyon and the grasslands, we hit a wifi spot and saw that a very rare Eared Quetzal was seen in the Chiricahua Mountains.  I have waited so long to see that bird.  It would be a lifer and one from my bucket list.  But by the time we got back from our birding, we were both too tired to make the nearly 3 hour drive to a remote part of the state.  It would have been dark by the time we got there.  

We planned to go if the bird had been seen again.  We were set for a Thursday trek to Portal.  After the day it was reported, the bird was nowhere to be found for several days.  "I should have gone!  I should have gone!"  The group who saw the bird had really nice views. Usually this bird is a heard only species in the dense forest.  Sometimes, it's seen but briefly!  But on that first night reported, the bird was so cooperative for that evening crew of birders that they even got pictures!  I was angry with myself.  I remember a friend's words to me about rare birds. "You can rest when you're dead." I was so angry with myself for NOT TRYING!  Even if I had dipped, I would have felt better because I had made the attempt.  Now it was too late. I'd probably have to wait another 10-20 years or go to Mexico. The latter was the original plan.

Western Wood-Pewee building a nest

The next day we were supposed to go but there weren't any sightings.  We made the tough decision to stay.  I suggested we hike the Carrie Nation Trail to find bear and our own Eared Quetzal!  It was the right decision but a grueling hike!  The bird song was so beautiful. Hermit Thrushes sang and their electronic melodies echoed throughout the canyon. 

Arizona Sister

The bird show was incredible as were the lizards and butterflies.  A hiker was so excited about the bears that he even filmed them and showed me his videos.  What a beautiful thing to see! 

Yarrow's Spiny Lizard

We were exhausted after that day.  Still no reports of an Eared Quetzal.  My iceless cooler arrived as I got home from our Carrie Nation Trail hike.  I was so excited.  You just plug it into the outlet in your vehicle and drive while it keeps all your meals and drinks cool!  No need to get covid or stop at restaurants.  People reminded me to make sure I unplugged it after I was driving so that I didn't kill my car battery.  

This cooler came at the right time because I was going to get to see my friend Gordon for a Saturday morning run up to Globe where we would bird. We hadn't been able to bird for several months and I was looking forward to seeing him. That night, I set all my equipment out, including my new iceless cooler!  I prepped my meals for the day and then all hell broke lose. 

This pic is not mine, from KOLD news

That evening our Santa Catalina mountain exploded with fire. I had some friends leave their home to take a fun weekend trip up to a cooler location.  When they left, there was no fire.  As the wind picked up, the flames spread quickly and raced down the mountain towards their home.  Their neighborhood was set to GO which means that they had to evacuate.  Our friend Lori got their dogs and watched the fire as it approached their home. The town of Catalina was almost up in flames.  This lasted until 3 in the morning as everyone worried about this fire.  Our friends drove back the next day and thankfully, the fire fighters were able to keep it away from their property!  But the fire still threatens surrounding communities.  Now it's on the other side by my friend Celeste's home!

Mexican Jay

I was supposed to leave the house by 4 AM so that I could meet Gordon by 6 in Globe.  Well, that wasn't going to happen so I texted him and let him know that my plans to meet him had changed. I went to sleep and didn't wake up until 10 AM.  I sat in the pajamas bummed yet again that I missed birding with my friend, watching the fire grow out of control on the Catalina mountains, and reading a few of the birder's posts who had seen the Eared Quetzal that one special night.  I should have gone.  I should have gone. 

All my stuff still sat on the table.  The backpack.  The cooler.  The camera and water flask were charged and full.  Then a birding friend, Steve V, posted on FB that the quetzal was seen again.  I grabbed my face mask and without thinking, loaded my vehicle, the USS Betty White, with all my stuff.  And I drove.

My first view of the Eared Quetzal!

I put on relaxing music to calm my inner anxiety.  But I felt better because I was acting and not feeling sorry for myself or making terrible excuses for not going.  

This bird, like its close relative, the Elegant Trogon, blends perfectly into the shadows of trees. 

Then the bird flew our way!  NO WAY!  

There were a lot of birders with smiling faces that afternoon.  Fast track to now and there have been hundreds of birders who remain hopeful.  Even as I write this, there are people from all over the US keeping an eye out for this rare Arizona gem.  For me, it was a lifer and Arizona bird.  But for the ABA listers, which covers North America(not Mexico but Hawaii?!), it's a significant bird.  Due to covid and airline flights, many are naturally choosing to drive.  I have met birders from almost every state here in AZ, THE capital of covid.  There is no greater sport than the one played by ABA listers.  I am not that person but I understand their competitive natures.  To say that this quetzal didn't light a fire in my brain for the irrational chase would be a lie.  

Its relative, the Resplendent Quetzal, did the same thing to me years ago in Guatemala where I interviewed locals to find a secure place to see this bird.  On a time constrained trip, there are only small windows, moments really, to observe these birds. Living in a place gives you more time to enjoy these birds. As a traveler with an agenda, if you miss it, it's over.  In Guatemala, the quetzal is their national bird.  It's also the name of their currency.  And it also happens to be a rare bird.  My friend followed my crazy butt to the area near Coban EARLY on that foggy morning.  Together, with a wonderful family, we saw so many of these birds flying around eating avocados. We also had avocados with our breakfast after observing these amazing birds.  It was one of those perfect days.  They were never seen again while we were there on that day. It was a 30 minute window and then....it was done.

We share an exciting moment with this little girl as she grabs video of these amazing birds. She stays with Lynda and helps point all the birds hiding in the trees from her.  We are amazed by the quetzal show near Coban

Like the Kirtland's Warbler or Lesser Prairie-Chicken, it took some research to see that particular subspecies of Resplendent Quetzal in Guatemala. It is said that at some point, the Resplendent Quetzal may be split into separate species. It took a lot of work to see them in Guatemala.  They were much easier to see in Costa Rica.  Anyhow, back to the Eared Quetzal.  

This is the print I ordered for my wall.  

Here's what I can tell you. The Eared Quetzal is a very secretive bird, even in its most active range. So to get views of the bird ANYTIME like this is a Christmas miracle.  And to get a view of this bird in the US is one extra bonus.  As many of you know, I travel to Mexico often.  It is my sacred place of sanity and spirituality.  So any chance I get to go to Mexico is a special time.  The Eared Quetzal and Thick-billed Parrot have been on my research list for quite some time. Drug cartels over recent years have made travel to that particular area difficult.  US news makes you fear Mexico more than you should so I listen to the people who live there.  And I read several local papers.  Yeah.  It really wasn't safe.  Now with covid, the borders are locked.  So one can understand why an Eared Quetzal in Arizona is a big deal. The last sustained view of an Eared Quetzal in Arizona was back in 1999.  There have been other "sightings" or "heard onlys" since then, but nothing like a viewable bird for many people to see out in the open.  In fact, ebird has had very little photo documentation on this species....until now:)

I hope others are able to find him safely.  After more than a week now, this bird still makes me smile.  This is what bucket list birds do; they inspire and capture the magic of birding. It's about exploration. It's about sharing an experience. And it's also about observing an incredible bird that you never thought possible. The Eared Quetzal is like a unicorn.  We see the bird in our guides, but never hope that we'll ever see something so amazing. Surely this bird does not exist. I promised myself that if I ever saw this bird, I'd make a photo and hang it up in my house.  I've ordered the picture and I'm drywalling, texturizing and painting the area where it will go.  If this is the last bird I ever see, I will be a happy person.  Until next time.... 

Solitude In A World Of Chaos

This female Bobcat joined me in m my hike with her offspring behind. 

So much noise everywhere.  Have you ever tried to find a place where there wasn't any noise?  No construction.  No planes flying overhead.  No children screaming in the background. No TV or radio. NO TRAFFIC!  Just silence? 

A surprise Cassin's Vireo

Over the past couple weeks, I tried finding those spaces.  It was difficult.  But on one particular walk, I had a whole wetlands to myself. Free of human noise. Finally. I touched the bark of the willow and listened to the Marsh Wren rattle off his morse code to another bird in the reeds. A Song Sparrow shouted out his melodious sing song to a curious female. The signs of spring are upon us again. I stop to absorb everything around me.  Not just the birds. 

A Red-tailed Hawk takes flight at sunset

It's the birds I know best, but I had an amazing experience that made me geek out on the trails. 

Cats! As I crossed a path, I discovered a Bobcat doing what cats do best....cleaning herself. What I didn't know was that there were two of them!  Her offspring came out from behind a bush near me!

Like the deer with Celeste several weeks ago, or the Greater Roadrunner, or the Javelina, here I was again joined on the trails by one of Mother Nature's coolest feline species, the Bobcat.  I wasn't frightened.  They were close and moved towards me.  There wasn't any malintent.  One of the bobcats was talking to me like my cats do when I'm home.  It made me laugh. I understand "cat" well.  One time many many years ago, back in the 90's, I stumbled upon a Mountain Lion in the alley while I was taking the trash out in the early morning. Again, I laughed and said in a nervous voice, "Hello kitty." I then proceeded to slowly walk back inside the house never leaving my eyes off that huge cat.  Her body language wasn't threatening, but she was wild and it's better to be safe than sorry:)

I was like a giddy kid in a toy store.  It was the best way to start my Saturday!  Body language is everything in the animal world.  And there is a thing about getting too close to a wild animal.  The cats strolled along the path with me for about 20 minutes before they went off to take a nap.  Amazing!

Black-chinned Sparrow almost completes my sparrow set for the year in Pima County

It's those moments that center me.  They are intoxicating addictions and one of the reasons why I love my mornings!  It's the discovery.  The connections to nature.  And my happy place. 

Dark-eyed Junco

Next, I went to Mt. Lemmon.  The mountain was FULL of tourists. So when that happens, I usually go to the trails along the mountain. Most tourists never see the real beauty of this mountain because they're so focused on buying a cookie at the top of a mountain!  Anyway, a hiker walked past me and said there weren't any birds in the forest and that it was quiet.  Had she not been conversing with her friend, she might have heard their little chips.  They were all there.  I pished further up the trail and woke up the little birds.  Suddenly we were surrounded by kinglets, chickadees, and all three species of our Arizona nuthatches!  And in a first for that location(for me), 2 turkeys popped out of the forest to see what was going on.  My owls were still there.  And all was good.  Just doing my yearly check up.  

Mexican Jay

Mexican Jays surrounded us and casually foraged around the trail.  

This life is not easy.  It certainly seemed easier when I was younger, but as I age, the weight of the world seems to get heavier.  On Friday night, the day before my birding, I set a trap to catch drug dealers on our property. Living in midtown is wonderful, but it also comes with a few negatives. No one messes with my sanctuary.  I alerted my neighbors and called the police ahead of time knowing that it takes them forever to arrive at the scene.  And on that same Friday night, those drug dealers were shoe'd off the property for good:)  Nature walk was back on again for Saturday morning.

Sunset with our local Snow Goose

And then the worst news of all. I found out a former student had taken his life.  I couldn't attend the service, but I found out he was buried in a cemetery where I bird. After work, I went to the freshly dug site and sat on the bench.  There were birds. So many Vermilion Flycatchers around. I try to make sense of it all. That cemetery never had a personal connection for me. Now, I'll never look at it the same way. He better be ready for birds visiting his grave.  There were several empty bird feeders hanging there in a tree.  So now every time I go, I'll be bringing bird seed to place at his site. I've worked with thousands of students over the years.  When something like this happens to one of them, it's like I somehow failed them.  And I know deep down I can't save all of them.  It's just hard remembering their happy faces in class knowing that their adventures ended way too early.   

Working with the public takes its toll on a person. I wouldn't have it any other way except maybe be outside more:)  In my late thirties, I discovered the world of birding.  Almost 10 years later, my understanding of the natural world gets stronger.  In times of stress or loss, I am thankful it's there away from all the chaos.  And in that solitude I am reborn.

Our cat, Aurora, is in decline health wise.  There's nothing we can do except make her comfortable and happy.  She is 15 years old and I believe has a cancer that's slowly taking its time.  She can still jump and she can still eat.  So we give her all the extra love while we still can. 

Until next time.....

Turkey Invasion

Tradition dictates that we walk the Proctor Trail up to the Whitehouse Picnic area of Madera Canyon each year. 

It was just the two of us strolling along the empty trail early in the morning.  We found ourselves walking with the deer. And eventually....

.....among a lot of Gould's Wild Turkeys!!!  Chicken birds have always captured my interest, even if I've seen them over and over again.  I am still fascinated by the Wild Turkey.  

I took videos of them scratching the dirt.  I can't believe how fortunate we were to be in the middle of the rafter(flock) observing these birds just inches from our bodies. They were not skittish at all. 

There were turkeys along the creek, in trees, resting in the grass, on the trail and around the feeders further up. 

Gould's Wild Turkey

I discovered by accident last year that there is a good spot for small flocking birds like Bridled Titmouse, Townsend's Warbler, the Ocotero(or Olive Warbler) and Elegant Trogon. 

Townsend's Warbler

It was a lovely morning stroll out full of wildlife. Celeste even mentioned that it was like being at a Wildlife Park.  The secret?  Go slow and go before people destroy the magic.  There are so many loud people with annoying kids who chase the wildlife further back into the forests along the hills. On this day though, we didn't see many wild and young human banshees . 

We sat and waited for our male friend, the Elegant Trogon to show up.  It was a lifer for Celeste.  It's amazing how many people dip on this bird.  And in my humble opinion, trogons are much easier to spot in the winter than in the summer when they are on nests. In winter, you don't have to get up early to see them.  But in the spring and summer, it's an early rise for the birder in the dark driving to the canyons to hear them bark out their territories first thing in the morning. 

Elegant Trogon, male

I did a social experiment to really get a feel for how hot certain Arizona species can be for the public.  This above pic received close to 500 likes on a popular Arizona birding fb page while my personal favorites like the Bell's Sparrow or Northern Beardless Tyrannulet got a little over a 100 likes. It just keeps me in check with what bird enthusiasts want to observe.  

Mexican Jays

As we left for the day, we had a pair of Mexican Jays say good-bye.  It was a lovely walk full of beautiful sightings.  Until next time.....

The Long Sip

The US holidays have arrived.  All the chaos is human caused. So I recommend that we all take the time to just BE.

A gentle stream flows along a trail in the Santa Rita mountains

Even if for a moment from our often stressful lives. I will never buy into the "we have to do this because it's what we do" mentality.  That's all a bunch of crap.

A Brown Creeper finds a spot full of insects

Last weekend, we spent a moment on the trails watching birds along a lovely stream in the Santa Rita mountains of Southern Arizona.

A Townsend's Warbler is seen in a warbler flock

After the hike, we went to the Santa Rita Lodge and watched their thirsty male Coati get a sip from the hummingbird feeders.

Well.  It was more like a long sip.

After he was finished, he headed off into the forest for a break.

It's often common in winter to find a solitary male Coati roaming trails where there are opportunities for food along riparian corridors

The world is changing.  With our warmer temps, we are seeing more and more Broad-tailed Hummingbirds sticking around for the winter. 

A rare Broad-tailed Hummingbird

It was a beautiful morning out. 

Painted Redstart

It felt more like fall than winter.  The canyon trees are in the middle of their autumn colors.

Mexican Jay

During this time of year, there is a "lull" in bird numbers as many of the northern birds are still migrating south.  However, it's also the time of year when random birds begin to show up.

Hepatic Tanager at a feeder at the Santa Rita Lodge

The bird of the week is this juvenile Yellow-bellied Sapsucker(below) hanging around a Tucson neighborhood.  It's a rarity that shows up during this time of year.  Our most common wintering sapsucker in Tucson is the Red-naped Sapsucker.  The second likely choice for sapsuckers if it's not Red-naped would be Yellow-bellied. And the rarest, but also seen during most winters here, is the Red-breasted Sapsucker.  And in Tucson, it's possible to add Williamson's Sapsuckers to your county list as several hang out on Mt. Lemmon OR in our parks around areas of old growth. Imagine! 4 species of sapsuckers!  If you're lucky:)

Look for holes on trees to find sapsuckers.  A good birder listens for tapping and drill holes on trees to find sapsuckers

Next week we chase a gull outside of Phoenix and play around in the grasslands.  I celebrate a state milestone while planning for another trek to Sonora, Mexico. Until next time....