The Planet Covid 19

Painted Lady

During this first true week of the pandemic in Arizona, I have seen great acts of kindness balanced with great acts of rudeness.  I have seen things written and said that are hateful on both sides. A divided nation.  Angry millennials telling the boomers that they deserve what they get and that essentially this disease is the "boomer remover". Here's the thing. Whether I agree or not with this older generation, I still love many of them. My parents are boomers.  Some of my best friends are boomers.  If anything happened to them, I'd be sad.  If anything happened to anyone close to me, I'd be sad. We are a divided nation with divided generations and a virus that doesn't care who you are. It's a scary time.  I look back at my life and just scratch my head.  So much has happened, but never have I had this experience! Home is my headquarters. Kinda....:)

Anna's Hummingbird

I have drawn deeper into myself this past week calling upon nature to heal.  And so have many other people; sometimes dangerously too close to one another.  Everyone says get out in nature, but people think, at least here, that if they are in nature and in close proximity that they won't be affected. Wrong!  As a birder, I know secret spaces where I can have a whole canyon to myself or a patch of grassland free of humanity.  It's really not as easy as you think.  Now that children have no school, they are off the leashes and some parents are letting them scare off the wildlife!

Common Black Hawk

The Tubac Hawk Watch was called off several days ago because many birders were congregating there to watch the amazing hawk show.  I did well and socially distanced myself from the crowds.  But some birders were jokingly doing high fives with their elbows and then hugged.  It's very human and beautiful.  And we forget.  "Certainly, he or she doesn't have the Covid(Corvid to birders) 19 virus.", we think. And let's face it.  Much of the birding crowd is over 60.  One infected person and BOOM! Gone. Wiped out. I'd hate to see that happen.  The hawk watch was shutdown by the town of Tubac.  Now secretly,in fear of fines or arrest, we walk the trails and look up at the skies in solitude pretending we're not looking for hawks in the sky above Tubac:) Hide the binos!

I've been personally connecting with spaces.  And friends in town.  This past weekend, we hiked 2 miles into the quiet Willow Canyon of the super crazy and busy Mt. Lemmon.  The snow on the road kept vehicles from driving into the canyon and that was a clue for us to explore.  We had snow and a beautiful running stream without human people screaming and shouting around us.  Perfection.  

female Cassin's Finch

Along the riparian corridors, clouds pose as jellyfish in the sky. 

A Common Black Hawk flies above our heads and we smile.  Migration is inspiration.  

The moon is a wonder in the daylight. 

Spring flowers bloom in the thousands.  The Anna's Hummingbird comes to feed in his territory. 

I look across the pond of a local preserve and observe Great Egrets hunting for fish.  Desert Bluebells and California Poppies begin their dazzling shows here. 

A Black-tailed Gnatcatcher dances around several wildflowers and gleans insects from the foliage. 

I go during the off times at a popular wetlands in Tucson and quietly observe everything around me.  The warblers are back!

Birds carry on as a serious pandemic takes hold in many countries. 

Common Gallinule

I scan the reeds and notice that one of the reeds is looking back at me. 

American Bittern

I drive out to a far away place for a rare bird.  I drive through miles and miles of wildflowers blanketing the Sonoran desert. It's the quiet that I need now. I need time to think. We are in the eye of a storm.  The crazy is about to begin and virus takes hold of the West.  Tonight, Pima County had its first Coronavirus death. 

I've seen people pay it forward.  We've witnessed someone giving the last loaf of bread to an elderly man who cried.  Someone at our produce market paid for 50 people to get food to their families. I almost had a tear in my eye until I saw an old granny vaping and blowing the vape in our directions.  Everyone around her was like, "What the hell lady?"  Social distancing was not happening.  

Northern Beardless Tyrannulet

And hey! I'm okay with ordering food every night to help support local restaurants.  That might be the worst silver lining ever:)  

Lucy's Warbler

Have hope.  Be safe.  Be smart.  And be kind to each other. Below is a video that made me laugh.  But warning....there is language. Until next time.....

I Remember Well

White-lined Sphinx Moth

Looking back.  Looking forward.  And here I am.  They say autumn has begun.  I lock myself indoors pretending it's cold outside when in reality it's still like opening an oven.  So what to do? Escape to the great White Mountains and feel the sensations of being cold!

Painted Lady

I have discovered many of the birds here in the US.  Oh, there's about 50 or so I need for the US but they are in pockets here and there that require a one trip visit.  It's more than just birding now.  I want to make my home and garden come alive again.  I started cooking after almost 2 decades of not cooking and it brings me joy.  I sit and watch old episodes of Julia Child making French things like French Onion Soup:)  And it makes me want to go back to France again.  Old personalities like Julia Child and Bob Ross bring with them a sense of comfort.

We sat and watched the Elk graze in Greer at sunset

My travels abroad this summer forced me to cook in the kitchen and save money.  And it brought me joy.  I began taking notes in Trinidad, Hawaii, and Mexico.  In Maine, I collected more ideas.  Then I discovered the Farmer's Market of produce and I began to make my own fresh food again.  For 10 years, at the job that pays my health insurance, Helen always made me a fresh salad during lunch. It was the highlight of my day. But to cut costs, the district got rid of her.  In one deadly strike, I lost a friend and an amazing salad. 

So I began making my own lunches.  I got a membership to Costco, then to the National Parks and then we got a membership for the Desert Museum.  I've somewhat stepped out of the Arizona birding. Birders have told me this happens.  It's not that I am not birding.  I am.  I'm just not into chasing birds around this state as much anymore.  It seems goofy driving hours on the road observing a bird that I've seen many times in other places. So I stick to my patches.  And bird.  And cook. And save money for the big treks that are coming up. It's gotta be a really rare bird for me to chase.

Greer Lake

I get nostalgic this time of year.  I am reminded of the passing of time.  The passing of friends and family.  Of my aging.  It makes me happy.  It makes me sad.  I try to recreate recipes that my Grandma's made for me while they were still alive. After their passings, I took their iconic cookware and brought them home.  I mix salads and pastas and soups and desserts together in them. I pull out their fine glassware that they always put out for me on their tables during holidays or visits.  Sometimes I wish I could go back in time and be that dish that sat on their dinner tables just so I could hear their voices again. They stood preparing delicious foods with this glassware and now I do the same. And it connects me to those memories. 

Warbling Vireos migrate through the area

I'd, of course, have to place those dishes out-of-reach from a certain sister who likes to eat all the black olives. Sometimes Grandma would place the olives next to my Grandpa's magnifying glass where he read the newspaper, away from little hands but within reach for the adults. She didn't know that we could climb up chairs:) That fancy crystal bowl now sits in my cupboards with the rest of their dishes.  I began to pull them out again and fill them up with fresh lemons, tomatoes, onions and avocados.  My siblings would instantly recognize them because they were fun pieces that were always full of fresh veggies and crackers. They, too, bring comfort. 

The infamous West Baldy Trail #94

Over the next several weekends, I will be reflecting often.  This past weekend we escaped to Pinetop and Greer to get away from these horrible 100+ temps here in Tucson. 

Wilson's Snipe

 Then I'm off to Wisconsin where I'll spend some relaxing time with the family.  It's also a bittersweet visit in that I will say good-bye to Bernie.  He passed away a couple months ago and I was stuck here working.  I couldn't fly home for the funeral so I will go where I first met him as a child, Woodland Dunes.  I was just a beginning birder and he showed me my first Northern Saw-Whet Owls and how I could band them.  I'll meet him at that old red barn when I thought everything would last forever. Woodland Dunes was his life's work.  And today, it's his legacy.

A Sora dances around with another Sora hiding out in the reeds

I've written about this before but going home is harder the older I get.  I see people getting older; not myself you see because I'm immortal:) But this is the time of my life when I have only a few good decades, maybe years with lifelong friends who are now older.  What I wouldn't give to have unlimited money to visit them all.  I have to stay true to my goals.  And whenever possible, incorporate friends into the birding madness. 

But for now, I meander.  I go where I feel like going.  

We sat watching the elk eat the grass.  We played detective and found our friendly American Dipper.  There we sat with the dipper as the sun was setting and watched it get ready to go to bed. 

An American Dipper takes a break from the dipping

I bird my local patch every week at Reid Park and connect with my birds.  Some would say that that's boring.  I thought that once too, but now I find it a fun challenge.  When you've seen every possible bird around the region, you make it a game trying to find a new bird for your local patch.  And just like that, it's exciting again. Plus the data is super interesting from month to month and year to year.

A beautiful Cooper's Hawk perches

I drool at the blooms and butterflies this time of year.  I get excited.  Now that the outside painting is done at our place, all I want to do is work on my garden!  I stopped feeding my birds because I didn't want them to get poisoned with paint fumes.  So I removed all the water sources away from the building and let everything go quiet for awhile.

September is a great month for flower gardens and butterflies.  In fact, I believe it's also one of the best places for a birder to observe birds as migrating warblers like to feed from the bugs in the garden while finches, etc like to eat the seeds.  You could be at a stinky steamy hot slop pond searching for a Red Knot or sitting within a beautiful garden watching art naturally happen. I prefer the latter.  It's not going to get me anything rare, but I don't care.  

We live. We hike. And we explore.  Bring on the cold!  Let fall arrive!

And then in between, I want to play outside and grow plants.  During the summer, I stare out the window and think of the winter projects I want to do.  We have a wooden fence and I'd love to hang quirky bird houses on them!

Hunt's Bumble Bee, note the rusty brown band around the abdomen

Anyhow, I'm looking forward to the cooler temps and the final chapter to this year's birding. We'll visit several gardens around Tucson this month.  Then in October, we'll be back in Wisconsin visiting with friends and later in the month, we'll be in Rocky Point, Mexico having some fun with gull ID and shorebirds. Life is one grand adventure and it's always best when shared with friends.  Thank you for following Las Aventuras.  Until next week friends.....

Miller Canyon

After a rough and hot summer, my tires needed changing.  And so they were changed so that we could begin our hike up to Miller Canyon.

The road was rocky and bumpy from the monsoon rains.  I was held back for several weeks as I didn't want to risk blowing a tire out on the road without cell phone or OnStar help.  I do know how to change tires but the unevenly graded road would make it difficult if that event happened.

And so our epic hike would begin up the Miller Canyon in search of the mighty Spotted Owls.  It was eery quiet but incredibly beautiful.  The Beatty's have a wonderful property and I appreciate the fact that they allow birders to explore the hummingbirds, owls and all the other fun wildlife.  5 dollars is needed per person to help with the hummingbird juice. 

Painted Lady Butterfly

The hike was rugged.  The bugs were bad during this time.  The stream was running.  And the wildflowers were in full force.  Absolutely magical.

Checkered White Butterfly

We ascended the creek bed in search of the owls.  It was incredibly awesome as we stumbled over rocks.  By the time we found the solitary owl in the dark and quiet woods, we were exhausted from the heat.

Checkerspot Butterfly-Miller Canyon

Thank goodness for Pat.  The owl was so still that it was difficult to find....until the calm swiveled head  turned towards me. "Chris! Chris!" whispered Pat loudly.  And then I fell on the boulder below and watched the bird for many moments.  What a beautiful owl!  And he was very close to us.

Along the way, we saw some incredible butterflies, hummingbirds, and strange sounding birds:)

House Finch

It was green green green.  Miller, like the other canyons of the Huachucas, is incredibly different from the rest.  In fact, some canyons host certain kinds of birds and animals that can't be found anywhere else in Southern Arizona.  That's how unique each ecosystem is for each of the canyons!

Helmeted Guinea Fowl

We watched rain fall down upon the grasslands surrounding the military city of Sierra Vista.  From above, the city actually looks beautiful:)

Funeral Dusky Wing Butterfly

Our journey to the top was wonderful.  The hike was great and so were the finds.  I had many "lifers" here which made it a great day overall:)  More journeys into Southern Arizona coming.  And they are incredible!  It has been an extremely exciting time of finds. This owl sums up the joy and excitement I get from the journey both in travel, wildlife trekking, and gardening.  That's when I decided to change my headlining picture for Las Aventuras. Stay tuned for so much more:)

Spotted Owl, Miller Canyon

Looking Back-Butterflies and Moths

Skipper at Madera Canyon

At the Tucson Botanical Gardens, we begin our Butterfly Magic.  It's a sign that fall has begun here.  But let's not be so quick to say goodbye to our butterflies out in the wild.  Mother Nature's show has been an exciting one this year.  Here's a look back at some of the butterflies and moths I was able to get over this past summer. 

Spring Azure Butterfly in Madera Canyon

Queen Butterfly mating at Sweetwater Wetlands in Tucson, AZ

Painted Lady in the Sonoran Desert at Wassom Peak

Mourning Cloak at Patagonia Lake, AZ

Marine Blue taken at my window here at El Presidio

Pipevine Swallowtail-Ramsey Canyon

Black Swallowtail-the pyramid of the Moon of Teotihuacan in Mexico City(wasn't this summer but it was still a cool shot)

Comma Butterfly, Governor Dodge State Park in Dodgeville, WI

Giant Swallowtail(above and below) in Tucson at our El Presidio Gardens

Arizona Sister-Ramsey Canyon

Common Buckeye, Governor Dodge State Park, Dodgeville WI

American Snout Butterfly-Woodland Dunes Wetlands, Two Rivers, WI

Question Mark Butterfly-Green Bay WI

Tiger Swallowtail Two Rivers, WI on the Lake Michigan Beach

Queen Butterfly in Miller Canyon

Black Witch Moth-Biosphere 2 in Oracle

Gulf Fritillary Tucson Botanical Gardens around their pots

Checkered White Butterfly-Santa Cruz Wash, Tucson

Cloudless Sulphur Butterfly-Ash Canyon

Variegated Fritillary-Patagonia/Arivaca Trail

Zela Metalmark-Ramsey Canyon

Checkerspot-Miller Canyon

Tiger Moth-Montosa Canyon

Sara's Orange Tip-Redington Pass

Funeral Dusky Butterfly-Miller Canyon

Dicogaster Coronada

Spring Azure Butterfly-Ramsey Canyon

Apatelodes pudefacta

Mexican Fritillary-Arivaca-Patagonia Trail

Two Tail Swallowtail-Montosa Canyon



The Tucson Botanical Gardens opens up their Tropical Butterfly Display today! On October 8th, I'll be working in the greenhouse during the afternoon from noon until 3:30. Maybe I'll see you there?  But if you can't make it, take a look around you.  How many butterflies and moths do you see fluttering about?