Revisiting Old Friends

Montezuma Quail

This past week, after the onslaught of birders searching for the Eared Quetzal without any luck, they abandoned their hopeful searches and turned their eyes to our other specialties. It was mayhem.  They still continue to search.  And a few birders have reported a female now.  So it's possible the Eared Quetzals are nesting somewhere on the mountain. Whatever the case, birders need to be aware that covid has spread among the community AND birders need to follow ethical protocols. There are times when some things should be kept secret, especially during their breeding season. Playback is terrible during this time of year and people should refrain from using it. 

I was back in those old birding routes that every new hopeful birder visits.  It was rather strange.  With covid abound everywhere, I was forced to stay home during this very nasty time in Arizona.  Many of us locals leave Arizona to go birding in cooler temps.  Guides, generally, don't offer their services during this month due to nesting conditions and of course, that sweltering heat.  Everything picks up again in July when our monsoon gets into full swing and bird life is ALIVE!  

Painted Redstart

There are still windows of opportunity to bird.  Early mornings are best.  Evenings are second best. Afternoons are a no no unless you are at higher elevations but one of my favorite places to take people is currently on fire.  And it's a tragedy. So many nesting birds gone, many of them warblers.  Between crazy birders chasing that quetzal, covid closures and covid in general, the heat and the fires, it is a bit too much to take.  I regulated my outings with my friend because I can't do those extreme chases anymore for an entire day.  One of the days, I felt heat exhaustion coming on in the 104 degree temps.  Yes, I wore sun screen, a hat and drank plenty of water, but there comes a point when your body just shuts down.  Words get blurry, that little headache begins and birds become a second thought.  

Lucifer Hummingbird

There were also flashbacks during our treks.  A sadness that only one would know had they grown up as a birder with the people they once knew.  Take for example the Lucifer's Hummingbird.  Nearly every birder has gone to Mary Jo's Bed and Breakfast for their lifer Lucifer's Hummingbird.  Mary Jo passed away a little over a year now.  I haven't gone back because there are a lot of fond memories with that lady.  But we went because it's the one reliable place for birders who like photography, such as myself, to observe the secretive Montezuma Quail and of course that very special hummingbird.  Her place is now a sanctuary and it's still very special.  But I sat and looked at her home where the volunteers stay now. And it was a different experience.  The volunteers were wonderful, but Mary Jo wasn't there.  Or her African Gray Parrot. 

Least Tern

I took a day off to just work on house stuff and hang out with my neighbors.  On that day, a Least Tern showed up at Canoa Ranch.  It was a fun and fast trek to see the bird fly over the waters there. The following day, we went to search for some difficult birds.  You have to prioritize your birds.  So you choose your targets carefully.  Sometimes you spend an entire morning on ONE bird.  And that's what we did.  Anything after that window is a gift.  We achieved our targeted goals.  We stopped at another great birdy area, the Holy Trinity Monastery.  Another formerly owned Catholic property and magnet for incredible birds like the Gray Hawk, Mississippi Kite, Tropical Kingbirds and other special birds. But on the day we went there, the place looked unkept.  The shop was closed.  The pond was overgrown with algae. Broke my heart.  I sat in the meditation garden and noticed several of the wonderful shady trees were gone.  

Lesser Nighthawk

During our travels, we noticed Lesser Nighthawks hunting in broad daylight.  'Tis the season for feeding babies.  Normally these birds are only seen at dawn or dusk and at night around lights catching bugs. 

Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl

There are several birds in Arizona that are well protected and kept secret.  However, those secrets get leaked and then coordinates appear.  Such is the case with the Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl, a very sensitive species in AZ.  The species is another Holy Grail for birders, ABA'ers, state listers, county listers, etc.  There are few spots in the US that you can see them.  Texas is the best place for them.  Arizona has many but they are located in VERY difficult access places far away from civilization. The best place for these owls is still Organ Pipe National Monument in a VERY accessible place.  And that's all I will say:)

Scaled Quail

I think the most exciting part of our journeys came from observing all three quail species.  It was a lot of fun revisiting these old sites for some great birds.  Currently my plans are on hold.  As we see a spike in covid around the country, it has once again messed with travel plans.  Testing in this country is a joke. I'll leave it at that.  

juvenile Gambel's Quail

Stay cool everyone. And stay safe! Until next time....

The Trogon Kingdom

male Elegant Trogon at Madera

Nothing.  And I mean NOTHING is more exciting than the discovery of the Arizona Elegant Trogon.  I've worked with these birds over the years doing surveys and attending meetings about their breeding grounds. So when I see one, I get excited just like everyone else does but I forget about what these birds do to people. In a canyon full of rare and exciting birds, these resident birds still win the popularity vote.

British birders spy their first Elegant Trogon and the world is complete

Let me share with you what happened.  I went to Proctor Road to get my Townsend's Solitaire and Gray Flycatcher for the year in Pima County.  And while I was there, birders from all over were looking for the Elegant Trogon.  HOWEVER, there was a "better" bird in the canyon, the ABA AZ first, White-throated Thrush.  This bird should steal the show, but no, the Trogon was more popular.

Several birders from Scotland and Ireland were there while I was birding.  They had tried 3 times over their lifetime to see this bird and when it literally landed in their laps, it was thrilling.  I felt so happy for them.  Their joy was contagious.

In Scotland, Trogons do not exist.  Here in AZ, they do!

The Elegant Trogon can be very difficult to observe in the wild.  If you ask any birder who has chased this bird, you'll hear lots of stories about how they dipped on the bird. During my years as a birder, I can tell you from experience that winter seems to be the best time to observe these birds as they often just sit out in the open and hunt.

The ABA mega rarity, the White-throated Thrush

I nearly had a heart attack when the TRUE gem, the White-throated Thrush landed right next to me. And I had no one around to say, "hey.....pssst....the bird is right here!" So I took my documentation shots and passed the word onto others who were all much more interested in the Elegant Trogon.

Townsend's Solitaire

Last month, I shared my reports of all those birds with you.  But on a quiet stroll after things have somewhat quieted down on Proctor Road in Madera Canyon, I had my best views. It was funny.  I saw those birds before I saw my own target birds, the Townsend's Solitaire and Gray Flycatcher!  But I eventually found them:)

None of them are as "exciting" as the trogon I suppose, but I still like them!

After my hike, I went up to the Santa Rita Lodge and just watched amazing birds.

Painted Redstart

Their feeders were active.  Here in Arizona right now we are experiencing storm system after storm system.  This is not a complaint.  This is wonderful rain that the desert needs. But it requires careful planning.

Arizona Woodpecker

After 2 months of attempts, I was finally able to head to Mt. Lemmon for some important reports.  I went up with friend Hollie and together we saw some amazing birds!  And it was just in time too!  Another storm system came our way while we were on the mountain.  Temps dropped to freezing and snow clouds began to encroach upon the skies. They were dark and heavy.

The frigid cold on Mt. Lemmon!

This is the one time of year that I have an easier time finding Golden-crowned Kinglets in a couple spots.

magical Golden-crowned Kinglets

And like always, I heard them first but what I didn't expect to observe was a male territorial dance!  WOW!  It was like something out of a bird book.  Incredible!

We both watched in awe as they did their display.

Now, the biggest challenge is getting out of work to find an Arizona first(for me), the Varied Thrush! As I near 500 birds for the state, the list gets smaller, especially with the Pima county challenge on!  The 2019 birding adventure is only just beginning. 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....

The Wrath of Khanh

Rock Wren

Captain's Log: Stardate 5/23/16.  On a mission to find the elusive Montezuma Quail, Khanh explored the nether regions of Southern Arizona. A wildfire prevented us from going to the Peña Blanca region which has an extremely healthy population of this bird. We had to reroute to other areas near Portal where they were being seen on a regular basis. I gave him homework assignments from within Madera Canyon(where he was staying) as to where they hung out.  I was catching my "zzzzz's"

I plotted coordinates to the old Jasper's Yard(now Bob Rodriguez's place) where a pair were being seen daily. I encountered good friends Mary Jo, Melody and Jackie to help us aide in any recent sightings.  We spoke with Edith.  We spoke with visiting birders.  And we did our best to find this secretive quail. 

Magnificent Hummingbird

But first we headed to Madera Canyon where I heard them calling from a hillside.  Instead, we saw this Magnificent Hummingbird. 

Western Tanager

It wasn't until we reached the George Walker House that we'd get Khan on an active pair foraging in a neighbor's yard. 

Vast and wide expanses of rock and canyons we had traveled for a reliable look at one of the most difficult birds to capture on camera.  

And of course, while we were exploring, we found lots of wonderful birds to keep us going. 

Black-headed Grosbeak

Khanh was intense!  He was so focused on the quails that he almost missed these amazing snakes!  I used to cringe at snakes but I may be changing my mind about them.  For on this trek, I wasn't scared at all.  I was curious.  For the first time, I actually thought they were beautiful.  I didn't jump or scream. I just watched to make sure they crossed the road safely. 

Knobloch's Mountain Kingsnake

It has taken me years to get over my fear of snakes.  And please understand, if one jumped out at me, I would still scream in the most unmanly way possible:)  These two species of snakes are absolutely stunning. 

Gophersnake

The Gophersnake was 4 feet long!  It was hard to capture the whole snake in my lens!

While we waited for the Montezuma Quail, we found lots of other thirsty birds needing a drink. 

Curve-billed Thrasher

Patience.  It's all about patience.  

Painted Redstart

Other quail showed up like the Scaled and Gambel's Quail....but no Montezuma.  Of our 3 quail species here, the Montezuma is THE most secretive. 

Female Gambel's Quail

Then we heard a male Montezuma Quail calling.  His call marks his territory but also lets the female know where he is.  Khanh grabbed his camera and secretly followed Jackie to an area of grasses where they were creeping around.  He saw them.  And they saw him.  

Stock photos of Montezuma Quail

And like magic, they disappeared after realizing there were people watching them.  Khanh never did get pictures but I DO know he'll be back one day to capture amazing photos of these birds.  For now, here are the birds he truly focused on for this trip.  Elegant Trogons, Owls and the Montezuma Quail. 

Elegant Trogons are tricky as well, but with patience and timing, these birds are likely to be found

We had a great time searching for birds and I hope we get to do it again someday. 

I see a sequel in the making.  Probably something like, "The Search for Quail"  It would make a great two parter.  For now, I need to sleep forever. Until next time.....