Las Aventuras: Americano

Working at our Mexican booth with Yogi for the Wings Over Willcox event

I began 2015 with 588 Life birds. And I finished with 704.  My first life bird of the year was the Common Crane and the last?  You'll find out:) "Americano" has been one of the most challenging years for me as a birder.  There were things I loved about this chapter of my birding career and other things I'd rather not repeat.  Let's take a look back at 2015.  While Colorado and New Mexico have stolen my heart, California and Utah made me cringe. Mexico was a thrill as were Wisconsin and Arizona. So let's get started!

The most exciting outdoor trip?

Mary's Lake Campground near Estes Park, CO

During the month of June, we headed up to Estes Park for a camping trip.  It was in our campground that we heard a Boreal Owl calling.  The weather was great as were the hikes!  From the post, Legends of Destiny. 


The most frustrating experience?

In the cloud forests near San Cristobal De Las Flores, Chiapas

I learned some very important things about myself during my trip to Chiapas, Mexico.  1.  I really hate rain while I'm trying to photograph life birds for the first time.  2.  Large groups are not my thing while I'm searching for life birds. Birds tend to hide when crowds amass in great numbers. I loved the people, but 12 people in a birding group is challenging for a wandering gypsy:) Oh! And 3. Giving up control on how you bird!  That was really hard! From the post, Rain Rain Go Away!

The craziest experience?

I wanted a California Condor this year but not in Arizona.  I had wanted to see if I could find one in Utah at Zion National Park. BUT!!!! In order to get to the spot, we had to do this crazy hike to the top along a cliff.  I hate heights and this trek truly challenged me:) I honestly didn't research this one and let Micheal plan it out.  I'm glad he didn't tell me ahead of time how scary this hike would be. Luckily, I found my California Condor at the top and the hike paid off! From the post titled, Mukuntuweap.

Angel's Landing

A Moment of Pure Joy?

Bear Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park

One of the most magical moments happened this year during a snow storm in Rocky Mountain National Park, CO. It was a silent and beautiful walk through a snowy and quiet woods along a mountain lake.  I was with my birding bud Kathie Brown.  The birds weren't very vocal, but the walk was quiet and the scenery was breathtaking around Bear Lake. I felt like a little kid again playing in the snow. From the post titled, Winter Wonderland. 

Best couple activity?

We got married in Rocky Mountain National Park with our families together.  Here we rented cabins and it was like we were back in Minnesota at the summer cottage so many years ago. The post is titled All With the Family. 

Strangest bird?

This gorgeous little brown bird, the Cinnamon-bellied Flowerpiercer, hopped around like a warbler yet hung out with hummingbirds.  It was VERY unusual!  As the name suggests, it uses its' bill to pierce flowers for nectar. While hummingbirds pollinate other flowers, this "nectar robber" does not:)  Fascinating!

Rarest sighting?

What was my best bird this year?  Well there were many, but there is usually one that truly stands out.  This year it was a Nava's Wren. It's a very specialized bird living in a hard to reach habitat.  The bird is only found in 9 locations in a very tight geographical area. It's range is...you guessed it....declining due to urban sprawl, cattle ranching and road construction. It's a bird of the darkness.  It clings to the shadows.  It lives and breeds within limestone caves and can  be found around limestone outcroppings.  This wren was tricky!  But a little patience paid off BIG TIME.  From the post, Vanishing Lands. 

Best study sessions?

I have gotten to the point now in my birding where I am fascinated by data.  This year, my first count was with Magill.  Here we ran around the urban sprawl of downtown Phoenix counting the expansion of Rosy-faced Lovebirds in some sketchy areas. I loved it!  My other project is ongoing and continues in Northern Sonora at the Aribabi Ranch.  It's a newer "patch" that I have been monitoring since 2013.  From the posts, To the Heart of the Matter and The Water Highways

Stupid moment?

Elegant Trogons.  I hear their call and always get excited.  So I leap over rock and river to observe this lovely bird.  As I am recording audio on this bird, I slip and my cell phone slowly flies out of my hand as I say, "Noooooooo!"  It lands in the river upright and is my first cell phone mishap.  Luckily, I find out Micheal extended the warranty on my phone and we were able to replace it. From Blood and Stone

Most epic moment?

Searching for the White-tailed Ptarmigan at the Alpine Level of Rocky Mountain National Park.  That was one epic trek!  From Destiny Awaits

Most painful?

 Oh, that one is easy.  There was a hot Mexican number by the name of a Tufted Flycatcher(Code 5) who decided to make the forests of the Huachuca Mountains home for the summer. In May, we hiked miles to get to this bird through forest, rock and stream to find these two tiny birds nesting. It took everyone about a week to recover, but those flycatchers were sooooo cute!  And worth it! Plus the hike took us down into some amazing scenery.  The Tufted Angels

Favorite place to bird?

The Chiricuahua Mountains.  If you have never been, you must go. This place has more animals than people!  It's so much fun. 

From the Portal based blog series Not All Who Wander Are Lost

A place I could call home?

I love Gunnison and I keep dipping on the Gunnison Sage-Grouse. And I hope I keep dipping on the bird because I love going back to that cute little town in Southwestern Colorado. 

Perfect weather?

I've discovered I love snow. I love a hot steaming cup of coffee as I watch birds in the snow. I love birding New Mexico. A LOT.  I love birding Wisconsin. A LOT.  I left my family in Wisconsin many many years ago because of the weather.  In my younger years, I had to explore the world and now as I age, all I want to do sometimes is go back to my personal Shire.  Is that strange?  I think that's why I love New Mexico so much.  The people are real.  They are kind much like the people of Wisconsin.  And these two states win the Americano award this year for best local eats, friendliest people and best overall birding.  From the posts Close Encounters of the Bird Kind and A Balancing Act. 

Bitter Lake near Roswell, New Mexico

The social connect?

 This year I had the pleasure of birding with several incredibly cool people that I had never met before.

Kathleen Cameron explores Madera Canyon for the first time!

Most overlooked place to bird?

Gunnison, Colorado.  There's more here than just the sage grouse!

Most scenic?

Heart attack moment but WOW!  The Alpine region of the Rocky Mountains is spectacular!  What a treat!

Sacred Bird Moment?

I was surrounded by thousands of Sandhill Cranes alone as they passed just feet above my head.  I could feel their wing beats as they went to settle down in a water area nearby.  From the post Carry Me Wind

The "I hate all birders who don't have jobs" moment?

Probably one of the biggest moments for birders this year in Tucson happened when a pair of RARE Trumpeter Swans flew into the Sweetwater Wetlands for the day.  Every birder and their mother went to observe these birds.  And me?  Oh, I just stuck in my classroom staring at children taking a test.  I paced my room like a caged animal.  When that school bell rang, I shot out the door to observe my lifer Trumpeter Swans before the sun set. That night, the swans left Tucson and were never seen again. From the post Miraculous Chaos

The worst decision?

Gray Vireos can suck it.  There is one excellent place to see this amazing bird.  If you have a good vehicle, the roads of Mt. Ord can be quite inviting.  However, even if you have a good vehicle, that doesn't guarantee you won't get a flat tire in the middle of nowhere. But hey...the views are amazing!  So are the Gray Vireos. From the post The Land of Shadows.  

Most studied bird?

Hermit Warblers.  This bird wasn't a lifer but it was the most studied.  During migration, I went to several locations to really understand this bird.  And I feel like I now know this warbler well.

The bird that scares! 

The Pomarine Jaeger.  A bird that eats gulls.  It's a flying tank on steroids.  And there's nothing stopping it!  Favorite Jaeger hands down!

The bird that forced me into a place I would never visit.

Utah. The land of Chukars and weirdos stuck in the 1950's culture of secrets, fake smiles, lies and cloning their neighbor, the Joneses. But it's one of the few states with countable Chukars.  It was exciting to see this bird with my friend Mia.  Utah's culture was not my thing. The landscape was quite beautiful but I will not be returning there anytime soon. 

Last bird?

 Perhaps in the strangest of ways, I was meant to find the Whooping Crane.  It was not expected during my visit to Wisconsin and yet there it was. I began the year with a crane so it seemed natural to end with another amazing crane.  This endangered bird was a great way to bookend my year of discoveries.  I sat in my car with the windows down breathing the chilly air thinking about the amazing world of birds.  During 2015, I saw 560 incredible birds in North America meeting my year goal.

As we begin the year again, I sit down and plot a new course taking me both to familiar and unknown areas searching for our planet's birds. I will take on new roles as a bird field guide. My life continues to change as it does for everyone. Let's get this 2016 year started with wonderful memories.  Until next time!

Overboard!

Western Gull at sunrise

I had been looking forward to this one and only pelagic this year off the coast of California with Magill. This ten hour journey was intense but VERY worthwhile.

We, along with 88 other people(can't even get away from the people offshore!), went with Pacific Nature Tours to find lots of great birds.  The ocean weather was hot and I.....overdressed:) My mission?  To study jaegers, shearwaters, storm petrels and auklets. 

Sooty Shearwater

Surprisingly, I was able to move around the boat without too many people getting in the way.  The hierarchy of birders was also evident. I think we had everyone from beginners to the pros on this trip.  Our ebird reports certainly show the depth of reporting that had occurred!

Pacific Nature Tours

Pelagic photography is some of the hardest thanks in part to a moving boat, rocky waves, overcast(or bright) conditions and lightning fast birds.  And of course....maneuvering around people when a rare bird was seen:)

Pomarine Jaeger

Jaeger fest was a success!  We had all 3 Jaegers show up around our vessel.  I really had a great time studying the VERY slight differences between the three species. I now know some of the field marks, and hopefully I should be able to ID these jaegers down the road by myself.  Well in theory:)

The Pomarine Jaeger is a bulky tank with wings.  The Long-tailed Jaeger(below) is as elegant as it is beautiful.  But why isn't this a Parasitic Jaeger?  Well it's duller in color, but that's not a good field mark to go by. The best field mark? We were able to see the tail which was flat and not pointed.  This bird is also more tern-like in flight. It has a flight pattern similar to that of an Elegant Tern....slow with deep wing flaps. Observing the behavior was key here.  The Parasitic and Long-tailed Jaegers can be difficult species to separate when they are in their basic plumage. 

2nd Year Long-tailed Jaeger

Also along for the ride were many Common Terns and a few Arctic ones as well.

Common Tern

During the course of the day, we saw many of the very brown Parasitic Jaegers.  At one point, one chased a Common Tern!  Very exciting. 

Parasitic Jaeger chasing a Common Tern

The Parasitic Jaeger did not get the tern.  But the flight for life action happened for a good couple minutes. 

There were a few birders on board who have seen most of the birds in the U.S. and only needed ONE special bird to complete that goofy artificially created American ABA list. They were looking for the endangered and rare, for the U.S. at least, Craveri's Murrelet.  Our adventure would take a "tern" for the worse as a birder lost his balance and hit his head on a metal rail. He went out like a light! And I could hear groans from both sides as he went down....literally. 

The guy on the right is one of the several lead ebirders on board recording accurate distance and taking bird counts. We were not to submit our own reports as this company would do it for all.  No complaints here and THANK YOU!  That let us really bird.  And the ebird reports were stunning!

Unfortunately, according to the rumblings, this man did not plan well for the pelagic journey and forgot to take his diabetic medication. People went to help him and he did recover.  The Coast Guard was called and we were ordered to return back to port.  For the birders searching for the elusive Craveri's Murrelet, they lost their chance. There were a lot of angry birders.  Some vocal.  Some not.  Who was more selfish? The birder who didn't plan well?  Or the birders who paid good money to find a rare bird?  I'll let you all be the judge.  It is the price we pay when we all bird together in large groups.  If it's one thing I've learned this year from Mexico and now this pelagic, it's that I prefer to bird with a small group of friends or alone.  But sometimes you can't avoid the crowds...especially on a pelagic. 

Black-vented Shearwater

Eventually my eyes blurred from the intense sun and blue ocean.  I began to get a headache from straining my eyes into the distant horizon.  There were smaller birds like the Cassin's Auklet. 

Photo by Justyn Stahl

The world is such a complex place. I visibly see things changing.  Our planet is changing.  And global warming is real.  We read or hear about it in the news.  But I actually see it!  I don't know how I feel about it all.  I am just an observer in this short lifetime. 

My action shots of this relatively small bird:)

Some birds are taking advantage of this climate change while others face extinction due in part to their food source disappearing or moving to another area.  This year alone, the Pacific coastline has seen a massive die off of the Cassin's Auklet and other sea birds. 

I am constantly in deep thought about this planet. Eventually my brain shuts down and my eyes give out. And so I just focused on the moment and art of the Western Gull.  Lifebirds are challenging.  When there aren't new birds to find, I just relax and enjoy the moment. That's when my art can happen. 

I'm watching this beautiful dolphin jump and then am startled to find a microphone up my backside! I mean....let's have a drink first buddy! Geez! A very large man hung his body over the side of the boat to capture their sounds and crunched me into a tight space where I almost lost my balance.  SO RUDE!  I left.  If I could swim, I would have jumped in with these dolphins to get away from some of these goofy people. 

We found so many species of dolphin and whale.  On our trek we had migrating Blue and Humpback whales. 

When all was said and done, we got back into our rental car and were glad to go back to our open spaces in Arizona.  

I'm naturally claustrophobic but on our trek into California, I was reminded why I moved away from this state so many years ago.  There were TOO MANY people. Everywhere. 

Eventually someday, I will have to bird areas with even higher concentrations of people.  I'm thinking Japan here.  I'm a giant and I know how crammed their country can be:)  Birding does not come without challenges.  But again, that's what is exciting about it all. 

It's fun getting old and cranky:)  Life is good.  This pelagic trek netted me several more life birds.  I am now 4 short of 700. Where will the life bird adventure lead us now?  Stay tuned for more.