A Season of Studies

During my weekly count at Reid Park, I capture this cold and wonderful moment

This new year has taken a strange yet welcome turn of events here in Tucson.  Things I had thought about separately are now merging into one big blur. 

Monk Parakeets

First, I need to write about the projects. I have been serious for years about the Monk Parakeets of Arizona.  There was once a feral population back in 2004.  While most people blew the bird off(it's an exotic non-countable bird for listers), I was actually interested in finding out what had happened to them. And like a good detective, I interviewed neighbors over the years who had told me that they had hired someone to "take them out".  I didn't want to get into specifics, but I understood that they were removed from the area.

The Rosy-faced Lovebird was once considered an exotic bird.  Today they number in the tens of thousands around the Phoenix area.

On January 1st, I did a study with Magill Weber on the exotics that have established themselves in the state.  I have been ebirding my data on the Monk Parakeets for several years with detailed data. Gordon Karre has also followed up on reports around the Phoenix area. A couple weeks ago, an AZFO(Arizona Field Ornithology) member by the name of Kurt Rademaker found an old report of mine and asked if I would be interested in writing up a paper and organizing a census.  He is also the same person who is responsible for getting the Rosy-faced Lovebirds on the state list. 

the Nanday Parakeets of Tempe, AZ do not show signs of breeding.  These birds were escapees who have managed to survive Phoenix's harsh climate

I know Monk Parakeets well. I grew up with them and I raised them with my Mom from egg. But to do a paper on 4 or 6 random parakeets found around the Phoenix area?  No.  So Magill and I both decided to visit several of the historical areas where Monks had been seen in smaller numbers. For years, I have been searching for this colony.  Every year, a Monk or 2 would show up in random spots like a hotel or person's backyard. I knew that they weren't escapees and that they were coming from a large colony somewhere in the Phoenix area. So we followed the electronic trail. We needed answers.

I needed breeding evidence to seriously consider this request.  And by pure accident, we found TWO colonies of Monk Parakeets in an area south of Phoenix.  It was like the Holy Grail for me and finally answered the 8 year question that had bothered me for so long.  Where did the Arizona Monk Parakeets go?

It is a serendipitous moment that I won't soon forget. I'm supposed to be the "navigator" but everyone knows that I am terrible at it:)  Magill asks me, "Where do I turn?"  Me, thinking I know the directions, tells her to turn down the wrong road in the wrong direction.  Classic me.  Then a flock of Mourning Doves flies over her vehicle? NO! WAIT! A flock on Monk Parakeets!!!! We both pull over and gather our whits. It's something we both witness for the first time in Arizona.  Monk Parakeets calling from all over the place! We have a moment and witness something very rare and special.  There was evidence of breeding as a parakeet flew out carrying a branch to a secret nest on private property.  And there was evidence to prove that the colonies were feral/wild as they flew away as I approached them.  We are hoping to have the first of our population census at the end of February.

This January, I helped with a CBC count in Pinal with Keith Kamper.  Keith had access to private property along the San Pedro river and I was immediately interested.  

a private piece of conservancy land  after a fire in 2018 is full of brush piles, perfect for sparrows

 Part of the riparian area had burned thanks in part to an ignorant resident burning brush during the driest month of the year!  But not all things are terrible.  The fallen branches and trees created brush piles for hundreds if not thousands of sparrows!  It was amazing!

Blue-throated Hummingbird, Madera Canyon

In a couple weekends, I'll be working with Gordon Karre on his water bird count up in Phoenix.  Over the course of February, I'll be working with Tucson Audubon in the grasslands to count the declining populations of Chestnut-collared Longspurs. 

Mexican Jays on a cold day at the Santa Rita Lodge feeders of Madera Canyon

Along the way we'll be meeting old and new friends alike discovering new things.  In March, I'll be giving a lecture in Wales about Arizona birds. Then the busy season of guiding happens.  My friends will have finished their birder's casita and I'll be there to guide when needed. 

Olive Warbler in Madera Canyon

Birding requires a strict budget with strict planning.  I think in one day I was working on the details of my Wales' trek, talking to Gordon about our lek trek in April AND planning for a pelagic in Maine with Kathie Brown for a very special photo shoot this summer.  I love it but I am definitely not a casual birder.  There are goals!  On top of that, a budget and savings account are needed!  Any extra cash flow goes into the treks.

American Kestrel

I've also been working on other projects.  In winter, I really enjoy being outdoors.  I've finished the hummingbird part of my garden which has plants that are favored by butterflies and hummingbirds.  I utilize plants with red, orange and yellow tubular flowers. Plus I hung up some solar lights on a curved metal piece for honeysuckle to climb, another popular treat for my Broad-billed Hummingbirds.

a confiding Greater Roadrunner at Sabino Canyon

January is a great time to get any artificial nests all situated.  As you may recall from this blog over the years, we have a pair of Great Horned Owls who nest during this time every year under our Ironwood Trees.

Great Horned Owl nest

Over winter break, me and a couple friends fixed up their nest box.  We now wait.  She will begin to lay eggs either this month or next.

friend and co-worker Mike secures the box securely against the Ironwood tree without damaging the bark

And at home, I have put up Lucy's Warblers nest boxes to help promote nesting in my garden. If you have a mesquite or several, it's a great idea to get a couple boxes from Tucson Audubon.  They're 5 dollars a box.  If you live in Arizona, I highly recommend checking it out. They're easy to install. Lucy's Warblers will begin to arrive in March and will begin their nesting right away.

Lucy's Warbler nesting box

I have a regular job, but it seems that every year, I am pulled more and more into the birding world. I don't mind it.  It provides escape, something I much need these days.  The world sometimes feels like it's tearing itself up.  I don't recognize my country anymore and it's the wild spaces that prevent me from going crazy. But now even that is a mess!

During a moment of anxiety, in the middle of the ridiculous government shutdown, caused by the orange baboon, I needed to breathe and walk in the snow landscape of Madera Canyon. He's a complete idiot.  The wall is an ecological disaster that will cause great harm to the wildlife here. AND currently, I have friends who are not getting paid at their National Park Jobs.  And the National Parks are getting trashed.  It's horrible. I see it.  It's not made up. Now I can't even escape it.

So I walked and found this perfect moment. My talented friend Kathie Brown wrote this beautiful poem based on the pic below, 

"When sunlight through the forest streams

and plays its little dancing beams

like golden fingers in the creek

this woodland magic makes me seek

the beauty of these Nature places

which soothes my soul and then erases

the worries that the world imposes

on our hearts and mind, exposes

why we need this quiet place, 

this woodland glen, this open space, 

We leave renewed and refreshed 

From all this lovely wildness."

~Kathie Brown, 2019

rare snow event in Madera Canyon

I'm glad I'm not alone in this world and that others are also going through this madness as well. This poem brought a smile to my face. In other news, the blog has hit one million views. Thank you for following! Until next time......

Where The Wild Things Are

Bald Eagle

A meteor exploded a kilometer over my car in the dark skies.  I drove watching this bizarre light approach my vehicle over the moonscape. What was it?  Hopefully not a UFO.  How would I explain that one?  No.  The light began to waver and exploded into three green fragments as they hit a cotton field.  What if that meteor had hit my car?  What if......

It was a nice distraction from the dark thoughts of late. We began our day with feral horses. A colt looks at us for the first time during a hike along the fast flowing Verde River.

We watch this beautiful scene play out as the horses cross the river.

I let the anxiety go and just enjoy the moment with my bud Gordon. I have not been well for several weeks.  This is my first real outing in a long time.

Two Bald Eagles, America's national symbol, fly over our heads.  They didn't choose to be symbols. But here they were riding the thermals up higher and higher into the bright blue sky. 

Rivers flow.  Eagles fly. And horses sip from the sweet waters of the river. This is my America.

The beautiful Verde River

Over the weekend, we all come together and enjoy some road tripping.  We needed fresh air to breathe after such a terrible week of news. It has not been easy to smile lately. 

Anxiety can create some of the worst pain ever with the knowledge that there are savages out there who'd take this country back 50 years!

Rosy-faced Lovebird in Tempe, AZ

Rosy-faced Lovebirds were never native to Phoenix and yet, they now live here in the 10's of thousands.  We have embraced them as part of our Arizona bird community. They add color to our lives. They show each other compassion as they cuddle up on the branches of trees. And it is here that they peacefully coexist among all the other birds in this city. Although, they do need to keep their eyes open for those prickly cacti!

It's not easy waking up in the morning realizing that things like our environment or people's rights are in jeopardy.  No one should live in fear except maybe that bright red Vermilion Flycatcher on the telephone wire.  American Kestrels and Merlins love little birds:)

Vermilion Flycatcher-male

No. It's not easy knowing that my country is bitterly divided. As an observer of the wild world, I worry most about our environment and the damage it will endure from a man who doesn't believe in global warming.

So I, along with over half the American voters, will be watching as these very difficult 4 years unfold. Until next time......

A War of Roses

Rosy-faced Lovebird

Life is FULL of decisions.  We watch movies like Batman VS. Superman, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, North VS. South, etc. just to watch the conflict play out within the ranks.  Within me, there is constantly a similar battle between the artist and birder.  The birder side typically wins out, but on today's post, the artist won. 

Hutton's Vireo

The "Birderverse" had been receiving reports about rare Rosy-faced Lovebirds feeding in a local Tucson Park.  Unfortunately with my work schedule, I couldn't go and find these birds.  I have already seen them a million times, but never in Tucson. And never feeding from a blooming Ocotillo! Colorful images swirled inside my head and it excited the artist. That night I could not sleep. Before I closed my eyes, I had to make a big decision.  As you are about to read, a War of Roses was about to take place. 

After a lot of road trekking, I was tired and just wanted to do some local photography.  Then reports of a rare Rose-throated Becard came into the news room and I had to make a hard decision. Chase this bird or observe the art of a Rosy-faced Lovebird feeding.  Neither were life birds.  And only the Becard would be a state bird.  The artist won.  And the birder inside cringed. 

Rose-throated Becard seen in Chiapas, Mexico last year

I had planned to go the next day on Sunday until I had forgotten that I had made plans for a brunch with our neighbors and scheduled a movie date for later on. 

And while these aren't life and death situations, they do make me think about the entire scheme of things.  Every piece of my day is perfectly coordinated to accomplish those personal goals. This was one of the first times I had to REALLY pick which path to roam! Life does not wait. Nor do the birds!

Bronzed Cowbird

Either way, it was a wonderful day on the road.  I stood in a desert forest chatting with several birders. And I watched the sun rise behind a beautiful Lovebird feeding on Ocotillo blossoms.  What a great way to begin the day!  

Gila Woodpecker

I am thankful for that artist inside of me.  It tempers my insane birder appetite. I wonder what the real Rose Betty White would do? Until next time.....

Here is the other Rose I would love to meet one day.  Ms. Betty White

A Goose Chase

The antics of the Rosy-faced Lovebirds at Granada Park

So Magill texts me and the Gordon asking, "Hey are you both up for a White-eyed Vireo search?"  We say, "Yes." Will we find a White-eyed Vireo?  Who knows?  Prescott is an area full of secrets.  Rumor has it that there is a cult bird leader who keeps everything secret from the outside world. There's a special hotline for a special few in his group.  That's fine.  We're birders and we'll find them on our own. I love a good challenge. And it's fun to bird with Magill and Gordon.  Together we all find something rare no matter what. 

So Gordon says to me, "Hey do you want to check out Granada Park before we head up?"  I say, "Yeah.  Sounds like fun."  So I drive up to Phoenix from Tucson.  And I remember quickly that there is a person shooting at cars along the interstate. 

"Oh geez." I say to myself. "What is wrong with this world? Why are there so many stupid morons out there?"  I think about my odds as I drive the sparsely populated interstate during the early morning hours alone.  I safely reach Gordon's place and we take off quickly to survey Granada Park.  Holy cow!  There are lots and lots of Rock Pigeons and Rosy-faced Lovebirds flying around!

I swear these little cuties are taking over the Phoenix Metro area.  We get to Magill's place and see more Lovebirds flying over our heads!  

Then, I get excited spotting a Canada Goose.  There are not many of these birds down in Tucson, but in Phoenix, there are quite a few.  Why?  Phoenix people love their water.  And they have lots and lots of watering holes around the metro area creating perfect Canada goose habitat. 

Canada Geese are cool.  We don't see them often in Tucson

We get on the interstate and once again escape the shooter.  Now we're heading to Prescott.  But I have Catholic guilt.  I'm not Catholic anymore, but the brainwashing still works on me:)  Why?  Well, my bud Cynthia lives up in Prescott.  I was planning on going up there two weekends ago to hang out with her and Mr. Roger.  We were going to do some light birding and have some fun around town BUT a certain someone, ME, flaked!  I am not going to lie.  I have been exhausted lately.  It's the weather and the darned humidity.  And it probably has something to do with a wedding, a crazy neighbor, and work:) Plus I still need Sundays to get the laundry done!  

An early arriving Ring-necked Duck

Anyhow, we weren't going to be in Prescott for long, but I still felt guilty.  So Cynthia, I am going to apologize now to you..... I AM SO SORRY!  

This bee demonstrates pollination at work

We get to Granite Lake Basin and start looking for the White-eyed Vireo.  It starts off hotter than blazes.  But we hear lots of birds around a drainage ditch where this bird is supposedly hanging out. So we check out all the migrating warblers.  While doing so, we end up getting excited about the bugs flying around the area.  

Take for example this hummingbird imposter, the White-lined Sphinx Moth.  This is for my friend Ragged Robin who loves moths.  These bugs are often confused with hummingbirds because of the way they fly and look.  Fascinating critters!

White-lined Sphinx Moth

This is the caterpillar form(below) for that moth above.  I was watching a Robber Fly get close to this caterpillar.  When it "touched" the caterpillar, the caterpillar swung down and knocked it off the branch.   Magill says, "Um, hey can you guys help me over here?:)"  Oh that's right, we're birders. 

A Robber Fly gets smacked off the leaf by a Whitelined Sphinx Caterpillar

So we start moving towards the area where birds are chirping and we find this Metalmark below.  Cool!  

Mormon Metalmark

We spot Wilson's and Townsend's Warblers.....and then a rare Chestnut-sided Warbler(below). I told you we'd spot something rare and not on the list:)  Magill commands me to take pics of the bird to post on the listserv:)  I lock on and get an ID-able photo.  It's cool but not as cool as a White-eyed Vireo.  Where is that bird??!!!  We inspect every plant around the area and just keep turning up Dark-eyed Juncos, Chipping and Rufous-crowned Sparrows and of course, more of the expected warblers. 

Chestnut-sided Warbler

Eventually, we give up and go for lunch.  By this time, the area has cooled down with thunder boomers growing above our heads.  We decide to head to Willow and Watson Lakes.  The shorebird activity is wonderful and we count the birds.  We notice another early bird for this area, the Greater White-fronted Goose making our day really....a goose chase:) 

An early arriving Greater White-fronted Goose sans the white front

As for the shooter?  Well it appears they've caught several of them.  But there are still a couple other incidents that need some explaining. Why do people do this kind of stuff?  It's bad having one person do it, but to have "copycats" just makes it worse.  Ahhh humanity. Anyhow, I'll stick to nature. It's a lot safer:)  Until next time.....