The Grassland Sea

Red-tailed Hawk

If the Santa Ritas Mountains are part of the sky islands of Southern Arizona, then the surrounding habitat would be considered the "shore" followed by a sea of grassland.  I love the Santa Rita Mountains, but I love the habitat that surrounds this mountain just slightly more.  

Particularly the grasslands. And specifically, the winter grasslands.  This is a special time of year when beautiful wintering grassland species show up.  And sometimes, a special visitor, or two, shows up for several months. 

The Gray Ghost, or male Northern Harrier, flies over the Cienegas Grasslands

Between numerous Northern Harriers and different morphs and subspecies of Red-tailed Hawks.......

a rare Rough-legged Hawk

And among the countless meadowlarks, sparrows and longspurs, hide a few goodies like the Baird's Sparrow, Short-eared Owl and sometimes.....a Rough-legged Hawk.  Southern Arizona can be hit or miss with this species each year.  But this year, there were TWO in the same general area of Sonoita flying between Santa Cruz and Pima counties. Friendly Pima birder man, Brian Nicholson found one of them hanging out on Pima county lands. 

There were several birders there who needed this lifer.  The road was busy and tricky.  Every bird was a Rough-legged Hawk until it wasn't.  Northern Harriers.  So I clued them in on the behaviors of the bird.  "Look for kiting".  It's either a White-tailed Kite or not.  And if it's not, it's the Rough-legged Hawk.  As a sign from the bird gods, a hawk flew over our heads and began to hover and kite for all to see.  Then off it went up into the thermals far far away from us over into Pima County lands. 

Black Phoebe

With one mission complete, I stopped at the iconic Sonoita gas station to purchase yet another pair of sun glasses.  I lose them all the time.  

A classic and scenic gas station in Sonoita makes for a great meeting place

Then it was off to Patagonia for some relaxing birding.  This weekend was a "just me" weekend but it didn't turn out that way. It's good to be connected to the community and I enjoyed the company. There was lots of talking and meeting new people.  It's easy to do when people have the bird spark. The teacher gene is like a magnet to people and I like it because people are really interested in the habitat and birds. If I don't have anything going on, I take the time and get to know the people on the trails if they are interested in conversation.  Sometimes, I disappear into obscure places but since this rare hawk attracted all the chasers, I waited a bit for them to see the hawk and disappear.  They like to tick birds off the list and are very competitive with each other. I don't like it. So I waited. The afternoon crowd is more my style.  They want to observe behaviors and enjoy longer sustained looks at the raptors in the area. While they were there for the Rough-legged Hawk; they were also there to explore and see some cool stuff.  And that's a beautiful thing. 

A Sharp-shinned Hawk

I went to Patagonia to finish off my day in the most beautiful weather ever.  I thought I'd have alone time there, but there was a birder who asked for help ID'ing a vireo.  It was a Hutton's.  While there, we had a rare appearance of a Chihuahan Raven.  Over the years, I've gotten really good with this species.  They are not common in Patagonia, but a few do show up from time to time.  Their vocalizations are different from that of the Common Raven and when they call, it's an ID snap.  If they don't call, it can be SUPER tricky.  Thankfully most ravens are talkative in flight.  The high "haw haw haw" of the bird stood out among all the Common Ravens.  I had a birder play the call to learn the call.  The raven responded and flew near us on top of an Aleppo Pine.  Total bird nerds geeking out.  

Cedar Waxwing

I am enjoying this lull before things start picking up again.  We'll be traveling to the west coast this winter, Wales in March, a road trek with Gordon in April, June with Ms. Kathie Brown in Wisconsin, July in New Zealand, Maine in October......and December, I've left open to be spontaneous.  Life is amazing and this is how it flies by so quickly! This blog is all about exploration and discovery. Until next time....

This weeks haul from the POWWOW in Tucson.  12 dollars for 70 pounds.  Much of this will be shared to other families. This program helps eliminate food waste on this planet.  We throw away such wonderful produce.  For 12 bucks every weekend, you are guaranteed fresh veggies every week.  And you're helping the planet.  And sharing helps spread the love.

50 Shades of Gray

During the early and cold hours of the morning, we watched the moon set behind the snow capped mountains of Washington.

The darkness was replaced with overcast skies.  All with various shades of gray......

Bald Eagle

It was the heavy gray that finally got the best of me. Melancholy set in. I watched as the frozen mist took over the land.

I sipped my hot coffee looking out from our SUV window. The roads were rough.  And they were remote.

Rough-legged Hawk

It was all beautiful until we noticed that one of the tires was leaking air.  At that point, the birding trek changed moods.  It was time to get back to a village.  Or be stuck in the ice cold tundra of Washington state.

We acquired our target bird, the White-headed Woodpecker, along the road.  She was a beauty!

Lifer-White-headed Woodpecker, female

Thankfully we made it back to town in one piece.  We had the tire fixed for 10 bucks and we were off again for more adventures. 

Gray-crowned rosy finch

Birding is an incredible journey that takes us to some very remote places.  I'm not sure I could do it alone for some of these birds. 

These journeys do pay off big time though as we are able to observe birds in the wild away from humanity.  

Photo courtesy of Khanh Tran.  I didn't know he took this pic of us but you can get a scope of the lighting conditions and magnitude of the Cliff Swallow nests. 

Sometimes I stand in a remote area and think to myself, What the hell am I doing here?  I could be killed and no one would know.  So, when I'm with friends, I feel safe:)  I'm the guy that always has a Plan B or C.  But on this trek, I had zero plans for back up and it caused a little anxiety. It's the teacher in me. This kind of wild terrain is the stuff I dream of......but as I get older, I'm getting.....cautious??  What is that all about?  

Another lifer, the Gray-crowned rosy finch, was seen in great numbers around old Cliff Swallow nests.  This is only something I've read about in books.  In fact, most birders don't get to observe this behavior.  The fact that we did see this, speaks volumes about how special this observation was for us. 

While I began to miss the Arizonan sun a bit, I was enraptured by these amazing winter birds.  A special "thank you" to friend and guide, Khanh Tran, for sharing with us his knowledge about his local birds. We have now expanded our birder language to include several more species of bird. 

Several more tales to tell from the Pacific Northwest and then we're back in Arizona for spring and wildflower season.  More adventures to come....

American Three-toed Woodpecker

Every Day Is Sunday

When I visit with family during holiday over an extended period of time, I find that every day blurs into the next.  During breakfast with my Grandma one morning, I asked her, "What day is today?"  

Bald Eagles at the Two Rivers Harbo

"Sunday. But when you're retired, every day is Sunday.", she replied.  I didn't need to be retired to understand that feeling . 

Days and dates lose their meaning.  And with our agenda, it was quite a dangerous thing to forget scheduled events.  Thankfully, my Dad wouldn't let us forget:)

Everyone needed meeting times and where we'd meet.  If I could, I'd let it all happen as it happens, but that's not the way of the world. 

Bald Eagle

We'd get lost in observation with beautiful birds like the Bald Eagle.  Once, this bird flew in great numbers around Wisconsin.  During the 70's, 80's and 90's, this bird had all but vanished from the Lakeshore.  But today, after the DDT bans, these birds are once again appearing in great numbers across Wisconsin.  In fact during our stay, the Bald Eagle was quite a common bird and observed on nearly every count we did. 

a visit with Grandma

A bird I one day hope to observe in Arizona is the Rough-legged Hawk. During the winter months, this hawk is a common sight in the countryside. 

Rough-legged Hawk

I like this bird a lot because it often behaves like a kite while hunting across the fields.  

Each day felt like one long gray overcast extension of the next. Once and awhile, a ray of sunshine pierced the clouds and touched my skin.  In that rare moment, I felt like a cat sunning itself in the window. 

I could have spent hours in the field just observing the wildlife, but then again, I would have missed seeing my friends. AND I didn't even get to see all of them!  While I was home, I found out a classmate passed away and it was sad news.  Once again, I am reminded from a person's early passing to live life. Explore now.  Discover now.  Because there may not come a tomorrow. When my tomorrow comes, I want to be able to say that I truly lived life to the fullest. 

I heard more stories of death and gloom. A neighbor's father.  Carrie Fisher.  Debbie Reynolds.  George Michaels.  The holidays were rough!  I'm so glad that 2016 did not claim Betty White!  She is a national treasure!

female Downy Woodpecker

I easily forget about things when I watch wildlife.  I am thankful I live in Tucson.  I had been looking forward to going home to Wisconsin and getting a break from Arizona.  But what inevitably happens after a vacation?  I realized that I missed Tucson, my home.  When I returned, the rays of sunshine felt good against my skin. I love Wisconsin but Arizona has my heart....even during the nasty summer months:) It's funny how winter will make me forget the evil 110 degree temps!

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Anyhow, we had a blast and spent a wonderful time together. 

Birding, which is the greatest adventure of all, takes me to all places both far and near.  When I bird in Wisconsin, it's a different kind of birding.  One that blurs the past, present and future into a singular moment. It's not your typical birding, but it does make for a thought provoking experience.  Until next time.....

The cat attacks the tree on her daily morning routine.  Several ornaments a day are found rolling around the floor each day. 

Robin Stroking

The bells of St. Marys

The first time I heard the term "Robin Stroking", I burst out laughing.  It didn't conjure up a nice image!  BUT it's not as bad as you might think really.  After a huge snow storm came to Wisconsin, I was kicked out of the serious bird chasing. Inside my head I screamed "NOOOOOOOO!!" At this point, I was resigned to watching my parent's bird feeders.  Or as what some call "Robin Stroking".  

My Mom hangs up feeders as we get them filled with food

According to bird guides(the funny ones), "Robin Strokers" are people who sit at feeders and casually bird. They also have the tendency to report common birds as rare bird sightings. For example, there's a birder up in Scottsdale who was excited to find a Western Grebe in a town lake behind his home recently. The nicer birders just grin.  

While finding a Western Grebe during our winter months is not rare, it is rare observing it in flight!  Look at how weak their legs are!

But some of the sassier ones will say something back (in a not so nice manner) and put that poor naive soul in his place. In every group, there are those people. While that is an exciting bird, it's certainly not rare:) Well my parents fit this description since they like to casually glance out their window at the birds before they sit down on the couch and watch their QVC and Days Of Our Lives programs.  After our snow storm hit (and dumped 13 inches on and around our house!), it was time to Robin Stroke hard!  So the day before the storm, I helped my mom get the feeders full of food for the starving birds. 

Papa Rohrer snow plows

Then Snow Storm Ashley hit Two Rivers more than any other city in Wisconsin!  I woke up and found my 66 year old father already snow plowing!  To make things worse, I saw my younger brother out there with him helping!!!  This was a firstborn fail on my part.  So I put on my snow gear and went outside to shovel the areas that couldn't be plowed. 

A Coopers is a pretty car to look at but it's not practical for Great Lakes driving in winter or spring

After shoveling for just 20 minutes with an aching back, I remembered why I moved to the desert a long time ago:)  Don't get me wrong, I liked the snow very much but I didn't like the idea that my parents could slip on the ice and get hurt.  My ride above, the Cooper's Hawk, was loaned to me for the week. But after getting stuck in some mud near a bog, I realized it was just a fancy car that had some fun gadgets. But PS!  Thank you Erica for loaning me the car!  I wouldn't have been able to see the Short-eared Owls or Whooping Crane without it!:)  But as most of us know, this car was not made for snow or the harsh elements. My chases would end. 

Northern Cardinals never looked better!

But I thought to myself, "Hmmmm.  There is an opportunity here."  I read all of your blogs and love all the birds in the snow photos.  Here was my chance to partake in such a rare experience.  So I got my camera ready and sat within the warm house and watched the colorful birds at the feeders.  If this is what it's like to be a Robin Stroker, I'm all for it! Well for awhile....:)

Hey!  You can kinda see the red belly of this Red-bellied Woodpecker!

But I became restless.  I turned into a whiny needy child. "Dad, can you drive me to Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary?" "Dad, can you take me to the cemetery?" And so on and so forth.  The snow was still falling and to me, sitting in the house is only good for so long.  I watched my Dad sigh as I pulled him out into the snow for a walk. 

Every time I go home, I enjoy visiting this area for some fantastic bird watching.  And while I've seen a million Canada Geese and Mallards, there's still something magical about walking in the snow with them.  Until a goose started stalking my Dad and began hissing at him:) *snickers to self*

The true gem of the Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary is the American Black Duck(below).  It's one of the reasons why I love going.  Plus it's become a "Dad and Son" thing to do:) Then afterwards we go to Kroll's for lunch.  Dad usually orders his Seaburger(made with Haddock) and Onion Rings and I'll order my typical Taco Salad and Fried Cheese Curds.  Don't judge now:) Anyhow, these ducks will come right up to you for close examination.  To be honest, this place has had everything from Tundra Swans to Gulls to Pelicans and lots of other amazing woodland birds. 

American Black Duck

We sat watching the feeders(aka Robin Stroking) at the sanctuary for awhile before spotting a rare Common Grackle visiting during the winter months.  Not bad for sitting near a window and watching about a gazillion birds come to the feeders. Here is my ebird report.

And have you ever visited a silent forest in a cemetery on a winter's day?  It's not haunting.  It's.....magical.  I looked for Great Horned Owls and Eastern Screech Owls there, but I began to freeze my tuckus (took- ahs) off and whined myself back into the warm car.  My Dad watched birds from inside the car. Then I thought it would be cool to go to the lake and see if any loons or scoters were floating around the icy waters.  But it was rather COLD! 

If you've been watching the Netflix series, "Making A Murderer", you'll recognize this name:)  Yes, my hometown is just 15 minutes away from this gem of a family.   The bird gods thought it would be funny to have a Snowy Owl hang out around their salvage yard.  We didn't find a Snowy Owl, but we did see......

.......a beautiful Rough-legged Hawk.  All the days were overcast in Wisconsin.  After my visit, I reluctantly returned back to my sunny desert skies. Wisconsin is an amazing place full of wonderful people and good food.  There is a lot of history there.  It's a rough life, but it's a comfortable one just like JRR Tolkiens' Shire.  My home is the Shire. It's a place where people eat dinners together, play cards, watch Packer games and look forward to their deer hunting.  I never could watch Packer games nor shoot a living creature, but I certainly can relate to good conversations and memories.  And of course, there is nothing quite like the Wisconsin pride in their amazing outdoor attractions. During the summer, so many people come to visit us from all over the world.  It's a great place to bird and meet nice people. 

Rough-legged Hawk

From one extreme to another, I returned to the desert home and helped out with the bird count down near the Mexican border as well as chase an Oriole in Yuma. I collapsed from exhaustion during that trek and I think did some snoring along the way. A birder's life is like this often.  I am officially tired and exhausted. This year is going to be a calmer one.  But still, one of substance as you'll see.  Las Aventuras has a lot in store!  Until next time, stay warm and have an emergency supply of Chex Mix with you in case your car breaks down in the snow:) As for Robin Stroking, I get it.  

Point Beach State Forest

When 13 inches of snow falls down and traps you inside your house, your only hope is a 10 year old kid looking for some money who is only happy to shovel your sidewalks! In the meantime, we birders must survive, save our aging backs, sip our coffee and watch our bird feeders while our future generation saves us from manual labor:)  Happy New Year everyone!

Important holiday gear for birding.  Chex Mix so that you can survive. Camera, binoculars and thick gloves so you won't get frostbite.  Note scarf and hat were also very important.  My scarf became the most important thing to me while standing out in the middle of the lake in Manitowoc!  Frosty!