Las Aventuras: Home

Spotted Owls

With the first part of migration over, it was time to do some mountain and riparian trekking for other incoming migrants.

Lark Bunting

Some of the hikes were steep and quite a killer on the feet:)  But I wasn't going to find many birds sitting down.  The first of my two yearly treks into Miller Canyon happened.  On my second trek in June, most of the special hummingbirds like the White-eared and Blue-throated Hummingbirds should be back.

Scott's Oriole

I visited several hotspots around the Huachuca mountains and I walked along the San Pedro River. It was a beautiful day out finding familiar faces and birds along the trails:)

Gray Hawk

Along the waterways, we spied 3 Gray Hawks flying over the verdant canopy of the San Pedro River.

Pyrrhuloxias

On our return back, the color red caught my eye and I was seduced by the beautiful Pyrrhuloxias at the Casa De San Pedro feeders. 

Lots of Pyrrhuloxias

Before we hiked the trail along the river, there hadn't been any activity.  But when we returned, there were hundreds of birds all feeding!  What a show!

More Pyrrhuloxias with female Red-winged Blackbirds and a Gila Woodpecker

After several months of thought and the direction my birding is going this year, I have chosen the 2016 theme, "Home."  My focus is all about the detail surrounding birds and their lives.

A beautiful male Magnificent Hummingbird along the trail we were hiking.

As we search for new life, we'll explore both the known and the unknown.  While my photo essays will take me into California, Wisconsin and now Texas, I'll continue my work in Arizona.  Hummingbirds are migrating back in great numbers now and I look forward to the work ahead of me this year.

Here are the reports for Miller Canyon, the San Pedro River and Ash Canyon.  Until next time....

Mt. Ord

Mt. Ord

I've been trying to keep up with my birding, but it has been difficult.  Simply put, I can't.  Birds have been coming in left and right while I'm in the middle of a teaching lesson:) There are so many birds that I have to focus myself at times because it's overwhelming. What do I want?  Flycatchers? Warblers? Where should I go? Too many decisions!!! On a wonderful outing with Gordon Karre, Mark Ochs and Kathie Brown, we fled into the beautiful countryside of the Tonto National Forest. It was the perfect place to not have to make those decisions:)

Hutton's Vireo feasting on a tent caterpillar

It started off as a cold morning and then worked itself up into a hot afternoon.  We went from desert landscape into pine forest mountain tops.  It was a fantastic day full of cool finds and observations.

Hutton's Vireo

It was my first time meeting Gordon and Mark.  I love meeting birders.  I especially love watching the way they bird.  Gordon is very much like I am in that we search for target birds and try to get better shots and observations of birds we have already seen.  Kathie birds with a gentle heart and takes her time counting them all.  And Mark!  Why his style was the most interesting of us all!

Kathie saying hello!

He spoke in a dialect I recognized....Wisconsin!!!  Even though I lived in the Great Lakes region all of my childhood, I never learned to bird there. Something I hope to remedy in the future.  But I was constantly surrounded by people who loved the Green Bay Packers. Now I was never into football, but I was fascinated by Mark's strength and vigor towards birding.  He birded like he might play football. All I needed was some guacamole and chips to watch him bird. That sounds weird so forget that last sentence. Not once did he stop and not once did he miss out on a bird song.  A bird would sing and he would ID!  Incredible!  And all the while, he spoke in a loudish voice telling midwestern jokes using slang which can many times be lost on the rest of the world. I tried to spend time with all three while still snapping shots of elusive warblers and other small birds.

Grace's Warbler

And there were so many great birds.  But the heat!!!  Ugh!  We are reaching that time of year when I bird early morning until about 11 AM.  Then I go home and take a nap and if I get all my chores done, make for an evening birding somewhere close to home.  It would get hot.  I had my water pack on because I sweat way too much.  It's in my DNA. But even with all the water in the world, the body can only take so much heat.  I could see that Kathie was getting tired.  The protector in me watched over her.  I could see Mark far ahead.  The chaser in me kept tabs on Kathie and moved quickly to snap a shot of a Virginia's warbler.

Violet-green Swallow

There were truly so many incredible birds in this location, but I began to feel a bit...um....bloated.  It was not a good feeling.  We went up in elevation, walked in the heat, and had some food.  Not a good combo and for awhile, I kept my distance as air bubbles exploded inside my stomach.  It felt terrible.  Little did I know that Kathie was having the same issues:) Altitude sickness. We laughed about it on the way home.  And it's not like we haven't done these major hikes before but for some reason on this day, we didn't feel so good.  Gordon also reminded us that we did  get up at 3 in the morning.  And was it worth it?  Oh my gods, you bet!!! I wouldn't trade that experience for anything else in the world.  It was invaluable!

Up to Mt.Ord

It was great to get into a new area and count birds.  It was also interesting to note various bird species mixed in together that normally wouldn't intermingle together around Tucson.   It was a little jarring to find normally difficult birds in Pima county all around Maricopa county.   Very strange indeed.

Virginia's Warbler

Gordon called our day a "3 Tanager Day".  For here, we spotted the Summer, Western and Hepatic tanagers in great numbers.

Western Tanager, male

Also in great numbers were the Scott's Orioles and Black-chinned Sparrows.

Scott's Oriole

The road up Mt. Ord is a very rocky one so be warned:)  This day was super dusty and the photos were some of the most difficult to snap.  By the end of the day, I had over 1000 pictures and about 20 of them were worthy of posting.

Black-chinned Sparrow

A special thank you to Gordon for a lovely day.  It was a blast and hopefully I can return the favor and get you some lifebirds in the near future.  I am linking up with Stewart M's Wild Bird Wednesday. Stay tuned for more....

Orioles

Baltimore Oriole near Wisconsin Dells, WI

It's amazing what a year of intense birding will do to a person.  Orioles are coveted by many homeowners as some of the best birds to come to their feeders.  Even non-birders fall in love with them. (Although most people think that there is just one kind of Oriole out there)  I was part of that crowd until I began studying birds:)

Hooded Oriole-Kubo in Madera

People will do anything to get them to come to their feeders.  Fresh oranges, nectar, and jelly are popular items during spring around a person's birdfeeders.  If one comes to visit, there usually will be a happy dance by the person watching.  It's then followed by a pat on the back with the inside thoughts  "Well done me.  Well done."

Orchard Oriole-at my Grandma's house in Shoto, WI(I haven't seen the male yet in full color)

This year I discovered that there were more Orioles out there than just the Baltimore's variety I grew up with.  Here in Tucson, THREE types have moved through our town.  There is the Bullocks, Hooded, and Scott's Orioles.

Bullock's Oriole-Ash Canyon Bed and Breakfast

Orioles are a bit more standoffish than other birds I observe.  Many times I have to stay perfectly still to get them on camera or I'll frighten them off.   There are more Orioles out there and slowly they are making their way up north into the United States and Canada.  My Grandma says that by the end of May all of her Orioles will be back. They are a colorful reminder that spring has indeed arrived!

Scott's Oriole-Battiste's Bed and Breakfast

Those Special Moments

Ladderback Woodpecker

After a nice day hiking, it's great to sit down at someone's birdfeeder and watch the birds come to you!

American Robin

It's relaxing and fun!  Several of these birds featured today were at feeders while others just plopped out of nowhere for a nice viewing.

Painted Redstart

Everything is starting to green up around here and the wildlife is alive and HUNGRY!

As limbs start budding on the trees, squirrels begin eating the new growth.

Today it was about wings and flight.  I sat lazily at the feeders enjoying the wonderful weather watching the Yellow-rumped Warblers(below) treating themselves to some bark butter.

Yellow-rumped Warbler

There's something very special about watching nature up close. 

On this day, I'd introduce Kathie to Mary Jo at Ash Canyon and Mr. Beatty at Miller Canyon. The photo below is from Paton's House near Patagonia.  All of these places ask for donations starting around 5 dollars.  It helps them feed the birds around their properties.

Lazuli Bunting, Lesser Goldfinch

Sometimes finding birds doesn't have to be difficult at all.

Sometimes sitting from a nice chair with a cold drink is all you need to find those normally elusive little birds.

Bushtits

Some pointers for feeding birds in your own yard.  Orioles love fresh oranges, jelly placed in a container, citrus flavored suet, or just plain ol' hummingbird nector(sugar water).  They even make Oriole bird feeders!

Scott's Orioles

The Scott's Orioles were such a fun find at Paton's House.   The male is above and very colorful.  We found the female below at Ash Canyon Bed and Breakfast.

Here you can see a feeder at my Grandmother's house in Wisconsin.  She is wonderful with her birds.

 And she LOVES her Orioles.  Please send positive vibes her way.  She had a stumble over a week ago and while she is doing better, any positive thoughts you can send her way would be appreciated.  While the Orioles pass through Arizona, she awaits their arrival in Wisconsin.  They are, along with the Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, just a couple of her favorite birds.  By the end of May, they arrive back into her garden and enjoy her feeders again.

House Finches

Thistle feeders attract your finches and siskins.  Regular seed=the sparrows.  Sunflower seeds attract your cardinals/finches.  And all seed on the ground attracts your doves:)  Peanuts=woodpeckers/nuthatches.  And dried fruits, bark butter=warblers, tanagers, orioles and every bird.  Sugar water=hummingbirds, orioles and bees:) Dried worms=thrushes, bluebirds, thrashers.  Nasty birdbath water attracts them all:)  Your wallet?  Empty:)

Pine Siskin

But the trails call.  And look who we found.  More to come......

Mexican Spotted Owls

For more fun, head over to Birding Is Fun! where you'll find my latest write on birding in Panama!