Southeast Arizona Birding Festival 2019

Pronghorn

This year I once again had the pleasure of guiding for Tucson Audubon during their Southeast Arizona Birding Festival.  The grassland trek out to the Empire Ranch was a success.  

Every year, I do my usual run through the grasslands and teach people about sparrows.  Sparrows are the birds I know best and it's a great time of year for birders to see many different species in the grasslands. 

We spot a very accommodating raccoon at Sweetwater Wetlands during my Wednesday morning walks

The weeks leading up to the festival were spent with Ms. Hollie, my partner in crime.  She is amazing and helps out with all the driving and prep work that goes into our outings. We offer our usual grassland outing on Saturday and then on Sunday, we do something different.  Last year, we trekked Huachuca Canyon.  This year, we took people to one of my favorite birding hotspots, the San Pedro House in Sierra Vista.  I also did some guiding on Wednesday mornings with Tucson Audubon to get myself mentally prepared for the larger group walks. 

White-nosed Coati get into hummingbird feeders like Winnie the Pooh gets into honey:)

I've gotten better about not getting stressed out with larger groups of people on these walks.  I've learned to let everyone enjoy nature and if they have questions about what they are observing, I'm there to help point out what it is that they are viewing. 

Black Vulture perched during the brutal humid and hot temps of the early Arizona afternoon

The Cienegas Grasslands were a thrill this year.  We had wicked monsoon weather developing all around us.  Lightning was on the outskirts of our adventure flashing and booming in the distance. I was a tad worried about "whether" or not we'd be rained out on our morning outing.  Thankfully, everything worked out fine.  Just as we left, the rain came down in buckets.

This was a fun crew full of younger birders.  It was really fun to have that energy mixed into our birding.

Sparrows were incredible.  This year, birders had great views of  Grasshopper, Cassin's, Botteri's, Lark, Rufous-winged and Black-throated Sparrows. I'm sure I'm missing a few others but it didn't just stop there!

Grasshopper Sparrow

We were able to find other incredible birds like a nesting Yellow-billed Cuckoo!

While I've seen these birds many many times, I always have to remember that there are many others who have not and it's my job to try and get them onto the birds. This brings me happiness and gives me a challenge. 

Yellow-billed Cuckoo carrying food

Our Sunday crew was a unique blend of birders.  We had new birders and photographers.  We also had several people who stayed back to watch feeders.  It was quite the diverse group of people and was actually a lot more challenging keeping everyone together. But I think they had a fun time. 

Our crew at the San Pedro House

As I type this post, I am scratching and itching from all the chigger bites.  This time of year is terrible for these bugs.  It's a catch 22 really.  If I wear long pants, I am miserable from the heat.  If I wear shorts, I get bit up by lots of bugs. It's a no win scenario.  Normally I would never go to these places in the summer.  But there are good birds hiding in these spaces for people who have never these feathered gems. 

Yellow-breasted Chat

I have been in love with Arizona's grasslands for many years.  It's where I find my greatest peace. It's also the group of birds I know best.  Our festival was a success and Tucson Audubon raised a lot of money to help protect Southeastern Arizona's bird habitat for future generations.  

And I'm sorry, but not sorry, for all the Pronghorn shots today.  This mammal has got to be one of my favorites.  There are several herds that are often seen along the road while we are counting birds.  Next week we meet a new friend by the name of Cheroot.  Until next time friends......

Seasonal Disorder

Whiskered Screech-Owl peeks out of a Willow Tree

After our Hawaii trip and during my first week back to work, I had to also prepare for Tucson Audubon's Southeastern Birding Festival the following weekend. It was a week of transition and overlapping responsibilities. So I happily put on my guide cap once again to help lead several treks around the Sierra Vista area. 

They see their first Sulphur-bellied Flycatchers

The weather this time of year can be nice, super hot and terrible or just downright dangerous.  On this weekend, the weather seemed to cooperate knowing that we were going to have a festival. 

I play the recorded Common Raven calls and compare to the calls of the Chihuahuan Ravens.  Folks are able to ID their lifer Chihuahuan Ravens recognizing the calls.  These juveniles sit and watch us at the Ft. Huachuca Cemetery

It's hard to transition sometimes from one trek into another.  From birding two weeks in Hawaii, I felt what the word extinction really meant.  And it hit me hard.  You could say I was in a funk.  Then I get back to Arizona where life and birds are fun again.  Our birds are happy here.  There's lots of birds and none are really endangered.  Organizations like Tucson Audubon have helped protect Southeastern Arizona from many human disasters.  And it continues to do so.  So the vibe here is a happy and adventurous one. One could say that birding treks can be very bipolar. Hawaii was my first sad discovery and several friends have warned me that it won't be my last last.

The Hepatic and Western Tanagers are in good numbers around the canyons

That alarm went off early Saturday morning at 4:30 AM and I reluctantly got out of bed.  I headed over to the hotel where all the participants were eagerly awaiting. Their positive energy and excitement boosted my spirits.  My teacher mode clicked on and soon we were in two vans with the fabulous Hollie driving and co-leader Ken following along to one of my most favorite places of Southeastern Arizona, the Cienegas Grasslands. 

Eastern Bluebirds(the Mexican subspecies) breed on the Huachuca base

The following day Ms. Jennie would lead our group to Ft. Huachuca for a full day trek into Huachuca and Garden canyons.  And I got to kick back and co-lead on that one.  Co-leading is great because I get to be the supporting actor and not the one to have to make the big decisions.  I don't mind group leading at all, but it's more fun to be the co-leader because you can play with the participants more. 

the ancient petroglyphs of Garden Canyon

Both days were amazing.  With 40 participants and our tours full, we all had a great weekend(and they saw birds!). My energy levels were boosted and I felt happy.  

A Gray Hawk played with me.  I told the participants one was calling from somewhere in the area.  As we were driving out, I caught the bird sitting on the branch!  Lifer! Several people very happy:)

I have to say that my eyes are terrible.  I was calling out the birds and they were spotting them.  It's funny but I have found most people don't bird by ear, but instead with their eyes. I try to bird with my eyes but the bird has to call for me to find them:) They'd say, "How do you do that?" and I'd respond, "Language is what I do."  Bird language is no different from the human kind.

Western Wood-Pewees continue to nest during this late time of year when other birds begin to migrate south

People would groan when I said "group pics!" but it's important to remember what we accomplished on those days.  When will we all ever be in the same space again? Maybe never.  It's important to remember these moments in our lives. Even if it's just a snapshot. 

Exhausted after a wonderful morning, it's now time to cool off and head home.

The more I get into birding; the more I realize how special these times are together.  Some birders who I have had the privilege to bird with are gone now. So I try to remind everyone to take a moment and share in it together. 

One of several Pronghorn seen in the grasslands around Empire Ranch

I would say that the Sierra Vista, Sonoita and Patagonia areas are my favorite places to bird in the state.  During my grassland tour, I always train people on the vocalizations of the Grasshopper, Cassin's and Botteri's Sparrows.  Then I have them ID their own sparrows once we've done a few practice ones together.  For me, it's important that they are able to leave my tour successfully ID'ing these two difficult sparrows on their own. When you find something on your own, it has more meaning.

We spy Lazuli Buntings at this cattle tank

I like to surprise participants with some fun birds that they didn't expect for their lists. After doing this tour now a couple times, I can somewhat predict some of their questions. During this time of year, transitioning Lark Buntings are found around the Empire Ranch.  For some reason, people forget about them until I hear someone shout, "What are those black birds?!!"  Then, we stop the van and look alongside the road. "Are those Lark Buntings?!!"  I award them an A+ for their astute observations.  If I feel the bird is going to vanish quickly, I will call it out, but otherwise, I think it's important for birders to find their birds on their own in a natural way.  Then they ask their questions and I help guide them to the ID of their bird.  That is how I interpret "guide".  I know where the birds are.  If I hear them, I'll lead the peeps over and then step back and watch their faces as they discover a new bird for the first time. I like that much better than pointing to the bird and saying, "There it is."  

Lark Buntings are still in their breeding plumage, but several, like the one above, is beginning to transition into winter plumage

In the pic below, the crew is looking at 2 Elegant Trogons.  During a scouting mission, we found a nice number of them in Huachuca Canyon.  I had the participants listen for their repetitive dog bark to prep them for the visit.  And they were able to locate them:) Jennie gets credit for finding those birds!  They can be tricky this time of year.

The crew spots and male and female Elegant Trogon

Life has been chaotic since work has begun.  It's like two worlds are beginning to clash.  There's the one that I love and then there's the one that I must maintain.

This appears to be a juvenile male Blue Grosbeak as there is some slight blue forming on the plumage

The heat of course is still challenging and by afternoon, we all began to slow down:)

We watch a Painted Redstart steal the show

When I am not needed, I hide in my kitchen and cook. After Hawaii, I didn't have the desire to bird as much.  Instead, I read through piles and piles of books and did a lot of internet searches on the islands. I can't let it go. 

Black-tailed Prairie Dogs are doing well now in the grasslands.  They were once extirpated from the area due to ranchers poisoning them.  Today they have established themselves once again in these grasslands.  Their populations continue to increase.  Their burrows are also homes to Burrowing Owls.  Unfortunately we did not see any on this day.

It's amazing to me how each place has a different feel for birds.  I think in Arizona, it's far more accessible for people to come and bird.  We have a few quirky things to know like bring water, lock your doors, watch out for poisonous wildlife and watch for quickly changing weather conditions.  In Mexico, it was watch your camera. In Trinidad, it was watch your camera and don't go out after midnight because people get murdered.  And in Hawaii, it was relax and bird, but with a heart breaking sadness. An international birder has to learn how to go with the flow.  When we travel, we discover how locals view their wildlife.  And sometimes it sucks. 

The two biggies in Arizona that we constantly fight are wildfires and limited water.  Human morons are constantly trying to drain the last of our rivers in already bone dry conditions.  They are the life blood for much of our wildlife.  That's why I support Tucson Audubon and others.  This year, our Saguaro cactus seem to be taking a hit with development in areas like Oro Valley.  Careless developers destroyed many natural homes for our local Purple Martins, owls and flickers. This year I've lost my colony of Purple Martins at my work site.  It was heart breaking.  Lightning blew out the cactus and with it, the family of martins.  Broke my heart. There is one colony left.  Yesterday 12 of them gathered and are now preparing to migrate south. 

Jennie gets the scope ready to view a nesting Violet-crowned Hummingbird!  They add lichens to their little tea cup nest. See in ebird report below.

Life is a journey.  It is painful sometimes.  People can be the worst creatures of this planet.  And then again, they are some of the best.  These people give me hope.  I am hopeful.  I try to be hopeful. 

The crew ID's Western Kingbirds and a Botteri's Sparrow

Birding continues to grow more than ever.  This year our festival numbers doubled from last year's event.  I watched our coordinator, Luke Safford, keep his sanity over those busy days managing day treks and the overall festival conference. That's no easy feat!  He did an amazing job.  I've been in his shoes before.  So had Wrenegades member Sara Pratt.  We both laughed and were glad it wasn't us coordinating. I'm now too old to even contemplate such a monster of an event.  Luke, you did an amazing job!  Thank you for making this festival a great success!

We end our day happy with many Buff-breasted Flycatchers bouncing around us with their "whits"

For now, I'll help whenever needed.  I much like working with people and helping them find their birds.  I am working on new adventures, but have been dealing with painting our place, paying bills, and living a mortal life. October promises to be an exciting one as does November and December.  I am 23 lifebirds short of my goal.  Where will I go next?  Stay tuned for more!
For our adventures, click on the here.  
For the Las Cienegas Grasslands, click here.
And for Huachuca Canyon, click here.