Hummingbird Crossing

Trapped by the heat of summer and covid, I carefully plan my outings.  There are some really amazing birds that show up around town during this time of year.  Migration starts picking up. 

Shorebirds, hummingbirds and warblers are just a few of the amazing birds that pass through Arizona this time of year. Often, I give myself 20 minutes for a rare bird in this heat.  Shorebirds and water birds can be done from the car.  And hummingbirds?  Well, they can be done under the shade of a tree. 

The best time of year to visit Southeastern Arizona for hummingbirds is during the months of August and September.  Some hummingbirds are nesting while others are trying to get back to their wintering grounds. The arrival of some species like the Calliope and Rufous Hummingbirds are signals that the end of summer is near.  

Right now, Rufous Hummingbirds are in great numbers as they push their way down south.  These hummers breed all the way up in Alaska. The males are the first to migrate in July followed by the juveniles and females. 

Some hummingbirds like the Violet-crowned Hummingbird(below) are working on their 3rd nest for the summer.  This southeastern Arizona specialty makes a lovely nest using lichen. 

Anna's Hummingbirds rule the land.  These year round locals zip in and out of all the hummingbird action around the feeders. Eventually, they'll have the feeders alone again.  But right now it's competition for the nectar. 

Birders go crazy for the next specialty, the White-eared Hummingbird.  We have a few breeding birds here in southeastern Arizona.  There aren't many as this is the northern most range for this species, but they get birders excited.  Soon, they will be heading home. 

This male Anna's Hummingbird(below) watches the incredible flurry of activity between feeders.  He carefully calculates how he'll get to a feeder without being chased off by a Rufous Hummingbird. 

Another hummingbird that birders want to see is the Lucifer Hummingbird.  This time of year is a great time to visit.  They all like to congregate around the feeders together.  

The Black-chinned Hummingbirds make their move back to their wintering grounds. 

This female Lucifer Hummingbird has finished nesting.  She competes with her offspring for the nectar. 

Because it's so hot this time of year, I find watching hummingbirds a much better option.  You can do it high up in the mountains like Summerhaven.  Or at any place with feeders.  It's pretty exciting to see how many species of hummers will show up.  On our day out, we had TEN species! Some of the best places to observe all these hummingbirds are in Portal, the Huachuca, Catalina and Santa Rita mountains. Places like the Santa Rita Lodge, Beatty's and Ash Canyon are definitely places to check out. 

Sometimes you don't have to go far.  Here is a nest from my garden.  The female Broad-billed Hummingbird is on her last nest for the season.  

She builds a tea cup sized nest. 

Only 2 eggs fit in this tiny nest.  It takes about 14 days for the eggs to hatch. 

Then it takes another 15 days for the hummingbirds to fledge. 

She positions herself in different ways.  When she sits on the eggs, the Broad-billed female sits higher up.  When they hatch, she sits lower inside the nest.  Right now, the babies are TINY.  

Random birds show up.  Often while I'm working.  And even though I'm online now, it doesn't mean I can just go!  I'm at work looking at people via a webcam monitor.  During this time of year, I think about all the amazing birding happening in the state of Arizona.  I hope for cooler temps.  And I hope that there will be a vaccine by the end of the year.  I watch our hummingbirds head back home and I think about their exciting journeys to Mexico, Central and South America. And I also think about how fortunate I am to live in such an amazing place for birds like Arizona.  Until next time.....

The Silent Land of the Artifact Glass Shards

At first the lake looks quiet.  Then we pull out the scope and discover it's rather active.  No one is in sight for miles.  If we are murdered, no one would ever know. 

Every time.  Every single frickin' time.  We try not to mention it.  Or whisper it.  Or even think it!  But then something happens.  Magill and random adventure mishaps go hand-in-hand.  We always find great birds together. So it's worth the risk:) Right?

We targeted the main body of the San Carlos Lake.  In my mind, this is where I'd expect to see the jaeger.  Deeper water, more fish, with gulls or terns near by and opportunities for the jaeger to grab someone's meal

Magill's tire light went on and we were in the middle of nowhere.  Literally, there was no one there at all.  No birders.  No Apache Indians.  NO ONE.  While trying to chase a state bird, we encountered millions of pieces of shattered glass everywhere we went on the reservation.  That. And plenty of garbage which included lots of metal fragments. 

This was a national campaign during my childhood and it's still true today

While the western world loves polluting our environment with plastics, it seems the native americans on the reservations prefer smashing glass bottles everywhere.  While trying to set up the scope, we navigated unsuccessfully through the glass shards. That's when the light went on. We gave up on the chase and prayed to the bird gods that we would get back safely to a place where we had an internet signal off the dirt roads for road service if we needed it.  

My first sighting of a Parasitic Jaeger off of San Diego.  Fortunately, this one was easy to ID. 

We were chasing a Parasitic Jaeger, a super rare bird to the desert.  I am in love with all things "gull" or "gullish" or "gull-like".  I was looking forward to seeing this bird in Arizona.  Normally, it is seen flying around the ocean.  This year, a storm blew 2 of these birds into Arizona.  And they stayed. I've seen all the Jaeger species of North America, but to be honest with you, I still can't tell the difference between a Pomarine or Parasitic Jaeger in their non-breeding plumage. I have to look at the flight patterns to figure out the species. Once I found a jaeger on the way to Catalina island and called it a Parasitic.  The ebird reviewer responded back to me in a sassy tone, "That's OBVIOUSLY a Pomarine Jaeger."  Um, not so obvious to me.  I consider myself a good birder but when those two species are not in their breeding plumage, they are a dickens to ID.  Several friends who are pelagic guides told me not to be too hard on myself because they are difficult to ID even for the ocean birder pros. But to see a jaeger in Arizona?  That would be a dream. 

We drove over this old dam and I prayed to the bird gods that it didn't fall apart. 

My bird knowledge was put on hold as we focused on our survival skills. Thankfully, we were stocked with water.  While it wasn't super hot, it was still hot, with a slight breeze. But hot. Both of us got into our serious modes.  Me, the teacher, trying to come up with a Plan B or Plan C just in case Plan A didn't get us back to Globe. I struggled to figure it out while Magill read mileage info to me.  It was like an hour glass with the sands trickling down ever so slowly.  We had both made mental notes of tire places and internet zones while on the reservation. There were a few spotty sections around the San Carlos Lake that we could hike to if needed.  

A Monarch

Praise be to the bird gods!  We made it back to Globe in one piece and weren't stranded for long.  After our issue was resolved, we headed back to the tricky-to-navigate roads.  I had theories about where the bird might be seen.  Every dirt road looked the same, full of broken glass and twisted metal.  We drove both sides of the lake and then....committed ourselves to one spot.  The bird was there, I could feel it.  

HOW DO WE GET THERE???  All the roads looked the same and some were full of ruts.  Oh and GPS markers were off.

We stood on that last final road exhausted from the trek.  Both of us said to each other, "Why in the hell do we do this to ourselves?  Why do we chase birds?" Then the Parasitic Jaeger flew our way and it was a high five moment.  That's why.

Our first Arizona Parasitic Jaeger, looking VERY healthy

We watched it soar high as it flew around the lake. Gulls, jaegers and skuas are amazing birds.  As Magill picked the glass out of her shoe, I observed lots of dragonflies having sex. 

It did some high aerial moves and it was a fascinating show

Every good birder knows that going onto the Indian Reservation requires a lot of patience and time.  Especially when there is a good bird to be seen for the state.  We stopped at the Circle K in Globe for the permit.  Magill got both of our permits for the day at 10 bucks a pop.  Then we went to Subway for a quick bite.  I hate Subway, but they are serving wraps now.  So I guess I like Subway now:)

TWO rare Tricolored Herons show up in Pima county

After a challenging, yet fun day, on Saturday, we did some enjoyable birding in the town of Patagonia on Sunday.  We found lots of rare birds on our own and met up with friends I haven't seen in awhile.  Really really good people who I admire a lot. We had a nice lunch at the Gathering Grounds and then, I was going to do butterfly photography.  It became overcast and the butterflies disappeared.  However, the birds were everywhere and we found ourselves observing lots of crazy birds migrating through Paton's Hummingbird Center.   

This juvenile male Western Tanager is fascinated by my camera clicks

I'll be honest.  I like birding safe and fun areas.  But as we climb up this ladder on this crazy state bird list, the challenges are difficult.  Magill and I have LOTS of stories.  We've had a tire blowout on Mt. Ord, a bathroom incident that involved a guy shooting up in a dirty wash, and almost running out of gas in the San Rafael Grasslands. And there's been a few others that included tumbles, nearly throwing up, an emergency call back to shore because a guy hit himself on the rail and went unconscious, getting questioned by a suspicious woman(while researching the disappearance of the Monk Parakeets of Casa Grande, a little golf cart ride with women who already had a few drinks, and misdirection(mostly by me-I'm a bad navigator:) Both of us come from Wisconsin where the birding is gentle and kind.  Arizona can be an adventure and most often, some of the rarest birds are found in rough terrain.  With both Magill and Gordon along for the adventures, we find some of the craziest things in this state. 

Stunning views, lots of broken glass, and epic bird=great memories

We both achieved our personal goals. And to answer our own questions, I think the reason as to why we do these few state chases is for the adventure and storytelling.  Before the Parasitic Jaeger arrived, I had never birded San Carlos Lake.  Now I have.  And that's what it's all about!  Discovery.  Until next time.....

The Desert Rains

CRACK!  A bolt of lightning streaked through the sky splitting a desert mesquite in half. It falls into a major road nearly hitting a car. My cat looks toward the sound.  And I begin to hear the winds and torrential monsoon rains crash down upon us. 

Two hours pass and nearly three inches of rain trap homeowners. And while they are trapped, they discover the unwanted leaks in their roofs. I can't keep the rain out of our house because it's not raining down.....it's raining sideways!  Another tree is blown over and comes racing down a wash(now raging river) and takes out a truck.  Emergency vehicles are everywhere.  Streets, I mean rivers, form and block people from leaving their homes. The world comes to a standstill. 

Coachline "Lake" is back.

Meanwhile, Mother Nature reclaims her desert from human kind.  Dams and supports that were placed along areas to feed the ag fields, are destroyed.  The water returns to nature and feeds the land once again.  This birder rejoices.  A lake has been reborn!

Tiger Whiptail

Cacti flower.  And lizards take advantage of the puddles of water.  There they sip from the tiny pools and replenish their reserves. 

A rare Snow Goose gains strength and flies.  Perhaps someday it will return to the North where it will breed.  But not today. Apparently it prefers the desert over tundra:)

Snow Goose

During the month of August, strange birds pass through our state.  Some are expected while others are very rare.  But chasing them in the heat isn't always fun.

 However, if they're easier to find, it makes the trek worth it.  Monsoon will begin to wind down now.  And that's okay with me:)  It means the high temps will also disappear:)

Tricolored Heron

Until next time.....

The Tatooine Factor

The large Plain-capped "Star"throat

A long time ago in a galaxy far far way, I was able to comfortably hike and count birds.  But with the desert heat right now, I'm trying to figure out if I should pull out those dusty Star Wars toys and reenact the desert planet of Tatooine or really try and bird?

Who can resist the mesmerizing blues of the Broad-billed Hummingbird male? Like a blue lightsaber

Lately it seems I have been role playing on Endor, or the moon that is home to all the Ewoks.  There have been trees, critters and of course, ticks!  But now I'm back on Tatooine.  

My favorite shot of the day.  Plumbeous Vireo love!

My tolerance factor for the heat and humidity is rather low.  People put on weight during their Hoth(the snow planet) months in most places.  I put mine on during our summer months.  Plus I really like food and cool temps.  So I Eat. Sleep. Bird.  Sounds like a book title! 

Epic!  I've heard them so many times, but never had the opportunity to see one.  A very special moment with the Whiskered screech-owl or the secretive Yoda

While I'm not by any means trying to do a big year, it's the only time I will ever be close to doing one.  My goal this year is to stay in the top 100 for the United States.  Right now I'm in the 30's which is great, but I do need to find several more birds that are right here in Arizona.  That's what's great about this place!  We have most of the birds right here all year round!  And the chases are especially exciting during monsoon season.  

A microburst on the grasslands gives us some relief with cooler temps

 Random birds come into the state due to powerful weather systems or what some may call the "Force".  For example, while I already found the Tricolored Heron in Florida this year, it was a thrill to discover a Juvenile hidden in a trashy golf course spot up in a tree!

Juvenile Tricolored Heron

While we were observing this bird, I was sweating my #$@* off! And oh the heat exhaustion!  What's that?  Drink water you say?  Oh I do. It still doesn't help with the heat:) There are times I'd like to go into the woods and take a whole bag of ice cubes and rub them all over my body. But the birds!  They are most excellent and can ONLY be found this time of year!

The Phoenician Kingbirds....left to right.....Tommy D, Mark Ochs and Gordon Karre

It's good to have friends to motivate along the trails.  Buddies who will play Star Wars with you.  Just as long as they aren't too rough on the action figures!  Oh I hear someone snickering out there in bloggerland.  Yeah I heard that.  They aren't dolls! NEVER!  Guys play with action figures! 

A Yarrow's Spiny Lizard gets a little snack-my Luke Skywalker action figure would fit perfectly on the back!

 Anyhow, we had a lot of laughing on that day as we searched for rarities and other fun birds.  They are called the Phoenician Kingbirds.  Because we live in Arizona, we get all kinds of Kingbirds.....Tropical, Thick-billed, Western, Cassin's, and even the rare and occasional Eastern.  My schnoz is pretty big so my code name is Thick-billed Kingbird. 

Tiger Beetle love-the robots of the wild world!

Check out these alien action figures in the desert right now!  That's why it's so hard to stay indoors when all this fun is happening right outside my door!

an Indigo Bunting uses the force

I still need to collect several more action figures to complete my set here on Tatooine.  There is one spot hotter than hell and it's called Korriban(aka Phoenix, home of the Sith leader Jan Brewer).  In that locale, I can pick up 2 new birds for the national list this year.  I've already seen both, but it would still be fun to find them.  They are the Least Bittern and Barn Owl.  Due to a schedule conflict this year, I missed my Tundra Swan opportunity up in Prescott but picked up my lifers, the Mute Swans, in Massachusetts. Other birds include the Five-striped Sparrow but it's in a dangerous drug runner area and I won't go alone. They are known as the Sand People. In Maine, I only had to worry about ticks.  In Arizona, I have to worry about my safety! This is what I call the "Dark Side". The California Gulch should be birded with a group. So that bird is off my list until it moves further up from the border by the end of the month. Another includes the larking Cassin's Sparrow.  And I have another trip planned to find the Mexican Chickadee in one of my favorite places in Arizona!  Portal.  More animals live there than humans do and it's evident everywhere you turn!

San Pedro house near Sierra Vista

We have definitely begun Monsoon Madness and it should be a quite a show. I wonder if they sell air conditioning suits?  Anyhow, "May the force be with you!"  More from Maine coming up......

For more birds from around the world, check out Wild Bird Wednesday. Photos featured today are from Madera Canyon, Florida Canyon, Ramsey Canyon and the San Pedro Riparian area.