A Little Spring Cleaning

Friend Khanh and Robert come to visit family.  Together we explore the beautiful Sabino Canyon

This time of year brings everyone together in the desert.  We are always in transit.  Well, I was always in transit never quite allowing myself to become stationary for too long.  These past several months have allowed me to enjoy wildlife watching with old and new friends alike. Observing their reactions through their eyes for the first time is exciting. 

Pyrrhuloxia

After everything that had happened last year with family and friends and my own health issues, I have found myself more comfortable being comfortable in my own shoes.  After shedding the last vestiges of negativity at my work, I have found joy again in my job.  I had to step away from it all to see clearly why a simple change was necessary for my sanity. Negative people try and pull you into their own misery and negative space. We don't get to choose who our co-workers are, but we can modify certain practices in our routine to avoid that negative contamination of the mind.

I finally made that change this year. Like buying a new car, my new room makes me happy each day I enter it. It's a magical space that's far away from the drama of others. After 20 years at the same job, it was time for a change in setting. Examine the pic above.  Travel and language are the centers of decor.  Birds decorate the walls.  Fresh flowers bring in the natural element.  Cats give it a whimsy.  The upside down umbrella is a message to all that EVERYONE is welcome in my room(leave the negativity at the door).  And the table is for playing cards after their work is done.  Bird cards are given at the table.  Lunch can also be eaten there.  Not featured is the tea and coffee pot to the side. Lighting is key, dim the lights to cut the bright harsh glare. Soft jazz or classical music plays in the background. A new teacher said it was like an apartment in my room.  It has a fridge and microwave. And a couch. Yes. It's a safe zone for kids to speak their minds.  I have found my center again in teaching.  This time around, I am very protective of who I allow into that bubble. I remember my days in my kindergarten classroom fondly. It was also an amazing classroom full of nooks and crannies. I've never forgotten how comfortable I felt as a student in that classroom. As another spring season arrives, I am thankful to be alive and appreciative for all that renews me. 

Nature is powerful.  Standing by a cold mountain stream in the canyon renews my faith in people. In a world full of toxicity, it is so vital to spend time with friends in these places and get through these terrible times. Like the classroom, nature can heal the mind and body. I love my fellow winter birding friends.  We spend a great day outdoors together.  Then share a meal later. That's what it's all about.  House chores can wait. 

Gambel's Quail

All the signs point towards spring.  A male Rufous-winged Sparrow sings in a tree.  Khanh follows the bird for a beautiful close up. 

Khanh photographs a singing male Rufous-winged Sparrow.  Listen to the bird's song in the video below.

Maybe it's weird.  But it's fun watching people observe our Arizona birds. 

I always have to remind them to look at their surroundings.  It's not every day you get to see the clouds meander in and out of the Catalina mountains. 

The beauty of the Santa Catalina mountain and our gorgeous Sonoran desert.  The large cactus is called a Saguaro.  The one in the middle is over a hundred years old. 

Or watch a beautiful White-throated Swift dive in and out of a canyon catching bugs.  

White-throated Swift

Or search for a Grasshopper Sparrow on an overcast day. 

I see these Snow Geese at a local park and wonder how long they'll stay.  I begin to see spring arrivals.  The temperatures warm up.  Gardens begin to awaken from their slumber.  

Snow Geese

 Birds like the Northern Cardinal begin to call in my neighborhood. 

From left to right.  Pine Siskin, Northern Cardinal, White-crowned Sparrow

 The muffled cries of "NO HOPE!" are heard inside nearby trees emanating from the secretive Inca Doves.

Inca Dove

 In Tucson, their numbers are few.  So when I get a glance of this species, I let my eyes linger a little longer. Everyone else around the state laughs at Tucson birders for getting excited over an Incan Dove.  But I think if they didn't have them at their feeders, they'd understand why we enjoy these birds so much.  They were once common here.  I remember having them at my feeders in the 90's.  They were even my favorite doves back when there were many!

Windows of time are all we really have anymore.  I watch the Sandhill Cranes for the last time during the winter season and think, "Wow.  Another winter has come and gone. Where has the time gone?"  

John photographs a couple thousand Sandhill Cranes

 I take a couple out to Sweetwater Wetlands who have seen Yellow-headed Blackbirds in small groups.  But they had never seen thousands of Yellow-headed Blackbirds flock together over our heads at sunset.  There's magic in this.  

Yellow-headed Blackbird

A yearly burn at the wetlands exposes a Black-crowned Night Heron having a "light" dinner.  Frog legs are on the menu. 

Black-crowned Night Heron

And on my way to work, I see a Turkey Vulture on a pole in my neighborhood.  This is a true sign that spring has arrived. Vultures, hawks and falcons are on the move north.  Turkey Vultures are not common in my neighborhood so I get excited seeing one up close. It's a bird both ugly and beautiful at the same time and a welcome visitor to the yard!

Turkey Vulture

Over the next several weeks, we go into full spring mode in Southeastern Arizona exploring hummingbirds, raising money for charity, investigating the Sedona area, and reporting on our annual Arizona birds and blooms.  As the year warms up, we'll be getting into some hotter locations including a trek to Mexico and Panama.  Until next time.....

The Catalina Highway

Sometimes you just have to get away.

Western Bluebird

I took a drive to the top of Mt. Lemmon on that Catalina Highway.

Turkey Vulture

For several early hours, I just took in the cooler temps and enjoyed feeling cold.

And while I stood alone in the forest.....

......I watched the birds actively feed all around me.

White-breasted Nuthatch

There were many young ones following their parents from branch to branch and from tree to tree.

Yellow-eyed Junco

The end of summer is near.  Soon the young ones will be leaving with their parents.

Western Wood-Pewee

Characters, like this Northern Flicker, may choose to winter on Mt. Lemmon over the winter OR head on down to the warmer temps of Tucson.

Northern Flicker

Others, like this Pygmy Nuthatch below, will remain here.

Pygmy Nuthatch

Hawks are moving through the area now. Many are heading south passing through the Catalinas.

Red-tailed Hawk

After this crazy summer, things are starting to get back to normal again. With temps cooling down below 100 degrees, I'm feeling my energy come back.  It's not easy getting trapped inside your home for more than a week over the course of 2 or 3 months. More adventures coming soon.....

Discover Gila County!

Parker Creek in the Sierra Ancha Mountains

Exploration.  Study. And new Arizonan ground to cover.  This weekend, I attended an AZFO conference in a very unexplored area of Arizona.....Gila County! 

Brown Trout are found in a stream fed pool

Mountains, like the Pinals(specifically Pinal Peak), had some of the best birding.  Here we were able to observe Band-tailed Pigeons(difficult to get pictures of!), Cassin's Finches, a Lewis's Woodpecker, Sage Thrasher, and a strange covey of Gambel's Quail!

The camera shy Band-tailed Pigeon finally poses on Pinal Peak

While attending the conference in Miami, Arizona, birders from around the state and country had the opportunity to meet each other.  Lectures included Gray Hawk diet and expansion, the differences between the fairly new Sagebrush and Bell's Sparrow split, the Desert Purple Martin, global warming and warbler migration, etc.

White-tailed Deer watch us through the branches as Gordon and I search for elusive birds

While I didn't find any new birds for the year (or life birds), I did gain A LOT of information about the birds found around the state of Arizona.  Our visits marked new areas for ebirders in the state.  Bird populations around Gila County are relatively unknown.  While ornithologists know what birds can be found in the area, there isn't much birding data entered for this Arizona county.  So we explored the rough roads and along the way we discovered wonderful flora and fauna.

Jones Water Campground

On this trek, I went with my birding bud and friend Gordon Karre.  I really appreciate the times we get to bird together as they are few and far between.  Each birder has a mission.  Our mission this weekend wasn't necessarily finding new birds but exploring new and unknown areas.

Empress Leila butterfly

The conference was rather large this year which suggests that this birding addiction is catching on.  There were birders of all ages and that was encouraging!

Ground Beetle-Pasimachus  A special thank you to Doug Taron for helping me ID my bugs better

The participants also came from a wide variety of backgrounds ranging from photographers and artists to professors and wildlife specialists.  So on our outings, we had lots of knowledgeable people who knew their plants, bugs, lizards, birds and what to do when a sick bird was found like this Great Horned Owl below.  

The team came together and secured the owl for transportation. 

If you live around the Phoenix area and find an injured bird or animal, contact Liberty Wildlife at 480-998-5550.  

Check out the talons on this GHOW!

I'm hoping this bird makes a full recovery.  So send out your positive thoughts and well wishes for this poor owl.

Photography was "meh" when it came to the birds this weekend:)  I put together this collage highlighting several of our interesting finds.  From top to bottom and left to right.  
Band-tailed Pigeon, playful Common Ravens
Red-naped Sapsucker, Brewer's Blackbird, Brown Creeper
Turkey Vulture, male Cassin's Finch 

Alligator Lizard

I'll be back on the road again next week searching for new North American year and life birds.  Birding is a science.  It's an art.  It requires quite a bit of dedication.  It can be social. But most of all, birding for me is something quite special. I never take any of my treks for granted. Every moment matters. Many of our common birds face an uphill battle in the years to come.  Extinction will continue as our carbon emissions rise and the world's human population explodes across the globe.  Humans are using up water resources and spreading over land that is utilized by our planet's wildlife. Compound that with poisons used in agricultural fields and traffic deaths for low flying birds/crossing mammals and it doesn't paint a pretty picture. Many of these critters are getting "squeezed" out of their habitats by us.

The artist Narca Moore-Craig gets up close and personal with her amazing discovery of the Alligator Lizard

My mission will be to continue my studies with organizations like Audubon, Ebird and AZFO(Arizona Field Ornithologists).  We live in a very complicated world.  With opportunities like the ones presented this past weekend, we can help explore these "new" wild areas and contribute our knowledge for the better protection and conservation of these areas.

Gila Country offers wonderful vistas and lots of great Arizona wildlife viewing!

 For more about birds from around the world, check out Wild Bird Wednesday. 

An agave stalk

Below is an overview of the Workman Creek Falls in the Sierra Ancha mountains.   Our trek into Gila County was fantastic!

Border Crossings

Five-striped Sparrow  Can you see it in the pic?:)

In the days after my trip to Guatemala, my studies would continue into the northern part of the state of Sonora, Mexico. I'll be alternating my local treks with the Guatemala posts to keep everything current. The trip had been planned two months in advance and would include all kinds of wildlife enthusiasts like wildlife trackers, birders(3 of us), and a herpes guy.  Well I guess the official title would be herpetologist or person who studies snakes, lizards, frogs, etc. not herpes.  I still laugh each time I hear that word.

Rancho Aribabi

I wish I could play it serious on these hikes, but the simple fact is that while on these adventures, I feel like a kid again.  New territory.  New lands.  New birds.  New experiences. And the possibility of finding that rare unicorn!  Oh it's out there folks!:) On a journey with Gordon Karre from Birding Adventures and crew, we explore Rancho Aribabi in the neighboring state of Sonora, Mexico.

Green Kingfisher

Every adventure reveals a new challenge with great rewards. 4 new life birds would be gained on this trek.  The above shot is one of them.....the Green Kingfisher.  If it hadn't been for Gordon's ear on this call, we may have dipped!  It's always good to have another birder along.  2 sets of eyes scanning the same area are much better than one:)

Violet-crowned Hummingbird

It was wonderful to observe Varied Buntings, Yellow-breasted Chats, Summer Tanagers and Vermilion Flycatchers out in full force. They were in great numbers around the property and river.

But it was this Five-striped Sparrow that won me over.  Lately I've really been into sparrows.  As you'll see in the Guatemala travels ahead, sparrows were some of the most interesting birds out there.  On this weekend venture, I added this sparrow to my lifelist.

Many times I go on hikes with people and forget to look up.  It would prove wise for me to keep my eyes on the ground as well during this trip. Snakes, ants, horse piles, and other things were found all along the path.  Here Gordon and I both hunt for birds with our cameras in this beautiful riparian area along the Cocospera river.

Turkey Vultures 

On one of our walks we could smell death.  It's not a pleasant smell, but the vultures surrounded whatever it was that decayed along the river.

Black Vulture

I found these birds quite fascinating.  We tried to observe what they were feeding on but never found the carcass.

The Black Phoebe always lightens the heart after a long hot and muggy walk.  It was cooler in this area during the morning but as with the monsoon season, the humidity and heat intensity increases by early afternoon.  This should be a time for cool down.  We chilled on the patio and watched the active hummingbird feeders and tree canopy above the river.

Black Phoebe

The clouds build.  The heat is nasty.  The birders are restless.  It's 4 PM.  Must continue......somehow.

A short jaunt from the ranch house and we spot a Thick-billed Kingbird.  The 3rd lifebird on this trip.  Note the white throat and thick bill.

Thick-billed Kingbird

It was a large kingbird as it flew off of the branch. It was a nice find around the pastures near the ranch.

Other cool finds came in the form of Gray Hawks in flight.  I love love love these birds!!!  I don't know why but I just do.  Nothing gets the heart pumpin' faster than a Gray Hawk flying over my head.

Gray Hawk

This post is pic lengthy so I'm trying to keep the commentary down.  The Yellow-breasted Chats were everywhere!  I've found this bird in Arizona around waterways, and the same was true at the ranch.  However, the numbers were shocking!  I've never seen so many flying around one place. 

Yellow-breasted Chat

A nice thing about having a professional herpes man with us is that he knew all the names of the frogs, toads and snakes that slithered and jumped about us. Snakes make my skin crawl.  But after I'm done with that sensation, I fall in love with their color, design and mystery.  I can be a stinker as well sometimes.  Sometimes I'll just say the name wrong to watch people correct me 5 million times.  I think that comes from my family, but the joy of saying frog instead of toad just to have them say, "It's a toad! Not a frog!" made me laugh.  I do it with birders as well:)

Lowland Leopard Frog

Anyhow, I don't mind touching frogs and toads, but remember to wash your hands after holding them before you eat.  That's all I'm going to write on this matter:)

Red-spotted Toad

I remember catching frogs and toads when I was a kid.  And then being the little demon that I was, I'd get close to people who disliked them. While they were drinking beer around a campfire, I'd sneak up on them:)  This was in Wisconsin of course:)  Then the frog would mysteriously jump out of my hand onto the person's chest and all chaos would begin.  Beer splashed all over as people tried to pull themselves together. Today, I'd like to apologize to those tormented by my antics. I love you Evie.  She is a dear friend of the family and in many ways is like our Aunt who just happened to be our neighbor.  Gone are those days with coffee cake on Saturday mornings.  I so do miss that time period when neighbors were friends.  As for the frogs, I would retrieve them quickly so they weren't hurt and release them back into the water areas where we found them.  Today, the world is a different place.  I teach my nephews and nieces that when we want to hold a frog or toad, we must put them back in the same place we found them.  And let's continue the theme of touching toads....

The Sonoran Desert Toad

During the monsoon, the Sonoran Desert Toad(also known as the Colorado River toad) appear out of nowhere.  They spend most of their life cycle buried in the desert, but when the hot and moist conditions arrive, these toads come out in full force.  And they get quite large. My desert tip to pet owners.  These toads are poisonous to dogs.  Don't kill them.  Move them out of the area and wash your hands after touching them. DO NOT let your dog out of your sights during the evening hours when these toads are especially active.  One lick or chomp from your dog with this toad and it's bye bye Fido.  Keeping them out of your yard is nearly impossible so it's especially important during monsoon to keep an eye on your pets while they are outdoors. But still.....this is one cool toad. For more information on what to do if your dog gets a taste of this toad, check out this post from The Firefly Forest.

Yellow-billed Cuckoo

Another lifebird was this Yellow-billed Cuckoo. Although I first found it in Sweetwater several days previous.  Last year I knew nothing.  This year I would not miss out on this bird again as it only comes to visit during our summer months.  And I now have this bird memorized by sight and call.  It is great at hiding in the middle of a tree.  They have a creepy call, but I love it!  We saw and heard plenty of these birds around the river by the ranch house.

Javelina with babies

But my real story comes from this above pic.  I've had a lot of wildlife encounters but none that scared me like this one.  My body is exhausted from the month long hikes around Guatemala and Arizona.  On this day I limped down the dark road alone barely awake and yet aware that there were new birds to be found.  A pack of javelina crossed this road.  I kept my distance as any good wildlife photographer would do.  It was 5:30 in the morning.  I waited until they all rushed across the road.....or so I thought.  I waited several minutes and then continued my walk forward.  Suddenly a mother and her babies popped out from the trail.  We were just a few meters from each other.  I froze as did she.  And she growled at me.  I had previously found a cement block to climb in case I was attacked by a jaguar, mountain lion or in this case.....a javelina.  All three have different attack patterns.  In the case of the javelina, they have a poor sense of sight so I was prepared to jump up on that block in my pajamas. If I shouted, I would alert the entire pack.  So I backed away.....slowly.  And she still growled at me.  Never turn your back on a wild animal and NEVER break eye contact with a mountain lion or it will be your doom. I have been reading about these types of experiences and glad I did.  Never in my life did I expect to have it happen to me!  Thankfully, the Javelina continued across the road with her two babies. By this time I was quite alert and awake. It was also the end to my early AM bird search:)

Canyon Towhee

One adorable bird after another would come to our porch.  The Canyon Towhee didn't mind at all that we watched them jump around searching for food.

Sinaloa Wren

The most rewarding find for me was this Sinaloa Wren.  It was a bit of effort. Gordon went to one side of the tree and I to the other. The bird was loud and at first I thought it sounded like an Oriole because it was a song we didn't recognize.  But when it flew out of the trees, we noticed that it was way too small.  There wasn't any internet connection to play a bird call. And the bird was moving fast out of our area.  So I began my Snow White calls.  Everytime the bird made a call, I repeated its call with my whistles. Eventually I pulled this wren out of the dark shadows and snapped several shots.  We were super thrilled to add this bird  onto our lifelists and I hit one of my target birds!  But........

There was the one that got away.  The Rose-throated Becard. I found this bird in Guatemala but it was the female who decided to visit me.  The male is quite different looking and had been seen by several people in our troupe:) The heat and humidity was out of control by the time I got around to finding this bird.  I attached my water pack to head to the river where the nest was hanging.  But a certain horse blocked my path.  After my javelina adventure, I decided not to push it and be happy with our finds for the weekend.

Rufous Hummingbird

Our final parting gift at the ranch came from these migrating Rufous Hummingbirds.  It was wonderful to see these birds again and it was also a sign that we are at the midway point of summer.  These are some of the earliest birds that begin their migration back to Central and South America.

I joked with Gordon about his ice cube consumption because they are a must on his birding adventures during this hot time of year. So I tried the ice cubes in my water pack and I have to admit, it made those nasty hot hikes so much easier.  I don't know if the cold water plays with the mind or it just makes everything better but it did feel good drinking something cold. Refrigeration with much of our Guatemalan trip was not an option.  Finding clean water took priority. I just got used to the idea of having a supply of tepid and safe water. And I soon found out that Ms. Brown also needs ice cubes and cold drinks for these summer treks.  A birder must?  Since this trek, I've purchased several bags of ice and now use them on our walks and.....I have been converted. Another note worth mentioning......I will not eat anymore beef for the next several months.  I love the taste but it wreaks havoc on my stomach.  Normally I eat a lot of veggies, but we had some of the most delicious hamburgers on this trek.  Not smart.

One of the Kino missions on our way back home.  But I imagined it as a place where elves used to gather .  Magical.

One final note.  I will be trekking with Ms. Kathie Brown, Ms. Gaelyn Olmsted and Mr. Gordon Karre again. We are scheduling more hunts around Arizona and surrounding states over the next several months. I'd also like to thank Kathy Cooper for her incredible organization and planning for this epic Mexican trip.  I have been in conflict about Mexico over the past several years.  As a Spanish teacher and friend to the country, I doubted the conservation efforts.  After this trip, I can see that efforts are being made. I've also realized there are a lot of hidden gems that are still found around Mexico.  This trip has wet my appetite to explore Sonora and surrounding areas more. In fact, there is a parrot that once roamed Arizona and can only be found now in one state of Mexico. I'd also like to thank Kathy for the wonderful lunches and dinners she put together.....especially that pot roast!  And the refreshing watermelon and cilantro combo!  Delicious!  For more information on Rancho Aribabi, click here.  Carlos is the contact person.  The ranch is a jaguar tracking station but it's also home to so much more.  The firefly show was incredible!!

I'm also linking up with Stewart M's Wildbird Wednesday.  It's a great way to learn about birds seen around the world.  And also dream about new places to explore.....:)