Beautifully Ugly

                                                     The sun sets eerily masked by the western fires

If we had to use a few words to describe the year 2020, how would we describe it? Over the past few weeks, a phrase came to mind.....beautifully ugly.  Sometimes it repeats itself during moments of tears and anger. Because behind all of this terrible sadness comes a different kind of joy.  Take for example the sun above.  Normally in Arizona, you would never be able to look straight at it.  But because of the devastating wildfires in the West, this sunset is one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen.  Beautifully ugly. 

                                                                                         Willow Flycatcher

To date, Arizona has seen some of the wildest birds this year because of all the tragedy surrounding our state.  It might be because everyone is stuck birding locally and finding very special rarities in their local patches. It might be that we have so many professional bird guides living in Arizona and out of jobs that they are forced to stay home....and bird.  Or it could be from the environmental damage happening everywhere.  The fire events in California and other states are huge but pale in comparison to the one that happened in Australia earlier this year. In any case, I think it's a little bit of everything mentioned above.  Rarities from the north, east, west and southern provinces have been showing up all over the state.  Many of us believe that this could be an even more amazing year than it already has been due to birds being forced into new or alternative migration routes. Arizona is one of those states.

                                                               Cooper's Hawk

And so while it may be exciting for birders here, it's also a national tragedy as hundreds of thousands of  birds have been found dead in many of the western states due to extreme weather conditions.  

It's chaos here in the US.  Last Friday while looking for a rare Red-eyed Vireo in Pima County, the news broke that Supreme Court Judge Ginsberg passed away.  The country was already deeply divided and this just adds to the flames.  Birders texted each other the news from a patch of willows at an urban park while we tried to find the vireo, but somehow it took the wind out of our sails.  That was a sad drive back home because she was a pretty dynamic woman. Her passing could be the end of women having rights to their own bodies or firing people who are LGBTQ from their jobs because they go against "god's wishes".  It's very sad.  What's worse is that the Republican Senate stole a seat from Democrats back in 2016 when Obama left office.  And now the hypocrites are reversing their own rule they made up and will appoint a very conservative judge on the court.  It's like we're going back in time instead of progressing forward.  Compound all of that with the tragedies happening around the world and.......well.........there's the ugly. If anything, it has made the American people wake up like I've never seen before.  So there's the beautiful.  

                                                                     Pectoral Sandpiper

Yet in all this chaos, birds keep us somewhat sane.  And excited.  A rare Ruff was reported in the nasty slop ponds of a dairy farm.  And so we, the birders of AZ, went to find the diamond in the Ruff.  

Thousands of shorebirds were spread out over 4 different ponds.  It took us about 20 minutes to locate this really cool shorebird.  It was also a chance to meet new birders.  

                                                    The rare Ruff surrounded by Baird's Sandpipers

This year has been challenging for so many people.  And in the midst of all the terrible, we discovered the kittens trapped in a storm drain back in July.  They made the news.  I saw their faces and two of them stole my heart.  It didn't make sense then.  And it doesn't make sense now.  But we are so happy they are with us.  

Last week we finally adopted these two little love bugs.  They are so wonderful.  We now have 6 cats.  Are we crazy cat hoarders?  Depends on who you ask.  Many said no, but they also have 8 to 12 cats!   They might be a little bias. 

With covid on the rise again in many states, this is the perfect time to rescue or raise a young kitten or puppy.  Home projects are great, but laughing and cuddling with new furry friends is even better in your newly renovated home.  We have to find our happiness during these dark times. For us, it came by rescuing two kittens who very much needed a home.  We needed each other.  It sounds cheesy, but we bonded quickly. Sometimes, without question, someone or something very special comes into your life.  You don't question it. You accept it unconditionally.  If you don't listen to your heart, you'll come to regret it.  And life is way too short for regrets. 

Speaking of dark, Kosmos gets into everything and easily disappears into the shadows.  I have to constantly watch where I'm walking:)  His sister, Nebula, or Little Nebbie, is often part of the action.  The two are inseparable and keep each other entertained. When they aren't playing, they're sleeping.  The older girls have their routines and these two use them as ping pongs.  It's quite the scene. 

Beautifully ugly.  That's 2020 in a nutshell.  

Until next time.....

 

The Hardest Decisions

Red-eared Sliders

With the cooler temps arriving and a new fiscal year of bird planning, the month of October brings me to a very personal space. I often find myself alone on the trails deep in thought remembering what it's like to walk in cooler temps.  The sweaty summer temps begin to vanish and are replaced with "chillier" temps.  Over the past several weekends, I have had to make some difficult choices. 

Botta's Pocket Gopher

I ran across this quote, "Sometimes the hardest thing and the right thing are the same." After my Grandma passed away this summer, many personal decisions were thrown into question.  My lifelong quest to understand birds, both new and old alike, took a turn.  Normally, I would target areas for new birds and go with other birders.  It has been a lot of fun and I know we'll continue to do so again.  But, I have other friends who are non-birders. My Grandma reminded me that I can't ignore that part of my life. One of my favorite trips last year was a trek out to Monterey, CA where I had the opportunity to bird AND spend time with good friends.  It was the perfect balance between birding and chilling out. 

Gray Hawk

So during that time in Wisconsin, I began to think about all my friends and family everywhere around this world that I haven't seen in a LONG time.  When a birder birds with other birders, they look for birds 24/7.  Okay, maybe we stop for a bite to eat, but it isn't for long.  There are birds to be found!

Red-naped Sapsucker

It's so much fun and it's an addiction.  When a birder finishes one trip, they begin to plan another and often with their birding pals. With these past years of travel, I've been hardcore birding and not taking the time to enjoy the other side of these treks with my college friends, etc. This is where it gets to be a tricky balancing act.  

Lesser Long-nosed Bat

I've gotten so used to birding with my bird pals that I've forgotten how I used to travel before my birding days. Margaritas over birds? Oooooh yes:) Each of us tells one another that it's okay and that we understand.  But deep down, we wish we were there with each other exploring new habitats for birds and other wildlife.  One part of me feels guilty while the other tells me that I cannot deny the part of "just being". Somehow I have to moderate my birding addictions. My non-birding friends remind me that I am human and that it's okay to sit on the beach and enjoy the waves. HOWEVER, the birder inside of me tells me not to waste the opportunity.  So I carefully study my target birds and strategize. 

Willow Flycatcher

Here are several examples that have shaped my decision making this year.  At a happy hour, after a few margaritas with friends, we decided to head to Baja California for break.  There are birds there but it's mostly about enjoying the beach and.....um....drinks:) 

a male Painted Bunting along the DeAnza Trail

My Mexican mother turns 70 years old this year in the ancient Aztec stronghold of Tlaxcala.  This is a very personal trip.  I don't speak much English on these trips because not many people speak English there. And to be honest, I never know how to plan for these visits because it's Mexican. Schedules are meaningless:) And that wouldn't sit well for many of my birding friends. You can't plan anything because everything changes on a daily basis! This is usually a trip I do alone. It's the one true place that I can be me.  In Mexico, I become a free spirited gypsy.  There's nothing like waking up and drinking a little coffee outside with your friends speaking Spanish. Here in the US, my life is a factory every day. So for me, not having an agenda is something quite special. 

a female Painted Bunting

And there's so much more to it all. It takes careful planning to achieve my goals each year. Next year, I am hoping to hit the 1000 lifebird mark. But as I have birded more and more every year, I have discovered that these journeys into unknown spaces must have heart to them.  It can't be solely about the birds.  My life will always revolve around birds but it's the heart of the journey that will tell this story of 10000 birds and anchor me as I head into unknown waters. 

I cannot live my life waiting on tomorrow because I know that tomorrow may not happen.  So living and enjoying life is more important than material wealth.  I have found that if I deny my birding side, I get depressed.  But if I deny everything else, it all feels empty.  Life has to have meaning and purpose.  

American Kestrel

While I wait for the next big trek, I stay close to home to take careful observations of my desert birds. This has been very rewarding. 

A female Anna's Hummingbird feeding from a cloud of insects

So when I'm not birding, I'm often researching new areas. Or we're having fun somewhere in town. 

When this year began, I had lost my footing.  While it was a financially tight year for me, I was still able to budget several birding treks with my friend Gordon to the Pacific Northwest and Costa Rica. I can now say that I've finally paid off some major debt known as the "STUDENT LOAN". As I get closer to the end of this year, I see a new chapter beginning in my life. It'll be one where I am with friends, both birding and non-birding alike, family and my other half as we globe trot into new places.   

Black Vulture

 For now, I have scheduled several important treks to visit people I haven't seen in a LONG time.  Several themes that I'll explore over the next year include questions like, how does a young person become a birder? Are there pyramids buried under three large hills in central Tlaxcala? And in an area that I've studied around those hills, will I find the Transvolcanic Jays? With my Jedi skills almost complete, can I find a Dusky Grouse on Pike's Peak near Colorado Springs with my family?  These are just some of the things I'll be exploring as I plan for next year.  Next week kicks off the new season of Las Aventuras.  Until next time....

Rainy Days and Monday

Warblers.  We needed to find more warblers! This time around, our journey took us to the beautiful Baxter's Hollow Nature Conservancy, Governor Dodge and Wyalusing State Parks. Our goal?  To find the rare Cerulean and Kentucky Warblers. And maybe a Henslow's Sparrow?  The weather conditions were severe and it made our challenge more challenging:) 

As a birder with a lifebird target list, I am not allowed to stay and enjoy an area for a long period of time. These were some of those places I wished we could have camped for several days.  There was so much wonderful habitat and not enough time to properly explore it all.  And the storms didn't help either.  To make things worse, I was eating a HOT cheese and ham croissant.  I took one bite and a squirt of the hot melted liquid cheese burned me and stained my shirt.  And I wore this shirt for two days.  How gross was I? What we do for the birds:) 

A cool stream runs along a rock wall at Governor Dodge State Park

The challenge was working with overcast skies and severe storms.  And the storms were brewing! We were only given one shot during this ambitious Wisconsin trek.  So we made the most of it and did our best with the conditions provided. 

Song Sparrow on Lupin

After chasing birds in places like Baxter's Hollow and Governor Dodge State Park, we were beginning to have our doubts about these warblers. 

Willow Flycatcher

We did have amazing birds along the way that we don't always get to see in Arizona.  And places like Baxter's Hollow Nature Conservancy offered us the potential to spot some rare-to-Wisconsin warbler action.  

We navigate the wet and slick trails under the canopy of the dark forested Baxter's Hollow

We entered the emerald green area and I felt like I was in Central America again.  The humidity was thick and drops of moisture casually landed on my head.  

Viceroy Butterfly

Red-spotted Purple

I capture "memory photos" and memorize this incredibly beautiful space. 

Indigo Bunting

At Wyalusing State Park, the lifebird list begins to tick as we hear and study an Acadian Flycatcher well.  It was a thrill to see this bird.  In fact, after this trek, I have become really interested in Flycatchers.  They may all look similar but they are quite fascinating to watch.  Each one has a unique call with different habits.  And their habitat is fascinating!

Acadian Flycatcher

This flycatcher prefers the dark shaded forest.  We watched it feed on several bugs before moving onto our BIG challenge.....the Kentucky Warbler. 

The Kentucky Warbler IS a rare bird to Wisconsin during the month of June.  We heard a chip note that was different from the rest.  The bird was circling around us watching.  The rain also began to fall causing poor photography conditions. 

Kentucky Warbler

Eventually we spotted the warbler and were super thrilled to have seen the bird. The bigger question for me was, "Was it nesting?" I discovered in Wisconsin that a lot of the warblers that weren't on our list to find were actually there in smaller numbers.  They weren't supposed to nest there during the summer and yet some did.  I wish I would have studied these unexpected birds better.  But one warbler I did study well was the Cerulean Warbler. 

Cerulean Warbler

Our final mission brings us to a bird of concern, the Cerulean Warbler. It is a stunner of a warbler and listed as vulnerable with a high risk for extinction. But here in the park, there were great numbers breeding along the wooded area. 

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

It was quite easily the most abundant warbler in the park. The blues are mesmerizing but you won't be able to tell from the above pic:)  The overcast skies had now become dark! Here is a little bit of background on this bird. The Cerulean Warbler is the fastest declining Neotropcial migrant songbird. Among the many threats they face, their wintering habitat in the northern Andes is dwindling rapidly. 

Today, the American Bird Conservancy is working with its Colombian partner, Fundación ProAves, to protect wintering habitat for these warblers and other songbirds. Click on the link for more information.  Every time I add a new life bird, my knowledge base increases and my birding powers become stronger:)  This is the benefit from constant research on our planet's birds.  I listen to their calls, memorize their habitat and read about their status.  And it takes time!

Field Sparrow

While it was really exciting to watch this warbler in the wild, it was also time to move on.  It's never easy but you are given a moment.  What will you do with that moment?  

Field Sparrows, Eastern Bluebirds, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds........everywhere!  A pair of Bald Eagles hunts along a river. 

Eastern Bluebird

Eastern Bluebirds nest. 

And we continue our adventures. For now, I'll leave you with a recording of our Eastern Whip-poor-will find and video from Karen Carpenter:) Until next time......

The Sacred Sunflower

Male Summer Tanager

Sometimes my heart is heavy. So many dark times.  Things most people laugh at and shrug off as "not important" are issues that weigh deeply inside.  Water tables disappearing.  Disappearing rhinos.  Disappearing habitat.  I'm having a deep thought day so be ready:)

I drive to work in the morning and look at the sky.  My work will soon be over for the year.  More and more it feels like I'm being pulled in a different direction.  Of course, it could be the end of the year school stress:)  On my way home from school yesterday, I listened to NPR as they played an audio of a rhino getting shot and killed by a man in a helicopter.  It was videotaped by the pilot.  Each day, it is estimated that two rhinos are killed so that their horns can be sold somewhere in Asia.

And then I come back to my own state.  Arizona.   I witness the miracles of the Common Black Hawk nesting.  It makes me smile.  We are careful to not disturb. And we watch in awe at the miracles of two nesting Black Hawks.

Common Black Hawks

I could have watched them for a long time.  My first Arizona sighting was this year as they all migrated up the riparian areas.  But now the San Pedro near Sierra Vista will be drained.  A proposed copper mine will destroy their habitat around the Empire Gulch.  How can all this happen?

This weekend we went to Agua Caliente Park.  The springs continue to shrink at a rapid pace.  The water will not be there by July.  They don't know what's going on, but they believe that illegal water taps for wells have gone in around area.  Compound that with the new construction and we will have lost Agua Caliente park.  Researchers are trying to find the answers.  It's all a bit alarming!  At one time, this park was an important stopping ground for many water birds.

We continued down this one singular road.  As we did, birds, snakes and lizards moved around us.  It was one of the most peaceful roads I've been on while birding.  No bikes.  No dogs.  No loud people.  Just us.  I had my water pack on me and boy did I drink up.  How long will this area be safe from development?  How long do these birds have before their water source is used up?  How do we protect our Saguaros from becoming tagged by spray paint?  Or the rare Stilt Sandpiper we witnessed getting chased by dogs off their leashes at a park?  One of the birds has an injured wing now and was thankfully rescued. Pesticides are used on crops that kill our bees. Sometimes I wish there was a superhero vigilante out there who fought the taggers, the illegal poachers and people wanting to capitalize on our most precious resources.  We have police and the military to protect our rights.  Now we might say that we have National Parks and Park Rangers to look over these things but are they funded properly?  Just yesterday, someone went into Saguaro National Park and tagged several of these majestic cacti.  And even with Park Rangers in places like those magnificent South African reserves, there are poachers coming in and taking out the rhinos.  Soon all rhinos will go extinct in the wild. At one park in South Africa, they are already considered extinct.

Yellow Warbler

We rested for a short bit of time in the heat around the Sunflower area.  As we did a pair of Zone-tailed Hawks flew out of the tree screaming at us.  It was blood curdling and they swooped only several feet above our heads.

Zone-tailed Hawk

This shot was just a few feet above my head.  You can see that she's not joking around! I remember the movie Avatar.  I remember feeling super thrilled at the idea of "Mother Nature" rising up against her destruction by the greedy human people.  Ewa took control and made everything right.  I have a feeling that Mother Nature has a few things up her sleeves for all of us. 

It's all overwhelming.  I do what I can.  I try where I can, but it doesn't seem to be enough.  If there ever was a calling to make a difference in this lifetime, it was this morning.   I turned the radio off.  I turned off all the negative whining and put in music to relax my mind.  I wrote a letter to our Mayor and council members about the copper mine.  Many of them agree.  While Pima county voted "no" on the mine, the State overrode their decision. Now we sit and wait for the permits!  How can water quality pass this?  The endangered Jaguar, endemic birds.......will the Elegant Trogon leave this mountain area once and for all?  

How do we protect something so sacred?  How do we help others see the value in guarding it all?  I know I write about this every now and again. I am neither optimist nor pessimist in these matters.  I would just love it all fixed or resolved.  So for today, I've come to the conclusion that it is what it is.  My mind got lost in the clouds.  I took a breath and stepped out of my car and went into work.  I will continue my documentation and this blog in hopes that maybe, just maybe, there are people out there beyond our blogger community who will read these words and perhaps want to make a difference.  There really is so much to see and do.  It would be nice to know that these things will be around for future generations to enjoy.  What's on your mind? 

Willow Flycatcher