It started around 5 PM on a Saturday night. The Tucson Audubon's Birdathon began. Our members Matt, Jennie, Sara, Tim and Corey all gathered for the most exhausting trek ever. We began our journey into Wilcox at Lake Cochise.
The winds of change came upon us as a storm blew through Southern Arizona. But we were prepared.
Hermit Thrush
At the top of Mt. Lemmon, we nearly froze to death as dense fog brought the kind of cold rarely experienced by desert birders. A wet chill tried to dampen our spirits, but we weren't having any of it.
And down the mountains we went into the grasslands of Sonoita.
White-winged Doves, Inca Dove and Lark Sparrow
There it was warm. So we hid in the shadows with this Rufous-crowned Sparrow counting birds outside of Patagonia.
Rufous-crowned Sparrow
We looked up. And down. And all around. And would you believe it if I told you we found lots of birds?:) Thanks to fundraising events like these, we'll hopefully continue to protect our birds for generations to come.
During a reprieve, we settled down at some feeders and watched....more birds.
Yellow-breasted Chat
Before we knew it, Sunday had come and gone. Our once a year birding event would come to an end. And every year, we ask ourselves, "Why do we do this crazy thing?"
But we remember quickly that it's all about protecting our planet's birds and the habitats they use. We raised money. We had a lot of fun. And we found 174 birds in one day! THAT is a good day indeed!
The Wrenegades
As the marathon came to a close, we said our good-bye's quickly so that we could get into our comfy beds and sleep forever. The Wrenegades will return another day.
This weekend was a whirlwind as the Wrenegades united once again for a good cause to find as many birds as we could around Southern Arizona. It was a successful trek into mountain, riparian, desert and grassland habitats. Along the way, we avoided heat stroke, falling asleep at the wheel and a rabid skunk attack!
Northern Pygmy Owl
Overall, our team discovered 163 birds which beat our record from last year. There were a lot of great birds that unfortunately were too far for my camera to pick up. Or it was too dark! Among my favorites were an Olive-sided Flycatcher, Flammulated and Barn Owls, and Buff-breasted Flycatcher.
Two-tailed Swallowtail
Timing is everything on these trips and it's tricky business doing three things at once. However, I need to train and practice for this upcoming Mexico trip! Finding the birds. Entering the data. And photo documentation. By the end of our Audubon Birdathon, we were exhausted. I fell asleep but woke up later with a splitting headache! I've never experienced that kind of pain before and I think it was related to an overworked eye. It's intense non-stop birding that really doesn't allow for a break. So when I got home, I took a shower and fell asleep.
Wrenegade strategist and data analyst Tim leads the team over a stream to potential birds while Wrenegade surveyor Sara carefully scans the surrounding area with her excellent spotting.
But our treks were successful and very rewarding. Anytime you work with a group, you always pick up something new that you didn't know before. Take for example, these Black-tailed prairie dogs(below). They are a threatened species that have been reintroduced back into the Ciénagas Grasslands near Sonoita after being wiped out since the early 1900's. These mammals have been doing very well and seem to be reestablishing their population once again. In the past, ranchers poisoned these "pests" off their lands. This is a keystone species for the grasslands in that other species benefit by their presence. Without them, other species begin to decline. Since their introduction, Burrowing Owls have returned thanks to the abandoned Prairie dog burrows.
In other news, I have been following my heart on several other birding treks. We were going to hike up a mountain a week ago but it had rained that day. Working on a hunch, we headed down to Cochise Lake and scored big! Not only was it freezing cold(very unusual this time of year) but the storm pushed a thousand+ shorebirds our way! Hot birds for this frigid day included my first state Sanderling, a Greater White-fronted Goose, Bonaparte's Gull, Forster's Tern, and my favorite, the Franklin's Gull(below).
Large numbers of Lesser Yellowlegs(below), Long-billed Dowitchers and Wilson's Phalaropes were also present. White-faced Ibis and Marbled Godwits dotted the lake shore as well. It was an amazing day out. Plus shorebirds are a fun challenge. Sometimes you gamble and win! This day was definitely one of those times:)
Lesser Yellowlegs
It's now May and my current list for North American birds is at 303 species for the year. Last year I finished the year with 476 birds(including Mexico). This year I hope to beat that number with 500. The Life bird chase has slowed down dramatically now until I am free from work for the summer. This year has been quite unique for me. The "Americano" chapter of my birding life feels different. For one thing, it lacks the crazy adrenaline chases of last year's "Across America". It's much more relaxed, but I find myself pulled in deeper to the birds that I know. For many I smile, but for others I worry.
American Avocet
For example, the Barn Owl below. I have been documenting a lot of dead Barn Owls this year along our highways. This particular LIVING owl is also nearby the interstate and I worry for its safety. They are low flyers and are often hit by motor vehicles. Their numbers seem to be in decline in many areas. When I see an owl, I get excited, but I never want to disturb them. I quickly snap their picture from a distance and leave. Sacred birds, they are. I wish this one well!
I leave you with a collage of the owls I've seen this year. I've heard several others and will hopefully get some photo documentation on them. The Flammulated Owl still evades my camera. Although it had no problem flying over my head early Friday morning! Next week, we slow down and enjoy an event known as "The Big Sit". If you'd like to donate to the Tucson Audubon, click here. A login is not required after you go to the donate button. Remember, we are the Wrenegades and our fearless leader is Jenny Wren:) A Birdathon Big Day is an important way to share the excitement of being outdoors and watching birds while raising funds to support the programs that make this region a better place for us all to live(or visit!) and enjoy. Since 1987, Birdathon has garnered support for birds and bird-friendly habitats, and for Tucson Audubon's work to conserve these unique natural resources and to educate our community on their importance. Until next week friends....
Top left-Long-eared owl, Top right- Barn Owl, Bottom Left-Spotted Owl. Middle Right-Great Horned Owl Bottom Right-Northern Pygmy Owl
I would like to say that this week has been a week of crazy. The month of September is one hot blazing mess. Many people not of the desert wonder what we do during the day. Well I'll tell you that we work in air conditioned buildings. Or stay inside our air conditioned homes. It's at night that we all become vampires. So during this past week, Kathie and I have done some late night birding together with some really fantastic finds BUT I won't bore you all with the details. I'll just share with you all what has happened on our last two outings together on this Friday night roundup.
Barn Owl
One night we headed out to explore several recharge basins to find some new birds for our Arizona list. We accomplished our mission by finding the Pectoral Sandpiper. And I accidentally found the Black-bellied Plover thanks to some Northern Pintails and noisy Killdeer. Overall, the night was wonderful. We sat under a gazebo in the dark and went over our lists together. No one was around except us. Or so we thought. Normally I wouldn't hang around the area but because Kathie was with me, we stayed a few minutes longer. Rattlesnakes are still out and about and they love the evening hours. It's also during this time of night that the temps are actually enjoyable! The next day I found out someone had committed suicide not too far away from where we did our counts that night! Creepy! We were the last people there. A poor morning walker found the person hanging. The strange bit is that I didn't hear a single thing about it on the news. But the birder world knew thanks to a rare bird spotted in the area. Thankfully we both only saw birds. As you'll see in this post, people aren't the only ones out there past dark.
Lesser Goldfinch
In the darknesss, birds begin to hunker down. Nocturnal animals, birds and reptiles wake up and begin their nightly hunts. Kathie and I both reunite up again on Thursday for dinner and a quick evening survey of night birds around Saguaro National Park. We hear a Great Horned Owl, Common Poorwills and see a Lesser Nighthawk. A fat rattlesnake also moves out in front of us along with several Kangaroo Rats. Then we head back to her place to observe the many Nectar Bats feeding from her hummingbird feeders. And it does not disappoint! We ate the quiche she made(yum!) and watch bats at her feeders. At one point, one of the bats went to the bathroom on my arm. It was like a drop of rain but not.
The giant Jackrabbit
My night vision isn't so great. My targeting on the lens had to go to manual and I had to be ready for these fast moving bats! So while I am happy with this shot, I was even happier with my next one.....a surprise guest...well....surprised us. My hearing and sense of smell are both top notch. They make up for that blind eye I have. I sensed a disturbance in the force........
Nectar Bat
......and I looked up to see this Ring-tailed Cat watching us from Kathie's roof! I am tall so I was able to watch this silent mammal run across her roof with lightning speed. The long tail and smooth body reminded me of the old cartoon Rikki Tikki Tavi. He would come back several times watching us and then quickly vanish again. A life mammal for me. And as Kathie discovered on this night, a resident. I manual toggled my camera and was able to get off three pics before he disappeared. We heard him climb around the building. Apparently Nectar Bats are delicious. We both could smell a strong and not so fresh smell. As we traced the source of the smell, we were led out to her front yard where we discovered that this mammal(not a cat but related to the raccoon family) sprayed around her mesquite tree. We also discovered that he did indeed use that tree to get onto her roof.
Ring-tailed Cat
Birds, mammals and quiche with a friend. It doesn't get much better than that. So Kathie's boys watched football(since when is it on Thursday nights??!!!) while we watched the live action stuff going on just right outside her sliding doors. Now that is what I call fun. Happy weekend everyone!
It was a day off from road treks. So I took my other half Pat to the Desert Museum near Tucson. The purpose of this visit was to check out the new Warden Aquarium.
Mountain Lion
I counted wild birds while working on my photography skills. And to be honest, I am getting to the point in birding where I just want to watch birds and not have to take pictures of them. My number one rule is "Get a good shot of the lifebird". Afterwards, just enjoy the observations.
Emperor Swallowtail on Hibiscus
And while I've seen all of these birds in the wild, it's not always easy to get up close and personal. So I figured, why not cheat and get some great stock photos from these birds? National Geographic does it as do many other wildlife photographers! And how do I know??? After staying at many birder bed and breakfast places, the owners tell us what some of these photography gurus do:) I still prefer the wildlife shots but it's still nice to see the details.
Western Screech Owl
And so I had a blast:)
In the wild, as most of us know, it's important to stay quiet and completely still.
Ocelot
Moving a camera up with its very audible "click" will scare away some of our elusive friends.
Today's challenge though was to capture the beauty and personality of the animal filmed. It was about NOT taking that "zoo pic" but capturing the essence and personality of the subject.
I have an affinity for owls. Owls trump most birds except maybe the Harpy Eagle. Or the Toucan. Maybe a parrot:) Well....you get the idea:)
As I'm understanding the wildlife better, my fears are also quieting down a bit. The Barn Owl flew near my ear and everyone went, "Oh my gosh guy!" One time a Bobcat came running towards me and then turned to the side. It didn't frighten me. I'm always super careful but I'm learning to read animal and bird behavior better. The Owl was just going after food. The Bobcat was only running down the path to capture a mouse.
Bobcats
Now I've heard stories. Canada and the northern parts of the United States have issues with Great-horned Owls going after "Soccer" Moms. I couldn't figure out why this was happening until it was mentioned that while running, their ponytails looked like moving mice. I laughed at first and then thought about it visually. A head injury from owl talons is not cool. So to those soccer moms out there, cover up! And hide that ponytail under a baseball cap! Public Radio is so informative:)
There is a story out there just waiting to be written and I hope to write it for you all one day. Arizona is/was home to several parrot species. I will be studying these birds over the next year here in Arizona. I hope to find some(beyond the lovebirds and monk parrots of Phoenix and Casa Grande). The Thick-billed Parrot is a rare treasure and if you ever come across one, consider yourself extremely lucky! It is endangered and while there is a successful captive program going on around the country, these birds have lost ground to habitat destruction, poaching, and high predation from hawks like the Northern Goshawk. The reintroduction to the Madrean islands looks to be highly unlikely. Currently these birds are found in the Mexican state of Chihuahua and I'm thinking a trip there would be fun.
However, Western Screech Owls are common in Tucson. Here's one below I recently took in the wild. Not the greatest of shots, but these tiny owls are still a wonderful find!
I've been thinking about adding an owl box to my garden here at El Presidio. The only issue? 3 feral cats that roam freely thanks to ghetto neighbors. I love cats. I love owls. But if I saw an owl killed by a feral cat, it would be the cats end. I'd capture it and have it taken to Pima Animal Control. And bye bye feral cat. They kill over 3 billion birds a year! We have 5 cats at our place and they are not allowed outside. But they do get an entertainment window to watch birds. It's a win win for birds and cats alike.
And so, the owl nesting box will have to wait until Greystoke, Tubby, and Bear no longer come around.
This spring I will be working on my butterfly garden again. This past summer, we saw so many of them around our property. It's all about using the right plants:)
I can now relax my camera when it comes to the Barn and Western Screech Owls.
The little guy below was very curious.
I think snakes are cool(when they are behind glass). This Mohave Rattlesnake gave me the shivers. There's nothing worse than coming across a snake in the wild while birding. I now have a first aid kit for that potential bite.
Mohave Rattlesnake
One trek I have yet to make is to the Aravapai reserve. It's home to many of our Bighorn Sheep.
Bighorn Sheep
Soon our hummingbirds will have babies.
And as for the aquarium??? It was divine! Check out the video below from my Iphone:) Until next time.....
Okay, I had to put in one awesome shot. And I cheated. I love the Mexican Jay. I love their curious and aggressive nature. So I had some chips and I......"encouraged" the bird to come closer:) Today's post is a part two follow up from yesterday. The shots are different but not masterpieces. In this day and age when submitting reports to EBIRD or any bird agency becomes very important, it's important to have photo documentation for evidence or ID. When I'm out in the field alone or with Kathie, the camera always comes along with a notebook. We both observe but Kathie writes and I snap shots. Proof.
Barn Owl
Owls are difficult to find. They are everywhere and sit hiding blending in with their surroundings. It's amazing how difficult it is to find them. Once you know where they hang out, it's not hard at all to spot them. But on this very cold and windy day, Kathie would be the one to spot this bird. And that's my life with owls. I know, or sense, where they are but can never find them. It's always my birding party that will point them out!
Ruddy Dove
An incredible find was this really rare Ruddy Dove. They are down in Mexico and Central America. Why this one chose to come to Arizona is a complete mystery? It was a very skittish bird so I had to keep my distance to get the picture. And speaking of skittish, the Lawrence goldfinch stayed far enough away for an ID shot. But not much else:)
Lawrence's Goldfinch
Or the Bald Eagle? Ravens chased this bird out of a patch of grass. The flight was different and called my attention. I took the pics for ID and it's good enough to pick out the white head and wing features.
Bald Eagle chased by Ravens
Birds will hold their ground. These curlews below numbered over a hundred with a random Snow Goose. But I took the shot for proof. ID is important when we document.
Curlews with Snow Goose
Warblers, Parulas, Redstarts, Kinglets, etc etc etc......are so difficult to capture on film. The problem with "Big January" is that one must find as many species as they can. In other words, you only stay long enough to ID and observe the bird. And then move on because daylight is a premium. So photography as an art becomes secondary.
Northern Parula
And yet when a lifebird comes my way, I try to do the best I can. Maybe I could do better but I have to work with what nature provides. Small birds stay in one spot for seconds and then move. As a photographer, I wait for that perfect shot. Sometimes it doesn't happen but many times I can predict where they will move. But with a "Big January", you don't have time to wait for that perfect shot. ID and field observations are first and most important.
Black-chinned Sparrow
OR!!! I got sick of my camera coming along on the trips and only brought my IPHONE for a more mobile hike. That's when grainy shots like this below happen! But it's an ID shot:)
Gray Flycatcher
Or in the case of this SUPER RARE bird for Tucson, the Eastern Phoebe, the shots were terrible because the bird was too far away from my camera. BUT an ID photo is required.
Eastern Phoebe
Another lifebird was the Common Merganser. I was able to get an okay shot of this bird.
Common Merganser(female)
The competition was hot. There was a lot going on. Some places were gorgeous and others were bizarre and alien worlds. I think I have a greater appreciation for Arizona after this past month. Such diverse landscape. When people think of our state, they think it's all desert. Not true at all. It's one crazy locale full of mountain top forests, canyons, grasslands, dry cracked desert, lush desert, and a few winding rivers.
Northern Harrier
And when you least expect it, the Rufous-backed Robin appears out of nowhere. I wasn't looking for it. It just.....appeared. A real gift to the list. It's a beautiful tropical bird(coming from the warmer Mexico). It's something we all hope to see in Arizona, but it can be quite elusive. On this day, a group of 6 birders would exhaust their ears and eyes locating this bird.
Rufous-backed Robin
Next week, I have another special report. Today also marks my first work with Birding is Fun! I'm excited to join their birding team and feel honored to be asked to write for them. I'll be posting work every other month from my travels. Birding isn't just about the birds. It's also about the experience behind them. And within that frame of mind, I am finding myself lost in a world full of exciting surprises and discoveries.
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