Quarantinis

Gambel's Quail

As I watch lines around stores form and snowbirds fleeing the city in the thousands to get back to their doctors in their home states, I stand on the sidelines watching humanity unwind.  Meanwhile, bird migration is happening on schedule as if nothing was really happening, giving me a false sense of security.  I am absolutely fascinated by it all. 

Copulating Killdeer

I counter crowds by finding my secret spaces to find birds.  I run to all the places I need to go before quarantine takes hold. I pick up house and garden project stuff.  I get the oil change done.  I visit Holly at the bamboo ranch to get my plants for spring planting.  And for the most part, I am ready to stay indoors full time. People are no different from birds.  They also have habits that can be predicted. 

Great Egret

As of today, Covid-19 has killed more than 2000 Americans in the US. Globally, it has killed so many more people. It's quite a show watching this "President" and his Corona task force deal with this crippling blow to the US. And now I watch this house of cards finally collapse around him at the cost of his supporters and everyone else who lives in this country. I cannot believe that some people think this is just a hoax!  

Curve-billed Thrasher

I'm not angry anymore.  I just don't care.  I feel for those infected.  If I get it, I'll be okay as well.  Humanity needs a shaking up. We have been abusive and complacent in this world.  I try to do my best to make progress.  I switched out all plastic bags this year for cool grocery purses that I can reuse over and over again. I got rid of plastic bottles for a hydroflask.  But the environmental damage Trump has done to the US is unforgivable. And now, here we are with this disease thanks in part to poaching and the illegal trade market in China. Middle and western African countries are going to take yet another hit on top of all the other things they have been dealing with like HIV, Ebola, bad economies, etc etc.  We are all connected.  And we are all to blame. 

Western Diamondback Rattlesnake

I also think that there is more about this disease we DON'T know like when did it really start?  The first US case was reported January 21st.  NOW, let's go back to October when I traveled to Oregon.  If you've been following this blog, you might remember that I had a severe illness for a couple months.  I went to the ER twice.  The doctor's had said everything was fine.  I experienced GI issues, difficulty breathing doing easy things and in November and December, I had the desire to just die. 

Black-throated Sparrow

I am now feeling better.  There is still a smaller issue, but I went to the doctor again this past week to hopefully obtain the last bit of antibiotics I need to take out the last bit of this GI issue. Thousands of dollars and no answers to every single test they had done on me really made me frustrated. 

Anna's Hummingbird

Now let's fast track after winter break during the month of January.  Students were getting sick for more than several days.  In fact, they were out for weeks at my school.  I know this because all the teachers spoke about it.  We didn't get all the make up work in until that first week of March!  In my 24 years of teaching, I have NEVER had a flu take out that many kids for that amount of time.  Our attendance specialist was overloaded with absentee calls from parents.  The last three weeks of January and first week in February were terrible. This wasn't an ordinary flu.  Several students also lost their parents.  It's natural to lose a parent sometimes, but to have several students lose a mom or dad in a semester was not only sad and devastating but horrifying.    

female Anna's Hummingbird at my feeder

THEN, a teacher who is always healthy had an issue the last week of January.  She was sitting at her desk working when a student came up to ask her a question.  As he was speaking to her, some of his spittle hit her lips.  She remembered being grossed out by this and told me about it.  The next day, she couldn't function and disappeared for 4 days!  We were worried about her, but she came back the following week her normal crazy self. 

a very furry Nova chills on top a stack of freshly cleaned bathroom towels. 

Now if you're saying, "Chris but......" First, let me say this. These are just observations from a teacher of 24 years. Not fact, just observations. Here's the thing.  I work at a school where parents have weird jobs.  One student proudly told me her dad had just come back from Wuhan on a business trip after it was announced that the virus began there. We weren't taking it as serious back then. People travel over winter break and it doesn't take much for a disease to cross over and begin its work. Now these are just things that I began piecing together since my own mortality scare in October.  I NEVER get sick.  I don't trust this government we have now because they lie all the time.  I think things were building up to this moment back in January.  It was the silent enemy hitting pockets of humanity.  Now, there's no avoiding it.  In Arizona, we still can't get tested unless we are showing all the symptoms.  Trump is an idiot. We DO NOT have enough testing kits and WE ARE NOT ready. And now the US will pay the ultimate price.  But sure, Bozo.  Throw money at us.  That will fix everything!

Nova helps me

"Why don't you get tested now?"  Well because ONE I can't. There's not enough testing kits out there. And only people exhibiting the symptoms can get a test.  TWO.  I don't want to get reinfected again.  Hospitals, cruise ships, crowds and planes are a germ fest! And there are still people who want to continue their flight or cruise!  Unbelievable!  And how are children's daycares still open?  I live next door to one and there are still kids playing outside?!  I have a deep appreciation for the health workers, grocery store clerks and law enforcement agencies putting their lives at risk helping the public get through this crisis.  

Great Blue Heron at El Rio Preserve in Marana

I asked my students online what has been the greatest silver lining about doing their work at home.  It was reassuring to hear things like, "I get to spend more time with my family." or "I can learn at my own pace and take breaks when I need them." and of course the ever popular teenage response, "I get to sleep in!".  Some things never change. 

There were other responses that made me smile like, "I get to see your cats more Profe. I love your cats."  LOL!  It's true.  While I'm doing zoom or doing a video segment, I have cats who like to "help" me out.  One of the universal responses to that silver lining question was, "I get to spend more time with my dog or cat."  That made me smile. 

My Cooper's Hawk ate one of my Ladder-backed Woodpeckers

Finally, I am enjoying this quarantini moment in my life.  I am "forced" to enjoy living at home.  I am "forced" to work on my home.  I am "forced" to bird from my yard. I am "forced" to garden at home.  I never had enough time to do it all.  Now I have all the time in the world!  I choose to see the positive in this all.  It's a new challenge.  My birding has turned me into being a robin stroker...totally appropriate for the moment. And it's a treasure hunt. A game.  How many birds can I find in Pima county?  How do I stay away from the evil sickly humans who don't stand 6 feet away from each other? Seriously. And avoid the terrible people who are rude to each other in lines? This is a living video game! Avoid the crazy man who runs over the worker with his cart because there is no toilet paper(true story).  Oh it's a human shit show out there full of beautiful, sad and stupid human stories. On the plus side, gas couldn't be cheaper!

The White-winged Doves are returning to my yard again!

Spring migration is in full swing here in the desert southwest.  We all secretly whisper to each other that we are so lucky to live here because there's a lot of open spaces and a lot of birds!  But deep down, I know summer is going to be here in NO TIME!  Trump said that the virus should be gone by Easter.  Okay buddy.  Then he said it should be gone by summer because it gets warmer outside. He's a smart guy that one.  However, 115 degrees is hot and the virus has a difficult time living outside the body at certain temps.  Heck, a human can't live outside in 115 degrees for very long:) 

I head out with Celeste to do some night birding.  We listen for Elf Owls and Common Poorwills

And the other silver lining?  I control my eating.  I'm not driving an hour and half every day to school.  I can teach from my catio or side garden OR office.  Even better?  I can go for a walk in the morning like I normally would.  And I'm losing weight again!  I control HOW I do my job.  Not vice versa.  This pandemic is going to change so many things about how we do our jobs.  I'm hoping I can teach online for most of the week with 2 days of teacher supervision to make sure that students aren't cheating. And that they also get their time to socialize.  They did mention missing that aspect of school.  But I gotta tell you all.  I don't miss the classroom discipline part or the drug issues that plague most of the schools here in the US.  That's on the parents now.  I think some of them miss us:) Our schools in AZ are closed now for the rest of the year. I think everyone is in the honeymoon mode right now but it will slowly sink in as the pandemic wraps around our city more and graduations are cancelled.  Right now, everyone is acting like it's no big deal in Tucson. And that's how this disease is spreading.

A Great Egret flies over my head at Agua Caliente Park

Please stay healthy.  Spend lots of your time with your furry friends.  If you have a spouse, smile at them from across the house from time to time.  Maybe check in with them for dinner?  Wait!  Is that what dinner is all about?  Touching base with the ones you love?  What a great idea? Yes.  Some old traditional values still stick and are time honored.  How cool is THAT in this ever changing world?!  Until next time......I'm hoping:)

A Tucson Spring

It's spring here in the desert.  I've kept it local for several weeks because I need to budget my money for a bigger trek coming up.  It has been an enjoyable challenge because I am forced to play within the perimeters of my own area.  It's a different kind of birding, but it's still quite enjoyable. 

Mallard duckling

Outsiders often visit the Old Pueblo in April and ask the locals, "When is your spring?"  People living here KNOW that spring is subtle.  Our trees leaf out and release terrible amounts of pollen:) But our trees aren't bold and tall like the ones found on the eastern part of the US. For birders, we visibly see the migration happening before our very eyes. 

While waiting for my master lens to return from the shop, I took cell phone pics and used a smaller lens for some of these shots.  Imagine going to your work place and finding this Great Horned Owlet staring back at you?!  It was hard to focus and listen to the adults talking in the room:)

Least Sandpipers

While Tucson doesn't have a lot of watering holes, we do have a few that attract some special migrants.  This time of year is good for rare sandpipers.  The most common are Least, Spotted, Western and Solitary Sandpipers.  Pectoral and Stilt Sandpipers are good birds but they are not always reliable. I have found that I need to be in the right place at the right time to spot these passing migrants.  The key is to place yourself in those spots for a possible sighting. 

Solitary Sandpiper

 Staying in one area also allows for a VERY in depth look at our local birds.  Take for example this Killdeer below. 

Many of us know that a Killdeer parent will act injured to draw a predator away from the nest. While I am not a predator, I am clearly a danger in a different kind of way.  

Almost every living creature on this planet uses some form of communication.  As a birder, it's my job to interpret that communication for a better understanding of the birds.  It offers a very satisfying observation as well. 

In this particular case, I knew I was near a nest.  I stopped quickly and scanned the area.  Had I made a few more steps in the wrong direction, I might have stepped on these eggs.  Thankfully, I understood what the bird was telling me. Look at how much this Killdeer's eggs look like the surrounding rocks!  Nature is amazing. 

I believe that Coachline, or El Río Preserve, will be one of Marana and Tucson's premiere birding spots when it's all finished.  It has been a wonderful success.  A walking/bike path have been put into the area making this premiere birding spot even better.  There is now a parking area (with a ramada for lunch and shade).  As a local, I can tell you that I am super excited about this transition.  And my tires are glad as well.  No more gravel/sharp rock parking:)

Several years ago, friend and birder, Magill sat with me as we did a Big Sit and counted birds under the awning at this place for the day.  It was a lot of fun as we ended our observations with lots of Lesser Nighthawks flying around us. 

Black-crowned Night Heron

 After two weeks, my master lens returned back to me repaired and I was so excited to get the darn thing that I headed to Reid Park to film Great-tailed Grackles collecting mud.  It. Was. Great.  Even if they were just Great-tailed Grackles:)  That's how happy I was!

But during those grueling two weeks of waiting, I did some research for our upcoming Wrenegades event.  Every year, we get together to raise money for the birds of Southern Arizona.  It helps support Tucson Audubon's projects. 

I spiced up my treks but kept it cheap.  A really nice place to bird on Mt. Lemmon is the Rose Canyon Lake area.  But I didn't want to pay the hefty entrance fee so I parked off the highway and hiked down to the lake.  Another woman did the same but as she was hiking down into the area, she didn't realize how far it was:)  So I kept encouraging her to keep going.  "Where is the damn lake? My kids better be down there."  I told her not to worry.  We chatted the mile hike down and got to the lake.  She didn't see them but from her conversation about her kids, I guessed they'd be at the floating dock fishing.  And there they were.  That trek, for the day, landed me a Lewis's Woodpecker. 

I also scouted around for the ducks.  Again for our birdathon.  There are a few wintering ducks still around....like this proud drake Ring-necked Duck. 

A Round-tailed Ground Squirrel eats some refreshing Barrel Cactus fruit on a hot near 100 degree day. 

And my research takes me into new areas around town locating new Burrowing Owl locations.  The one at our airport is now gone which means that the construction crew destroyed the burrow:(  Thankfully birders saved the birds and had them relocated.  It was very sad to see them go.  But it also forced me to scout out new locations which was fun. 

Next week, I join up with my fellow Wrenegades to find as many birds in a 24 hour time period as we can.  Will we break our old record?  Stay tuned for more.....

Nick of Time

At the 11th hour, things became stressful.  I had to find one last life bird.  I left the downtown area of Monterey and headed to the airport.  It was here that I would make my last stand.  It was time to find the Chestnut-backed Chickadee. 

A birder looks at the "green space" for proper habitat of expected birds

The Monterey airport is VERY small with a great restaurant. So I dropped off all my stuff and began to scan the area outside near the parking area. This Chestnut-backed Chickadee was supposed to be easy! Enough was enough.  Time to get that bird! With my birder eyes, I scanned a small patch of woods by the control tower.

The right circle was off limits but the left one was not:)

The control tower was off limits and protected behind a fence, but the left area was totally ok for birding.  After an hour of patient study, I finally had several chickadees fly into the area.  It would be my last lifer on this trip!  And just in the nick of time. My flight left 25 minutes later. 

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

I arrived back in Tucson that night and would be meeting Kathie Brown in the morning.  I had put a lot of thought into the next several days.  For almost 2 weeks, every birder and their mother had been reporting the very rare Lesser Sand Plover on reservation land near Flagstaff.  It was an AZ first and a bird that I had expected on not seeing because of my work schedule and trip to Monterey. Plus, it'll probably be the only time this bird is EVER reported in Arizona again. It was all bad timing. And quite honestly it caused me a lot of anxiety! What were the chances that this bird would still be in Arizona when I got back? It would be a lifer for both myself and Kathie.  So to kick Kathie's vacation off proper, we headed ASAP to find this rare(for the US) plover.

Kathie Brown explores Outer Mongolia....I mean Round Cedar Lake in Leupp, AZ. 

The Lesser Sand Plover hails from the continent of Asia and more specifically Mongolia. Sometimes during migration, a few of these birds cross lines and take the "wrong" route.  Several posts ago, I complained about the chasing of birds all over the state and about how tired I was from running after far away birds. You don't go to Flagstaff without staying there for a short visit! For this bird, it would be an 11 hour drive back and forth from Tucson and I couldn't justify that kind of drive for one bird.  But this wasn't ANY bird; this was an amazing lifebird. The thought of dipping on it festered in the back of my mind. Every day, I received the reports that it was still hanging around the "lake".  I am not exaggerating when I say that several hundred people saw this bird. What if we made that long trek and the bird wasn't there?!!  I remembered the painful experience behind the dip of the Rufous-necked Wood-Rail at Bosque Del Apache several years ago.  I was afraid that this gamble might end the same way. 

But Kathie was there this time.  And we laughed and had fun driving up to the spot together as a shared experience.  It felt better because our friends offered us places to stay as we birded our way down afterwards.  I didn't want to waste gas for one bird.  Instead, we made a fun several day birding trek out of the adventure.  

a happy Kathie

When we arrived at the location, we had thought we were actually in Mongolia. For a half hour, we searched and searched for the bird.  I was beginning to feel like the bird had finally flown.  Wouldn't that just be our luck?!  It sticks around for just two weeks and then on the day we can go chase it, it disappears. But then Kathie spots a plover and shouts out, "Oh oh oh, I think I have it!"

I put my binos on it and discover it's a Killdeer playing hide and seek with us.  It was actually quite cute. My heart sank as I scanned right and.....

It all looks like dirt until it doesn't(left is the sneaky Killdeer and the right is our Lesser Sand Plover)

Kathie spots another plover!!!!  And not just any plover but THE PLOVER!  A small group of birders quickly assembles with scopes and watches the bird from a safe distance. Everyone is so happy. 

a resting Lesser Sand Plover

I am so thankful for this new lens this year.  It allows me to get photos from a far distance. We are always conscious of our treatment of birds when these photos are taken.  We never want to endanger a life while out in the field.  That goes for all biological creatures...including humans:)

As a nod from the bird gods, we'd be the last to see this bird. We were lucky.  VERY LUCKY.  Had we waited a day to go find this bird, it would have been too late.  What are the chances of that happening??!!!  I don't believe in a higher power, but after this experience, I might change my tune:)  Well maybe not.  But still! What an amazing moment that we had all shared together! 

My favorite Mexican place in Flagstaff is MartAnnes!  We celebrate our lifer at this delicious Mexican restaurant.  Try their chilaquiles!  Green or Red Salsa.  It's all good!

A big year birder(and many other birders) would try to find the bird over the next several days without luck.  Some think the bird flew to California.  Others think that maybe a Peregrine Falcon was hungry.  As for me, I'd like to think that the bird made it to California.  We'd feast in Flagstaff to celebrate our lifer and then head to our friends Cynthia and Roger White's home where we'd bird in Prescott the next day.  But that is another adventure.......

Ebird Reports
Round Cedar Lake(Lesser Sand Plover) and 
Monterey Regional Airport(Chestnut-backed Chickadee). 

Summerfest

Another summer has come and gone just as quickly as the one before it. For a birder, it's a reminder that time is running out for the year!

Garter Snake in Wisconsin

Each year, I sit down and make a list of birds and places that need to be seen.  It becomes more and more complicated as I go.  This summer was an interesting one.  

Pronghorn in the Ciénagas Grasslands

Between the ABA splits, Arizona, California and Wisconsin, I have been able to add 29 new life birds to the list this year.  The challenges increase for each new bird found.  

Woodhouse's Toad

Some of the highlights, so far, (for this year) have included birds like the Pine Flycatcher, Kirtland's Warbler, Spotted Dove, Little Gull, Yellow-billed Loon, Streak-backed Oriole and Rusty Blackbird. None of these birds were located close to home so it takes a great deal of planning and strategy to find them. 

Inca Dove

And it should be mentioned that as I find new birds, I also have better views of others. Plus I've had the pleasure of meeting so many wonderful people along the way.

Blue-winged Teal

Currently, I sit at 734 lifebirds. And I do mean sit.  I still have a potential pelagic to do as well as 2 other trips before the year is up. I'm hoping to hit the 800 mark before the December 31st deadline! Wishful thinking? Or a fool's errand?  That remains to be seen.   As long as I move forward and do not become stagnant, I'm okay.  As I advance in my years, a lot of my work will take me out of the country more often than it does now.  I have pretty much finished finding new birds in AZ and surrounding states. Of course, there will be rare birds visiting like they do, but there won't be as many to chase. Soon it will be time to tackle a bigger place, known as Earth.

Baltimore Oriole

My current stand for the year is 435 bird species seen in the US.  And for North America, 444 birds. 

Common Terns

I never know what each year will bring, but it seems to me that this year has been about target birding very specific areas that require a lot of energy and planning for just ONE bird. For example, a trek out to Catalina Island landed us the Spotted Dove and US countable Red-billed Tropicbird. A lot of study went into the Kirtland's Warbler habitat in Wisconsin.  We wanted to see that bird in Wisconsin and not Michigan so it took us several months to plan on legal ways of finding the bird without getting in trouble.    

Botteri's Sparrow

Some birds, like the Rusty Blackbird, required me to go to the area 3 times before locating it. And one of those times, we had someone shooting at us! Other birds, like the Little Gulls, required patience as I scanned through hundreds of Bonaparte's Gulls. 

Cassin's Sparrow

While out on the road in southern Arizona, we had excellent views of breeding Botteri's and Cassin's Sparrows in the grasslands. In the large scheme of things, I have seen a lot of rare birds like the Arctic Tern and Purple Gallinule. The most important thing to remember about birding is that it's about YOU and the BIRDS.  I think people can get lost with the whole "competition" thing.  It's not a competition, but it certainly feels like one sometimes.  For me, it's about mastering the art of birding. This is also a potential career move after retirement. For me, it's about the travel and storytelling behind each new bird found. I'm a world birder not just an Arizona birder.  It'll be hard to let go of that ownership and attachment that I have for this state. It is, after all, where I began really studying my birds. I have to save that money for other expenses now which should include some remodeling of our bathrooms...or a tile floor:) 

Nesting Gray Hawks are studied by the UA

I ask myself these questions daily. What can I do better?  I've never seen that behavior, is that common?  Why wasn't I more patient?  Why wasn't I quick enough with my camera? Where's the darn bird?!!:) I am forever addicted to these birds.  At family events, I'm still looking at birds in the sky while everyone is drinking their beer and chatting about the every day life. I love nature.  And I love being outdoors(minus the bugs and heat). I am so curious about what's going on around me that I forget that the "boring stuff" is important stuff to other people. Don't get me wrong, I still like a good gossip session:)

Killdeer

As this summer ends, I learn that birding for lifers isn't about the quantity.  It's always about the quality of observation.  Each year varies in theme, but if one thing is certain, it's that this all is extremely challenging as it takes me out of my comfort zone.  There is so much to do. And so much to see. As my summer comes to an end, I begin another period of planning for the fall and winter months.  The checklist slowly shrinks as I target areas where there are birds I have never seen.  This year's theme, "Home" will continue.