Treasure Hunts

The month of August is a busy one.  I've returned back to work, continue to monitor key bird areas around Tucson and lead several trips.  August is also known as an excellent month for shorebird research.  And it's also challenging due to their hidden and remote locations. 

Currently in my yard, I am monitoring a Broad-billed Hummingbird nest. On the 14th of this month, I found the nest with two eggs.  

Now I have two baby hummingbirds growing up right before my very eyes.  The mother decided to put this nest right next to my car.  So now I have to be super careful getting out!

Okay.  Currently, their bills are poking out of the nest and it's a bit of a poop fest. I know it's a full time job Mom but couldn't you clean up around the edges?:) To help Mom out, I filled up the feeders.  She now begins to catch insects and drink nectar to make a slurry for the babies. Think of it as a bug protein shake. And there are plenty of mosquitoes in my garden right now.....so have at it:)

August also brings with it bugs and heat.  However, shorebird migration is rather exciting.  Encouraged by a report from friends, I went with Micheal and Magill to find a rare Ruddy Turnstone.  It was nasty work.  I have a strong stomach but on this day, I almost lost it.  

White-faced Ibis

It was 108 degrees and we were at a cattle slop pond, not the most scenic of places to bird. The flies were terrible.  And the smell.....well that was its own special reward.  At one point, I almost threw up.  I looked over at Magill and asked her what that god awful smell was.  She pointed to the pile of dead cows and I almost tossed my cookies. We were downwind from the ground up piles of rotting flesh.

I laughed because Micheal had just gotten out of work and there he was in his bright pink scrubs in the middle of Mad Max land.  However, I needed company.  I can't drive these longer distances anymore without falling asleep at the wheel. It's hot and it's boooooring!

An excellent state bird for Arizona, the Ruddy Turnstone

State birds are difficult now and they require some team work if only for shared misery and encouragement.  Micheal enjoys birding when we are in beautiful places.  He also likes cool looking birds.  This one didn't do it for him, but it was an important state bird.  

A couple weeks later, I get a text from Magill about a Red Knot.  This is ANOTHER state bird that can be tricky to spot.  It's also a very rare migrant.  But the catch?  It was found at yet another sewage treatment facility up in the Phoenix area.  

Stilt Sandpiper

 During this time of year at the Glendale Recharge Ponds, it's hot and muggy.  At one point, Micheal almost passed out from the heat.  He did get to see the bird but once again, he wasn't thrilled. When these birds are in their breeding plumage, they are quite beautiful.  

A fantastic state bird for Arizona, the Red Knot

Once again we celebrated another new state bird for Arizona.  This month alone has landed me THREE very tricky birds for the state.  I missed the Fulvous Whistling-Ducks and Reddish Egret due to the time factor. There just wasn't enough time with my busy schedule. 

While work has taken up a good chunk of that precious time, I have found a little break time to monitor our nesting Purple Martins at my job site. They are gone now. But each year I get a couple weeks with them before their large group migrates away. 

I'd like to also stress the importance of vegetation.  If that saguaro wasn't there, there would be no Purple Martin activity ever. Sadly, this saguaro has seen the pristine desert around it disappear over the last 16 years.  Today, a huge solar panel stands next to the last of its remaining brethren. They are also now surrounded by a developing housing project.  Yes, I worry about this saguaro and I will be sad if anything ever happens to the 4 that still remain.  But this one saguaro has been home to 5 different nesting bird species AND provides food during our hot spring month of May for our desert birds!

a male Purple Martin flies about their Saguaro

Between the bugs and the heat, I'm ready for this month to be over.  If you like birding and don't care about chasing state birds, there are many great alternatives for cooler birding on the higher elevations. 

I just came back from Mexico and will be writing that blog post in a few days.  I'm taking the weekend off to catch up with all of you and have a nice cup of coffee in my pajamas. 

So for now, I hope you avoid(or not), nasty piles of ground up dead cattle.  If you are in Arizona, this is where you'll find the rare treasure birds right now.  These excellent birds are found around these poop filled watering holes.  While it's not as scenic as say the Grand Canyon, it's where state chasing birders go this month.  Until next time.....

They Grow Up So Fast!

Our personal gardens can be a safe haven for many nesting birds. Just recently at El Presidio, I have been fortunate enough to document a very special hummingbird nest in one of our trees. It took me years to develop this garden and only now am seeing the greater benefits of my work.

We added a water feature several years ago and it has attracted many interesting birds into our shady Mexican courtyard. I also have feeders up near my observation window which allows me to document the birds visiting our bird baths, trees and cactus.

In March, I saw a male Broad-billed Hummingbird on the property catching bugs above our fountain.  It didn't take long before I noticed a female joining him.  This was a first for this species since we've owned our home.

I heard the rattle one day leaving my bedroom door and saw the female fly by me.  My eyes followed her back to a nest right above my cactus garden.  About two weeks passed as she sat on the nest everyday. Then she was gone.  I got nervous and thought, Oh no!  The nest failed! It's hard not to take personally because a lot of sweat and blood went into creating the gardens. There is ownership in that kind of work. But I noticed something different.  There were little black fecal sacs around the edge of the nest.

A few days later, I saw two swords sticking out of the nest.

They became larger.  And Mom guarded their nest.

All around our property, she collected bugs and nectar to feed not only herself but her offspring.

They continued to grow.  I kept asking myself, "Does Mom do ALL the work? Where is Dad?"  I kept observing and eventually had my questions answered. The babies grew.

Eventually one sat in the nest.  The other.....

Hopped out and flew to the nearby tree and fence.  I only saw the little one once.  I was so nervous for the baby.  The mother kept protecting the nest by chasing off birds like House Sparrows, White-winged Doves and Verdins. 

Then I saw the father return and feed from the Orange Jubilee that grows in my garden.  While Mother kept the little ones safe, the Father monitored a larger area protecting his family.  A male CANNOT take care of the little ones.  His bright colors would lead predators straight to the nest.  That's why the females are a duller color in most of the bird species.  Nature knows best:)

It's hard not to worry about the little ones.  It's very human of me.  The birder knows best, but it's the human part of me that FEELS and wants to PROTECT them.  The only thing I can do is make sure the hummingbird feeders are changed out with fresh nectar.  Another recommendation by Sheri Williamson is to add fruit to the nearby feeders to increase the bug activity.  Mom would often drink from the feeders and capture bugs which would then be fed in the form of a "slurry" to the nestlings. 

Male Broad-billed Hummingbird

Meanwhile in our oak trees, nesting Anna's hummingbirds were also busy getting ready to raise their own family. I believe now that I am going to construct a hummingbird bath and place more butterfly and hummingbird wildflowers into the garden this summer. Their nesting took place in a very short 3 week period!  That is incredible! And they are still around feeding at my feeders:)

Many moons ago, when we first bought our home and before the time of birds, I remembered seeing a blue and white hummingbird.  The dolphin with wings.  It was distinct.  I remember it well because it would always hover right in front of my face while I was working out in the garden. Was it a rare(for Tucson) Violet-crowned Hummingbird?

Straight out of my garden!  What an amazing flower show!

Today the pool has been replaced with our fountain.  El Presidio is once again a safe haven for ALL hummingbirds. By adding a water feature, we've added an attraction for visiting and neighboring birds. Our yards can be some of the best places to bird. No gas needed:)  Until next time.....