The Red Army Part 2

At the midnight hour, the day before we were supposed to return back to our classrooms, the deal fell through.  Anger.  Rage.  And once again, a trip up to the capital in the thousands is what many Arizona teachers did.  

"20 By 20" was Governor Ducey's response to the public education crisis in Arizona.  In other words, a 20 percent raise by the year 2020.  Originally it was 2 percent, but Arizona teachers had had it. Classrooms falling apart, support staff gone, and the loss of amazing teachers to other states were just a few issues that set off the Red For Ed movement.

Now at the midnight hour, literally, we were in the legislature once again in Phoenix.  The legislature wasn't going to pass Governor Ducey's proposed budget.  With thousands in the mall, legislation building and inside the legislation room with our lawmakers, we made it known that we weren't leaving until that budget passed.  And it did in the very early morning hours. It isn't a perfect plan, but it will do for now.  It was very clear that Arizona lawmakers didn't care about public education. They ignored the shouting from the mall and outside rooms. Their indifference spoke volumes. One representative, Kelly Townsend, wanted to fine teachers for walking out of the classroom.  Thankfully her bill didn't pass. This class act happened to be watching a movie while voting down a child care measure. Needless to say, their days are numbered. They have unwittingly created a red army come re-election night. Both Republican and Democrat teachers have joined together to stop these bad lawmakers, the Koch Brother agenda to privatize public schools and Dark Money. 

Exhausted physically and mentally by the strange hours of the strike and (not getting paid), I prepared for our fundraising event with the Wrenegades.  The crazy hours were taking their toll on my body.  I wanted to back out, but I made a promise to the team and I didn't want to break our year tradition.  

Wilson's Phalarope

 We raised lots of money for Tucson Audubon and had a very challenging time with high winds.  Each time we come together as a team, we learn lots from each other while catching up with things happening in the Arizona birding world. 

I birded, but my mind was on the strike.  How many more days would we go like this? Would our demands be met?  Would they extend our school days?  There were so many balls up in the air that it was difficult to concentrate. And my sleep schedule was all off. 

White-faced Ibis

 The birding was good and the first part of our evening passed with a beautiful reminder......

.....which was to just go with the flow.  I can't be 100 percent all the time, but I will try my best. 

Our evening was made even better when we started getting into the creepy urban wildlife spaces like the Sweetwater Wetlands.  I shared with the team why I had the heeby jeebies and they kind of all laughed it off until the person from Tucson Water, who unlocked the gate, joined us and shared a similar tale. 

There are no ghosts or goblins.  But there are strange characters that hang out at the park during all times of the day. Two such characters are known as Raccoon Bob and The Butcher.  When the lady started telling the story about the Butcher, they all burst out laughing.  I could tell that they hadn't birded Sweetwater enough to know that the Butcher was real. 

And while we were there, Raccoon Bob PASSED us in his rusty old bug TWICE!  Raccoon Bob hides in the darkness to watch mammals at night.  His favorite mammals are the raccoon.  I wasn't afraid of him.  I was more afraid of the Butcher.  He rides in an old red meat wagon and lives out of the vehicle.  Birders swear that he has been breaking into their vehicles.  And I'm also of the mind that it's the Butcher responsible for the parking lot crime wave.  We didn't see him that evening, but I knew he was around the area.  So did TEP(Tucson Electric and Power)

After the Sweetwater experience, I became a zombie up on Mt. Lemmon. I couldn't focus for the life of me.  It was 2 or 3 AM and I was cold.

In the morning, I found a letter on a rock overlooking the grand canyons of Mt. Lemmon.  The team thought I was joking around at first when I read the letter aloud, but it was a sad note.  A hiker had recently passed away on the trails after getting lost. By the time he was found, he was too far gone.  Our team member, Sara, saw his body in the bag before they took him away.  The letter was from his niece telling him that she would never forget him and that every time they looked out from that vista, she would think of him. On the rock by the letter were a pair of sunglasses and a tea packet. We folded the letter neatly up and placed it back on the rock.  It was a moment of reflection. 

Red-faced Warbler with the nest site behind

At this point, I had achieved my "2nd wind" and was excited to watch a pair of Red-faced Warblers make a nest under the roots of a tree. 

It was early morning and the woods were dark.  But how beautiful.  Then I found out the strike was off and it was back to work again getting the students ready for the finals. 

Canyon Towhee

After the Wrenegades, the strike and being back in the classroom, it was then time to guide.  Believe it or not, I looked forward to the guiding the most.  It gave me something to focus on.  

Western Screech-Owl

For 2 weekends, we chased really great birds and had success with most of them, except that blasted Arizona Woodpecker.  They were heard everywhere and yet, they were little buggers to spot.  

Western Tanager

I had a blast spending the weekends with Steve and Kathy from Wisconsin.  There is something about Wisconsin birders that I love.  Maybe it's because we're from the same state.  Maybe it's because I can slip back into my Wisconsin "don't cha no" accent and not be teased.  Or maybe because it's just nice to be around good people. 

Yellow Warbler

I take huge pride in Southern Arizona.  Showing people our secret gems from around this part of the state is always wonderful.  We are more than just a desert.  Although, I think Kathy will agree with me on this.....it's hot here!  So we went to higher elevations OR got up super early.  

Acorn Woodpeckers

We found the Rufous-backed Robins, Sinaloa Wren, Rose-throated Becard, nesting Elegant Trogons and lots of other birds.  

American Robin guarding a nest

We even spotted some weird rarities like Cassin's Finches, a Townsend's Solitaire and Williamson's Sapsucker. All lifers.  And not expected at all during their visit.  

The days fly by so quickly.  Kathy asked me what I'd do this weekend and I laughed. Nothing.  I am going to clean my house and sleep in.  No birds.  No heat.  No strikes.  No fund raising.  Just me and a cup of coffee watching my bird feeders.  

Broad-billed Hummingbird

Las Aventuras is planning 3 major treks before this "season" is over. August is the start of the new birding season. Anyhow, one trek is just exploring an area for birds in general.  The second trek will be the important one and it will hopefully propel me beyond the 1000 life bird mark.  And our 3rd will be a fun road trip to find just one bird in the US.  Stay tuned for more.......

The Wrenegades Awaken

Pic courtesy of Sara Pike

Each year, I tell myself I'm not going to do it again.  And then I do:) Why? I like the crowd.  I like the challenge.  Raising money for Tucson Audubon is a good thing especially when our current US administration is cutting funding back for many of our conservation programs around the US. 

Tim's secret plans

Each one of us is in charge of something on this 24 hour crazy-thon.  We go a full day straight looking for birds in Southern Arizona.  Tim is our excellent organizer and planner.  Every bird hotspot is carefully chosen with a timed response.  This means we have to find as many birds as we can in our window timeframe. Then we are whisked away by our drivers Sara, Matt and Tim.  

Copulating Killdeer

 I am the documentation guy.  I ebird every hotspot conscious or not:)  I keep the lists and photos of our journey for our donors.  After it's all over, we process the data and pics so that the group can send their supporters all the highlights and fun from our treks.  

Long-billed Dowitchers, Least Sandpipers

But I have to admit.  There are some spots I love more than others.  I love Willcox, AZ.  I love that after our search we stop at the Mexican restaurant to grab something to eat.  It's essentially the calm before the storm.  

American Avocet

 I love owling with the crew on Mt. Lemmon.  I don't like birding alone in the dark.  And you'd be surprised by how many random cars we see at night around 3 in the morning.  It's hard to see who is in the car since the windows are all fogged up:)

Scaled Quail

This year our team made some interesting discoveries.  At Cochise Lake, we found 4 Western Grebes.  I haven't seen these birds here before so it was an interesting observation. Also at Cochise Lake, we discovered, for the AZ birding crowd, a cute little Snowy Plover.  

But a big surprise was about to happen during our night out on Mt. Lemmon.  Our team has suspected for a long time that we had been hearing Northern Saw-whet Owls near Summerhaven over the past couple years.  We just never had visual confirmation.  Until now.  

A new bird to my Pima County list! Northern Saw-whet Owl

 Thanks in part from a tip by Brian Nicholas, a Tucson birder and really great guy, we went to an area near his coordinates.  Almost immediately, we heard a high whinny call that was NOT a Northern Pygmy Owl.  We knew we had a different and very rare owl on the mountain.  Any sleepy thoughts I had were quickly erased as I became super alert.  While the group was excited by the discovery, Matt and I grabbed the spotlight and flashed it up to where the call was being made.....and my camera got one shot and that was it. For Matt, it was a lifer.  For me, it was a significant discovery that will now lead me into a new investigation.  Is there a tiny population that breeds up there?  OR are they migrating through the area?  This bird alone made the trek worthwhile.  

But the fun didn't stop.  At dawn, the bird chorus on the mountain is overwhelming.  It began at around 4:30 AM and continued for 30 or 40 minutes.  One call in particular lead us to this hard to photograph warbler, the Virginia's Warbler.  For the first time in 6 years, I was able to get long and satisfying looks at this normally secretive warbler. This is one of my favorite pics from our trek. 

Virginia's Warbler

 As we continued throughout the morning, I began to get more tired.  It was cold and then it wasn't.  In fact, it got nasty hot.  And I hate birding in the heat.  But when doing a birdathon, birders have to keep going. 

Western Wood Pewee

 And we did.  The heat began to get closer to 100 degrees and my body was not having it.  

Hermit Warbler

At one point, I nearly passed out.  I couldn't do it anymore.  We were at the DeAnza trail in Tubac when I lost the energy to bird.  

the Davis Pasture in the Cienagas Grasslands-pic by Matt Griffiths

While Matt, Jennie, Sara, Corey and Tim kept hiking the 90 degree, chigger sensational DeAnza trail, I sat in the park under the ramada and counted birds.  I am, after all, a mere mortal.  I should have taken two days off instead of one but finals have arrived and students need their teacher for support.  

Matt, Jennie, Sara, Corey, Tim and me in the back

By the end of the day, I acquired new information that I can now use for my own research.  The team was exhausted but we did it. And it felt good. Not only did we raise several thousands of dollars, we broke our old record and surpassed our 180 bird species goal in a 24 hour time period with 182 birds.  I really like these people a lot.  

 We cross paths throughout the year but really only bird on these two days together each year as a team.  It's a tradition that I hope we keep going every year.  If you'd like to track that tradition, here are some links to our past searches and how we've grown as a team. 
 2014-Blur  2015-Veni, Vidi,Vici 
 2016-Return of the Wrenegades

And as a side note, I'd be remiss if I forgot to mention how Tim is always attacked by some wild mammal. One year it was a rabid skunk.  And while not wild, this year it was a mother cow.  Good times!  Until next week:)

Wrenegade Madness

Summer Tanager

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. 

Barn Owl

Until next time.......