A Band of Birders

The Green-tailed Towhee

The journey never ends and the birds are always out there just waiting to be found.  Part of the fun about birding is getting the chance to hang out with new and old friends of all ages!  

Milbert's Tortoiseshell Butterfly

And the part I love most is how spontaneous it all can be!  It's like being a kid again.

Cordilleran Flycatcher

Recently I have really gotten back into camping.  My family used to go often on the weekends while we were growing up in Wisconsin. It has been a lot of fun setting up "home" in the middle of the woods with friends.  The secret to a good nights sleep?  An air mattress:) 

Nesting Cordilleran Flycatchers

So on a trip to Greer, we, the band of birders, went looking for some elusive birds.  There we would discover many amazing birds like the American Dipper(finally!), Gray Jays, Pine Grosbeaks and a Long-eared Owl!

Of course, we'd spot many other beautiful things, but there's nothing quite like the company of fun people to enhance the birding experience. 

Northern Pygmy-Owl

Risk taking was something I used to do often when I was younger. Birding can be a lot like gambling.  You win some and you lose some. On Friday, we hit all of our target birds except the Dusky Grouse.  But with the unexpected Long-eared Owl making an appearance, it was a win-win for everyone...making up for the dip on the Grouse.

Then Saturday came.  Oh Saturday!  We drove to the 4 corners area to search for a Black-billed Magpie(below).  Why a gorgeous bird like this would hang around the 4 corners area is beyond me!  There had been reports of several birds in the area. And they were found in a tree-lined wash.  Okay, no problem.  So we drove a looooooong way to get there.....and gambled.

Black-billed Magpie in Colorado Springs, CO

Along the way, we joked and laughed really hoping we'd see this bird and count it on our state list.  The areas we had been passing were quite beautiful but not looking very Magpie friendly.  Eventually we arrived at the Klingon sounding(Star Trek reference/I'm a nerd) settlement known as Teec Nos Pos. Actually it's Navajo for "Cottonwoods in a Circle".  

Our intrepid crew!  Pic courtesy of Tommy D!  From left to right...Me, Magill, Gordon and Tommy

That made sense because the town was built around a wash full of Cottonwoods. This part of the Navajo Reservation reminded me of a ghost town. And not the good kind.  I swear there were zombies hiding behind trees. I don't know where all the people were, but it was dead silent. Thankfully we were a band of birders exploring strange new worlds and seeking out new life and new civilizations.  Or at least that's what I told myself:)

So we reached the area where the Magpies had been reported.  The habitat looked right. The coordinates were correct. So we hesitantly left our space shuttle vehicle. I was wearing a red shirt that day. Broken glass bottles sparkled in between the rocks. And there was trash everywhere.  Several trees were spray painted with colorful letters.  Dirty shirts and other clothing items draped tree branches. Perhaps a homeless encampment? Or maybe some sort of wild outdoor party happened here? There was evidence of beer drinking.  But the intrepid crew of the USS Gordon entered the forested area listening for a singular Magpie call. 

Solitary Sandpiper

One of the crew members explored a densely packed wooded area alone and discovered a human male shooting his arm full of drugs. "Yellow Alert!" (one condition level below Red Alert or meaning high caution) At this point, birds became secondary. Soon after, other humans arrived in a beat up car and our band of birders began to discuss the safety factors.  The heart to explore beats strongly in each of us, but sometimes the risk isn't worth it. And it was decided inside this rather sketchy and narrow wash that we would leave and explore around the settlement....at warp speed:)

Long-eared Owl

I could see the disappointment on people's faces.  I felt it as well!  It's hard to dip on a bird you know is in the area.  But safety first!  On this day, something triggered a couple of our alarms and I have found to trust in it for a good reason.  I have been incident free over the years while traveling here and there and I hope to keep it that way. 

American Dipper

However with that said, I enjoyed the experience very much.  I would never have gone to that part of the state alone and I was so glad we were able to explore new territory together.  Sometimes it's not always about getting the target bird....sometimes it's about something more. It won't be an experience I forget anytime soon. We thought we'd head to the 4 corners for a photo op on a human made landmark, but when we discovered that it was going to cost 5 bucks a person, we all said, "NO WAY!"  The bitter taste of dipping on the Magpie was still present.

Prairie Dog

But what's that saying? "Take milk from a cow and make a milkshake".  No no I think it's "Squeeze lemons and make a vodka lemonade:)" In any case, we birded our way back into Greer during a beautiful monsoon storm.  And that long trip back?  It wasn't long at all because we had fun trekking along the lakes on the return trip!  I discovered my mammal lifer!  The Prairie Dog. 

Male Calliope Hummingbird

And like the old childhood/college adventures, we returned to camp and planned our fun for the next day under the night sky while we ate our meal. Common Nighthawks called from the darkness.  The rain began to pitter patter down from the canopy of the trees.  A sign that it was time to retire into our tents.  That night I slept well as the cool breeze blew in under the tent flaps. 

As a side note, the 4 Corners area is safe as is most of Teec Nos Pos.  But many times, as in our case, we were searching in areas not populated or known by many people.  The birds always guide us.  Part of the fun in birding is playing the role of detective.  Unfortunately, there are places like the one we visited that can be sketchy.  Arizona has several of these birding hotspots and its always best to go in a group.  More next time....

From Sheep's Crossing in Greer!  A great place to go fishing and find an American Dipper:)  For more great birds and places to find them, check out Wild Bird Wednesday!

Plum Island

Wild Turkey

On the way down to visit Kathie's family in Connecticut, we stopped at a birder hot spot known as Plum Island.  It is a place that is widely spoken about in birder circles.  And we weren't going to pass up this opportunity!

Plum Island is a research area designed to help protect birds and their nesting grounds. While we were there, I spotted several people involved in research and safeguarding nest sites. 

American Redstart-finally nailed a shot of this bird!  They are tricky!

The purpose of our trip?  There were a few life birds here, but overall, it was about exploration and just enjoying better observations on birds I had already seen.  We had killer views of the American Redstart, Mute Swans, Bobolinks, nesting Song Sparrows and so much more.  

Nesting Song Sparrow

Exploration takes time.  And while on a birding trek, time always runs short.  It's just impossible to do it all.  I have a clock inside my head that consistently tells me how much time we have for each stop.  And there were way too many!  We examined every patch of reeds, tree, beach area, and fence post for that Eastern flavored Willet, Common Yellowthroat or Eastern Kingbird. 

Eastern Kingbird

While the traffic was consistent, it wasn't overwhelming like the Mt. Washington Auto Road.  People rushed to the very last beach area.  I'm not sure why as the beach was not one of the better human ones I've seen, but that's what people do. 

Eastern Willet

Along the way, we stopped.  There had been so much activity in each area that it "required" us to investigate further. 

I loved being around natural water areas again.  It's something most people take for granted.  For Arizonans, it is quite the treat. 

Bobolink

Also nice?  Finding Least Terns hovering around their nesting sites on the beach!

Least Tern flying over nest site

And along the way, I fell in love with Plum Island.  As of late, my eyes have been focused on the nesting habits of birds.  While none of the birds here were life birds, it was quite fulfilling to witness these birds on their breeding grounds. 

This sign made me so happy. There not only was a person watching over the nesting areas, but they were roped off with signs!  There have been many issues over this past year from states dealing with various endangered birds.  Two Whooping Cranes were shot in Louisiana in February.  A whole colony of nesting Least Terns in Florida were wiped out because several dog owners let their pooches off leashes on Disappearing Island.  It's not a bad thing to take the dog out for a walk, but here's why they should NEVER be allowed off their leashes in many areas........ 

Tiny and magical.....a baby Piping Plover!

Several small cotton balls caught my attention while on the beach. Now imagine a dog here and the damage it could do.

Piping Plover

I stood absolutely still as the little ones came running towards me. The endangered Piping Plovers!  Never in my life had I expected to observe the young ones running around on the beach!  I first saw these magnificent plovers in Florida this year at Bunche Beach.  We watched the parents protect these little ones on this very active beach.  And I realized it is a pretty dangerous world when you have hungry gulls flying around you or little kids not paying attention while they do what kids do:)   A Great black-backed gull flew nearby and chased these little ones to their parents. 

They called to their parents.  And their parents called back. Then the tiny Piping Plover turned towards the parent and.....

They both hid under the wings of their parent. That touching moment really made me feel something. I'm not one to overtly say "Awww", but this little scene reminded me that I do have a heart:)  The parent sat out in the middle of the beach, exposed, with the little ones clinging underneath the wings. The other parent observed from the nesting area.  If they needed to escape, the parent would call from the location and lead them back into the safety zone.  It was pretty cool to witness it all. With this particular plover, mother and father work as a team. 

I see human kids running around on the beach nearby and I want to place a magical force field around these birds to protect them, but sadly, I do not own this technology....yet.  I just have to trust that the person watching over the nesting Least Terns and Piping Plovers will warn the parents and their kids to look where they are running.  I hesitantly walk away from the scene.  

As the evening begins to set, we must continue our way down to Connecticut.  We stop along the way to count more birds. 

And I am granted a life bird.  The Eastern Towhee. 

Eastern Towhee

I wish I had more time, but there is only the time given.  That's it!  I feel I've made the best of my life, but I find myself frustrated that I get hungry or need to use the bathroom at times.  If I forget to drink, I get a headache!  Food, bathroom, people, transportation really use up a lot of time.  There were a lot of interesting people around the area.  However if we stopped to chat, we'd use up our daylight hours.  There is only one safe time to speak with a birder.  Unless they are owling, it's usually right after sunset.  You will have their attention for a couple hours before they fall quickly asleep as the next day is always an early one:)   

Birding is as beautiful as the Mute Swan. I won't get into the invasive part:) Plum Island is a must visit spot for the nature enthusiast.   Until next time....

For more birds from around the world, check out Wild Bird Wednesday. 

Mammalia

Gray Fox

We may love birds, but we're no dummies.  When a mammal, lizard, new plant, frog or bug shows up, we snap pics. And who can refuse those outlandish sunsets or epic landscapes? Our trip to New England was phenomenal in that we were able to observe so many wonderful mammals!

Red Squirrel

I will say that they are much easier to capture on camera than a bird:)  And sometimes while I'm behind the camera, I have to remember where I have my footing so that I don't fall into a pond or get too close to the large elk, bear or moose!  Just a little closer....and BAM! I have a squirrel on top of my head tearing the hair out! Can you tell that I have an active imagination?:)

Luckily, nature has been good to me.  No bear attacks or getting an antler jabbed into my belly.  The scariest encounters with mammals I've had have been with a mother Javelina and her babies!  It wasn't something I had been planning.  We just crossed paths together at the same time accidentally and in that moment, I thought "Oh $#%!".  

Porcupine

I've been mobbed by a nesting Northern Mockingbird in a parking lot.  And a Zone-tailed Hawk swooped down on my head when I accidentally got too close to her nest.  So for the most part, the trails have been kind to me:)

Red Fox

In Kathie's world, there are so many furry critters.  Everywhere we went, there was a new life mammal.  I had never seen a Groundhog or Weasel before!

Groundhog

But the most exciting find came from a secretive patch of forest near the New Hampshire/Maine border.  A big man in a teal rusty truck drove towards us and asked in strange drawl, "You folks wanna see a moose?!  There's one down this way feeding in the pond. " So we all looked at each other and forgot about birds for one brief moment and high tailed it down "the road" as quietly as we could.  Now the man must have said something to someone else because a noisy motorcycle from New York sped loudly in from behind us. 

Moose

Thankfully, he shut off his loud motor and we were able to observe this incredibly beautiful moment together.  For quite some time, we stood and just marveled at some classic New England beauty.  

A Chipmunk

I'm not sure which of the critters were my favorite because they were all so cool, but if I had to pick one.....

It would be the Gray Fox.  There is an intelligence with these creatures and many times while we were birding in Kathie's backyard, they'd come to visit us.  

So while mammals aren't our primary targets, they are still loved and admired.   Nature is awesome and should be enjoyed as a whole.  More to come....

A Birder's Bird

A quick note on this post today. If you're eating breakfast, lunch, etc, wait until after your done.  There's a fascinating nature pic in this  post, but I personally wouldn't want to be eating and reading at the same time on this photo journey. You've been warned:) So let's begin this birding adventure......

Beth explores the Alpine Garden

The day began well.  We met up with the lovely Beth Standard to find a bird that not only is hard to ID but also difficult to locate inside the dense evergreen forest.  The Bicknell's Thrush.  

Dark-eyed Junco

The night before, I researched field notes and sightings around the Mt. Washington area. Beth had gone on a field study of the birds some time back.  Together, we all hoped to locate this bird. 

Pic courtesy of Wikipedia

The Bicknell's Thrush is not by any means a dazzling bird.  There are no reds or blues or long tailed feathers. It's also a cryptic species in that it looks practically identical to another thrush known as the Gray-cheeked Thrush. However, the Bicknell's is smaller in size. And because it's practically unknown to the general public, it is known as the "Birder's Bird".  Or a bird that is of interest to birders.

Luckily, the Gray-cheeked Thrush was far north up into Canada and Alaska on their breeding grounds. The Bicknell's, however, breed in the highest mountains of the Northeast like Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and a place called Canada.  It's range is very limited and therefore the bird is listed as Vulnerable.  During the winter months, it lives in the higher altitudes of Cuba, Haiti and the Dominican Republic. 

A windy top!

But this experience, for me, was frustrating for so many reasons. This isn't a place I'd recommend for birders.  As the Mt. Washington Auto Road suggests, it's for people who like to drive to the top and back down again. The noise pollution interfered with my ability to listen to the very tricky call of the Bicknell's. Because this was a one time event, we had to locate the bird early and before other motorists arrived.  

Blackpoll Warbler....Life bird!!!  Field note: Orange legs and feet

We arrived to the entrance station where a very brassy guy moved to put Kathie's car into first gear.  She knew exactly where first gear was located and didn't need a man doing it for her!  The nerve! Oh but that was just the start. The sticker price for this trip was EXPENSIVE!!!   With 4 individuals, it was around 50 bucks.  In my mind, I'm thinking that this was ridiculous. For one bird!  Yet there were several of these special thrushes located around the 3.5 mile marker and we needed to get to that spot before they stopped calling.  There is a window for these birds....early morning or before sunset.  If we missed it, we would have dipped. 

Dark-eyed Junco around the alpine level

The other option is to hike the steep mountain sides super early in the morning, but our team was not up for that one.  

Along the way, we heard so many wonderful birds calling but we couldn't stop.  The 3.5 marker first.  Then bird.  Target birding is tricky business and can be frustrating at times. Also frustrating? Motor vehicles and very few pull offs in the wrong spots! If we tried to stop, there would be a car or motorcycle right behind us.  The forest was beautiful and the vista was incredible.  We eventually reached the marker and pulled over.  Immediately we were able to hear the thrushes calling.  It was around 8 AM.  But the question was, "Was it a Swainson's or Bicknell's calling?"  I had Veery and Hermit Thrushes nailed at this point.  We were too high for the Wood Thrush so I could eliminate that call.  

One of the most fascinating finds of the day.  It's gross and cool at the same time.  This one goes out to my friend Donna who has taught me to investigate everything with a careful eye.  The colorful beetles are known as Sexton beetles.  It's a Carrion or Burying beetle and I'll leave it at that.  

But the other two?  Eventually after their repetitive calling, we could hear the frequency difference. Plus the Swainson's has a call that goes up.  BUT THE CARS AND PEOPLE!!!  Random people would stop and say, "Seeing anything good?"  My anger and frustration began to rise.  Kathie, who is all things patient and good, took over and spoke with the drivers and their running cars.  This bird was an expensive gamble and I wanted to make sure we were hearing it.  

Eastern Phoebe

Once we positively ID'd the birds, we tried to locate them in the thick of the trees.  Beth, Micheal, and Kathie all were able to get their eyes on one or two. But I wasn't going to call the bird if I didn't get a glance at it.  I became quiet.  Kathie and Micheal know me best and they could feel that I wasn't doing well. I, of course, created this stupid drama inside my head. I can call an owl or nightjar by sound and count it, why couldn't I do this with the Bicknell's Thrush? Probably because there were two flitting around the Spruce and Balsam Fir trees! Oh I saw them flitting but I wanted detailed observations!  But the cars wouldn't stop! Not much makes me react, but the trip up this cheesy road with a stupid bumper sticker that said "This car climbed Mt. Washington" made my blood boil.  Really? Just how much effort does it take for a person to put their foot on a gas pedal all the way to the top? Absolutely stupid. Nothing says tacky like this sticker does.
  

I'd like to stick this somewhere

Further down the road, we stopped and hiked a side trail. It was here my moment with the Bicknell's would happen. I was still skeptical of the near lookalike known as Swainson. But I breathed a deep sigh of relief when I heard the bird call and saw the bird briefly fly mid-level on a tree.  It was like, "I'm here!  Don't stress!" And then it flew away back into the trees.  

Two thrushes.  Behavior, habitat and altitude can dictate everything.  The Bicknell's Thrush is located in the lower right hand corner and prefers mid to lower levels of the tree near the ground.  In the upper left?  A Swainson's Thrush.  It is a thrush that feeds higher up in the trees.  It also behaves similar to a flycatcher at times and that behavior alone separates itself from other thrushes. 

All of this drama for one bird. It really is a beautiful mountain with some epic landscape, but I will never go on this road again.  If someone wants to go hiking, I'm up for it.  The motorists and talkative, fast paced hikers along the trails really make the birding tough.  By the time you get your eye on a bird, somebody is rumbling by and there goes the bird.  For the hikers reading this post, this is an absolute MUST!  YES!  Great accommodations for you! New England was epic, but I can say that I will NEVER return to the Auto Road of Mt. Washington.  Everything else that followed was fun and exciting.  The Bicknell's Thrush definitely lives up to its' title.....A Birder's Bird.  

Hikers stop here for a steep climb up at Pinkham Notch Visitor Center.  Really nice place with showers, etc for the hiking crowd.  This is at the base of Mt. Washington.....a very different experience than the Auto Road. 

For an interesting video on the Bicknell's Thrush, click here. Like everything, the Bicknell's Thrush was an experience that won't be forgotten anytime soon.  I blog from the heart because that's what it's all about.  I know there will be more challenges ahead.  I can say that what came before and followed the Bicknell's experience was truly wonderful.  Stay tuned for more from our New England adventures.....