When You Do Something Good

 Warbling Vireo at Agua Caliente Park 9-4-13

Sometimes when you do something good, something good happens in return. Though I was not expecting a reward the day I took my grandson to school for his dad. My son had early meetings and did not have time to drop his son at school. It was a task I was happy to do, but since my grandson’s school is so close to Agua Caliente Park it only made sense to me to bring along my camera and binoculars and go for a short walk and do a quick bird count. I thought I would stay at the park about twenty to thirty minutes and then get home and back to work. I had so much to do before leaving for our trip to Utah and Yellowstone National Park. After a quick good-bye I was on my way.

Wednesday, September 4th was a hot and sunny day. As I drove into the park I was surprised by the lack of people and cars in the parking lot. So many times lately when I have birded here this place has been so busy! Now it was mostly quiet except for a couple of workers doing grounds keeping. As I put on my binocular harness and donned my hat and camera a stiff breeze blew helping to mitigate the heat of the day. Already I can hear bird calls and songs. I look beneath a nearby lime tree where I find a pair of young cardinals bathing in the irrigation water beneath the tree. The male flew up soaking wet to the top of the tree while the female heads for the shade of a nearby mesquite tree. The mesquite tree is part of a cluster of foliage that includes palms and other bushes and trees that line the stream and runs from the spring to the pond. The thick foliage casts a cool dark shade over the area and draws me and the birds to its canopy. This area is very active and I soon spot my first MacGillivry’s warbler of the year.

Poking around in this same vegetation I find Warbling Vireos, Canyon and Abert’s Towhees, Western Tanagers, and a Black Phoebe (pictured above)! While the sun blazes above, this area is nothing but cools greens and grays. I cross the now dry stream bed in search of the birds I am hearing.

Out in the bright sunshine again I see a pair of Cedar Waxwings near the entrance to Agua Caliente Park perched in a dead snag. Gila Woodpeckers call and fly from tree to tree. Purple Martins soar on darkened wings against the clear blue sky chattering amicably to one another in flight. These are the sights and sounds that make me happy and bring me peace.

But the heat of the sun causes me to seek the shade once again. As I near the edge of the pond I am amazed to find a Yellow-breasted Chat working its way up through a tree. This bird is very silent for a chat, but a chat nonetheless and the first time I have ever seen this species at this location! It quickly becomes apparent to me that I will be staying here longer than twenty minutes! There are birds everywhere! While I am enjoying my time alone, I also wish that Chris Rohrer could be here because I know that he would be going nuts over all these birds! However, I decide to relax and enjoy the peacefulness and the rush of excitement each time I see another bird!

Western Tanagers were everywhere!

 

I hear the scolding of a House Wren, then find the tiny gray bird in the reeds!

 

In a nearby tree I spot a Ladder-backed Woodpecker!

It just kept getting better! There are not many ducks in the pond, though, just the typical mallards. I did happen to see a Great Blue Heron rise on ponderous wings when I first arrived, but I do not even find a coot on this day. I work my way across the lawn and past the old farm house to the trail beyond that leads into the mesquite bosque. All is still in the soft green-gray shade as branches reach across the path and form an speckled tunnel.

So many times I have wandered down this path searching for the elusive Northern Beardless Tyrannulet. I searched for it with Chris Rohrer on the first day I met him here. Earlier this spring Gordon Karre and I searched for it twice on the same day with no luck. I have looked for it on my own. A couple of weeks ago Gus and I came on a Sunday morning and sat at a picnic table by the pink house and the abandoned nest for 40 minutes hoping to see the bird, but still with no luck. The Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet had become my nemesis bird. I have been looking for it since I first moved to Tucson and became an eBirder over 6 years ago. Now I heard something! It was something different! I moved slowly and waited. There was no one but me on the path. Tiny birds moved through the thick twigs as if I did not exist. I felt as if the whole world was holding its breath, and then I saw this:

 Could it be true?

Then it flew into view and there was no mistaking it!

A Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet!

*Life Bird Number 458!

And while the tyrannulet flutters around me I also find a Nashville Warbler and another McGillivry’s! I don’t know who to watch or photograph first!

But the Tyrannulets make it easy for me when they come even closer as if to inspect me! Yes, there are more than one! Wow! What a way to conquer a nemesis bird! I had arrived at Aqua Caliente Park around 8:30 AM. By now it is after 10 and the temperature is rising. As I gaze at the birds through my bins a mom and her little son came walking down the path. They want to know if the path continues in a loop and I tell them that it does. I am happy to see this mom taking her son out to enjoy nature, but I am hot, tired and thirsty. I realize that it is time for me to go. So, I turn and begin my walk back to the car. As I emerge from the bosque trail onto the grounds of the park I spot a small sparrow in the grass.

A juvenile Chipping Sparrow!

What a way to end my morning of birding at Agua Caliente Park! When I left the house this morning I never expected this. And while I will always be more than happy to help out my son and give my grandson a ride to school I can’t help but think that finding the tyrannulet was my reward for the day and anyone who saw me could tell by my smile how happy I was! I carried that contentment and satisfaction around in my heart for the rest of the day like a tiny chirping bird!

Birding Agua Caliente Park

Time of arrival: 8:30 AM

Total Time Birding: 2 hours 17 minutes

Distance Traveled: 1/2 mile

Birds seen at Agua Caliente Park on September 4, 2013:

1. Mallards-13
2. Great Blue Heron-1
3. Turkey Vulture-2
4. red-tailed hawk-1
5. Mourning Dove-2
6. Broad-billed Hummingbird-3
7. Gila Woodpecker-12
8. Ladder-backed Woodpecker-1
9. American kestrel-1
10. *Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet-2
11. Black Phoebe-2
12. Vermillion flycatcher-2
13. Bell’s Vireo-1
14. Warbling Vireo-6
15. Purple martin-6
16. Verdin-8
17. House Wren-1
18. Bewick’s Wren-1
19. Cactus Wren-2
20. Curve-billed thrasher-1
21. Cedar Waxwing-2
22. Nashville Warbler-1 (FOTY)
23. MacGillivry’s Warbler-3 (FOTY)
24. Wilson’s Warbler-8
25. Yellow-breasted Chat-1
26. Green-tailed Towhee-1
27. Canyon Towhee-2
28. Abert’s Towhee-2
29. Chipping Sparrow-1
30. summer Tanager-1
31. Western Tanager-8
32. Northern Cardinal-2
33. House Finch-6
34. Lesser Goldfinch-14

*Life Bird-a bird species a birder has seen for the first time in their life. Most birders keep a Life List of all the bird species they have seen and I am no different! (Click on the link to see posts about other Life Birds I have found.)

The Burrowing Owls of the Parking Lot

 Burrowing Owls 9-2-13

On the south side of town is a parking lot well known to birders where a family of Burrowing Owls has made its home in one of the drainage slots in the parking lot. I had been here once before trying to find them with no luck, but it was during the week on a busy day. Today was Labor Day and NO ONE was here…except the owls! My sweet husband drove me there in his Camaro Convertible so it was easy for us to stay in the car and use it as a blind. He parked the car and I took my shots but I also just sat there and watched the birds through my binoculars. It is a rare chance indeed to get this close to these birds. At first we only saw three birds but then…

 

 

…a fourth little bird popped out! What a cute family!

I wonder if there are anymore in there?

While I have already seen burrowing owls earlier this year on the Santa Cruz Flats in Pinal County, seeing them here put them on my Pima County List for the year.

Water, Mud and Birds at Perry Park

 Michael Perry Park view of Rincon Mountains 7-6-13

On Friday, July 5th the monsoon let loose on Tucson. Gus and I spent most of the day inside but by evening the rain had tapered off and I wanted to see the after affects of the storm. We jumped in Gus's car and in little over a mile were stopped by the barricades and flash flooding on Harrison Road where the Pantano Wash crosses it. We were not the only ones out looking. Other cars were parked and people were taking pictures of the raging water that tumbled brown and frothy across the road. The air was thick with moisture and a few clouds still hung overhead, but the storm itself had moved on, or petered out.

 Palo Verde down at Perry Park 7-6-13

The sun was setting as we drove away and headed west on Golf Links Road. As we drove west we could hear and then see emergency vehicle headed towards us. We wondered where they were going and suspected perhaps to a swift water rescue. After a drive around the streets, I asked Gus to drive me over to Michael Perry Park. I wanted to see the wash flooded as this would be my first time being there when the water was raging. It was dark by now and as we headed east on Golf Links road we had to cross the bridge over the wash before we could turn into the park. As we neared the intersection I looked to my right and saw the road was blocked by the emergency vehicles! All along the trail there were ambulances and fire engines. Instead of turning in, we drove right by then stopped for an ice cream cone a bit farther down the road. From where we parked I could see a helicopter circling overhead and shining a spotlight down on the wash. It wasn’t until the late news came on that I found out what had happened. Apparently some woman decided it would be okay to take her dog for a walk in the flooded wash but then she got stuck on one of the sand bars as the water started to rise. Thankfully she and the dog were safely rescued, but I couldn’t help but wonder who would take their dog for a walk in an already flooded wash?

After an hour or so the drama was over, so I asked Gus to drive me over to the Pantano Parkway so I could looks at the raging torrent. by now it was very dark and most everyone had gone home. There was no one in the parking lot where we stopped and got out to looks at the current illuminated by the street lights. I was fascinated by the tossing waves and tumbling debris carried by such force. I have walked along this wash so many times with its sand and dry brush. Birds, rabbits, lizards and coyotes all live in this wash. But tonight it looks like a raging river. Water in the desert always amazes me and it seems like a miracle, even though this water was brown and frothy.

So it was that on Saturday morning I got up and drove over to the park by myself. Gus was sleeping in and I wanted to see if there was still any water in the wash.

To my utter surprise, no only was the water gone, but there were already people, kids and dogs running around in the wash again!

Still, the remnants of last night’s flood were still visible.

The water left mud patterns everywhere.

A small alluvial fan of sand.

Mud patterns left by the flash flood in the Pantano Wash.

Since there wasn’t much water, I decided to count the birds, but then, you knew I would do that, didn’t you? I found an Ash-throated Flycatcher munching on on bug in a bush by the baseball fields.

I head a verdin calling form one of the pine trees and looked up to find this Verdin nest. As I stood there photographing the nest I noticed something else even higher in the tree.

What is THAT, I thought?

I don’t think the Cooper’s hawk liked me watching it, so I moved on. It was so hot out and I did not want to chase it off its shady perch.

There was little shade for this Zebra-tailed lizard as it scurried across my path!

Finally I found a pool of water leftover from the flash flood.

 

Though it was fun to look at the reflection in the pool, I knew it would not last long in this heat. Before long Pantano Wash would be a dry wash once again.

As I headed back to the parking lot I started to melt from the humidity. I knew I needed to get out of the sun and head home. A small flycatcher landed on the railing before me. A quick look revealed a juvenile Vermilion flycatcher. Between the monsoon rain, the flash flooding, and the birds I was seeing, there was no doubt that I was back in the Sonoran Desert in summer. I watched as a few Barn Swallows swooped over the wash catching insects in mid flight. As I headed to the parking lot and anticipating the cool air-conditioning in my car a male Vermilion Flycatcher fly by and landed on the tip of an ocotillo. It always amazes me how they can do that, perch among the thorns, but they do. And since I like to be amazed, it seems like I live in the right place. It was as if the desert was saying, “Welcome Home Kathie!”

Male Vermillion Flycatcher in Michael Perry Park 7-6-13

 

And Mom Said we Could!

I remember a thunderstorm

A day when we played in the mud

And Mom said we could!

I remember sliding,

Gliding in

Black sticky ooze

And laughing, laughing

All of us laughing,

And Mom said we could!

And my brothers

And sister and I

Were all one

In the fun

Of the sticky, black oozing mud,

And Mom said we could!

~kathiesbirds (12 May 1988)

A Big Day of Big January Birding

 Pacific Loon at Christopher Columbus Park in Tucson 1-19-13

January 19 ended up being one of the biggest birding days of the whole month for me. Little did I know that before the day was over I would drive over 150 miles and find two Life Birds! My day started early when I arrived at Chris Rohrer’s house before dawn. After picking him up we headed northwest to pick up another birding friend, Rich Hoyer. Rich led the Tucson Valley Christmas Bird Count and we offered to take him birding with us sometime. Well, today was the day.

Our primary objective was to bird the Santa Cruz Flats, but when we heard there was a vagrant Pacific Loon spotted at Christopher Columbus Park, we decided to head there first. The early morning light was soft and beautiful as we quickly climbed out of the car and headed for the lake. We met other birders along the shore and they pointed out the loon to us which was swimming just off shore. While Rich chatted with the birders for a few minutes, Chris and I were off and snapping, trying to get the best photos we possibly could!

As the elegant bird floated by I could not believe what I was seeing. This was yet another bird I thought that I would never see in my lifetime! This bird belongs in the Pacific Ocean, yet here it was floating right in front of my very eyesin a small lake in the desert of Tucson! I could not believe how delicate and refined its bill seemed compared to the angular chunky bill of a Common Loon. I took almost 80 shots of this gorgeous bird. What a way to start our day!

Then, a Common Merganser took wing and ran on the water right in front of us!

 

A Great Egret settled into a pine for some morning sun…

 

…But a Great Blue heron decided it wanted that roost!

 

A brief fight ensued,

 

and the heron chased the egret away.

 

While the Great Blue Heron and the Great Egret bickered over the roost, a Black-crowned Night Heron flew into the same tree and settled in for his morning nap! After walking around the rest of the pond and counting all the blackbirds, ducks, coots, and sparrows we could find we headed back to our car. As we neared the parking lot a little Ruby-crowned Kinglet flew into a nearby mesquite tree and with a little bit of coaxing we got a very good look at him! As we climbed into the car I realized that our Big Day was just beginning! I pointed the car north and we headed for I-10 and the Red Rock exit just south of Picacho Peak. We counted 26 species of birds at Christopher Columbus Park and I added 2 species to my Big January Bird Count: Pacific Loon (Life Bird!) and Neotropic Cormorant!

Big January 

Our Big Day of Big January birding continues tomorrow at the Santa Cruz Flats!

And if Big January wasn’t enough,

the Great Backyard Bird Count is this weekend!

Will you be counting birds?

Big January 2013 Day 2

 American Kestrel 1-2-2013 Lakeside Park

Day two of Big January found me at Lakeside Park in Tucson. Not only is it a town park, it is also an eBird Hotspot. You never know what will show up here. But today there were just the usual suspects. However, since this was a new year with a new list, I needed the usual suspects!

So I added a Say’s Phoebe…

 

…as well as a Bronzed cowbird!

 

I found a few Brewer’s Blackbirds…

 

…as well as Brown-headed Cowbirds!

As you can see, it was a sparkling blue winter’s day. I also found great-tailed grackles and red-winged blackbirds. Lakeside Park is a great place to go for blackbirds. I got every species there except yellow-headed blackbirds. This was just a short birding trip close to my house. I really needed to get ready for tomorrow when Chris Rohrer and I are heading for Whitewater Draw Cochise County. Tomorrow will be a very long day!

(Click on the link below to read all posts related to this subject.)

Big January