Birding Dawn ‘till Dusk Day 5 San Pedro House

Wilson’s Warbler San Pedro River Sierra Vista 4-11-10

Sunday was probably the best day of birding for Kathryn and I.  We drove to Sierra Vista first thing in the morning and made our first stop San Pedro house on the San Pedro River just east of Sierra Vista on Highway 90.

Though it looks like snow falling through the air as Kathryn raises her bins to check out a black-chinned hummingbird, it is really cotton from the towering cottonwood trees that surround San Pedro House.  The house itself is a gift shop with information about the area as well as books and other gifts.

We find several white-crowned sparrows feeding at the feeders or hiding in the brush…

…along with female red-winged blackbirds and white-winged doves!

Birds seen at San Pedro House:

Location: San Pedro House
Observation date: 4/11/10
Notes: Birding at the house area with Kathryn
Number of species: 15
 
White-winged Dove 6
Mourning Dove 14
Black-chinned Hummingbird 14
Rufous Hummingbird 1
Gila Woodpecker 1
European Starling 2
Yellow Warbler 2
Green-tailed Towhee 2
Lark Bunting 4
White-crowned Sparrow 24
Pyrrhuloxia 2
Red-winged Blackbird 40
House Finch 7
Lesser Goldfinch 16
House Sparrow 12
 
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)

San Pedro River Trail

We followed this trail out towards the river where the trees appear as a flowing green ribbon in the dry brown grass… ..and yellow warblers sing from catkins like gold confetti against an azure sky.

  Ruby-crowned kinglets flutter from the treetops… …while Wilson’s warblers stay low in the willows along the wash…

..and this surprise flew over our heads and landed in the tree above us.  We craned our necks trying to figure this beauty out.  I took several photos of it as I was unsure of what I was seeing and I also noticed the bird had a band on its right leg.  After studying the photos and consulting several bird guides I have concluded it is a Fox sparrow but if you think I am wrong, please tell me and tell me why you think it!

The trees were full of vireos and this one is a Cassin’s as it has the spectacles and the yellow wash along its sides. We saw so many birds here and we had a great time.  We left shortly after noontime and headed over to Ramsey canyon which is really a short drive away.  What a Birdy Day!

Species seen at San Pedro house along the San Pedro River Trail:

Location: San Pedro House
Observation date: 4/11/10

Notes: w/Kathryn - trail from house down to Green Kingfisher Pond then up along the river back to house.
Number of species: 23

Mallard (Mexican) 3
Turkey Vulture 3
White-winged Dove 2
Gila Woodpecker 5
Ladder-backed Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 1
Vermilion Flycatcher 12
Cassin's Kingbird 1
Western Kingbird 1
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 2
White-breasted Nuthatch 3
Canyon Wren 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 6
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1
Yellow Warbler 7
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) 5
Common Yellowthroat 5
Wilson's Warbler 2
Green-tailed Towhee 1
Song Sparrow 2
White-crowned Sparrow 1
House Finch 2
Lesser Goldfinch 8

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)

And that’s…

My World Tuesday!

Oklahoma Birding With TR Ryan

Harris sparrow photo by Gusto! 3-18-10

The sun shines brightly on us as we drive into Oklahoma City to TR Ryan’s house. TR writes the blog, From the Faraway, Nearby. His blog is full of wonderful photography, exotic places, and of course, birds.  I first met TR last year at the New River Birding Festival.  then, last fall he came to AZ to visit me.  We spent 3 days birding all over southeast Arizona before he continued his trip back home to Oklahoma. Now he is eager to show me the birds in his state.

TR Ryan and Gus 3-18-10 (Photo by Kathie)

We are greeted warmly and TR shows us the room where we will sleep.  My it looks so comfy!

We eat a delicious lunch with TR, then gather our gear and head out the door to our first birding destination, Lake Hefner.  TR has heard that a yellow-billed loon has been seen in this area and we are going to try to find it!

However, the Lake is surrounded by trees and some of the first birds we see are forest species like this Carolina chickadee…

…and these Cedar Waxwings. We travel around the lake spotting geese and gulls. We find grebes and common loons.  We find coots galore, but no yellow-billed loon.

TR Ryan and Kathie posing in front of the lake.

We record 30 species of birds here before heading to our next destination, Stinchcomb Wildlife Refuge. I am basking in the sunny warmth of this day after having endured five days of gray and cold. Now as we had down the trail I am on the alert for one species in particular.  I mentioned that the one bird I really wanted to see on this trip was the Red-headed woodpecker.  I picked up that species in Alabama.  Now I have a new target bird for Oklahoma.  We hear a rustling in the underbrush and stop to see what we can see.

Who is this peeking at us through a tangle of vines…can it possibly be?

Yes indeed!  It is my target species, a Harris Sparrow!  Life Bird number 375! Gus gets many good pictures for me.

We wander down this wooded road in search of other birds, but it is surprisingly quiet.  I am amazed by the red clay.  I did not know Oklahoma was red. I think of the west when I see red rocks and red clay, but here I am on a dirt road in Oklahoma with my husband and my friend walking on red clay earth.

We count only 24 species of birds at this location but combined with a short drive down a nearby road to what is known as Rose Lake we pick up an additional 10 species.

We end the day in a small Oklahoma town named Okarche at Eichen’s Bar where they sell the best fried chicken in the state.  In fact, it is so good that it is practically the only option on the menu! The place is packed and we have to wait our turn for a table. There are no assigned seats, so we hover around the dining areas hoping someone will finish and leave so we can grab their seat. Finally it is our turn and we are seated at a long table with strangers all around us.  This is very different for Gus and I, stoic New Englanders who like our privacy and personal space. One one side a family sits with their kids, a young boy of about 7 peering past us at the electronic video games beyond.  On the other side a group of adult sits.  The women engages us in friendly conversation.  This is all a new experience for us.  Then, the “waiter” brings us sheets of what looks like wax paper for our dishes and a basket of white bread and some pickles.  When the fried chicken arrives it comes in a basket and you grab it with your hands and eat.  This is primitive eating. Nothing fancy here. We hesitate, then dig in. To my utter surprise, Gus actually likes it!  He is usually opposed to eating any meat that comes attached to a bone, and he never eats with his fingers, but we have fun and leave there full and satisfied.

It is dark by the time we return to TR’s house. Gus falls asleep quickly while TR and I go over bird lists and pictures from the day. Then, its time for both of us to get to bed.  We have another full day ahead of us tomorrow.

and That’s…

My World Tuesday!

Bird Counting in Kentucky

Trees near the hotel in Oak Grove, KY 3-15-10

The sun shone brightly as we left the hotel in Texarkana, AR and headed east to Oak Grove, KY. I watch for birds out the windows as Gus drives. The landscape before me amazes me. I had expected to hate Arkansas and instead I am delighted! This place is beautiful! I watch as creeks flow through woodlands, and green fields roll to the horizon. So much of what I see reminds me of New England where I grew up. Even as the clouds gather and the light dims, I enjoy the drive across Arkansas.

We get off the interstate highway in Tennessee and travel the back roads through small towns to Oak Grove. The hotel we booked is a dive with holes in the walls and the sheets and dusty old pillows. It is late at night when I finally see the place and I am so tired that I just fell into bed. I was thinking of asking Gus to switch hotels in the morning no matter how much it cost. However, I awaken early this to the sounds of birds outside my window. Dressing quickly and warmly I exit my room on the second floor to a vacant lot before me and agricultural fields rolling away towards the road.

 

The vacant lot and the agricultural field are separated by a hedgerow with tall trees and brush. In the vacant lot the weeds and grasses have grown wild and untamed, the fields are mowed short and turning green. A large puddle has formed at the edge of the dirt in the vacant lot, and all the trees and bushes and grass are full of birds. At that monument I decide I will stay in this room. I want to see the birds!

Of course, my primary reason for being here is to see Alex, Diane and the new baby, but I did my research on eBird before arriving here and I know that NO ONE has counted birds in Christian county KY so far this year. Every bird I count matters. It may be the only data that eBird gets for this county this year! I already have my bins on with my pen and notebook in hand. Though the day is gray and drippy and cold, I stand on the second floor balcony and count birds. I quickly discover that this set-up is perfect. The balcony acts as a blind. The birds are used to people walking by under the rooftop, and so do not flee when they see me.

I hear field sparrows calling from the weeded field. I see cardinals, robins, starlings and house sparrows. I count a song sparrow, a killdeer and an eastern meadowlark. Then, in the midst of all the other sounds I think I hear a bob white call! I scan the agricultural fields looking for movement. I listen to hear it call again, but it never does. Was it my imagination? I do not have Bob White on my life list, though I grew up hearing and seeing that species as a child in Connecticut. How I would love to see that bird. But though I wait and wait, I do not see that bird today, or any other day while I am here.

When Gus gets up we drive onto Main Street looking for someplace to eat breakfast. Gus notices a large flock of turkeys in the field. He turns the car around for me and parks on the side of the road and I count birds.

We find a local restaurant called G’s Pancake house. We decide to eat there because we call our oldest son “G.” I count the birds in the parking lot on our way into and out of the diner. Since we sit near a window, I count the birds from there. I see mourning doves, a mockingbird, a blue jay, 2 crows, 4 starlings, 10 common crackles and 3 house sparrows.

We stop at Wal-mart on the way to Alex’s house. I count 1 ring-billed gull, 2 killdeer, 1 robin, 1 mockingbird, 3 red-winged blackbirds, 5 starlings, 10 house sparrows and 30 rock pigeons there. All day long, where ever I am, I count birds in Oak Grove, Kentucky. Over the course of our 3 days I see blue birds, turkey and black vultures. I see mourning doves and blackbirds everywhere. Monday is our last morning here. Alex had to go back to work this morning but he will be home for 1 ½ hours at lunchtime. So, while he is at work and Gus is sleeping in, I finally decide to get down off the balcony and take a walk in the fields.

The sky is gray as it has been every day that we have been here. Though my pictures won’t be great, I take my camera with me anyways and walk quietly along the hedgerow. Cardinals and sparrows fill the foliage. Blackbirds line the utility wires or feed in the field. I still hope to find a Bob White, but no luck. The earth is damp and soft beneath my feet. The misty air makes me feels as if I am moving in a dream. All my senses are on alert and I watch and listen for birds. I find white-crowned sparrows and song sparrows. I see and hear field sparrows. A killdeer calls and then flies by. Eastern meadowlarks sing from a weed and an eastern towhee appears briefly in the brush before me. I find Carolina wrens singing in the trees, and then a hawk flies over my head and lands in the tall trees near the hotel.

 

 

At first I think it is a Cooper’s Hawk with its long and banded tail, but after I see the photographs I am doubtful. Is it a red-shouldered hawk? I haven’t decided yet. If you think you know, please tell me! Whichever species it is, I believe it is a juvenile due to the vertical streaking on the breast. At the far end of the field I near a marshy area I find a fox sparrow, and then a swamp sparrow! I have been gone quite awhile and I sense it is time to head back. My journey across the field was slow, but now I walk briskly back to our room. I know it is time to go and say good-bye.

We savor the last hours with our son and his wife and our new little grand-daughter. I carry her outside with my bins hoping to infuse her with this love of nature and birds. Then we gather on the front porch for family photos and hug and say good-bye. I will not cry. Not now. Alex will be going to war soon. I do not know when I will see him again. But for his sake, I do not cry. I choke, but I do not cry.

Gus stops at the gas station near the highway to fill the tank for our trip to Alabama. It will only take us 3 hours to get there. While he gets gas, I count birds. I will not cry. 1 turkey vulture, 2 killdeer, 1 red-winged blackbird, 2 starlings, 2 rock pigeons, 2 house sparrows, my last count in Kentucky. I will not cry.

In the end I added counted 29 species in several locations in Oak Grove Kentucky.  For the moment they are the only birds counted in Christian county, KY.  I do hope that some one out there will add to this information.  You may not think your one little birding list will matter, but it does!

Birds seen in Christian County, KY March 12-15, 2010:

1. Killdeer
2. American Robin
3. Mourning dove
4. European Starling
5. Field sparrow
6. Song sparrow
7. Northern Cardinal
8. red-winged blackbird
9. Eastern meadowlark
10. House sparrow
11. Wild turkey
12. Turkey vulture
13. Blue Jay
14. American Crow
15. Northern Mockingbird
16. common Grackle
17. Ring-billed gull
18. rock Pigeon
19. Eastern bluebird
20. House finch
21. Red-tailed hawk
22. Black vulture
23. Cooper’s hawk*
24. tufted titmouse
25. Carolina Wren
26. Eastern Towhee
27. Fox Sparrow
28. Swamp Sparrow
29. White-crowned sparrow

*This data will change if it is determined this is a red-shouldered hawk or some other species.

What I Found While Searching for Birds

Thursday's Survey of Sycamore Canyon ( January 24)

I am determined to survey the birds in the canyon today. It has been a long time since I walked the 2 mile length of the road and counted birds. Trying to compete for the Big January total with Larry of the Brownstone Birding Blog has prompted me to go out even more than normal. Plus, since I have started eBirding I am having more fun than ever adding new totals to my life list. So, at 9:45 a.m. under mostly sunny skies I head out the door complete with binoculars, notebook and water. I leave the D80 home because I want to focus on identifying and counting species, instead of photographing them. However, I do have my Nikon Coolpix in my pocket for any impromptu photographs.

I don’t have to go far before spotting a Rock Wren bouncing on the block walls along Rustling Leaf Trail. In the brush nearby a small flock of sweet-faced Brewers’ sparrows flies up. I cut across the desert to the main road hoping I might see a cactus wren or some black-throated sparrow, but all I see is an abandoned cactus wren nest in a spiny cholla cactus.

Out on the road I scan the desert for birds. I spot a lump on a tree that looks like a bird of prey. Sure enough, a Cooper’s hawk is perched near a wash watching for something to fill its belly. Farther down the road I hear some twittering. I look up to the retention basin near the Meritage neighborhood and see many small birds hopping about and scratching in the grass. Slowly I creep up to the fence and watch. Scattered about the wash under various trees and shrubs the little sparrows are searching for breakfast. I find some black-throated sparrows here, along with white-crowned sparrows and Rufous-winged sparrows. I saw my first Rufous-winged yesterday on a road called Garigans Gulch. I had suspected I have seen this species here before, but it is a new species for me and required further study. Now I am confident as I spot the two dark whisker marks flanking the lighter throat. An eye-line bisects the face and the sparrows raise their striped Rufous crest. While the breast is unstreaked, the rufous wing patch on the bird’s shoulder isn’t always visible. Today I am at a good angle and the bird is quite close, so I am able to see it. How exciting! This is another new life bird for me. Now I am wishing I had brought the D80!

The canyon is alive with bird today. I spot my first yellow-rumped warbler in this location as well. Farther down the road at the juncture of Harrison and Sycamore Leaf the sidewalk is alive with small birds hopping about. I freeze at the corner and train my binoculars on the birds. So many sparrows! Black-throats and Brewer’s are easy to pick out. There are a few more Rufous-winged sparrows also, but here are more species that I am uncertain of. If I only had that camera I could photograph them and figure them out at home. I start to scribble notes, but switching back and forth from binoculars to writing is awkward. Then a huge construction truck drives by and the birds flee to the desert. Once they’ve taken wing I realize there are far more than I thought there were as a flock of fifty plus birds flies up and then down into the grasses and brush, too far away for me to see them anymore.

By now I’ve been at this for almost 2 hours. Once again I am tired, hungry and cold as the clouds have moved in once again along with the wind and the drop in temperature. I turn around at the last wash before Sahuarita road where I find two mockingbirds eating hackberries from the tree that hangs over the wash. This is one of my favorite places to come to. It reminds me of my grandfather’s pasture from when I was a child. Though he wouldn’t have cactus in Connecticut, there’s still something familiar about the feel of the land, the rustling of the leaves and of course, the cow pies, for this area is fenced off for cattle and sometimes I see them here, though I have no idea what they find to eat! I will come back one day and sit here to think and feel this desert feeling, this wooded spot alongside the road. It is a vignette of a time and place long gone for me, but this spot brings me back and reminds me that it once existed and I was once young. I set out to go birding but found a memory instead. Not a bad deal, don’t you think?

Big January Total: 67. Rufous- Winged Sparrow. 68. Canyon Towhee, 69. Cassin’s Sparrow