Prescott, Yavapai County, Arizona [Fain Park, Watson Lake & Riparian Preserve and Goldwater Lake Park]

Wednesday, October 25, 2017
With daily desert temperatures still reaching into the mid-90s, it felt good to start birding at Fain Park in Prescott, feeling the chill of 51°F. at 8 a.m.

Sparrows were all over the grass in front of the parking lot: CHIPPING, BREWER’S and WHITE-CROWNED while DARK-EYED JUNCOs ran out and back from beneath the bushes. 

It took a finch to stop us in our tracks. Although we had counted many HOUSE FINCH, these two were definitely different.
These birds lacked the crimson cap and pale reddish throat and breast of the male, but carried the well-defined brown ear patch, stripes running from throat down over the belly all the way to the tail, and thick pointed bill (with no curved culmen) of the female. Note also the forked tail.

Female CASSIN'S FINCH - note the slightly raised crest 
A second CASSIN'S FINCH (female)
Nothing like such a good bird to jump start our birding after rolling out of bed in the wee hours of the morning.
Waterfall at the pond in Fain Park
Although the lake was bereft of any waterfowl, other birds were out and about in a big way. A couple WOODHOUSE’S SCRUB JAYS; a RED-TAILED HAWK perched on a pole by the parking lot; RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETs chattering; an AMERICAN ROBIN at the top of a tree that had lost its leaves that high up; CANYON TOWHEEs scratching the dirt; and a stealthy CRISSAL THRASHER also moving about through the bottom of the shrubs.

We saw both of the CASSIN'S FINCH again as we walked the trails.

Female CASSIN'S FINCH - out in the sunlight
RED-TAILED HAWK 

With Kathe Anderson leading to three separate locations for our birding today, seven of us had joined her to find out what birds might be present in Prescott this time of year.  Other birders were: Dana, Mary Joy, Barbara, Sue, Usha, Jean and me.


Off, then, to our second and longest birding venture, we explored Watson Lake and Riparian Preserve. 

Beauty in a duck. I can never quite get over seeing them. In a pond surrounded by trees in the riparian area were WOOD DUCK swimming about in the shaded confines of a fairly large pond. Not one, but ten (10) of them.

Male and two female WOOD DUCK
Female WOOD DUCK with white tear drop eye liner

Two males and a female WOOD DUCK
Male WOOD DUCK

Emerging from the Watson Woods trail, we started on the Peavine Trail along the edge of Watson Lake. Fortunately I had carried my spotting scope that enabled us to correctly identify distant birds including the WESTERN GREBE.  Although a Clark's Grebe would have been a welcome sight, it wasn't in the portion of the lake we birded. We walked two miles in 2.5 hours, stopping for the birds beside us on the trail...in the shrubs, grasses, on fences and in the mostly dead sunflower stalks.

LESSER GOLDFINCH (female)
CHIPPING SPARROW  (dark spots in the blue sky are gnats!)
At lake's edge near our trail, many NORTHERN PINTAIL were preening. Sometimes, it's fun to learn birds by trying to ID the other birds in a flock. In addition to one AMERICAN COOT, are five (5) NORTHERN SHOVELER in the group shown below.

Mostly NORTHERN PINTAIL
At another muddy edge, GREEN-WINGED TEAL were also preening.

GREEN-WINGED TEAL
GREAT BLUE HERON
With eight pair of eyes spotting birds, we managed to identify 39 species at this location.
As we headed back to the parking lot, we marveled at the woods within which the WOOD DUCKS were secluded.

WATSON WOODS
Then, we headed off to GOLDWATER LAKE PARK.
ACORN WOODPECKERs announced themselves immediately. They appeared to be very busy gathering acorns and storing them for colder weather.

ACORN WOODPECKER living up to its name

Tree filled with holes and Acorns! Top to bottom!
Ushta spotted a BALD EAGLE flying in over Goldwater Lake. We watched it perch on a distant tree. Yay!

 Little birds delight us as much as the big ones, so when a WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH zipped from branch to branch to ground to water's edge, we were captivated.

WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH on concrete below a picnic table
Don't know what the WBNU found to eat at the picnic area, but it needed a drink afterwards.
It had been wonderful. Wrapping up our birding by mid-day enabled us to return to our respective homes in the desert of Phoenix Valley just before the crush of commuter traffic. The excitement of the birds, the Acorn Woodpeckers' stashing of so many treasures (are we in for a cold cold winter?), the enjoyment of one another's company - all added up to a very fine day in the out-of-doors!

* * *
Links below take you to my eBird list for each location including some photos.

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S40123918
View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S40124071




Posted by at No comments:

Catch-up Blog from Recent Birding Areas (Gila & Maricopa Counties, AZ)

A few photos from two of my recent birding trips:
#1
From Pinal Mountains, Globe, Gila County, Az with Dave Pearson and Jennifer Werrell on Saturday, October 21st, when my list reached a total of 68 species. We birded Russell Road, Kellner Canyon and Pioneer Pass. Photos in the mountains don’t always work out well for me but here are two from which the birds can be identified.

RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER
Red-naped Sapsucker. Female has a small patch of white just below the base of its bill followed by red feathering, all outlined with thin line of black feathers. She also has just a few red feathers on the back of her neck (nape) while the male has full red there as well as on its throat.

OLIVE WARBLER - MALE
This late in October, it doesn’t seem to be too much of a stretch to call the male’s head, throat and upper chest, pumpkin colored. Add its mask— and, voila!
Halloween Bird.
Due to the scientists not knowing its full relationship to the other wood warblers, the Olive Warbler is sometimes listed separately from the other warblers in field guides and/or on checklists.

OLIVE WARBLER - MALE

#2
From Salt River-Granite Reef Recreation Center, Mesa, Maricopa County, Az with Ann Rhodes and Lindsay Schonberger on Monday, October 23rd, we spotted a total of 45 species.

Our first bird really got us going. It’s not everyday a Red-breasted Nuthatch shows up at the river!  Too dark for decent photos, I’m posting one I took in the Pinal Mountains just a few days’ previous since the bird and its behavior look the same.

RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH
Small short-tailed bird; reddish-orange below; bluish gray above; wide black eyeline, white eyebrow.
Just as we were preparing to leave, Ann asked, “What’s that bird?” 

Do you see the bird?
Very difficult to see, this BROWN CREEPER with its brown/white narrow coloring on its back blends in with tree trunks so well, it must be the most overlooked bird by many of us. It's spotted most easily if you see it move or if you have a good ear and hear its very high-pitched calls or song. I think this is the first time I’ve ever seen that bird along the river.

BROWN CREEPER
Before we got in the car in the parking lot, this back-yard bird (for people who maintain desert habitat), romped around one of the trees for a while.

CACTUS WREN  (looking more black than brown in the late morning sun)

With somewhat cooler weather arriving (we’re still in the 90s every afternoon), birding hours are longer in the morning and I’m taking full advantage. Thus, fewer blogs. If you check on the links below, my eBird lists may show more photos along with species seen in each location.

* * *
Pinal Mts:
View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S40052736
View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S40052744

Salt River:


Posted by at No comments:

Riparian Preserve at Gilbert Water Ranch, Maricopa County, AZ

Thursday, October 19, 2017
Of the five sisters having a reunion in Mesa, AZ, three flew in from east of our southwestern state. Of those three, Maria, an avid birder, was celebrating a benchmark birthday. So the other sisters arranged to surprise her with a Bird Walk.

Thus, early that morning three of us met for the first time at Gilbert Water Ranch.

L-R: Maria & Babs
Donna and Karen laughed that Maria was barely out of the car before she started looking for birds!
Donna, Maria, Karen (3 of the 5 sisters)
 This HARRIS'S HAWK, below, was one of our first raptor sightings.

HARRIS'S HAWK  [photo by Maria]
Along Pond 1, we spotted this wader trying to hide behind some wispy sticks and leaves.

BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON  [Photo by Maria]
Birders from the east coast are always happy to come upon our endemics (those birds limited in range to a specific area). While I rarely take photos of our common desert ABERT'S TOWHEE, this bird was a LIFER for Maria.

ABERT'S TOWHEE  [Photo by Maria]
Another raptor surprised me when it perched on a platform in Pond 1. With its squared-off tail, we took this bird to be a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK; the stripes on its nape indicate it's a juvenile. 

Juvenile (stripes on nape) SHARP-SHINNED HAWK  [photo by Maria]
Setting the scope for Donna & Karen to view the SSHA
Donna and Karen were good spotters; took lots of photos for themselves; and, generally appeared to enjoy themselves. They also found a brochure in one of the boxes that provided both the general lay-out of the ponds and a bird list. This gave them an idea of how far we'd be walking and how long we'd be out.
L-R: Donna, Karen, Babs
Maria was a wonderful birder and spotted two WILSON'S SNIPE flying in to the south side of Pond 2.  Quickly, I got the scope on them. Donna and Karen were in awe of that strange-looking bird of which - no photos.  Since I was carrying the scope and binoculars, I left my camera at home. Thank goodness Maria had hers along as it was a great day for photos and she captured the birds very well.
Lining up the WILSON'S SNIPE  [Photo by Maria]
One sight I'll never tire of observing is that of the AMERICAN AVOCET foraging together in a synchronized pattern of bill waving in the water. Whoops. They're back to wading together in this photo below but, still, they're an outstanding black and white bird with a long bill and long legs.
AMERICAN AVOCET  [Photo by Maria]
Quite birdy along the wide trails lined with cottonwood, mesquite and palo verde trees and various tall shrubs, the place was literally hopping with birds....and desert cottontail...one cotton rat...and one coyote loping along a dry pond giving us a grand view.

 With that kind of habitat, even the smaller raptors can find good eats. This Female AMERICAN KESTREL kept busy all morning.
AMERICAN KESTREL [Photo by Maria]
One bird Maria was looking for all morning (Life Bird) was the Inca Dove. Knowing the best chance location, we headed that direction and ended up finding two very close-up views.
INCA DOVE  [Photo by Maria]

As the temperature rose, we decided to skirt Pond 6 without going to its western edge. Rounding out our visit with a stop at the Fishing Pond gave us some more nifty sightings including the one below.
Female RUDDY DUCK, a species often ID'd by its erect tail  [Photo by Maria]

It was a wonderful day. We managed to spot 49 species as we wandered the trails.

 Maria picked up five Life Birds and, I understand that on subsequent days she was able to find seven more for a total of 12 LIFERS during her birthday celebration! 


To view our full list and more photos, click on the link below.
* * *




Posted by at 1 comment:

Pinal Mountains, Gila County, AZ

Monday, October 16, 2017
When the outdoor temperature at 5 a.m. is 77°F, it's difficult to plan for a cool day at the higher elevations of the nearby Pinal Mountains at Globe. Thus, at 57°, we were more than a little chilly and, driving with windows down to hear birds, the car heater was running! 

 With an early start on Russell Road, we expected, correctly, that the day would warm up but the car thermostat stuck at 57° (AZ freezing temp?) until we were headed home again when it leaped into the 90s. (100° at my house at 4:30 p.m.)

 A breezy day isn't a great help to birders because birds fly in and scoot down toward lower parts of the shrub instead of perching up. But we were very happy with the different variety of songbirds, jays and nuthatches that came our way. Mostly, we enjoyed a single Autumn Day in the midst of what still seems to be our "October Summer" in the desert.



Hinde Silver & Lois Lorenz at Sulphide del Rey Campground
Turning leaves a Pinal Mountain Peak
Most of the colorful leaves were at the Peak.  After turning south at Russell Road (paved) and following it to Route 651, a dirt road to the peak, we traveled approximately 20 miles but stopped numerous times to check out any birds we heard or saw.

 Lightening started a big fire in the Pinals in early May. A decision was made to allow it to burn to benefit the environment by removing forest debris (leaves, needles, branches). Help from other fire fighters was used to help build a perimeter fire to make sure the natural one didn't leap toward civilization. Much of the perimeter work was done from Route 651 -- our birding route to the top -- which closed it off until just recently.
Part of the controlled burn area; photo taken from FR651 

Many of the birds we spotted were the little speedy ones, so I didn't even try to take pictures of them half way behind leaves or branches.  The only one I did manage was one of the hardest to photograph. It stopped and stared at me and I just moved slowly.
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 
Because it let me take a picture, I thought it might be a very similar looking little bird -- a Hutton's Vireo that moves a step or two slower than the kinglet. But I didn't notice a hook on the beak and the eye area appeared to indicate it was a Ruby-crowned.

 As we enjoyed more color in the forest, we came upon a woman out hiking. A real outdoors person, she related how she had just kept a bear at bay at a spring over and down the hill.  Yikes!

 No time left on our agenda for a hike to the spring; we were wrapping up and just allowing the autumn coolness to fill our pores for our return home.




It felt good to be back on the mountain.
* * *
To view our bird lists, check the links below:

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S39967226



Posted by at No comments:

Page Springs Fish Hatchery and Bubbling Springs Preserve, Cornville, Yavapai County, Arizona


Monday, October 9, 2017
One place I always enjoy visting is the Page Springs Fish Hatchery and its Bubbling Ponds Preserve located in Cornville, near Cottonwood (south of Sedona), Arizona.

 A long drive from the Phoenix Valley, I chose to join a local Audubon field trip with seven other birders (8 of us altogether). Accessed off of I-17 North from Phoenix, then 89A into Cornville, the Hatchery is located at 1600 North Page Springs Road in Cornville. 

 Bubbling Ponds is a short drive farther north on the same road where multiple lined ponds provide a hatchery for raising native fish species. 



The cool breeze felt wonderful when we arrived. Walking slowly past the ponds, we noted the BLACK and SAY'S PHOEBEs, two medium-sized flycatchers feasting on insects. Among the MALLARDs and AMERICAN COOT in one pond, we spotted four (4) AMERICAN WIGEON.



Almost 9:30 a.m. when we started birding the Black Hawk Trail, we noticed how quiet it was in the forest. The cicadas were louder than bird chirps. Even the LESSER GOLDFINCH and PINE SISKIN were spotted before we heard them as they worked hard to devour the seeds on the remaining sunflowers in the meadow beyond the forest.


Large cottonwood and sycamore trees, still in full leaf and just beginning to change color, provided good hiding spots for our quiet song birds. Even the sparrows that flew past occasionally dived right down into the thick grass rather than perch up for us in the wind. Many butterflies and dragonflies flew around us so some birders took advantage and took many photographs of them.

 The 1.8-mile Black Hawk Trail eventually led to Lower Oak Creek where the first bird I spotted was a BELTED KINGFISHER. Quietly, it zoomed up stream -a brilliant blue and white flash- and into some dense foliage - a somewhat unusual behavior since they usually perched in the open to fish. Before we left the trail along Oak Creek, I saw two more kingfishers and, later, heard one's rattle. 

 It was the small OWL that got us going! Perched on a very low limb close to the water, the first thought I had was that "habitat is totally wrong". When I realized what it was (and Dan, too), he called, "Northern Pygmy". Everyone came running--this was going to be the best sighting of the day!  And, in a way, it was.  

Our OWL that someone had painted or created with objects on a small rounded piece of stump!!

On a slow birding day, someone's masterpiece had lifted our hearts!
After driving the short distance back to the main Fish Hatchery Complex and eating at picnic tables under the shade trees, we were visited by the resident COMMON BLACK HAWK.


Note how it is standing on just one leg. On this bottom photo, its other foot is showing beneath its feathers.
Taking a look up the hill, Hinde and I stopped in our tracks as a Bobcat looked over its shoulder at us. I stayed still instead of lifting my camera, but it quickly walked off into the brush anyway. Having taken only one other photo of one, I post it below.
Bobcat - taken in Sierra Vista, June 2013

 We ended up with 26 species in almost three hours of wandering along the beautiful trails. 
* * *

Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)