Birds in my "Patch" (favorite near-by birding spots)

Thursday, August 30, 2018
Sometimes I wake up early and decide to go birding. 
Arriving at Coon Bluff Recreation Area along the Salt River (Maricopa County) at 5:50 a.m., I listened for the morning chorus - that was non-existent!  The hoot of a GREAT-HORNED OWL off to the west wasn't accompanying any other bird song. The place was empty and quiet, just the way I like it.

Without external disturbances of campers or other humans, my senses went on high alert for anything that might be up and about in the mesquite bosque or at river's edge.

From the trail below the bluff, I looked down into the high, strong flowing river thinking that it looked good for an American Dipper - but does not lie within its range. But I detected a bird down there and laughed when I saw it. The SPOTTED SANDPIPER often perches on a rock to feed in the slow back waters of the Salt, but today it was out in the turbulence finding goodies for breakfast. Having already lost its breeding plumage belly "spots", the bird was in its winter or basic feathers.

SPOTTED SANDPIPER (minus its spots)

SPOTTED SANDPIPER in basic (winter) plumage

I felt myself really getting into the place...listening...looking...as I carefully walked the riverside trail. For over a mile, I slowly went eastward. Birds were present but not in great numbers; I was working for them today.

The female BULLOCK'S ORIOLEs (3) stayed still long enough for a few pics even though they were backlit by the partial sunlight. 

BULLOCK'S ORIOLE above may be a youngster (they often favor the female at first)

BULLOCK'S ORIOLE (3 above photos)

One of my favorite desert birds is the BLACK-TAILED GNATCATCHER. It's tiny; it's quick; it chatters; and, best of all, it's curious. They're more prone to perch up well in the springtime, but I managed a few pics today.

Female BLACK-TAILED GNATCATCHER preening. Note lack of dark cap of male.

This male BLACK-TAILED GNATCATCHER thinks it's giving me a great view. Well, its black cap is obvious, as is its white eye ring and black under tail that is much darker in breeding than basic plumage.

Looking at the details of each bird becomes important as we improve our observation skills.
The two photos below show a juvenile and an adult GREAT BLUE HERON. 

Dark cap, dark upper mandible and extensive grayish streaking on its neck. (1st-year bird)

Find the differences from the juvie with this adult GBH.

My best sighting of the morning was three (3) female EASTERN BLUEBIRDS. Normally, I'd be checking off Western Bluebirds, but these were obviously not them. Perched in front of me were three round-headed bluebirds showing a whitish throat above a pale reddish-brown breast band followed by a very white belly through its vent to UTC. I've seen female Western Bluebirds (and actually female Eastern) before, but these three just stood out. The breast patch reminded me of the color on a European Robin, just slightly paler. By the time I lifted my camera, they took off to the southwest. So, no photos. Just the thrill.

As many of you know, birds are not the only thing we find at the river. Almost to the point where I turned back (1.3 miles), a small band of horses was standing at water's edge. 

Mother and young foraging on grasses from river bottom (two more horses to the right)

The stallion exhibited its displeasure with my taking photos. I called out:
"Hey, horse.You know me.Settle down." And it did. Not all the wild horses appear to be from an old wild strain.

Walking toward two mares and two young.

Still following bird calls/songs, I turned away from the river and headed south, farther than I anticipated. Reaching a rather steep sandy wash, I followed the horse trail on an angle down to the bottom and decided to find my way back to the mesquite trees closer to the river. The wash brought me directly to another horse trail through a thick canebrake, but with only one step onto that trail, I stopped short. The trail was not wide, and it was quite fully taken up by a curled triangular-headed snake with holes in front of its eyes (pit viper). Not a diamondback, photos might help me get an identification of it. I thought it might be a sidewinder.

Joe Neely must have his computer set to take him to any postings of snakes. The photo was barely up before I had my answer. While I hadn't been frightened at all in the field, I had after-shock when I learned that it was a Mohave rattler

Just FYI:

The Mohave rattler (Crotalus scutulatus) has the most toxic venom and a reputation as extremely aggressive toward humans. Because its coloration can look greenish, it's sometimes called a Mohave Green - same rattler. 

At 8:30 a.m., it appeared to be warming up in the partial sunlight (cloudy). So, I was lucky to find it as I did and not walk right into it.  (As I almost did with a diamondback - with Marsha out at Thrasher Corner. I walked backwards so fast I ran right into her.) This being said, I normally don't see snakes and I'm outside a lot. This is maybe my 4th sighting in 20+ years.

MOHAVE rattler

So, ended THAT day. I was wrapping up anyway and took no further photos.

Saturday, September 1st (Labor Day Weekend)Weekends are problematic for birding, especially holiday ones. I need to find out-of--public spots so I can hear birds over the din and fun of families picnicking, riding bikes, and doing all their fun stuff.

Lost Dutchman State Park at an early hour should work just fine. Lots of hikers will probably arrive but we won't be sharing the same space. And, so it worked out that I birded both the west and east sides of the park collecting 22 species in two hours. (I can get that number in ten minutes standing at a pond at Gilbert Water Ranch, just for comparison.) 

Desert habitat draws specific birds. I was hoping for more and better migrants than I found but that's just birder dreams. It wasn't a shabby list at all and I took my time enjoying what I found.

GAMBEL'S QUAIL

CACTUS WREN

BLACK-THROATED SPARROW  (above & below)

This one (of several) had me guessing: it's a juvie NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD 

WARBLING VIREO

Searching the raw desert for birds always means we're looking for the elusive "beep-beep" bird. Thirsty, it was at the pond feature when I wrapped up - right at the entrance to the park. I stayed a good distance back just to observe it and get what pics I could.

GREATER ROADRUNNER in the three photos below:

Getting ready to do its "running"

Temperatures were quite comfortable between 6:15 and 8:15. A slight breeze helped when the clouds allowed the sun to come through. A hot hot place to visit in the summer, this was the first I'd birded out there since Spring. 

Noticed they now have cabins to rent!  Maybe I could listen to Owls all night!

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