Wednesday, September 2, 2020
With a welcome coolness in the morning air, I set off to check out some Salt River sites for potential migrants.
It's been many many days since morning temperatures have been as low as 79°F, so I was highly motivated. In pre-dawn, full moon light, birds were just beginning to chirp at Coon Bluff Recreation Area. At that hour, I'm looking for owls or nighthawks as well as song birds but found no such lumps on thick mesquite branches.
High dry grasses in the picnic area had been taken down with controlled burns that would have made it easy to see any ground birds but the burn left no insects or worms above ground.
I rely way too much on birds perching out on bare snags so it took many looks at some birds behind leaves (mesquite, tamarisk, cottonwood) before I felt like I'd nailed the ID. Then, again, some birds out in the open were hard to call. That's when I rely on photos! But what to do when I see a bird that I call Warbling Vireo, then Philadelphia Vireo (head shape seemed wrong) and then Bell's Vireo? Send it to someone who knows better than I do. The photo below is of a WARBLING VIREO.
Overall, it was a delightful morning. Few people present: one kayaker, two horse followers and myself. With no close proximity to humans, I shed my CV mask several times. The air at the river seemed clear, not as dusty or smoky as in the desert.
Other birds photographed as I walked a loop east by the river and back, more inland included:
Ladder-backed Woodpecker (female)
Both birds above are VERMILLION FLYCATCHER, the top being female, the lower one, male.
Finishing up about 8:15 a.m. at 85° was marvelous even though in our monsoon humidity, water had been running into my eyes from under my hat and my long-sleeve shirt was soaked. Actually felt good!
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S73101145
* * *
No comments:
Post a Comment