Sunday, December 27, 2020
Rarely do I head to public recreation areas on weekends, but this was just two days past Christmas so I took a chance on few people at GRANITE REEF Recreation area. Scored on that: just fishermen and a few other birders. Also glad to find it was not 10° colder than at home although the sun had just risen casting good light on Red Mountain on native land on the north side of the slow-moving waters. Air was chilly, not cold, 45°F.
Continuing solo toward the west end of the Salt River to the dam, I was disgusted with myself for not carrying my spotting scope. Waterfowl galore from my first look out from the picnic area all the way down to the dam. Thought I saw a female Blue-winged Teal; never saw a male and can't trust my distant vision. (Wearing a mask and eye glasses in cold weather doesn't work so I ditched the eyeglasses that fog up.) Still I got a good count of a fairly wide variety of ducks that were too distant for photos: AMERICAN WIGEON (275), NORTHERN SHOVELER (17), GADWALLl (50),NORTHERN PINTAILl (32) GREEN-WINGED TEAL (3), RING-NECKED DUCK (7) and BUFFLEHEAD (15). And more that I couldn't ID from the south shore.
As I had walked slowly toward the dam, stopping at each opening through marsh grasses, a NORTHERN HARRIER lifted off and flew east. Surprise, actually as the harrier is usually a grassland bird, but it here it was looking for brunch.
Three distant birds were worth documenting: a BALD EAGLE perched on a tall utility pole; a DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT, perched on a lower pole below the eagle; and a male BELTED KINGFISHER perched on a buoy concentrating on the lake-like stillness of the river waters.
Other birders arrived at the dam area as I was about to leave. They let me know the TRUMPETER SWANs were no longer at this location (as I had discovered) but farther east at the reeds. I was headed that direction, so I knew to stay with it till I spotted the two large and very rare birds here in the desert. With only a few recorded sightings of this species in Arizona, I soon spotted them (they're big!) from the picnic area but way too distant for photos.
A VERMILLION FLYCATCHER called out to me. Ah, you still make my heart pound!
A few weeks ago, when the adult TRUMPETER SWAN was first spotted at Granite Reef, I had dashed over to get a photo and to see this rarity - not even shown in my field guide for occurring in Arizona. At that point, it was alone but several days later, reports came in of a juvenile keeping it company. I had yet to see the juvie. To get decent photos would be a bit of a slog but I was up for it. Not spending many days out in the field, it actually felt good to continue east as far as the trail took me, then up to the trail next to Bush Highway where I tried for a few long-distance photos over the marsh but ended up with more marsh than clear pics of the swans. So, down I went. With the river fairly low, I took my chances on finding a way through the tall marsh grasses to bring myself into photo range of the swans. Yes! From a squat position, I managed a few decent shots that show clearly the black-based pink bill of the JUVENILE TRUMPETER SWAN and the clear black bill of the ADULT TRUMPETER. Unfortunately for photos, they started preening with their backs to me, but I managed a peek at them through the reeds.
Both preeningAwesome experience to view them so closely without even getting my feet wet.
Feeling pumped from such good sightings, I returned to the parking lot, drove farther east to COON BLUFF RECREATION SITE to see what birds might be hanging out there.
A SPOTTED SANDPIPER below the bluff was the only one of that species that I saw. It shows no spots in winter or non-breeding plumage.
Farther east, I took way too many photos of WESTERN BLUEBIRD but they are not an every-day bird, so I let then know I'm glad to see them. Below are pics of brightly-colored females (no blue on throat).
Walking back to the parking lot through the mesquite bosque, all was quiet except for bird sounds: a light "drumming" of a LADDER-BACKED WOODPECKER, a few quiet calls from PHAINOPEPLA, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET chittering; and a few chips from YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER. Sometimes it's hard to get back in the car and leave such places.
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S78062136
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S78069820
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