Sunday, July 4, 2021
Loved seeing so many active people out and about this early Sunday, Holiday morning! BUT, at 5:00 a.m., the parking lot at Granite Reef Recreation Area was full. I got stuck in a line of vehicles trying to, at this point, just drive through the one-way route. Quickly, when a couple young people realized they shouldn't have started removing their kayaks from the top of their car right in the street, they tied up the one end that was loose and moved forward. They needed to go out into the street, too. Every available spot was taken.
Wanting to park along the roadside as so many vehicles usually do, I chickened out. Did not want a ticket for parking next to all the Do Not Stop or Park Here signs. So, I drove ahead to the next open dirt area available for parking at a new trailhead. Not wanting to bird that area, I decided I would work my way back to the picnic area, then on to the dam. Under an overcast sky and 77°F, I didn't care how far I needed to walk. It just felt good to be out here again. (Total: 2.8 miles)
Several years back, a few of us would bird this area by the dirt parking lot. At the time we named it, "Moorhen City Marsh." It was full of Common Gallinule, formerly known as Moorhen. But, the river has rearranged itself and that area is gone.
Birds, however, were singing all through the thick, invasive tamarisk. GAMBEL'S QUAIL were out and about on the ground. But the dominant song coming from this thickly treed area was the male COMMON YELLOWTHROAT (below). Its song continued by other Common Yellowthroats in the reeds and trees along my walk all the way past the picnic area.
Taking at least a bit of pause to scour the trees around me for the reported Chestnut-sided Warbler, I took photos of what I thought was a warbler, but even that turned out to be a VERDIN.
Walking the trail westward toward the dam felt like a walk through a steam room! With a really nice steady rain last night, the ground was moist, the air was hanging on to the moisture! Not quick to perspire, I think my thin long-sleeved shirt got soaked from the moisture in the air. No problem; our air is usually so dry, this feeling of being wet while walking was a good thing!
On the water, some COMMON GALLINULE were pecking around on a spit of ground offshore just slightly above the waterline. (formerly Moorhen)
It's not every day I catch an ABERT'S TOWHEE up in a tree. Ground-scratching birds, this one was dodging the many GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE in the area busily feeding young.
Not letting the Great-tailed Grackle get the best of it, a NORTHERN CARDINAL foraged in the dirt of the picnic area.
COMMON YELLOWTHROAT continued to sing from the reeds beside the trail, but they stayed well hidden. I felt lucky to get the photos already posted above.
Although I spotted both a GREAT and SNOWY EGRET, they foraged on the opposite side of the Salt River near the dam, where the river is too wide for photos. At a more narrow part of the river, I did catch a GREAT BLUE HERON on the lookout for breakfast.
And after seeing one ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER after another this season moving about or in postures not conducive to a good photo, I finally caught up with one that gave me its time.
Returning from the muddy trail at the edge of the Salt near the dam, I happened to look up across the water retention basin (barely any water) to see three BLACK VULTURE perched.
It felt wonderful to just be out birding again. The temperature remained within the 80s before I headed home. If it is 80 at 4:30 a.m., I stay home knowing that it will get hotter fast.
On a separate note, I had the pleasure of making a Birding House Call last week! Although I allowed my Birding Pal membership to lapse intentionally, my name still shows up, but the link doesn't work. So, this man in Kansas tried to find me on the internet and did. Kind of scary actually...until he told me what he wanted. His father, who lives about 20 minutes away, was about to turn 85, and his son, in Kansas, didn't want to just repeat sending restaurant gift cards. When he thought about what his Dad really liked, he realized that on phone calls his Dad talked about all the birds in his backyard. Thus, the Birding House Call. Both the Birthday Man and wife enjoyed our time together. The son was surprised that I would do it. I let him know something like that, unexpected, thoughtful, and different was right down my alley.
So, if you know anyone needing a Birding House Call ..... ;)
The link to my bird list for today at Granite Reef is below.
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S91229355
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