Snowbirds and Spring fling

Snow Goose

As the temperatures are rising here our duck numbers are dwindling at the lakes.   The American Wigeon's are down from close to 200 at their peak to less than 30 tonight.   American Coots are holding steady at over 20 but the Northern Shovelers have already left, our neighborhood it seems.  The Snow Goose which spent the winter here has also been missing the past few days. 

Redheads

Although numbers are low we still have a good variety of waterbirds for this time of year.  This week 2 Redheads, a single Ruddy Duck, one Pied-billed Grebe, a Cinnamon Teal, 2 Neotropic Cormorants, a Black-necked Stilt, and a Gadwall made appearances at the ponds.  A Northern Pintail also made an appearance a couple weeks ago.

Northern Pintail

A Great Horned Owl that started nesting around early February has at least 2 young flopping around in their comfy home in the crotch of a Eucalyptus tree.  They don't seem to mind the cars passing by but I always turn off my brights at night as I reach that stretch of pavement.  

Western Screech Owl

Last year we replaced the screech owl nest box in our neighborhood.  After the change out it seemed like it wasn't being used and I was concerned the exposure to wind could be a factor.   Late November of last year I finally found a gray head sticking out of the nest hole.   These past few weeks this guy has been more visible and I finally got some halfway decent pics.  

Screech owls will take readily to owl boxes, but in Arizona it is wise to drill extra holes for ventilation during our hot months.  

His face reminds me of an icon on the web, "Grumpy Cat."   Could this be "Grumpy Owl?"

I started keeping a 2013 yard and neighborhood list for 2013.   Our neighborhood list is currently at 116 species and the yard list is at 40 species (seen or heard from the property).  Some of the yard specialties include a singing Bell's Vireo, Lincoln's Sparrow, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Orange-crowned Warbler, Wood Duck, Snow Goose, Great Egret, and Peregrine Falcon.   One of the newest visitors is the Pyrrhuloxia pictured below.  We also have 4 Broad-billed Hummingbirds, 2 Anna's, and a Black-chinned using our feeders (and the occasional Gila Woodpecker or Verdin).   Thank you for appreciating our neighborhood and yard wildlife. 

Pyrrhuloxia



Broad-billed Hummingbird male

Horned Grebes and other wonderful things

It is an exciting time here in the desert.   It is a time when anything can happen, and the most observant among us gets to find the diamonds among gems.   Our neighborhood has gotten a little press lately praising its value to birds and other wildlife.   It is always pleasant to have other birders in the area since their eyes can see what mine miss, and, if they report their sighting, I can hope to add new birds to our neighborhood bird list, which currently tops 240 species. 

Such was the case about a month ago.   Mark S, who has been a great friend and mentor, dropped me an email about a bird reported on Ebird.  Paul Suchanek had reported a Horned Grebe at our lake.  I had remembered his name from an earlier report of a California Gull, which I had missed, and an

Eastern Bluebird further up the Tanque Verde.  I set out early the next morning in hopes of finding this new bird to our neighborhood list.   Luckily this fine bird was a 2 day wonder, allowing me to fully appreciate the moment.   As I watched Paul came to the lake, and we discussed how similar the plumage was to Eared Grebe at this time of year.   I was thankful

Of Hummingbirds and nighthawks

As I took Kino on his walk to the pond I pondered spring birds to there was only the thinnest slice of moon to illuminate our surroundings.  We had been watching birds in the yard and I had hoped for my first Lesser Nighthawk for the season.   The White-lined Sphinx moths had already arrived, carousing our Autumn Sage blooms at night, and camping by our front porch light.   I can still remember when I first saw one of these moths, their behavior being very similar to hummingbirds as they hovered over the blooms, showing off their colors.  

Speaking of hummingbirds, Mrs. Humms, our Broad-billed Hummingbird

Saved Paradise remake

In an earlier post I submitted new lyrics for the song "Big Yellow Taxi."  Since then I've worked on fine tuning it, and still have much more work to do.   But since this has been stagnant for a while I will post the revised yet still flawed version.   Hope it is entertaining, insightful, inspiring, or any other positive description other than "I read it one night when I couldn't sleep and it did the trick!" 

Perhaps if I "put a bird on it," it will be more enjoyable (yard bird of course). Here you go!

A half century ago the song “Big Yellow Taxi,” rocked the environmental movement.  It’s lyrics showed us the impact our actions have on our natural world.  Half a century later we are still struggling to live responsibly and create awareness about the fragility of the world ecosystem.  We have all put up a few parking lots in our life by our actions, or sometimes even by our inaction, which has allowed the environment to be “paved,” over for our human endeavors.   But we can atone for this fact by creating positive change in our own yards.  Encouraging wildlife on our property can help compensate for the wildlife we displaced when our home was built.   Who knows, if everyone focused on changing their own yard for the benefit of wildlife it could naturally cause a deeper awareness and change in the world.  In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, “It may seem insignificant, but it is most important that you do it.”  With that thought, here are some new lyrics to an old, unforgettable tune.

Saved Paradise

We saved paradise,

And created a birding spot

Using native plants and trees,

It’s now a migration hotspot!

Don’t you know, you need to know

Where others reap we’ve got to sow,

We can save paradise,

By creating a birding spot

Plant your desert trees

With understory grasses and plants,

Perhaps a water feature,

and places for lizards, toads, and ants,

Don’t it always seem to go

That we don’t know what we’ve got ‘til it’s gone

But we can save paradise

By creating a birding spot!

Stack wood in the corner

a cover of leaves on the ground

a stone wall’s crevices

keeps towhees and wrens comin’  round

As you know and studies show

The food chain for birds starts pretty low

We can provide habitat

Creating our birding spot!

Hey homeowners

Please don’t spray your yard

It contaminates our water

And on nature it’s oh so hard, Pleeeease,

If you have a weed, then grab a hoe,

The insects outside just leave them alone,

They support wildlife

When creating a birding spot!

When we live with nature

Everything has a role

There are no pests or varmints

When species diversity is the goal!

Then we’ll know in our very soul

How each life on this earth is so valuable

We can save paradise

By creating a birding spot!

Hey Kittie Kittie

We need to keep you inside

Cause when we leave you out,

The birds and lizards tend to hide!

Oh, even though we love you so,

The impact you have just can’t be ignored

Help us save paradise

By creating a birding spot!

Use a gray-water system,

To water your trees and plants,

Water harvesting techniques

creates a naturescape totally enhanced

Then we’ll know, our efforts will show

When the washes run with perennial flow,

We saved paradise,

and created a birding spot!

Create your own mini refuge,

Become a wildlife fan,

Let your neighbors see

Living with nature is no scam,


Then we’ll know, we all will know,

That we’re saving this earth for after we’ve gone,

Saved nature’s paradise,

And created a birding spot!

So you’d like to get started  

On creating a birding spot!

Tucson Audubon can help

Check out their cool workshops

Then we’ll know, we all will know,

We’ll sing it out like a warbler’s song,

We saved paradise,

By created a birding spot!

Under the spell of Lower Tanque Verde Falls

Sunday I hiked an area where our neighborhood wash meets the mountains.  My hike started high, then traversed through various switchbacks down the steep rocky slope of a canyon.  It may have been easier if I hadn't mistaken an animal trail for the main trail, which took a more direct and challenging route to the stream below.   On the trail birds were scarce save for a calling Ash-throated Flycatcher and Cactus Wrens.   As I finally descended to the running stream below it seemed I had stumbled into a natural paradise.  Steep cliffs on either side of the stream seemed to tower over the rich ecosystem in a protective stance.   As I braced myself against a large boulder a Canyon Treefrog leaped, and as he landed on the rock below, his camouflaged body seemed to melt into the stone's grainy pattern.  Two other tree frogs were barely discernible as the clutched to a small shady crevice on the huge boulder I was using for support.  

The musical chorus began as I entered this tiny world of enchantment.   Canyon Wrens belted out their sweet melodic song, which echoed back and forth against the opposing cliff faces.  A Bell's Vireo squeaked out his message for a mate, and a Lincoln's Sparrow "chucked," from the dense understory of grasses and plants.   Scolding Cactus Wrens seemed to be all around, and White-thoated Swifts chattered as they circled the canyon, their crescent-shaped wings slicing through the strong breeze as they banked against the steep canyon walls.   Some Turkey Vultures decided to use the funneled air currents to lift themselves up effortlessly as they explored this scenic passage from above.   A Common Raven flew to an eyrie 2/3rds up one sheer wall, probably staking out a nest.  

The huge obstacle course of boulders seemed to block my passage to other interesting areas upstream, yet I was content in my little section of heaven.   The Canyon Wrens were holding their territory, the lowest nest area I've seen for this species around Tucson, and at almost the same elevation.   A House Wren was also on the scene, entering Saguaro holes, probably in search for spiders.   As my eyes watched the slopes they picked up an oddity, a Great Horned Owl roosting on the ground up the steep rocky slope, his stern eye scolding me for my discovery. 

Raptor Swim March 6 2013

I stopped by the lake on my bike ride home from work and found it teaming with ducks as it has been most evenings this winter.   A handfull of Ruddy Ducks, a couple Pied Billed Grebes, coots, and larger numbers of Northern Shovelers and American Widgeon, the widgeons numbering over a hundred.  As I watched I heard the call of a female Wood Duck, which has been seen sporadically since early winter.   Even with her distinct