August began with some of our best monsoon rains of the season. For three days now we've had showers. It felt so refreshing I didn't mind working outside today while drops fell and clouds grumbled muffled warnings. I was hoping to plant a Screwbean Mesquite in the front yard, but realized the concrete-like caliche was beyond the capabilities of even my trusty pick. I stopped by Ace and found a new best friend, a nice long digging bar, which turned 6 hours of work into one.
Next step was to transfer rich compost from the back yard to the front via hardy bird seed bags. I am always a bit wary of digging up the compost, mostly in winter, since it is a nice place for lizards or frogs to seek shelter. As I removed the newer layers to get to the richer soil a variety bugs scurried out of the hole about my feet. Many homeowners feel they have to be at war with the insects in their yard which is a shame since they play such a vital role in the food chain. I hope our insects will bring a future Western Screech Owl to our home, attracted by our diversity of prey items.
On my third trip back a young spiny lizard was on the wall just over the hole, obviously attracted by the easy meal. As I looked down the circular three foot deep hole I noticed movement of something other than insects. It glided in and out of the small debris at the bottom of the hole, it's body about the size of a large, stretched out earthworm. I carefully went into the hole and, after some effort, scooped up the small ground snake and temporarily put it into a 8" diameter aluminum can, so I could show Mrs. S and Tonya.
It was a Smith's Black-headed Snake, a cute ground snake with such glistening smooth scales you would swear they had just been oiled(see more on Smith's Black-headed Snake from the resourceful,"Reptiles of Arizona," website.) This was only my second sighting of such a little wonder, the first being about six years ago, again in our compost hole. I quickly took a couple pics and let him go a few feet from where I found him in an area with lots of ground cover for a snake to weave through. The mesquite planting would have to wait another day since it was too dark to safely (safely for the animals) dig out more rich soil.
It's late and I'd better sleep-big day of planting tomorrow! At least I have some trusty companions to hang out with me in the late hours as I get back into writing. Deebs loves to lean up against my arm when I type, and Scout is his good buddy. They even have a friendly wrestling session every night at about the same time. It always makes me chuckle. Thank you for appreciating our neighbors regardless of size or species.
I felt like I was in a slump, that I had lost what little birding Karma I once had. It wasn't that I wasn't seeing good birds. It was just that the looks were too brief to call definitively. The day before leading a bird trip I scoped out a prime riparian area with my friend Paul. A brilliant male Summer Tanager came into the open for a moment, a nice rarity to show birders the next day.
Another warbler caught my eye with a yellow chest but disappeared before I could place its identity. All I knew was that it was not one of our normal occurring varieties. A scan afterward had me thinking best prospects to be Tennesee Warbler or Northern Parula.
The next day the Summer Tanager hid for the trip. So did the rare Black and White Warbler which had been seen, yet not by myself. The trip still went well due to the enthusiasm of the participants including a 95 year old with the refreshing curiosity of a youngster. A Peregrine flew by twice to excite the crowd, a Prairie Falcon perched nicely for scope views, and Hermit Thrushes were found at two lowland locations. I counted 48 species in a few hours seen and heard myself, but not all could be shared visually with the nature enthusiasts.
The next week my friend Paul rediscovered the warbler, a female Northern Parula, and found a brilliant male as well. I went searching for the rarities without success, but heard a chip coming from some dense foliage along the road. As I found the warbler with my bins it turned to face me and I saw dark stripes on a buffy background. "Worm-eating Warbler!?" I exclaimed, to myself since I was alone. It disappeared too quickly though, so I was not able to confirm with a second look, or better yet, photos. I cursed my mixed fortune. Was it the moon?
Weeks passed without another look at these rare gems along the Tanque Verde. Even the Black and White Warbler was hidden from my clouded eyes. I had a week off from work so set to work on a few bird surveys with Paul's help. An unusually persistent rain postponed one survey spanning the Tanque Verde wash west of the "bridge.".
The next day we missed on all rare warblers and the tanager while walking by the loop road, but did see a Prairie Falcon and over 30 White-throated Swifts just before the survey ended. I hoped my luck was not spreading to Paul's birding Karma, which is usually exceptional. Could it have something to do with my close companions, who may have used my heavy shirts as a warm comforter lately?
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| Lilly, Scout, Sassy, Hadley |
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| Deebs, Pickle, Sassy |
I surveyed a short western section of the Tanque Verde alone. I watched a Woodpecker with an all dark back and white wing bars as it flew across the wash into a pecan grove and disappeared from my view. Gila Woodpeckers fussed about, disturbed by this hidden competitor.. My gut and the field marks pointed to Acorn Woodpecker, a first for our neighborhood, even without seeing the clown-like face. But, then again, Williamson's Sapsucker males have a solid dark back with white on the wings (and white rump too). Gila Woodpeckers are territorial with sapsuckers as well. I surmised that I had seen an unknown woodpecker, that would have been a new sight record for our neighborhood regardless of which specialty it turned out to be. The mystery still continues as even numerous returns to the area has not yielded another sighting. Were our cute feline family having an influence on my birding? Or is that question just an excuse to show off our kitties again! Aren't they cute!
Some Western Bluebirds along the woodland road gave me cause to cheer. It was also a treat seeing an Orange-crowned Warbler and Green-tailed Towhee feasting in our backyard on Thanksgiving day. The Friday after Thanksgiving was too windy for surveys so Paul and I rescheduled for Saturday for our last survey along the Tanque Verde.
A Prairie Falcon in the first two hundred yards was a nice find, and some Rufous-winged Sparrows were calling. As we passed the lake I realized we had just passed our best chance for a rarity on this survey. The wind had not brought in any unusual ducks, and the Snowy Egret seen recently must have already left for the cattail pond. But birds were still active, with Lincoln's Sparrows and a Bewick's Wren calling as we walked the banks of the wash.
We had just passed the midpoint when Paul casually mentioned a raptor in the air. He mentioned that it looked dark, and then called out words foreign to my ears on my neighborhood birding trips. "Bald Eagle!"
"What?" I thought as I ransacked my pack for the camera. Paul was retrieving his from his fanny pack as well. I had only heard of one Bald Eagle sighting in eastern Tucson, seen during a Christmas Bird Count in Redington Pass. This bird had originally been flying low and slow, possibly indicating it had just taken flight from a roost. We snapped away as the juvenile eagle circled us, climbing higher as it slowly headed east toward the Rincons. One or two photos actually came out legibly;
I thanked Paul for his incredible find in our neighborhood. As we moved on an Ash-throated Flycatcher called, and as we came into a small clearing another Prairie Falcon perched, unafraid of these curious humans.
The next day I finally found the Black and White Warbler at the loop, a first for this species since a trip to Ecuador years ago. Who knows what else may show up in our neighborhood in the next weeks or month. But I feel lucky because I received my Christmas miracle, soaring over the desert on long wings which pierced my soul with its majesty. Thank you for sharing with me the bewilderment of our amazing neighborhood wildlife.
I woke this morning before light and went on our porch to listen to the Purple Martins. I had noticed Thursday morning that they have started their mornings before light, as in other monsoon seasons. I wonder if it is the humidity which sends them on such high flights hours before dawn each summer. It was pleasant to hear their chirps high above as daylight approached.
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| Scout and Daniel Boon (Deebs) |
After my shower Scout wanted some special attention so I lay in bed giving him belly rubs. He's the only cat I know who rolls over to get his belly scratched. As I lay a Brown-crested Flycatcher called from just outside the window, where we have myiarchus flycatcher nest box erected (built for Ash Throated or Brown-Crested species). This is the second morning in a row he has been there. I hoped this would be the year
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