From a small town to a big city...
|
A Birding Blog
By Jared Conaway
From a small town to a big city...
|
Hi y'all! Doing good? Awesome. As a birder, my emails look like this: Cassin's Sparrow (Peucaea cassinii) (1) - Reported May 29, 2018 06:19 by steve boyack - Verrado area, Maricopa, Arizona - Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=33.495866,-112.5137349&ll=33.495866,-112.5137349 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S46134955 - Media: 10 Photos - Comments: "Picture Video https://www.flickr.com/photos/25326940@N04/28564389828/in/album-72157667406185918/ Thanks Caleb for the help with ID" Cassin's Sparrow (Peucaea cassinii) (1) - Reported May 29, 2018 12:05 by Caleb Strand - Verrado—West Sunrise Lane Pullouts, Maricopa, Arizona - Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=33.499237,-112.518325&ll=33.499237,-112.518325 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S46135998 - Comments: "Continuing bird found by Steve Boyack earlier in the morning. Singing often, hanging around in man-made grassy yucca areas, occasionally singing from trees. Pics and audio to be uploaded." Cassin's Sparrow (Peucaea cassinii) (1) CONFIRMED - Reported May 29, 2018 12:05 by steve boyack - Verrado—West Sunrise Lane Pullouts, Maricopa, Arizona - Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=33.499237,-112.518325&ll=33.499237,-112.518325 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S46137115 - Media: 2 Photos, 1 Audio - Comments: "Continuing bird found by Steve Boyack earlier in the morning. Singing often, hanging around in man-made grassy yucca areas, occasionally singing from trees. Pics and audio to be uploaded." Cassin's Sparrow (Peucaea cassinii) (1) CONFIRMED - Reported May 30, 2018 06:25 by robert bowker - Verrado-SunriseLane, Maricopa, Arizona - Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=33.499237,-112.518525&ll=33.499237,-112.518525 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S46157732 - Comments: "continuing. Thanks Steve B for the great find!" Cassin's Sparrow (Peucaea cassinii) (1) CONFIRMED - Reported May 30, 2018 06:25 by steve boyack - Verrado area, Maricopa, Arizona - Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=33.495866,-112.5137349&ll=33.495866,-112.5137349 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S46155891 - Media: 10 Photos - Comments: "Continue photos" Cassin's Sparrow (Peucaea cassinii) (1) CONFIRMED - Reported May 30, 2018 05:38 by Lyndie Mason Warner - Verrado Neighborhoods, Maricopa, Arizona - Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=33.4959019,-112.5147066&ll=33.4959019,-112.5147066 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S46155054 - Media: 2 Photos - Comments: "Continuing bird found by Steve Boyack yesterday. Watched it for about an hour as it sang. Lots of pics and sound recording." Cassin's Sparrow (Peucaea cassinii) (1) CONFIRMED - Reported May 30, 2018 08:37 by Susan Fishburn - Verrado Golf Club, Buckeye US-AZ (33.4965,-112.5154), Maricopa, Arizona - Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=33.496534,-112.51543&ll=33.496534,-112.51543 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S46156828 - Comments: "Continuing. Skylarking and singing nonstop. Found by Steve Boyack." Cassin's Sparrow (Peucaea cassinii) (1) - Reported May 30, 2018 06:55 by Barbara Meding - verrado, Maricopa, Arizona - Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=33.4924621,-112.5145839&ll=33.4924621,-112.5145839 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S46172373 - Comments: "found by Steve Boyack yesterday; actively singing and skylarking" Cassin's Sparrow (Peucaea cassinii) (1) - Reported Jun 01, 2018 06:25 by steve boyack - Verrado area, Maricopa, Arizona - Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=33.495866,-112.5137349&ll=33.495866,-112.5137349 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S46210973 - Media: 5 Photos - Comments: "Continue Picture Video https://www.flickr.com/photos/25326940@N04/42446492752/in/album-72157667406185918/" Cassin's Sparrow (Peucaea cassinii) (1) - Reported Jun 01, 2018 05:52 by Lyndie Mason Warner - Verrado Neighborhoods, Maricopa, Arizona - Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=33.4959019,-112.5147066&ll=33.4959019,-112.5147066 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S46213570 - Media: 1 Photo - Comments: "Ongoing bird found by Steve Boyack. Singing and skylarking." Cassin's Sparrow (Peucaea cassinii) (1) - Reported Jun 02, 2018 06:35 by steve boyack - Verrado—West Sunrise Lane Pullouts, Maricopa, Arizona - Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=33.499237,-112.518325&ll=33.499237,-112.518325 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S46230274 - Comments: "Happily singing continues" Cassin's Sparrow (Peucaea cassinii) (1) - Reported Jun 03, 2018 06:23 by Lyndie Mason Warner - Verrado Neighborhoods, Maricopa, Arizona - Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=33.4959019,-112.5147066&ll=33.4959019,-112.5147066 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S46262331 - Comments: "Continuing bird at Sunrise and Regent streets. He was unusually quiet this morning and being harassed by a young Verdin. Perhaps it is already too hot for him. 78 degrees at 6:30." Cassin's Sparrow (Peucaea cassinii) (1) - Reported Jun 03, 2018 06:31 by Brian Johnson - Verrado - CASP spot, Maricopa, Arizona - Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=33.499046,-112.51753&ll=33.499046,-112.51753 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S46262549 - Media: 1 Photo - Comments: "Ongoing, found last week by Steve Boyack, skylarking. Photos. <iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/453170775%3Fsecret_token%3Ds-7KYi0&color=%230066cc&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe> Yeah, I know, maybe a little overkill on copying & pasting EVER SINGLE ebird alert on one bird. A recap: Steve Boyack, a guy I've birded with a few times, and that will appear in a post about a certain gull since he showed it to me, discovered a Cassin's Sparrow in Verrado on May 29th. Specifically, the Cassin's Sparrow was hanging around an area where grass and yuccas were planted. Even more specifically, the same species of grasses and yuccas found in its arid grassland breeding habitat! This really makes you wonder; "Did this bird JUST NOW happen to stumble upon favorable habitat, or did this bird find this just-so-happens-to-be-perfect-habitat years ago and has been returning annually?" Well, this question may be answered as just early last year, no eyes were directed to Verrado. Now, all eyes are directed to Verrado. And we can thank the 5 overwintering Lewis's Woodpeckers, the unusual lowland Acorn Woodpeckers, a Cassin's Finch, and now, ladies and gentleman, a Cassin's Sparrow. And Verrado can thank the abundance of shade trees for the presence of such great rarities! So, that day that Mr. Boyack discovered the sparrow, my friend Mr. Positive Encouraging, A.K.A Caleb Strand, identified it, and then shot on over there shortly before work, and recieved the Cassin's Sparrow shortly before work. Meanwhile, a birder by the name of Jared Conaway was at home, excited at the report, also doing math. Algebra. Algebra 1. Yeah... For a few days, this was my life. Cassin's Sparrow. Math. Cassin's Sparrow. Math. Cassin's Sparrow. and, uh, ah yes, math. But guys, this is when the blessing of home school, and a Positive Encouraging friend, jump in to save me from pencil-pushing algebra!: "What's your schedule look like for tomorrow?" This would imply birding. With that said we talked on the phone and planned for a multi-location adventure, including a Cassin's Sparrow in Verrado! On Tuesday, June 5th, we met in the Costco parking lot at around 6 A.M. As we were driving to our destination, we saw a runner get dive-bombed by an AMERICAN KESTREL. Don't worry, she didn't get directly hit by those sharp, twiggy talons. Better than being dive-bombed by a Common Black-Hawk. Just think Emperor Palpatine but with a hooked beak, wings, and talons coming at you. Wait, don't think that, that's a pretty scarring image. Just think a big, black hawk please. So back on subject, we looked around when we arrived. Because we are birders. And, I guess I've given enough build up to this moment, so... ... I've waited a while to see this cool bird. Kinda looks like a Mockingbird, huh? Well, this tiny Toxostoma is a Mimid, one of my favorite Mimids, the BENDIRE'S THRASHER!! Sure, he's dull, but something about it makes it a visually cool thrasher. And while he's dull, let me tell you, he's got serious vocals. The song of this thrasher is so pretty it is sure to make any Ms. Bendire fly over and give the source of sound a big thrasher kiss, and become Mrs. Bendire real fast. Of course, a thrasher kiss is more like an impale to the face, because of that beak. The credit for such a rich song goes to this guy, the individual out on the golf course is a juvenile. And he was owned by this adult. While aggressive to his little buddy, he was very shy and the desired closeup took a while to obtain. Even then the exposure and focus of these photos is problematic. Even more so, the bird poop mess that so conveniently was on this light post. But hey, at least this guy came in close. At first this bird thought it was a better idea to go in the opposite direction. Sometimes bird poop messes are included in cooperation. We enjoyed this Bendire's Thrasher, while also trying to find the Cassin's Sparrow. Even with playback, he didn't respond. Gone? Maybe so. For the few days he was around, this member of Peucaea was singing its little sparrow heart out, putting on an active show. Some birds are passing migrants... We never did find this unusual sparrow, but I will see one one day. Remember my post, "I Thrashed a Bendire's Thrasher!" Perhaps a better title would be, "I got Thrashed, By a Curve-billed Thrasher..." Guys, this thrasher, in this post is a real Bendire's. What people often don't realize, especially myself, is the crazy variation in characteristics of the CBTH. And that's just the thing, the Curve-billed Thrasher is problematic in that it doesn't technically have any characteristics. A say this because, a characteristic is a trait that is consistent or similar in every individual and is typically easily noted. The Bendire's Thrasher always has a straight bill, the Curve-billed Thrasher doesn't always have a distinct curved bill. A Bendire's Thrasher is always small, the Curve-billed Thrasher isn't always larger. The Bendire's Thrasher always has arrow-like markings, but the markings of a Curve-billed Thrasher are highly variable, but never arrow-shaped. Lastly, from a distance, the size of a BETH isn't always determinable. A useful identifying point is the slimness of the BETH, CBTH is a comparatively stocky bird. The pale base of the lower mandible is another determining feature of BETH. We also saw a couple BRONZED COWBIRDS, but guess what? I still didn't see their crimson eyes! So after enjoying the presence of my lifer Bendire's Thrasher, we left the absence of the Cassin's Sparrow and went to my patch, the GRPs. Here we were hoping for a Black Tern. I love terns. They are also my nemesis. They have long been one of my top fave groups of birds. No bird is more gracefully designed than terns, and if I had to pick a favorite out of all of them, I would pick 2, the Caspian and Arctic Terns! The most entertaining bird I've seen in flight is definitely the Arctic Tern, they are so small, light, and deceivingly delicate-looking, yet this bird makes the most impressive migration of any animal. Just imagine flying the maximum distance of this bird, which is 57,000 miles(!) (over 28,000 miles each way) from the Netherlands to Antarctica, making only a few major stops, while not spending a single cent. Arctic Tern individuals are known to stay true to their routes, so that record-breaking bird more than likely traveled 57,000 miles every year. Because of supreme agility, gracefulness, speed, and endurance, not much is able to prey on this species, so a 30 year life span is in most of these guys' futures. So, 57,000 miles every year for 30 years = 1,710,000 total miles in its lifetime!!!! Although extremely light (3.9 oz!), most of that weight is the flight muscles, which are very large! These guys are way too cool to not feature photos of one! Then there's the Caspian Tern. Next to one, the Arctic Tern is tiny, very tiny! They are almost the size of a Herring Gull, with an amazing 5 ft. wingspan, and didn't get the vibe that terns are supposed to be small to medium-sized bird. unusually, they have a short tail, and a huge, thick crimson bill that will stab and draw blood to anyone daring enough to get close to a nest. If you see paired birds consistently staying in one location for a while, stay away! They are aggressive and that beak is bound to hurt! The sheer size, long wings, and heavy red bill make the Caspian a sight to respect, and look at in awe. Not to mention the stylish black peaked crown. Alrighty, now it's time to get back onto the subject of our time at the GRPs. That time didn't deliver any terns, but our only interesting birds were a new patcher, COMMON GALLINULE calling within the riparian corridor, and a late BLUE-WINGED TEAL. Guys, there comes a time when everything awesome, the Snowy Plovers, and Hermit Warblers, Marbled Godwits, Black-bellied Plovers, and our beloved terns, just up-and-leaves the GRPs. It's called summer. But don't worry, fall migration is coming! Next we went to a location I've never been before, Hunter's Ponds, because Mr. Positive Encouraging says it is reliable for Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks. We didn't see any... So next up we arrived at the Base & Meridian WA, or B&M. Arizona has many introduced species, some invasive, some annoying, and others interesting. This is a Mexican Palo Verde, native to hot lowland deserts of, you guessed it right, Mexico, but also southeast Arizona. You may know this plant as the Jerusalem Thorn, especially in cultivation. These plants are well established now around Phoenix, growing alongside native Blue & Foothill Palo Verdes. I never really noticed these prior to Caleb pointing them out at the B&M, and that's probably because I didn't realize how distinctive they are. Outside fruiting season, they are near-to-identical to Foothill Palo Verde, and I've definitely overlooked them because of that. However, Foothill (A.K.A Yellow) Palo Verde has very tiny compound leaves, barely noticeable, while Mex Palo has no leaves. If your in the desert, you definitely want to stand under the tree that provides the most shade. Even though the leaves are so tiny, you'll know your standing under a Foothill Palo just by feeling how much more shade it provides than its invasive cousin. Within fruiting season, Mex Palos are very recognizable by those yellow pods. Now everywhere I look I see them! Our first animal was actually an invasive. As soon as we stepped out Caleb's old minivan, he pointed out a big Red-eared Slider pond turtle out in the sun, away from water. Caleb went ahead and put him in the shade, cause it was already getting hot. Caleb showed me some really cool odes (Dragon & Damselflies), my favorite being RAMBUR'S FORKTAIL. It's a damsel that's brilliant neon green on the thorax & head, black and yellow abdomen, and a sky-blue 8th and 9th abdomen segment. We also saw a NEOTROPICAL BLUET (damsel, originally Mexican but a hurricane blew them in and now they're established at the B&M), RED SADDLEBAGS (dragonfly), and WANDERING GLIDER (dragonfly). Ridgway's Rails are so amazing, Caleb and I give a round of applause for these guys! Well, actually, we clap for them because Caleb said that any sudden, sporadic burst of sound gets them out in the open. But why do these secretive marsh-ptarmigan prefer clapping so much? Well, if I were a Ridgway's Rail, I certainly would want someone positive and encouraging to clap for me, it would boost my self-esteem. But guys, there are other, less secretive, secretive marsh birds out there. Among them is the Least Bittern, the smallest heron in the world, and either requires no searching at all, or very extensive searching. We were calling for Yellow-billed Cuckoos, when I turned around and saw some reeds moving. Could that be a Least Bittern. So I brushed the tops of the reeds, and... ... "That's a LEAST BITTERN!" Caleb exclaimed excitedly. My first impression: "Wow, that's a TINY heron." The Least Bittern really is the least of the least, it's the smallest heron in the world, only 11-14 inches! The moments I did see the Least Bittern were short-lived, it flew off in the opposite direction. But for those brief moments, I saw a very beautiful bird... The Least Bittern is unique in among Herons in more ways than one. First, they have really long toes. They rap them around sedges to balance. Second, a feature I've just mentioned, they are extremely tiny. Again, like I said, the smallest heron in the world. You see, the Green Heron is a little over half the size of a Black-crowned Night-Heron, the Least Bittern is half the size of a Green Heron, and about 3 ounces. They also have stubby wings, with a 17 inch wingspan at most. Even the American Bittern has long wings, nearly 4 ft, a body of 30 inches, and weighing up to 2 lbs! That is enourmous compared to their least brethren. The Least Bittern has a stub of a tail, short little legs, a small body, and long neck. Their range is interesting, dots of eclusively-summering populations in a few western states, only year round in south east California and south west Arizona, but very widespread in the east, breeding in all the eastern states. Like a rail, this bird tries hard to stay hidden, while making itself loud and clear, proclaiming its concealed presence noisily. If it knows it is seen, you have to be within a few inches for it to flush. With all these unique traits combined, this bird is more like a rail than a heron or egret. Then there's the extremely rare, Cory's Least Bittern, or Dark Least Bittern. First collected in 1885, it was a new species. In 1923, it became a morph. It rapidly declined as everyopne wanted their hands on this bird because it was so rare to begin with. All reports of this morph come from the east, mostly from Ontario, but one record from Brazil. It is so dramatically different from the Least Bittern it should be a different species. It has greenish legs, a solid black mantle, blackish-gray beak, dark red-brown wings, underside, and face. It lacks all streaking, white, and buffy tones of normal Least Bittern. Its tertials and primaries are black, as well as undertail coverts. One day, I hope to find this extremely rare morph-that-is-probably-a-species. I am really hoping to get excellent pix of a Least Bittern tomorrow (June 13th), as Caleb and I are going to Tres Rios and B&M! "Dbink!" Says what Caleb calls a Blue Grosbeak. I got really excited when he told me this, and I became eager to find this bird. Dbink is its metallic call note, not its song, so I could either have a beautiful male in my binocs when I found it, or a dull female. Females are Brown Grosbeaks. Males, they're Blue Grosbeaks! So I followed its distinctive call note until... I took one look at the stunning deep blue bird with chestnut wing-bars, a 3rd larger than a Lazuli Bunting, and I was amazed. I snapped a few photos. Photos that were completely white due to over-exposure. But not to worry, tomorrow we're going in early morning, when the males are easily detected singing, and most likely with my Dad's camera, which doesn't have that issue. Additionally, it won't be scorching hot! Caleb said we were going to look at a few Barn Owls, as those individuals always roost under a certain area of the bridge. It didn't take long at all for us to find the BARN OWLS. And you can tell they've roosted here for a very LONG TIME, all that freaking poop! Those large black eyes on a pale disk-shaped face have made these guys among the most popular birds, they look like their the ghosts of Spotted Owls. Looking into the eyes of a Barn Owl in real life is actually a chilling experience, they directly stare at you.
This was a continent & Arizona lifer for me, as I've seen a flyby in Hawaii, where they were introduced to control the rodent/mongoose problem. That makes these the first native individuals for me as well. Lastly, we went to Tres Rios Wetlands (TRWs), which is right next to B&M to look for one of my favorite birds, mentioned earlier in this post, the Caspian Tern. We searched. We searched. We searched. And we also scanned, but apparently that's a synonym of searching. We came up with nothing. Tomorrow, we go back to Tres Rios. This bird I want to see more badly than any other bird this year, except for Mountain Bluebird. Heck, top 10 birds I want to see this year more than any other:
So... Stay tuned, for my next adventure!
1 Comment
8/1/2022 08:54:49 pm
Instagram hesabınızı hızlı bir şekilde büyütmek için Instagram kaliteli takipçi satın al ayrıcalığını kullanabilirsiniz. Bu ve diğer paketler hakkında daha fazlası için adresimize bekliyoruz.
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
About meJared Conaway Month Archives
December 2019
Categories
Life List
Birds |