Sweetwater Wetlands October 2019

Verdin Nest, Sweetwater Wetlands, October 16, 2019.

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Fall has finally come to the Sonoran desert, with cooler mornings and the sun a bit lower in the sky.   I joined the weekly Audubon bird walk at Sweetwater Wetlands on Wednesday the 16th, and here is a quick view of just a fraction of what we saw.  To look at my prior posts on Sweetwater Wetlands, click on this link.  The most recent post is at the top, the oldest  post is at the end. 

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Bobcats: Wilma has kittens! *
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* For those readers who are not from Tucson,  Wilbur and Wilma are the mascots of the University of Arizona,  a pair of wildcats. 

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Bobcats are widespread throughout North America and residents of Tucson and SE Arizona, hence the history of the Bobcat (aka Wildcat)  as the mascot of the U of A.  Bobcats are a constant presence at Sweetwater Wetlands.  This summer one female  had two kittens and the threesome has been seen on recent walks.  

Below is the female standing on the walking path not far from the recharging basins at the western end of the wetlands.  The images below show her characteristic markings, and the short "bobbed" tail.  These cats wear excellent camouflage.  Getting my subject to stand out in post-production in Lightroom can be a challenge.  Good lighting helps.   

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Below, she is on the move, undoubtedly looking for food. 

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Below, one of the kittens is looking for breakfast, practicing his hunting moves.  Although the mother has been feeding the kittens,  it is time for them to begin hunting on their own.  They eat small game such as mice, rabbits, and squirrels as well as birds.  The kittens will stay with the mother for 9 to 12 months. 

The kitten has spotted a critter, and in the second frame dives in, all 4 feet off the ground. 

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Shucks!  Came up empty !

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Very lithe, this cat comes out the way he jumped in.

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Bobcat's weight ranges from 11 to 30 pounds, and live 10 to 12 years.  There are an estimated 1 million Bobcats in the United States.  [Reference: National Geographic]

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Verdin Nest

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The Verdin is a small and active songbird of the southwest United States and Mexico. In the order Passeriformes (songbirds) it is the only North American member of the penduline-tit family, Remizidae. The bird is gray with a yellow head, and a rufous shoulder patch.  

Verdins are avian homebodies.  They build nests year round,  and don't migrate long distances.  The nest above is likely a roosting nest, built in non-breeding season as a place to roost, i.e. hang out.  This nest is in a tree between two of the ponds at Sweetwater, and likely a winter home.  Below is an enlarged image of the picture above showing more detail. 

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In contrast to the roosting nest, the brooding nest, (see image below)  is ball shaped and bulky.  This image was captured at Agua Caliente in August of 2017. The female has a stick in her bill,  busy with home improvement.  

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The brooding nest has an entrance on the lower side.  In the image below we see mom sitting in her doorway. 

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Always nice to have a winter and a summer home!   

The image below is of an adult Verdin at Agua Caliente, November 2017, showing the characteristic  yellow head and rufous wing patch. 

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Sora

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The Sora is the most abundant and widely distributed North American rail, wintering in SE Arizona and Mexico, and breeding just a bit north of us.  For more details about Soras, see my post of April 2, 2019.  

Soras are secretive, identifying their presence by calls rather than sight.  True to form, this Sora has just barely emerged from the reeds to feed at the edge of the eastern pond to the right of the gazebo overlook.   For the photo geeks, yes, reeds were in the way. 

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This is where Soras live, in the moody shadows.  The avian version of living on the edge . . . . .

To see a Sora in full sight, see this post from last spring. 

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That's all for now.   More soon. 
Happy trails! 
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