Male Phainopepla greeting the morning sun, Sabino Canyon, February 9, 2024. February in SE Arizona is a bit of two things, late winter, and early spring. So, let's take a look at some of the region's winter offerings, with a hint of what is to come in only a month or two! Black Phoebe on The Hunt . . . .Canon R7 RF 100-500mm at 500mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 sec., ISO 2500, +0.33 EV In January this blog saw another phoebe, Say's Phoebe, going for bugs in sub-freezing weather at White Water Draw. Here we follow the feeding activity of another flycatcher, the Black Phoebe, at Sweetwater Wetlands on December 29, 2023. Black Phoebes live year round from the California Coast south into Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and all the way south through Mexico, Central America and western South America. They like to be near water, perching low to the ground searching for insects on or near the water. They tolerate human populations, making them easy to spot and fun to watch. Black Phoebes are sooty gray on the upper parts and chest, with a darker head, a white belly and wing feathers edged with light gray, the latter more evident when they are in the flight (Ref: All About Birds). Black Phoebes may show a slight peak at the rear of the crown, seen in both of these photos, captured at Sweetwater Wetlands on January 28, 2024. Canon R7 RF 100-500mm at 500mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 sec., ISO 640, +0.33 EV Black Phoebes will perch near water and run a route off of one or more perches, grabbing bugs on each sally. They tend to repeat the route, making it easier to predict their next move. In the sequence below, the phoebe was perched on a large rock at Sweetwater Wetlands on December 29, 2023. As he dove down I hit the shutter with the lens zoomed back enough to keep him in frame for the sequence. (Don't be too impressed, this was one of many attempts, most of which ended with my subject going off frame or out of the focal plane!) In the frame below paler markings can be seen on the fight feathers. Canon R7 RF 100-500mm at 223mm, f/7.1, 1/3200 sec., ISO 1600, +01.33 EV Next frame, below, he is very close to his target and his wing markings are evident. I also think I can spot the small alula, or "bastard thumb" at the wrist, where the primary feathers meet the secondaries. The alula is like slats on an airplane deployed to disrupt airflow and facilitate landing. For more on the alula, see The Meadow Trail, Mt Lemmon, Arizona, Summer 2021 wrap-up. In the next two frames, my subject pulls up and rolls to the right, looking for his landing spot. He flares his tail and stalls at the right moment to nail his landing. They never seem to miss! Back on the rock, he is ready for his next sally. Black Phoebes eat insects and other arthropods: bees, wasps, flies, beetles, bugs, grasshoppers, damselflies, dragonflies, termites, and spiders. They can catch small minnows from just below the water's surface and rarely will eat small berries. (Ref: All About Birds). Black Phoebes are well known for flicking their tails up and down when perched. The two frames below were taken within a second of each other and show this action. Why do they pump their tails? G.F. Avelis concluded that the pumping is a message to local predators to alert them that their presence is known, perhaps making dinner a bit more difficult! Other reasons for tail pumping, e.g. balance, territorial aggression, or foraging, were not supported by his data. (Ref: Avelis, G.F. 2011. Tail Pumping by the Black Phoebe. The Wilson Journal of Ornithology, 123:766-771.) Common GallinuleCanon R7 RF 100-500mm at 400mm, f/8.0, 1/400 sec., ISO 320, -0.67 EV Common Gallinules are rails, in the order Gruiformes, family Rallidae. They swim like ducks but can also walk atop vegetation with their long and slender toes. The bill has a brilliant red shield with a yellow tip, and they sport a white stripe down their sides. Males and females have similar plumage. The family, and some of the specific species, get their name "rail" as an anglicized respelling of the French rale, from the Old French rasle, Vulgar Latin rascala, in turn from the Latin radere, "to scrape," the sound the bird makes! Who knew?
Let's take a break for a Rail Review . . . .Rails are in the family Rallidae within the order Gruiformes. Worldwide there are 152 species in this family, but in North America there are only 11 species listed by the CornellLab, All About Birds. This small North American subgroup consists of Rails Gallinules and Coots. Let's look at some of the rails I have been able to capture with my camera over the past 5 years and get to know them a bit better.
The images here were captured in April of 2019 at Brazos Bend State Park in Texas. Again, the birds's very long legs allow it to walk over wetland vegetation. The Purple Gallinule is known for its brilliant coloration, mixes of cherry red, sky blue, moss green, aquamarine, indigo, and violet, with bright yellow legs! Canon 7D Mk II, EF100-400mm w/ Ext 1.4x Mk III, 174mm, f/6.3, 1/500 sec., ISO 1000, +0.33EV Our next member of the rail family is the American Coot, a common resident at Sweetwater Wetlands and throughout North America. Coots live near freshwater wetlands favoring aquatic vegetation with some standing water. Below, a Coot at Sweetwater Wetlands shows off his lobed toes that allow easy walking as well as for efficient paddling. Canon 7D Mk II, EF100-400mm, 400mm, f/5.6, 1/160 sec., ISO 1250, +0.67EV Next is the King Rail, photo below, a large slender rail with a short tail and long bill. The King Rail prefers freshwater and brackish marshes in the U.S. and Cuba. It is the largest of the North American rails, and very secretive. I was fortunate to get these shots in Anahuac National Monument on the Texas coast in May of 2019. Unfortunately the King Rail's population has declined 90% in the last 50 years due to loss of habitat as wetlands have been "reclaimed" and modified for human use. Canon 7D Mk II, EF100-400mm w/ 1.4x Ext Mk III, 140mm, f/8.0, 1/160 sec., ISO 2500, +1EV
Canon 7D Mk II, EF100-400mm w/ 1.4x Ext Mk III, 560mm, f/8.0, 1/400 sec., ISO 800, +0.67EV Bringing us closer to home, the image below if of a Virginia Rail captured at Historic Canoa Ranch, just south of Green Valley, in March of 2022. The Virginia Rail is smaller than King or Clapper rail, sporting a gray cheek, reddish bill, cinnamon neck, with black and white barring on the flanks. Canon R6 RF 800mm, f/11, 1/400 sec., ISO 4000, +01 EV Let's end our Rail Review with another secretive member of the family, often heard but rarely seen, the Sora. The Sora is in the rail family and lives throughout North America, from Alaska to Maine, down into Mexico, Central America and the northern portions of South America. Sora like fresh and brackish water as well as wet pastures, ditches and flooded fields during migration. They eat seeds from wetland plants as well as aquatic invertebrates. Their wide ranging diet combined with habitat flexibility undoubtedly accounts for their extensive range. It is no surprise that they are the most abundant rail species in North America. Below, a Sora comes out of hiding at Sweetwater Wetlands in January of 2020. We can see his short tail tilted up at an angle and his long toes as he hunts for food. Canon 7D Mk II, EF100-400mm, 400mm, f/7.1, 1/400 sec., ISO 2500, +1EV The rest of the North American rails not described here include: The Ridgway's Rail, Clapper Rail, Gray-headed Swamphen, Yellow Rail, and Black Rail. Cactus WrenCanon R7 RF 100-500mm at 500mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 sec., ISO 500, 0 EV Cactus Wrens are noisy year-round residents of Arizona, Mexico, Nevada and New Mexico, and are the Arizona state bird! Cactus Wrens are well adapted to desert living, able to survive without drinking free-standing water, and, nesting in cactus. They are noisy by nature, sounding like an old Ford trying to start. The image above was captured on February 9th in Sabino Canyon. This could be a male or female calling to its mate (they look alike), with nest building beginning in early March. The two nests below were photographed in Tucson Mountain Park in late March of 2022. The first shows a narrow entrance into a saguaro cavity, the one below shows a typical football sized nest built deep in a cholla cactus. Either nest types feature a narrow entrance to discourage predators. Canon R6 RF 800mm, f/11, 1/500 sec., ISO 400, +0.67 EV Below, a cactus wren disappears into his/her nest in a cholla cactus. The cactus wren seems to have no trouble living with an abundance of sharp cactus thorns! Speaking of nests, who else builds in cactus? The Curve-billed Thrasher, parent and offspring shown below at Agua Caliente Park, March 31, 2017. Canon 7D Mk II, Sigma 150-600mm at 600mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 sec., ISO 1250, +0 EV Start looking for nesting activity next month! PhainopeplaCanon R7 RF 100-500mm at 500mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 sec., ISO 800, +0 EV The Cornell Lab calls the Phainopepla "a singular bird of the Southwest," that lives in desert washes and oak and sycamore woodlands of California, Arizona, and Mexico. Migratory patterns are poorly understood, but it is clear that the males and females live in SE Arizona during the winter. The image of a male above was captured in Sabino Canyon on February 9, 2024. Males are a stunning glossy black with a crest and brilliant red eye. All the more brilliant when they sit in the morning sun! There is a patch of white on the flight wings that flashes in flight. Females share the red eye, but are gray with a pale gray wing patch. Phainopepla nest/breed twice a year, first in the desert in the spring, and a second time in higher woodlands. The nest shown below was built in late March and early April of 2019 in a remote corner of Agua Caliente Park. Below we see the female sitting on the nest, and then feeding in the sequence that follows. Canon 7D Mk II, 100-400mm w/ 1.4x MkIII Ext. at 560mm, f/8.0, 1/100 sec., ISO 250, +0.67 EV Below, mom is feeding her chick high protein breakfast of insects followed by fruit. Mom carried the insects in her bill to the nest and had two berries in her crop, bringing them up when the time is right. Western Screech owlCanon R7 RF 100-500mm at 500mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 sec., ISO 1250, +0 EV The Western Screech Owl is a small owl that lives year round west of the Rockies from coastal Alaska down to Baja California and into the western woods and deserts all the way down into south central Mexico. They are active at night, hunting for small mammals, as well as birds, fish, amphibians and invertebrates. They sleep during the day usually in small cavities, in this case a cosy hollow in a broken tree limb, somewhere in the foothills of the Catalinas on February 9, 2024. Below, another Western Screech Owl snoozing near the San Pedro House near the San Pedro River on February 19, 2022. I think this owl took advantage of the Valentine's Day move-in special. Canon R6 RF 800mm, f/11, 1/1000 sec., ISO 1000, +0.33 EV Below, a close-up of our subject snoozing in his/her roost. They are very well camouflaged, tough to spot, and (for the photo geeks) a challenge to process in post-production. Western Screech Owls nest in existing cavitites, either old woodpecker holes or existing cavities such as the one below. For more on their breeding behavior, see All About Birds. For a closer look, I have included a photograph of a Western Screech Owl sitting on a volunteer's glove at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. These are small owls, perhaps only the height of a pair of binoculars. A reminder around the house and yard to avoid any rodent poisons. These rodenticides can be easily ingested by birds of prey who depend on small mammals for food. If you need to get rid of pesky rodents, trap them without poisons, or use a trapping service, leaving our natural bio-environment poison free. Canon R6 RF 100-500mm at 500mm, f/7.1, 1/400 sec., ISO 1600, +0 EV Greater Road RunnerCanon R7 RF 100-500mm at 500mm, f/11, 1/1000 sec., ISO 1000, +1 EV The Greater Roadrunner is a cuckoo and another carnivore of the desert. They live from California and the desert southwest all way east into Texas and Louisiana, and south into southern Mexico. They eat mostly small mammals, reptiles (including rattlesnakes!) frogs, toads, insects, as well as other birds. The roadrunner above was captured in Sabino Canyon, not far from the falls, running, well, . . . in the road . . . . looking for food. Below is an image caught near the San Pedro River in August of 2023. Roadrunners have very long tails which they bob repeatedly and they use for balance. They are not good aviators, flying only to reach a long hanging branch, or when avoiding predators, including, yes, coyotes. Canon R7 RF 100-500mm at 400mm, f/7.1, 1/320 sec., ISO 125, +0.33 EV The "where's Waldo" shot below was caught at Sweetwater Wetlands in May of 2018. Roadrunners blend in well with the desert environment and like to perch a few feet about the ground looking for a fresh meal. Canon 7D MkII EF 100-400mm at 400mm, f4.6, 1/1000 sec., ISO 400, +0.67 EV Below, a Greater Roadrunner at Agua Caliente Park in April of 2019 with a fresh kill, likely a vole. Canon 7D MkII EF 100-400mm w/ 1.4 MkIII Ext, f8, 1/500 sec., ISO 1000, +0.33 EV A Northern Cardinal Singing in the Morning Sun . . . . .Canon R7 RF 100-500mm at 500mm, f/8.0, 1/400 sec., ISO 500, +0.33 EV Spring is coming, so let's close with a male Cardinal greeting the morning sun with a song at Agua Caliente on February 18, 2024. He is likely declaring his territory in the desert just to the east of the Agua Caliente Park parking lot. That's all for now! More soon . . . Happy Trails!
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Return to White Water Draw, January 2024: "Ice-capades"* with a Flyover, and, admission was free !1/21/2024 White Water Draw (WWD), is a rich area of preserved fields and marshes in Cochise County, not far from McNeal Arizona, and a 30 minute drive from Bisbee. It occupies ranch land deeded to the state and managed by Arizona Game and Fish. The wetlands are flooded on a seasonal basis depending on availability of water and serve as the wintering grounds for Sandhill Cranes. It is one of the best areas to see 20,000-40,000 cranes during a winter season. For more content on WWD including links to my prior posts see Birding Hotspots: White Water Draw. I returned on January 9th with a gaggle of fellow photographers from Club Camera Tucson, arriving at 8:30 am to greet a clear, cold, and almost windless day. The key word here is "cold!" When I arrived it was 22 degrees and stayed well below freezing most of the morning, warming up toward noon. The water levels were low compared to prior years, but there was water not far from the main walking path. Rather, I should say ice - because when we arrived everything was frozen, and all of the usual foraging water birds were "ice birds." So, let's start the "ice-capades" with a Least Sandpiper looking for breakfast . . . . * For anyone born after 1990 here is a history of the original Ice Capades courtesy of Wikipedia. Least Sandpiper forages on ice . . . .Canon R7, RF 100-500mm at 500mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 sec., ISO 1600, +0.33EV. Post production in Adobe LR Classic with Topaz DeNoise AI.
The ice seems to have frozen in ripples or waves, perhaps a wind effect from the prior night. This freezing process may have also brought more nutrients to the surface as the water froze. All About Birds describes the Least Sandpiper diet as consisting of insects and other invertebrates, supplemented with seeds. However, there are reports of other shorebirds eating biofilm, nutritious slime that consists of extracellular DNA, proteins and polysaccharides. In this case, our subject could be finding dead insects on the ice surface, invertebrates that were frozen in the ice, or maybe biofilm. For more on biofilm as food see The Exploitation of biofilm by migrant western sandpipers (Calidris mauri). In the photos above and below, our subject shows interest in slimy green stuff frozen in the ice, but overall was spending most of his time on the open ice. My thanks to Professor Charles Van Riper III for his insights on what this bird could be eating off of a frozen pond. Ducks on Ice: Green-winged Teal . . . .Canon R7, RF 100-500mm at 500mm, f/11, 1/4000 sec., ISO 5000, +1.33EV. Post production in Adobe LR Classic with Topaz DeNoise AI.
American Wigeon . . . . .Canon R7, RF 100-500mm at 500mm, f/8, 1/2000 sec., ISO 800, +0.67EV. Post production in Adobe LR Classic with Topaz DeNoise AI.
Northern Pintails . . . . .Canon R7, RF 100-500mm at 500mm, f/8, 1/2000 sec., ISO 800, +0.67EV. Post production in Adobe LR Classic with Topaz DeNoise AI.
Above, Northern Pintails on the ice, and below, in flight over White Water Draw. Canon R7, RF 100-500mm at 500mm, f/8, 1/1600 sec., ISO 320, +0.67EV. Post production in Adobe LR Classic with Topaz DeNoise AI. And Northern Shovelers Make a Landing . . . .Canon R7, RF 100-500mm at 500mm, f/8, 1/4000 sec., ISO 1000, +0.33EV. Post production in Adobe LR Classic with Topaz DeNoise AI. The ducks we saw on the 9th must have roosted overnight away from the water because they all seemed to arrive at the pond in small groups over the course of a few hours. Here we see four Northern Shovelers landing in formation. Let's number these airborne shovelers 1-4, from left to right. They are fun to watch as they flare their wings and tails to stall just above the ice, feet forward, tails down. Above and below, shoveler #4 to the far right is the first to touchdown followed by #2. They manage to steer around obstructions on the runway, sleeping ducks! Shoveler #2 lands, and #3 comes in next. Keep an eye out for #1, on the left, who decides to stay in the air cutting in front of his companions and landing somewhere off frame to the right. "Ohhhh, that ice is slippery! And cold!" Duck #3 lands feet first, butt down, while #1 stays airborne. Doesn't it get cold, standing on the ice?Birds can stand for long periods on ice due to a process called regional heterothermy, whereby the body core temperature is maintained while the temperature of the feet is allowed to fall close to freezing. This occurs through the process of countercurrent heat exchange, whereby heat from the artery supplying the foot is transferred to the returning vein, minimizing the heat loss from the foot. The foot can withstand very low temperatures without damage because most of the components are tendons and bones, with little nerve or muscle tissue that would be prone to frostbite. (Reference: All About Birds, How Do Gulls Deal With Cold Feet, adapted from The Handbook of Bird Biology, Cornell Labs). Off the Ice, a Say's Phoebe Finds Bugs . . . .Canon R7, RF 100-500mm at 500mm, f/7.1, 1/800 sec., ISO 160, +0 EV. Post production in Adobe LR Classic with Topaz DeNoise AI.
The image above is the same bird as the lead photo, but on a branch. The cinnamon breast is just barely evident. Our subject blends in very well with the landscape. The image below was shot at WWD in December of 2019, and is included here to show better detail of the breast and abdominal plumage. Canon 7D MkII, EF 100-400mm at 400mm, f/6.3, 1/1000 sec., ISO 200, +0.33EV. Post production in Adobe LR Classic with Topaz DeNoise AI. In the series that follows our subject takes flight and hovers over the grasses not far from the trail just after 10 am on the 9th. Say's Phoebes are undaunted by people; this bird was close and a good subject. For the photo geeks: Most of the images in this post were shot at 500 mm, but here I zoomed back to 363 mm to allow for room in the frame for the bird's movement. I cropped in post-production for this image. Canon R7, RF 100-500mm at 363mm, f/8, 1/4000 sec., ISO 800, +0.33EV. Post production in Adobe LR Classic with Topaz DeNoise AI. I have included two series of hovering action to show the wing and tail manuvers as the bird hovers looking for insects. There are gaps in the feathers, especially at the end of the right wing. Some of these may resolve with preening, other defects will have to wait for the next molt to resolve. Certainly the bird's flight is not impaired. In the shots above and below the bird's dark tail is evident. In the image below, the phoebe is leaning forward a bit more, having spotted some morsel on the ground. He/she then plunges straight down, and off frame! In the last shot, shown above, the bird's cinnamon underparts are clear, as is the lighter coloration of the underwing coverts. Marsh WrenCanon R7, RF 100-500mm at 500mm, f/8, 1/2000 sec., ISO 800, +0.33EV. Post production in Adobe LR Classic with Topaz DeNoise AI.
The series of photographs shown below were captured at WWD in February 2020, when the water level was high enough to come under the observation deck, allowing for close-up images of this wren near the water. Canon 7D Mk II, EF 100-400mm at 500mm, f/506, 1/1250 sec., ISO 250, +0.67EV. Post production in Adobe LR Classic. Marsh Wrens are small with a round body and a short tail that is often held up. They are rusty-brown above with black and white streaks down the back, and paler underparts. (Reference: All About Birds) Snow Geese Arrive in a Ruckus . . . . . .Canon R7, RF 100-500mm at 500mm, f/8, 1/4000 sec., ISO 1000, +0.33EV. Post production in Adobe LR Classic with Topaz DeNoise AI. I promised not only an ice show, but a FLYOVER! Well, here it is. About 10:30 am peace and quiet at WWD came to a halt with the arrival of ~200 Snow Geese, initially coming out of the south right over our heads, circling the ponds for a time, then disappearing off in the distance, only to come back. It was quite a show! The image above shows the Snow Geese in flight, white with dark wing tips. Below, the whole flock is at some distance, looking like a swarm of black and white bees. Canon R6, EF 24-105mm at 24mm, f/11, 1/250 sec., ISO 200, 0 EV, post production in Adobe LR Classic with Topaz DeNoise AI. Below a closer view of the flock. Note that there is one bird, to the very far right, that looks brown rather than white. Canon R7, RF +100-500mm at 100 mm, f/8, 1/4000 sec., ISO 2000, 0 EV, post production in Adobe LR Classic with Topaz DeNoise AI. In the image below we see some of the formation structure, with a long line of birds on the right continuously changing and moving. It was impossible to tell if any one bird was leading the flock or what direction they would go in next. Note to the right of the image below a long line of birds with the one dark bird standing out. Below a closer shot of the dark bird in the flock. Snow Geese are generally white but some are a Blue Morph, with a dark body and white head. In-between the White and Blue Morph is the Intermediate Morph with a mix of white and dark on the body. My guess is that the darker bird below is an Intermediate Morph. Canon R7, RF +100-500mm at 500 mm, f/11, 1/4000 sec., ISO 1600, +0.33 EV, post production in Adobe LR Classic with Topaz DeNoise AI. After at least 30 minutes of this aerial ruckus, someone in the flock decided to land not far from us on the far side of the still frozen pond with the rest of the flock following. Finally about 200 Snow Geese land close to the water, with a few Sand Hill Cranes to the right. Canon R7, RF +100-500mm at 324 mm, f/11, 1/2500 sec., ISO 1600, +0.67 EV, post production in Adobe LR Classic with Topaz DeNoise AI. Note: this was shot as three separate images, all hand-held, then merged as a panorama in LR. After ~5 minutes on the ground, they suddenly decided to take off again, swarming around the area for another 5-10 minutes, finally landing away from the pond, not far from the entrance to WWD, likely finding grain to eat. Canon R7, RF +100-500mm at 186 mm, f/11, 1/4000 sec., ISO 2000, +0.67 EV, post production in Adobe LR Classic with Topaz DeNoise AI.
Yes! Finally . . the San Hill Cranes return !Canon R6, EF 24-105mm at 105mm, f/11, 1/250 sec., ISO 125, +0.33EV. Post production in Adobe LR Classic with Topaz DeNoise AI.
Canon R7, RF 100-500mm at 200mm, f/11, 1/4000 sec., ISO 3200, +1.33EV. Post production in Adobe LR Classic with Topaz DeNoise AI. Above, an images two Sand Hill Cranes coming in for a landing at 11:50 am on the 9th. Below an image of a pair at WWD in January of 2021 included here to show better detail. For more photographs and content on Sand Hill Cranes at WWD see my post from 2018: White Water Draw, January 2018. For more on WWD as a birding hotspot over the past 8 years, see Birding Hotspots: White Water Draw. Canon R6, EF 100-400mm with 1.4x Mk III ext., at 560mm, f/8, 1/1200 sec., ISO 320, +0.67EV. Post production in Adobe LR Classic with Topaz DeNoise AI. That's it - happy January! More coming soon . . . . Happy trails! Canon R6, EF 24-105mm at 24mm, f/22, 1/100 sec., ISO 320, 0 EV. Sweetwater Wetlands, a water reclamation site and nature park, is located in Tucson, Arizona, just east of Interstate 10 near Prince Road. The park is doing well following a controlled burn in October which reduced much of the overgrown reeds. The wetlands look good with a lot of bird activity. Image above: A view of the eastern section of the park from the northern shore facing south with the morning sun coming through the trees. RARE BIRD ALERT! |
Neotropic Cormorants live year round from Cape Horn in South America, to Mexico and the U.S. A Range map from eBird is to the right. This map shows the sum or all eBird sightings for Neotropic Cormorants. They feed by diving from the water's surface, but also by plunge diving from the air. Once in the water they swim for prey by folding their wings back, paddling with their webbed feet, and steering with their tails (Ref: Birds of the World). Their ability to stay underwater is facilitated by plumage that allows water to penetrate it. However, once wet, the feathers are too heavy for flight, and the birds must spend time drying off with outstretched wings, shown below. |
The image below was captured on April 26, 2019 at Smith Oaks Rookery on High Island, Texas, on the coast just east of Galveston. The rookery was built on an island within a large pond recovered years ago from oil production. This is a fantastic place to visit if you are in or near the Houston area.
Belted Kingfisher
Belted Kingfishers live near ponds and streams and nest in burrows in earthen banks. They eat fish, looking for prey from perches hanging out over the water, then diving to the surface. They grab prey with their large bills, then return to a perch to swallow it. Adults swallow fish whole, digesting everything but the bones, which are regurgitated later in a pellet, much like an owl.
The portrait above was taken over Pond 3. Our subject is an adult male, with a dark band across the upper chest, and no additional color on the chest. The female is more garish, as we will see in a minute.
Below a male is sitting right above the Neotropic Cormorant at Pond 1, looking for breakfast.
Pond 3 is a great area for birds, with water and trees in a natural desert environment.
Red-eared Sliders
Before the county started work on Pond 1 in 2019 they trapped over 50 turtles and took them to a turtle rescue facility in the Phoenix area. The ones that escaped the traps just walked to Pond 2 while the work was being done, then walked back to Pond 1. (Reference: Jeff Babson).
Northern Cardinal
In the images above and below we see a mature male, bright red with darker wings and dark feathers around the bill.
In Closing . . . .
He quickly escalated his attack on a much larger threat, a school bus parked a short distance away. He was likely nesting nearby, and perceived his reflection in the mirror as a male intruder.
"I showed you! Don't come back!"
Happy Trails!
Let's start with two woodpeckers, the Red-naped Sapsucker and the Hairy Woodpecker.
Red-naped Sapsucker
Their name comes from the red nap of the neck, and their principle food source is tree sap. They drill small holes or sap wells in the outer bark of trees into the underlying phloem or xylem tissues. Sap wells up in these holes, and the birds harvest the sap with their specialized tongues. They may dip insects into the sap for a more balanced meal, especially during breeding season when they are feeding hatchlings. Think of buffalo wings dipped in sweet barbecue sauce.
I am unsure how much sap is present in late October. I have a hunch that they are feeding on insects and whatever sap is present from the holes in the tree.
This is the first time I have seen two sapsuckers feeding together.
Interesting footnote: The Red-naped, Red-breasted, and Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers were considered a single species with separate distributions until 1983 when studies showed they were separate enough to become three separate species. (Ref: Birds of the World). Their biology is very similar and they are known as a superspecies.
Hairy Woodpecker
For more on Hairy Woodpeckers and their nesting habits on the mountain, see my post from June 2023, Spring Nesting 2023, Part 2: At 9000 feet dead trees make great homes!
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Hairy woodpeckers are named after their fine filamentous feathers in the middle of the back, which we can see in the photo above and the series that follows. The back feather looks similar to the feathers of the lower abdomen and ventral tail.
Mountain Chickadee
Although these birds are considered common in their range, and Mt. Lemmon seems a perfect spot for them, the eBird map below shows heavier counts to our north and east. However, they are definitely mountain residents. The image above was captured in Summerhaven on October 29, 2023, the image below on our deck railing April 18, 2019.
Mountain Chickadees eat insects and seeds, storing conifer seeds when they become available in the fall. They are monogamous and territorial during their breeding season (Ref: Birds of the World). Yes, they are cute!
Dark-eyed Junco
For more on sparrows, download the Sparrow ID Guide from the Cornell Labs.
They will come to Mt. Lemmon in the winter, joining their relatives, the Yellow-eyed Juncos, who are a year-round residents.
Dark-eyed Juncos eat seeds which comprise about 75% of their year-round diet. (Ref: All About Birds). At feeders they prefer millet to sunflower seeds (easier on the budget for home owners!). During the breeding season they will eat a variety of insects.
Dark-eyed Juncos breed in forests from sea level to more than 11,000 feet, either in forests of coniferous (spruce, fir, pine) or deciduous (aspen, cottonwood, oak, maple, hickory) trees. They will nest on sloped ground, rock faces, amid tangled roots, in or underneath buildings, or on horizontal branches, window ledges, and in hanging flower pots or light fixtures. (Ref: All About Birds).
In short, they will eat a wide variety of food, including feeder fare, and nest at almost any elevation, in a variety of places, including close to human habitation. It is no wonder their range is so great.
For an example of a species that came close to extinction because of its picky approach to breeding habitat see the Kirtland's Warbler.
The Dark-eyed Junco above compared to our mountain resident, the Yellow-eyed Junco, below . . .
Yellow-eyed Juncos eat seeds, insects and spiders on the ground and in trees, and like other sparrows, hop on the ground, rather than walking. They will catch insects in flight. They will drink sap from bark holes drilled by sapsuckers.
Yellow-eyed Juncos inhabit the mountain forests of central Mexico, extending north into the Sky Islands of SE Arizona. They are ground nesters, preferring slopes in a shady location concealed by a grass clump or a rock or log. (Ref: Birds of the World).
The range map below is from eBird, and shows their year round habitats, with heavy concentration in the mountains of Mexico. We are at the northern limit of their range.
Unlike the Dark-eyed Junco, the Yellow-eyed Junco lives at higher elevations, and has more limited nesting preferences.
We are lucky to have these little sparrows with us year round.
Red-tailed Hawk
The two images, one above and one below, are very similar and taken within seconds of each other, however they are different as presented here. Does one of them create a different feeling? Which one do you prefer?
The image below I cropped intentionally with empty space above and the left of the hawk, reminiscent of the empty space often present in Japanese art. Referred to as ma, the Japanese concept of negative space means literally "gap, space, or pause." In Japanese art the hawk can be seen as a punctuation mark that makes the negative space (sky) a positive entity. For more on ma see Wikipedia, Ma (negative space.)
Below is a range map for the Red-tailed Hawk from Birds of the World. The blue sections represent year round populations, orange is breeding, and the light blue is non-breeding winter. Coastal Mexico seems to be a good place to winter! My guess is there are good thermals and abundant prey.
On January 27, 2023, I was at the Raptor Free Flight (RFF), and stayed after the formal demonstration when they brought out their resident Red-tailed Hawk for some exercise. She likes to soar very high, and on signal, will dive at speeds up to 120 mph yet land gently on the trainer's glove. On this day she soared at considerable height (she disappeared at times) until she finally was high up and to the north. The trainer just barely raised his hand and she knew it was time to come home for dinner.
She went into a fast dive coming in over Cat Canyon. As everyone cried, "There she is! . . " I struggled to find her in the viewfinder, until finally there she was, coming in very fast. The trainer was behind me, and I was right in her dive path. Fortunately my Canon R6 locked onto her and kept her in focus.
In the images below, she is in dive mode with her primary feathers tucked back.
Intermission: More on the alula . . .
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglets are year round residents of the southern U.S. with some populations moving into Canada and Alaska for breeding. They live in forests and mixed woods eating insects as well as seeds and fruit. As they forage for insects in the foliage they move rapidly, constantly flicking their wings.
The photograph above was captured in Carter Canyon on the 29th.
They 3 images that follow were captured at Sweetwater Wetlands in March 2023, and are added here to show more of the birds plumage and the hint of a ruby-red crown.
Townsend's Warbler
In the images that follow we see foraging behavior, with this bird looking under each leaf for an insect.
A short break for Butterflys: A Painted Lady is quite intact, and a Red Admiral goes all to pieces . . . .
Greater Pewee
The Greater Pewee is gray overall with a slight yellow wash to the lower belly with a long slender bill, dark above, and orangish below. It has a slight crest, which we see in the image below. The photographs above and below were taken in Carter Canyon, with the morning light behind me.
Below, our subject has grabbed a butterfly. Jeff Babson, provided with fragmented data (literally) identifies this pewee's lunch as most likely a Red Admiral butterfly.
My thanks to our birding buddies Marty and Jim, and for (as always) the assistance of Jeff Babson, who never seems to tire of my out-in-left-field photographs I send him for identification!
More soon. . . .
Post script: Today, November 10, 2023, is the 8th anniversary of my first blog post! The web site went live on November 8th, and my first post on a trip to White Water Draw was on the 10th. This post is the 106th (if my counting is correct!). So far, so good! The blog continues to evolve and I am enjoying the journey! Thanks for being a reader. Cheers!
The Mississippi Kite is in the Order Accipitriformes, Family Accipitridae, along with other kites, eagles and hawks. They are common in the Americas, but relatively rare in SE Arizona.
The Mississippi Kite breeds in portions of the central plains, the southeastern U.S. including the Mississippi Valley, and portions of SE Arizona, including St. David. See the Range map to the right. Mississippi Kites migrate in the fall to winter in portions of Argentina and Paraguay. So, if you want to see a Kite in Arizona, stop by the monastery in August! Mississippi Kites west of the Mississippi River nest colonially often in windbreaks. The monastery property has a combination of riparian grasslands with high stands of trees that likely fit the bill. |
Mississippi Kites eat medium-sized and large insects, often caught on the fly, but will also eat frogs, toads, lizards, small box turtles, snakes, small birds, and mammals (Ref: Birds of the World).
Images series below: A kite sits atop a high snag, likely looking for food, crouches and takes off, showing his/her* wing span.
*The two sexes are very similar in appearance, overall length about 14 inches, with the female being larger and heavier. Among all raptors, the female is uniformly larger and heavier.
The birds are quite acrobatic in flight at lower altitude, but soar as well.
Below, this kite looks down, as though searching the ground, but in fact, is getting ready to take a nibble of his breakfast.
Of note, another flying insect seems to be following the kite and his food.
In these later shots we can see the wing markings better.
Many thanks to Homer Hansen, not only for guiding our day in August, but for reviewing this post and adding some more information: "Wingspan of the Mississippi Kite averages right around 3 feet. The insect here looks like an adult Giant Mesquite Bug, and I wonder if an instar was with it and maybe falling off The underwing pattern suggests that this is a “subadult” bird (i.e. hatched in 2022) as it still retains some of the juvenile feathers from the preceding year. "
Editor's note: instar is the term for one of many phases of immature Mesquite Bugs which molt progressively to become large adults. See the link for more details.
More soon . . . .
Happy Trails!
In this post we will see eight hummingbirds. Seven are considered rare or unusual sightings, for one of three reasons. They live in Mexico, and in the summer occasionally come north across the border, or they winter in Mexico and breed to the north including a small portion of Arizona, or they are migrating south from breeding grounds to the north.
Let's start with four that are considered largely Mexico residents but can be seen in Arizona in August: White-eared, Plain-capped Starthroat, Berylline, and Lucifer's. Note that only one of these four (Lucifer) has an entry in All About Birds, Cornell's free website that is so useful for information on birds of the U.S. However, Birds of the World, a subscription site has extensive information on all four, and has been my reference for this post.
White-eared Hummingbird
To the right is the range map for White-eared Hummingbirds, from Birds of the World. They live year round in pine, pine-oak, and pine-evergreen forests that contain edges and clearings with flowers. In the summer portions of the northern population will migrate north over the U.S./Mexico border to breed. |
The images here show good feather and bill detail.
Plain-capped Starthroat
This bird was making the rounds, visiting the Ash Canyon sanctuary about every 90 minutes. He was arriving on the same branch above the feeders, then flying to feeder #3, then going to his next stop, only to visit again in a hour or so. I would love to know his daily schedule!
As soon as he arrived, the call went out to the group, and I was able to capture him on his favorite branch, then at the feeders.
To the right, the range map for the Plain-capped Starthroat from Birds of the World. The eBird map (not reproduced here) shows sightings in Arizona, as far north as Phoenix. In the image below, this Starthroat shows off his long bill and head markings, as well as just a hint of color in the throat. They are large birds, about the same size as the Rivali's seen more commonly in our area. |
Berylline Hummingbird
Lucifer's Hummingbird
Violet-crowned Hummingbird
Within its range the Violet-crowned wanders locally, looking for seasonal bloom of trees and shrubs. In northern Mexico and the U.S. it is considered migratory, but there are increasing reports of overwintering in Arizona. Birds of the World summarizes the bird as "a wanderer that is expanding its range northward." | |
Broad-billed Hummingbird
Broad-billed Hummingbirds winter in southern Mexico and breed to the north including SE Arizona and New Mexico. The range is very similar to the preceding five species, but their numbers are greater, making this a favorite around feeders in the Tucson area and easy to spot. The male is a rich green with a blue throat, red bill tipped in black, that in fact, is broad at the base! One of the easiest field marks is the red bill. Females have dingy white underparts and a white line above and around the eye. |
Below a female waiting for water in mid-town Tucson, June 20 2023.
For the photo geeks: The image below was shot at 5:40 pm with the setting sun over my left shoulder providing direct light on the bird. With exposure compensation the background went into darkness. Canon R7, RF 100-500mm at 400mm, f/6.3, 1/1000, ISO 1250, -2 EV.
Calliope Hummingbird
The female, shown below, has a buffy breast, a black crescent before the eye, and white at the upper base of the bill in front of the crescent. The female Calliope and female Broad-billed look much alike, but the Calliope is smaller in size, with markings as noted above, and a shorter bill than the Broad-billed. *
Calliopes are the smallest bird in the United States, weighting one-third the weight of the smallest warbler, about the weight of a ping-pong ball (ref: All About Birds).
*As always, my thanks to Jeff Babson for always being there to help me on bird ID. I was able to use this image and make the correct ID thanks to his sharp eye and detailed knowledge of the species.
It is truly remarkable that a bird this small travels so far, year after year.
Rufous Hummingbird
Like the Calliope, the Rufous winters in southern Mexico, and travels up the Pacific Coast in the spring to breed in the Pacific Northwest including Canada. In the fall they return to Mexico via the Rocky Mountains, stopping off in SE Arizona along the way. The males return first, and can be spotted at feeders in Summerhaven in early July.
The images above and below are males, captured in Hereford at Battiste's Bed Breakfast and Birds in March of 2018. These males are likely stopping off to feed on their way north to breed.
In the first three images of a male in this section, above and below, we can see how the color of the gorget changes depending on the angle of the incident light.
Rufous are very aggressive at feeders, often harassing other hummingbirds to protect a feeder for themselves, even when not actively feeding. This behavior may have positive survival value for a long distant migrant who needs to protect food sources in many locations, coming and going.
Note that all Rufous need to migrate, so even fledglings that are new to the game must travel 1,000's of miles south soon after birth.
Below, a female or immature male coming in for a landing. This is one of my favorite images of the lot. Any day I will go with a picture that puts a smile on my face. This is one of them!
Stay tuned for more, soon!
Happy Trails!
Northern Flickers are large woodpeckers with black and white scalloped plumage, a distinctive black bib, and a slightly decurved bill (bends down slightly at the tip). In the western U.S. they have red shafts on the flight feathers, in the east the shafts are yellow. In the west the males have a red whisker, in the east it is black with a red nape. Below, to the left is a male Red-Shafted Northern Flicker in Summerhaven in a late March 2020 snow, and to the right a male Yellow-Shafted Northern Flicker in flight over Cape May, N.J., October 2021.
Food Run 1 of 3, Dad swoops in with a quick bite . . .
In the frame above, a female chick looks out at us, and below she emerges looking for mom or dad, and some food. One of the males seems to be getting choked off at the edge!
Food Run 2, Mom arrives with lots of goodies . . .
Below, mom takes a pause . . .
Although I did not see the male chicks get fed during the 90 minutes I was set up, they looked pretty healthy and developing well. Birds of the World reports that female Flickers lay their eggs in sequence, perhaps a day apart. So, it is likely that they also hatch in sequence, with the eldest always being as bit bigger than the rest. If there is enough food for everyone, this may not be a problem. With some species in times of limited food, the youngest may not survive. Some owl species will abandon nests with eggs if the mated pair think there is not enough food for the adults and hatchlings.
Food Run 3, The Male Nestling queues up hoping to get fed.
*In fact, there are three NHL teams named for birds, Penguins, Thrashers, and Mighty Ducks. The Red Wings are in fact named after a tire brand! Oh well . . .
Regardless of where you are, stay cool and stay hydrated!
Happy trails!
Nuthatches pursue home improvement! Male Red-breasted carves a nest in a snag.
Birds are born to do 4 things, 2 on a daily basis (eat and don't get eaten) and 2 on an annual basis (make more birds, and molt). When the hormones kick in each spring, caution is thrown to the wind and otherwise foolhardy and inefficient behavior, like building 4 nests rather than one, can become the norm. Day to day in the off season, it would be; save energy, keep out of sight, and find food!
3 weeks later, surprise! Pygmy Nuthatches move in!
It appears that the RBNU male's mate did not like these digs (so to speak), and chose a home in a better neighborhood! That left a fully dug out nest unoccupied, which the PYNUs decided looked just fine! Successful breeding is a lot about timing and efficiency, so if you don't need to dig your own nest, all the better!
For readers interested in all the details of a bird's life, including courtship and nesting, I highly recommend an annual subscription to the Cornell Lab's Birds of the World, which provides the research details that are otherwise summarized in All About Birds.
To be continued . . . . .
Hairy Woodpeckers start a family around the corner, and keep the food coming!
Below is the female in a similar pose. It was late in the afternoon close to the Sky Center and the sun was lighting up this side of the tree.
One or the other would arrive with food about every 10 to 20 minutes.
*For more on fecal sacs, keep reading!
HAWOs eat insects, especially larvae of bark beetles. When there is an infestation of bark beetle, HAWOs often appear in large numbers to eat the larvae and will nest in these areas with good success. It may be bark beetle larvae that they are shuttling in to their young. Lots of food is a predictor of breeding success. Reference: Birds of the World.
Some cavity nesters like their own small cabins: Western Bluebirds nest in boxes in Summerhaven, June 2022.
Female WEBLs are duller than the males, with gray-buff dominating with a pale orange wash on the breast, and blue tints on the wings and tail.
Below, likely the same female as pictured in the lead is bringing a big bug to her hatchlings on Loma Linda Extension Road. During the summer WEBLs eat mainly insects, during the winter they switch to fruits and seeds. The protein in the insect diet (grasshoppers, caterpillars, beetles, ants, wasps, and pillbugs) is important for growing hatchlings.
More coming soon.
Happy Trails!
Getting lunch before being lunch is a daily challenge whereas breeding successfully is a yearly activity, usually in the spring. Molting usually occurs each year after breeding is over, and for some species there is a second molt for breeding plumage.
When it comes to nesting, each species is a bit different. The species can build a nest in a tree or bush (American Robins), or on a house or platform (Cordilleran Flycatchers) , or on the ground (Red-faced Warblers). The one other mode that is fairly common is nesting in a cavity, perhaps a tree or cactus (Gila), maybe on a cliff (swallows), or in a nest box provided by you and I (Western Bluebird).
So, let's take a look at cavity nesters in our area. I am going to start with the Gila Woodpecker, one of our regulars in the Sonoran desert.
On May 6th I had the privilege and pleasure of leading a field trip for the 2023 NANPA (North American Nature Photography Association) Summit, which met here in Tucson at the Westin La Paloma. The morning of the 6th, 8 photographers from all over the U.S., including Tucson, met at Agua Caliente County Park on East Roger Road at 6:30 am, to greet the rising sun and all the critters who were waking up to start the day right with food and water.
As we walked the northwest portions of the park we found a male Gila Woodpecker diving into Saguaro flowers and getting his face fully covered with pollen.
Gila Woodpeckers are year round residents of the deserts of Arizona and Mexico. Their range is limited, as shown to the right in a map from Cornell's eBird site. In Arizona the Gila prefers living saguaro cactus for nests, digging out nest holes high above the desert floor. Once their brood comes to maturity, the nest holes become valuable real estate for other birds, including Elf Owls, pygmy-owls, flycatchers, and Cactus Wrens. (Ref: All About Birds). However, Gila may reuse the holes in future years. | Gila Woodpecker range map. Ref: eBird. |
Below the male emerges from the nest, checking out the local airspace to be sure it is clear before diving into flight. Remember, "eat but don't get eaten!" Truly, words to live by.
This image shows his head, back, wing and tail markings well.
More soon on another cavity nester, the Hairy Woodpecker, feeding the brood on the top of Mt Lemmon!
Happy Trails!
Author
Henry Johnson, photographer and author of this site. For more detail, see About
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