Returning to Base and Meridian for the Skulkers

I set my alarm clock last night before I dozed off to 3:30 A.M.  I wasn't sure if I was up for a long birding expedition, or a more leisurely and affordable stroll over to a closer location.  There were several options.  Prescott has been inviting lately, as well as Flagstaff, and of course, my prized Mazatzal Mountains on the Maricopa County sections.  Other locations rather far but not too far have been Lower Camp Creek and Box Bar along the Verde River.  Close locations such as Base and Meridian Wildlife Area have been on my mind also, especially with the awesome birds that were present there last week.  As I slept through my alarm clock and pressed snooze time and time again, I woke up at 5:30 A.M. and decided to go for Base and Meridian once again.  I thought of it as being for the best, since I don't have a whole lot of money.  Family vacation is at the end of the month (which will include hardcore birding daily), and I need to save for that.  So B and M, your a good choice.  I stuffed a bag full of bananas, and snacks, grabbed my camera, binoculars, and headed out the door.  I realized that I forgot to buy water, which is the dumbest move I've made all year.  It's only 110 degrees out, right?  Luckily, there is a Circle K just north of the wildlife area, and I bought three large bottles.  Once again, I was feeling that I would get lucky with a cool sighting or two or three at B and M.  On my way to B and M, I was already in a good mood once my favorite singer Kari Jobe was playing on my truck stereo (Kari is so very), and that I read that the Suns are going to at least try in an attempt at luring Lebron James to the Phoenix Suns (If we can convince him, I'm gonna run a victory lap in the "Heat").  And there are those B and M's too.  The five I mentioned in my last post.  As I arrived on site, I started to play it the same way I did last time.  Clapper Railing, Least Bitterning, Barn Owling, Great Horned Owling, and Yellow-billed Cuckooing.  I still needed the Clapper Rail for the year, and I was hoping today would bring in that result.

Like last week, success hit me immediately.  The Great Horned Owls were gone from their usual locations where I have observed them, but the Barn Owls were there.  I didn't want to spend too much time with the Owls early on, since they do sit there all day long.  The riparian and marshy areas were calling my name from the start, and I wanted to utilize the earlier hours for Clapper Rail searching.  As I came up upon the Cuckoo riparian area, I heard one of the Yellow-billed Cuckoos immediately.  I bushwhacked into the habitat in hopes of another visual, and a better picture if lucky than last time.  Heck, I just love to see the Yellow-billed Cuckoo.  And I got very lucky, as one of them flew in for a short while.  I had great binocular views and a few good chances for the snapshot.

There are branches in the way, yes, but I don't think you can call it a Cuckoo shot unless there is something in the way.  If one gets a clear shot of this bird, it's just plain luck and it doesn't happen often.  The Yellow-billed Cuckoo sounded off a few more times throughout the time I was standing in it's willow grove.  They sound awesome too!  I'll admit, the first time I heard a Yellow-billed Cuckoo it was loud.  It gave it's "coo-coo-coo-coo" song.  I looked up in the sky and was expecting to see a Golden Eagle, and then the Cuckoo called and I realized what it was.  Golden Eagle, ha!  It took me nearly a year to see a Yellow-billed Cuckoo after I heard one.  Beginning birders out there, if you see a cuckoo visually on your first observation, you are birding down the right path!

Up next.  More Least Bitterning.  

Being North America's shyest and smallest heron, the Least Bittern is a tough bird to see and observe.  B and M is one of the better locations for seeing one in Arizona.  Elsewhere, they remain very difficult.  As I was watching the cuckoo, I caught sight of a male Least Bittern as I spooked him out of the reeds.  My attempt in re-finding him wasn't successful.  I did find a female Least Bittern.  Although she was shy, she was playing hide-and-seek in only a few reed patches.  This gave me a chance to get her picture and observe her well.  At first, she allowed decent but very obstructed views.

She then flew off and across the pond from where I was at.  It wasn't far, but it would be a challenge to visually locate her again, of course.  I found a pullout close to where she flew, and a spot that would be good to watch for Clapper Rails.  While I didn't see a Clapper Rail while standing around, I was surprised to see a Virginia Rail briefly come out of the marsh.  I then looked up and caught the movement of the Least Bittern, luckily!

This time, the Least Bittern was very cooperative, and she stayed put for ten minutes.  She was at a much more comfortable distance from me on this run, and I was able to have great un-obstructed views and a few decent pictures.

The Least Bittern provided an awesome time and memory!

After the Least Bittern, it was all about the Clapper Rail.  I stood in the very marshy area where I had the Bittern for a long time, as well as an overlook that overlooks a marsh area in hopes of a Clapper Rail sighting.  While I waited, this Green Heron flew by.  The Green Heron is a small heron, but wow, compared to the Least Bittern, it really seems like a giant.

A White-winged Dove also flew down for drink.  Just like the White-winged Dove sings a song, it needs to drink to keep it going.  Especially in this hole.

Dragonflies were everywhere too.  They are kinda cool.  The things we do when we wait...

After an hour or so of farting around and looking for the Clapper Rails, I realized that they had outwitted me again.  And it was getting hot outside, and it was getting close to the time when I needed to head back.  The Owls were a stop on the way back.  As I began to bird under the bridge, I encountered this Dimwit.  

I didn't find any Great Horned Owls today, but the Barn Owl pair was present and they were quite viewable.   

Out of the three skulkers at B and M today, the Barn Owl is very easy to view.  They are usually very hard to find unless perching in a barn or under a bridge.  To close out the day, I ran into this young Say's Phoebe, who was noisily following his mom around.  

It had come to that time and I headed home.  The Clapper Rail eluded me again this year, perhaps I can try again.  But as far as the Cuckoo and Bittern went, they were both very worth the trip and were a blast to observe!

A Fun Two Days of Birding

Hi everyone,

I spent January 17th and 19th birding around Phoenix with Geoff Butcher from Houston, Texas.  We had many good highlights during the two birding days that are worth mentioning.

On the 17th, we visited the Arrowhead Lakes Area, Sun City Grand, Encanto Park, and South Mountain Park, and the 19th we also visited South Mountain Park, the Thrasher Spot, and the Arlington/Paloverde Area.

Our first stop was in the Arrowhead Lakes area to look for the Eurasian Wigeon along Arrowhead Loop Road and Quail Avenue in the stream by the school.  We arrived there very early and the Wigeon wasn't there at 7:30 A.M.  A few American Wigeon flew in, and after ten minutes of waiting, the Eurasian had still not come in and we were thinking he was going to come in very soon.  We decided to make a quick stop at Arrowhead Lake at Thunderbird Viewing Blinds Park (where the Lesser Black-backed Gull was seen) as well as Thunderbird Conservation Park and check those locations.  Arrowhead Lake was deprived of the usual large numbers of Common Mergansers (who probably hadn't flown in yet either), but did have a flock of Canada Geese.  Among the Canada Geese was a CACKLING GOOSE.  The Cackling Goose was interesting and had a striking white "neckband".  This feature supports Aleutian Cackling Goose strongly, but does occur infrequently in other Cackling Goose subspecies.  The bird was photographed and pictures have been sent to AZFO.  After spending a quick time at these two parks, we went back down Arrowhead Loop Road and as we were pulling up to the spot we could tell there were more Wigeon that had flown in.  This time, the EURASIAN WIGEON was feeding practically on the sidewalk.  We spent some time enjoying the bird.

Cackling Goose with Canada Geese

Eurasian Wigeon

After the Wigeon, we went over to Sun City Grand to search for some of the goodies at Desert Springs Golf Course, and we had two main targets to find at this location.  One was the continuing GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW, who we found quickly among the flock of WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS.  It provided excellent views and field study.  After the Sparrow, we headed east along the path bordering the golf course ponds and found two LEWIS'S WOODPECKERS.  I had known of there being at least one Lewis's Woodpecker at this location, and it was nice to find out that there are a pair of them.  They foraged in palm trees on the north side of the golf course, and also favored a section of palm trees at the eastern-most side of the walking path, on the south side of the path.  The woodpecker was Geoff's 500th ABA bird, a very awesome bird to see for that milestone!  The female WOOD DUCK also continued in the pond.  A few HARRIS'S HAWKS were also present.

Lewis's Woodpecker

Wood Duck

White-crowned Sparrow

Our next stop was at Encanto Park to search for ROSY-FACED LOVEBIRDS.  It didn't take long to find them, and they ended up being very cooperative in a quick visit.

Rosy-faced Lovebirds

The "coolest" Rock Pigeon of all time

The final stop for the day on the 17th was at South Mountain Park.  We saw a handful of desert birds, with the best being a pair of GILDED FLICKERS close to the road.

The symbolistic Cactus Wren photo

On January 19th, Geoff and I met very early in the morning and headed out in the dark to look for WESTERN SCREECH-OWLS at South Mountain Park.  After a few stops, we heard a few Western Screech-Owls calling back-and-fourth.  We headed in their direction and were rewarded with incredible and up close looks of the pair sitting together in a tree.  It was a great way to start off the morning!  GREAT HORNED OWLS were calling from many locations and both BENDIRE'S and CURVE-BILLED THRASHERS were singing away before it got light out.

Western Screech-Owls

After the early morning pre-dawn South Mountain Park visit, we headed out west to the Thrasher Spot, primarily in search of Le Conte's Thrasher and Bell's Sparrow.  Luck hit us very quickly as we heard several Sage Sparrow species calling in the brush.  Geoff spied the first one at the top of a bush, and that first bird turned out to be a nice BELL'S SPARROW!  Despite covering a good distance throughout the Thrasher Spot in two hours, we didn't find anymore Bell's Sparrows among the numerous SAGEBRUSH SPARROWS.  Two LE CONTE'S THRASHERS gave us great views quickly into our search for them and we also had a SAGE THRASHER, a calling CRISSAL THRASHER, and a few distant singing BENDIRE'S THRASHERS.  A PRAIRIE FALCON also made a low swoop over the location, and gave the birds quite the scare.

Le Conte's Thrasher

We then spent a good amount of time birding in the Arlington/Paloverde/Old US 80 area.  In this area, highlights we encountered included WHITE-FACED IBIS, FERRUGINOUS HAWK, SANDHILL CRANES, LONG-BILLED CURLEWS, GREATER ROADRUNNER, BURROWING OWL, BELTED KINGFISHER, plenty of AMERICAN KESTRELS and LOGGERHEAD SHRIKES, a pair of CRISSAL THRASHERS, and a large flock of stunning YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS.

The army of Yellow-heads!

Sandhill Cranes

Ferruginous Hawk

A stop at Gillespie Dam produced ten or so AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS.  After the Dam, we headed over to the Lower River Road Ponds.  Highlights in this area included 2 CANVASBACKS, OSPREY, a pair of BALD EAGLES, and YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS.

American White Pelican

The Snowy and Great-what a size contrast!

Our final stop of the day included another stop at South Mountain Park, this time in pursuit of a wintering Gray Vireo.  With great help and directions from Magill Weber, we walked about halfway down the Telegraph Pass Trail.  When we got to the immediate location of where the Vireo was being seen, we waited for over an hour and then finally lucked out with the GRAY VIREO, and it was a great way to close out the day.  Thank you Magill!  For those interested in the Vireo, hike down the rather steep Telegraph Pass Trail for probably a half mile.  A wash is on the immediate west side of the trail.  We saw the Gray Vireo in the wash close to where a little side trail veers of from the main trail (the side trail heads east).  Along this side trail are a few signs saying "area closed behind this sign" and there is also a wooden "fence" running along the side trail.  Adjacent to this immediate area, keep an eye and ear out for the Vireo.  It was a great few days to be out birding!

Gray Vireo

A mature Elephant Tree.  Most of them are 5 feet tall or less.  These trees grow fruit that attract wintering Gray Vireos to desert hillsides and washes.  They are to thank for wintering Gray Vireos in Arizona deserts!

Good Birding,

Tommy DeBardeleben (Glendale, Arizona)