Wed. Wings-Birding with Tucson Friends

Its been a while since I posted a blog and I can't wait to share with you the wonderful time I had birding with fellow birder/bloggers Kathie Brown and Chris Rohrer in beautiful Tucson, Az. We met at a Starbucks and I had the pleasure of meeting Kathie for the first time in person. It didn't take but a minute and I knew what a wonderful person she is. I had already birded with Chris on another occasion and this combination of knowledge and professionalism made for a great experience. Chris and Kathy assured me I would view (and most likely photo) all the birds on my wish list - and they delivered!   

      We spent the morning at Sweetwater Wetlands.  A birder paradise nestled in the heart of Tucson, hard to find but worth the many road construction detours.  I went crazy, taking what seemed a million photos. 
Here' s a few .... 


                                                             " Sweetwater Wetlands"
50 bird species recorded & submitted to E-bird by Kathie Brown and Chris Rohrer

Black and white Warbler

Summer Tanager (f) 

                                                                             
                                                                       

Common Moorhen

Song Sparrow

Sora 

Yellow-headed Blackbird

                                                                 The morning went by fast and the outdoor temperature steadily rising into the 70's.  After we had a very nice lunch at Francisco's, Kathy and Chris decided that for me to see more life birds we needed to take a trip to Reid Park. The park was very crowded with a Spring training baseball game being played  and picnickers enjoying the warm weather. We worried that the crowds maybe scared off the birds but it didn't, as they were all there:)


                                                                         " Reid Park"
 19 bird species recorded & submitted to E-bird by Kathie Brown & Chris Rohrer

                                                                  Common Merganser (F)

Wigeon

                                                      Black-crowned Night Heron (adult)

                                                            Vermilion Flycatcher (m)

Not a lifer, but Egrets beg to be photographed:)

                                                                

                             Last but not least, we ended our birding day at Saguaro National Park.  This Park is gorgeous and I can only imagine what it must look like when the wildflowers are in full bloom in a few weeks time.  This is a great wildlife and birding destination if you visit the Tucson area with nice trails and picnic areas. 


                                                              " Saguaro National Park
12 bird species recorded and submitted to E-bird by Kathie Brown  and Chris Rohrer
         

                                                                
                                        Thanks to Kathie and her very keen eye,  I never EVER would imagine to see and photo  a Great-horned Owl resting on top of a saguaro cactus!  We all agreed this was the highlight of the day.                          
                                        Also, Northern Cardinals in the desert ................ wow!

Northern Cardinal (m)

Northern Cardinal (f)

                                                                    Black-throated Sparrow
   

Curve-billed Thrashers

At the close of this amazing day I have to thank Kathie and Chris for a wonderful birding experience. They are experts at all that is birding - identifying, counting and submitting  important data each time they bird. I am  so grateful that they took the time and patience to show me their world:)   

Cynthia, Chris, Kathy     3/2/2013

       Happy Birding !!                                 

                                                                  

  

                                               
                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                       

                 














                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

' White Birds of Willow Lake '

This is the second year in January of easy accessibility to our nearby lakes, and the trails leading to them due to lack of snow pack. It is usually very icy and treacherous. I was thrilled to learn that birder and blogger friend Chris Rohrer was in town and we agreed to meet at Willow Lake to do some birding. I was so very happy to meet him and he made me feel comfortable and at ease meeting for the first time. We trudged through the tall grass to get as close as we could to the shores edge. It was very muddy, our shoes were caked with it and other unnamed goo, but the end result was worth it!  Chris took beautiful images of Tundra Swans and Ross's Geese and I was happy to get the former as another life bird:)    

' Ross's Geese'  Willow Lake - Prescott, Az.  

'Ross's Geese in flight' Willow Lake - Prescott, Az.

'Tundra Swan' Willow Lake - Prescott, Az.

                                                                        

'Sleeping Tundra, with one on the alert:) 

Chris Rohrer and Cynthia White 

                                                                      
                                                                        Happy Birding:) 

Too Cold to Bird?

While I don't consider myself a 'wuss' when dealing with weather it has been brutally cold the last 5 days or so in the West. Maybe its a 'getting older' thing but it sure cuts deep into my favorite pastime. I did manage to get this Western Bluebird couple last week ahead of the deep freeze. Good news is it was get warmer starting today:)

Happy Birding!

                                                                        Western Bluebird  (f)

Western Bluebird  (m)

Prescott, Az. 

Wings and Things At Watson Lake

The weather  later this week is to turn cold and wintry so a trip down the road to Watson Lake on a beautiful sunny day was in order.  Again, some of the images are typical year round residents, but I did manage to view and photograph another life bird - the Belted Kingfisher. Of all the times I have been at our lakes at different times of the  year, I guess it was the 'right time, right place' for they are listed as in range for our area but a first for me:)

                                                          Belted Kingfisher (m)

                                                                   American Coots on ice

                                                                    American Kestral
 

                                                          Small (warbler?) birds nest

                                                    Not sure but maybe a Brewer's Blackbird?

                                         Canadian Geese flying low over the Dells

                                                                      Great Blue Heron

Last but not least, this very small rodent was shuffling under the leaves and gave me short notice to get a image of his eye and the top of his nose:)

                                                                  Happy Birding!!

Tundra Swan (redux) from Jan. 2012

These photos of Tundra Swan taken Jan. 2012 at Watson Lake - Prescott, Az. It was also very cold!  The Swans viewed today were out in the middle of Willow Lake, heads down, sleeping. No current photos.

  

1st Bird Walk Jan. 2013

It was a cold but sunny 20 deg. F. when our group started the First Bird Walk of 2013 at Willow Lake - Prescott, Az.  It was so cold that the ink in our pens froze and my gloved fingers were so cold I could hardly navigate my iPhone to properly list all the bird sightings. Birds sighted were:
Accipiters: Cooper's Hawk, Northern Harrier, Juv. Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, American Kestral  
Sparrows: White-crowned, Savannah, House,Lincoln, Song. White-breasted Nuthatch, Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon), Spotted Towhee. 
Ducks: Bufflehead, Common Merganser, Pintail
Tundra Swans, Canadian Geese, Double-crested Cormorant

                                                                  White-breasted Nuthatch

                                                               Juv. Bald Eagle

                                                Not very close but it is a Northern Harrier

Male Ladder-backed Woodpecker 

At the end of our bird walk I was particularly happy to view and take a picture of a Ladder-backed Woodpecker.  I now look forward to weekly bird walks in the future when the weather is a bit warmer :)   Happy Birding!

First Birds of 2013

Although it has been a while since I have posted on my blog, it is never far from my mind. Viewing friends posts and blogs always is very inspirational for me and I feel that a little 'reset' was beneficial.   Some images of the first birds of 2013 are not especially new to me, but I was extremely happy to get a  Loggerhead Shrike, which is a lifer for me :)  

                                                                      Common Raven

                                                                       American Pelican

                                                               Loggerhead Shrike  (lifer!)
  

                                                                      Black Phoebe  

                                                           Ruby-crowned Kinglet                

Yellow-rumped Warbler

                                                            Happy Birding 2013 to All !!