The 2025 Birder Recap
Western Bobcat
This year has been an interesting one. Or maybe not interesting at all. This was the year of the reboot. It was also about leaving the birding community for a time to get my health and life back together. For the first time in my life, I didn't travel. I stayed home and lived between Tucson and Nogales, Mexico. So when I think back, I actually did quite a bit! My research in the Nogales area was quite rewarding and exciting. Birders here in Arizona just tick and chase the same rarities year after year in the state not really adding any new data. When you first start out, everything is new and exciting. As the years pass, birding transforms into something else. And that something else is different for each birder. No one ever goes to Nogales to bird and so the data was/is lacking. For me, it was rewarding to contribute information for Mexican birders.....and those few international adventure types that look for a challenge.
Work in Mexico
It took a map on ebird and an inquisitive spirit to search for various and safe habitats. During my research, I discovered I hadn't added MALLARD to my Mexican bird list! After all these years of Mexican birding, it became my number one goal! My partner in crime, Julio, helped me create a few ebird hotspots for the Nogales area. He's not a birder but he has a curious spirit. Together, we created ebird hotspots at La Pirinola(the Spinning Top), El Parque Represo and Hacienda San Luis. Each offers a different style habitat that is safe to explore. La Pirinola has oak scrub habitat and makes for a nice hike up a large hill. El Parque Represo is safe during the day and is a water treatment area full of ducks and other water birds. Hacienda San Luis offers the beautiful cottonwood riparian habitat that we see in places like Patagonia State Park.
Other places we explored had cartel members in the area. So we were very calculated as to where and when we went. La Universidad Tecnologica offers oak scrub habitat in a migration path that landed us many amazing warblers in spring. While the school is safe, the adjacent lands are sketchy and yet full of incredible oak trees and great habitat. So we treaded lightly. Right along the border entrance, the cartel has a hold in some areas including the cemeteries. This year Julio and I will cover, for the second time in history, the Nogales CBC Mexican side. We covered it for the first time last year and found amazing birds like Monk Parrots and Cassin's Finch in the wooded cemeteries.
Northern Saw-whet Owl
While I didn't add any lifers during our searches, I did add to my Mexican bird list! Last week, I found a Prairie Falcon in the grassland habitat outside of town. Back in August, I found a Black Tern at El Parque Represo. Then in June, I finally added Mallard in Imuris and then again at El Parque Represo. They are not common. In fact, hybrids are not common either. Most are pure Mexican Ducks. So I better understand their hybridization zone now which starts between the border and the Phoenix area. In Tucson, there are a few Mexican Ducks but most are hybrids. So that was cool to learn and really understand better. An accidental add was an Olive-sided Flycatcher on the university grounds during migration. And back in March, Julio got excited to observe Lawrence's Goldfinches. They are his new favorite bird. He loves yellow birds but this species made him so excited. My final new bird for the Mexican life list was the Canada Goose! The first goose of any kind in the country of Mexico. Geese are rare there but more likely in the northern states.
As I reclaim my life again by next year, we will explore more from the state of Sonora and I can't wait to show him some of the amazing places that I've visited in the past. And of course, we'll explore new territory within the state of Arizona and beyond. Most birders head to Rocky Point, San Carlos or Alamos, but there are MANY great places to explore. Mexico requires patience and a bit of study but it's worth the effort! I have finally found my birding purpose that combines my talents and satisfies my curiosity. My mission? To bird where few have gone before.
Our studies also revealed a small Monk Parakeet population in Nogales. There is a major population in Hermosillo which is a few hours south of Nogales. If they're so close to the border, why don't we see more Monk Parakeets in Arizona? I believe the answer lies within chaos. Americans are robotic and organized. Mexicans are chaos within order and Monk Parakeets will nest anywhere chaos is present. Or if an area is ignored. In the US, Monk Parakeet nests are destroyed and taken off of wires etc. In Mexico, parakeets are pretty cool even if they cause damage. They make great pets in the illegal pet trade! After all, everyone is "libre" or free to do what they want. Where there is water and palm trees, you'll always hear or see a few parakeets in the background. In other news, we also found a Cinnamon-rumped Seedeater and Great Kiskadee quite close to the border. Will they become the next exciting new Arizona bird for next year? Stay tuned.
Again, no Aztec Thrush yet. But I did add TWO new birds to my state list, the Cave Swallow and Ruby-throated Hummingbird completing the last of these two categories of birds. However, we are expecting at some point the first sighting of a Mangrove Swallow to cross over in the next few years. Other swallows from the south could show up? But most likely it will be the Mangrove Swallow. It was nice to add two new birds to my Arizona list which now stands at 499. What bird will make it 500?
After my camera's base blew out in West Mexico over a year ago, I had to save my money to get a new base that worked with my lens. For about a year, I went with an older base that took grainier pics. It was frustrating but I'm glad to be back up and running. The hummingbird was the last of the grainier photos. I am so thankful that my friend Hollie was able to give me her base which was almost the same exact model I had before the humidity and mud blew up my camera, which cost me a photo of a Purplish-backed Jay and several other lifers the previous year. Thankfully I was able to get videos of the birds.
Lifers for Pima County
For Pima County, the new additions were again not many. Just 3, but they were 3 long awaited birds! In March, a Glossy Ibis was reported out in Marana and while that wasn't a state bird, it was a welcome county bird.
Then a Green Kingfisher came to a much easier area for me to navigate. Usually people add that species down by Arivaca Lake but the road is spiky and rough. Being on a budget, I didn't want to blow out my new tires. So I patiently waited. On my way home from Mexico, I stopped at Canoa Ranch and watched the bird fish from the pond in the shade. No pictures. I have plenty of pics of the bird from my other travels. It was a safe and beautiful day out. No tires blown.
An armchair tick and "new bird" for the year, the Mangrove Yellow Warbler
And finally, a Marbled Godwit came to visit a water treatment plant in Pima County! Again, I've seen this bird in other places in Arizona BUT it's a rare bird for Pima County. So many old and new birders added a new tick to their county list.
Lifebirds
For the first time in my life, I didn't add a single lifebird! Arm chair ticks, yes! And those ticks came from other years. So for the 2025, I added 5 new bird species from splits but they were observed during travels from years past. I now can say I added ZERO new birds to my list this year. That's worse than that awful covid year. The covid year at least provided me the Eared Quetzal which is probably my most treasured bird of all time.
My Birding Thoughts
I work an exhausting job. Just 2 years to go before I leave the profession. And I can't wait! I am trying to get my home all organized so I can retire and travel with my partner in crime. Mexico is my focus for next year. And then a trek to Ecuador in the summer might help that travel itch. I've lost interest in the US scene. I walk among the Mexicans as El Güero.
Northern Harrier
As a young person growing up, I always felt alone because I didn't find many people like me and after all these years, I realize I am pretty unique. I took it for granted and now I see the power in who I've become. So when I leave teaching, I can't wait to start this new adventure. I am a hybrid of cultures. I have the robotic US values, which are good. But I have the Mexican spirituality and not that uptight part that allows for flexibility. I am the balance to my dramatic Mexican other half. Together we eat pozole, chilaquiles, and so many other wonderful Mexican foods. I am back on the right path again and by 60, I'm hoping to live full time in Mexico because the US ain't where it's at for me.
While neither country is perfect, people are still civil in Mexico and when I'm there, I feel at peace. We've lost something in this country and it's exhausting battling anymore so I withdraw into work, birding and Mexico. And when I'm not doing those things, I'm at home where there is peace and quiet! Happy New Year everyone! Until next time....
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