The Wrenegade Dispatch
Another year has passed and the Wrenegades have achieved our fundraising goals. We'd like to thank everyone for their moral and financial support who helped us raise over 10,000 dollars for Tucson Bird Alliance.
This report has been long overdue so let me get right into the event. And it was an event:) Teaching took a lot of my energy these past several months and writing was the last thing on my mind. So it's nice to reflect on the event almost 3 months late!
This year we decided to change our route. I feel like last year's event had us really mastering our goals after years of basically doing the same route. We wanted to do something different and give ourselves a challenge to find the most bird species in a 24 hour time period. But have fun!
It's good to change the routine after doing the same thing for years. I think that this has been my principal message to myself for the past couple years on this blog. CHANGE! We knew that our new route would have some bumps the first time around but we also had fun learning from those "hiccups".
Our team is made up of Matt, Sara, Jennie and Tim. They are extremely talented and kind people to be around. This year's route changed from the general Tucson area to the Portal/Chiricahua region. We plan accordingly with the time and date in mind for the maximum amount of birds to be found in a 24 hour time period. Generally speaking, the end of April and very first days of May are the perfect time for wintering leaving, summer arriving, owls calling, hawks and shorebird migrations. So people coming to Arizona for birding, take note. DO NOT come in JUNE. It's too hot and we, the AZ birders, will be traveling to cooler climates. Maybe you'll find us up on Mt. Lemmon, but if you're looking for a Gilded Flicker, good luck. You'll die here in the summer birding all day even with water:) Plus, many of the birds are on a nest and silent. Come during monsoon in July. Way more exciting. And even more birds to see!
Tim, once again, planned our master route and organized our super nice ride to get around the Chiricahua Mountains. He is always so generous with his time. And very modest! While we "working types" may not have the time to coordinate such efficient routes, we DO appreciate our retired friend for putting in all that valuable time to help make our big day a win for all. I am grateful to be a part of our wonderful team. Like any holiday tradition, it is good to be a part of a crew/family of friends each year trying our best to seek out new life and experiences together. For this, I am always grateful.
Like any good tradition, we start out our trek with a visit to Willcox and her watering holes. This is where we can add many bird species and those rarities being seen around the "lake".
It takes precision and it takes patience as our clock ticks. The scopes come out to identify the small little birds flitting around the shore. Sometimes, we get the fun and exciting gull ID if we're lucky enough to have one present!
As night approaches, we open our ears for the night birds. Lesser Nighthawks fly around us. We grab dinner at a local Mexican restaurant in Willcox. Then we sleep a bit for a very early morning adventure into the Chiricahua Mountains.
No city lights. Just montane night skies. We listen for owls and nightjars. A pair of Spotted Owls call to one another at the break of dawn.
While it is quite cold, the dawn chorus begins with a Red-breasted Nuthatch calling. When it is quiet, we hear the Spotted Owl chime in. Then a Spotted Towhee. A Red-faced Warbler. And the "JOSE MARIA" of the Greater Pewee. Then all at once, the dawn chorus erupts into a crescendo inside the forest, interrupted at times by several Wild Turkeys.
We climb the Onion Saddle as the sun begins to glimmer over the Chiricahua peaks.
It is windy and cold at first, but as the day goes on, it gets warmer.
It's always a fast paced day allowing for some difficult photography. I try to get the best shots I can, when I can, for the team's summary report to the donors. People love pictures to go with the narration. It's a fun challenge. Often I will break from the group to focus on getting those much needed pics for the crew. It requires a steady hand and patience. With a bit of luck.
The feeding stations we had are often the best places to grab those photos. A Hooded Oriole comes to the orange several times.
Scott's Orioles love jam! My grandma swore by Smuckers.
There is this beautiful little side road near Portal that made our journey quite memorable.
A really cool Chiricahua Fox Squirrel is seen near the town of Portal. The paws on this endemic are huge!
It was here we had a beautiful view of the Coppery-tailed Trogon, formally known as the Elegant Trogon. We also had a lovely perched, non-spastic, Painted Redstart (which is quite rare for that bird:)
No matter how many times I see this species of trogon, or any trogon, I am transported to tropical America. Not only is it a lovely bird, it's truly a joy to observe in these magical habitats of Arizona. There's usually running water, sycamores and shade! Think canyons with a stream while searching for this bird in their range. Arizona sycamores are a must as that is where they nest.
A late Audubon's Warbler moved about the vegetation for a lovely glance.
A miracle happened as I caught this beautiful Barn Swallow in flight lifting off. They are so tricky sometimes to capture in air!
Photo tip of a swallow in flight. Have camera on sports mode. Watch a swallow. And wait for it to take flight. 1000 pictures later, you may find one good flight shot.
One of the most thrilling parts of our journey was to witness a side-by-side comparison of 2 similar species. One is super rare! At Willcox, we had a Long-billed Curlew and a Hudsonian Whimbrel. This species was just called Whimbrel as of last year, but they have acknowledged that there are 2 species now. The Eurasian variety has a white rump.
The Whimbrel is on the left and the Curlew is on the right. Notice the shape and size of their bills. Also note their stance. Size is also different as is the crown on top their heads. Subtle but easy to identify once you know these birds well. Also I was super thrilled to capture their vocalizations which are quite different. You can hear them on this ebird checklist.
Long-billed Dowitcher
This change was just what the Wrenegades needed to spice up our years of birding the same route. It gave us new challenges and new hotspots to explore. The sparrows were a bit tricky this year so we're hoping to do better on that front next year.
Overall, we did pretty well considering it was our first year with 169 species seen or heard in one day. You can view our trip report here. A special thank you to all of our supporters helping out for a really good cause. Tucson Bird Alliance wouldn't be as strong as it is without all your support. And a special thank you to our Wrenegade crew. Over the years, we have really come together as a team learning from each other's strengths. When something works, it's like a well oiled machine. Each offers a different talent that helps us keep going. It is exhausting at times but it's always great to see everyone and catch up. Until next time....
Comments
Post a Comment