I stopped by the Gilbert Water Ranch for a few hours of birding on Saturday. As expected, the place is teeming with White-crowned Sparrows, far more numerous than the combined waterfowl or even Great-tailed Grackle/House Sparrow/Starling/Pigeon combination of sooty city birds. It's a tough call whether or not the Sparrows or the Waterfowl are a more exciting aspect of autumn. I guess for now it's the Sparrows, since there are still new Sparrows for me to see in Phoenix but I'm got most of the expected ducks covered. At any rate, let me both apologize and warn that you'll likely be seeing lots of these White-crowns in the next few months.
The Water Ranch has played host to some interesting migrants/vagrants the last week or two. I dipped on the female Chestnut-sided Warbler there (which is still around, apparently) but did see a pair of American Redstarts. Warblers are hard enough to photograph and rarer Warblers all the more so. Instead I came away with shots of this mangy young male Costa's Hummingbird. Costa's Hummers aren't rare, but they're not overly common, especially late in October.
I think the white thing on the leaf is pocket lint, or maybe wadded up spider web. Always nice to see these guys, especially amidst the inundation of Anna's around Phoenix.
The Costa's Hummer looked very dainty, very petit atop its little leaf. This Great Egret, in contrast, looked chunky and uncomfortable. Come to think of it, Great Egrets often look this way.
And here is perhaps the only stage of the Black-crowned Night Heron life cycle wherein the bird is actually camouflaged. Clearly he thought it was a good-enough disguise to sit out in the open, which is pretty uncharacteristic for the GWR Night Herons.
There wasn't a whole lot to show for the trip, but it'll get me through the week. My two month loan Swarovski nocs' should arrive this week and I'm going to take them and a buddy to Tres Rios next Saturday. I expect it will ruin me.
Hey there!!! I was trying to email you but for some reason it didn't work. I was wondering what the deal is with Tres Rios. I wanted to go today but I don't know if it's closed or not, but I want to go next weekend(Sunday) and check this place out. What do I need to do to visit? Is it permit only and call ahead? It sounds like an incredibly awesome site.
ReplyDeleteI've been noticing the White Crowned Sparrows as well. There have been so many of them lately that I've been combing and digging for the hidden sparrows. I am really studying these little birds. Some are super easy to ID but most have caused me hours of research....not that that's a bad thing:)
Love all your photos....especially the Costa's. They are a rare treat to capture out in the wild. Here in Tucson, they will rarely feed at the feeders but I'll catch them at random spots around the desert. Hope all is well. Chris
Hey Chris!
DeleteTres Rios has two sites. the Hayfield site, east of 91st ave, is open to the public. The Overland Wetlands and Flow-Regulating Wetlands west of 91st ave are permit required (you email a lady and she sends it in the mail). However, I've never seen anyone checking the permits and they're free. The people they're worried about take their ATVs and ride around discharging their guns while throwing back Bud Light, so if you don't have the parking permit I wouldn't worry about it, any trips you make there and publicity you bring to the place will only help.
You should definitely let me know if and when you want to make a shot at it. If you're up in Phoenix there are other places to visit to, and the (somewhat) nearby Glendale Recharge Ponds often pull in some fun stuff. The Tres Rios site is pretty large, so it's a good one to bird with a few people. You could bring Kathie too and she could find great birds for all of us!
I do enjoy some Sparrow ID. I find it much more satisfying than the long hours of sleuthing with shorebirds or flycatchers, dunno why. There's something I find additionally satisfying about picking Sparrows out of grass and swampy reeds, but I can't explain why. My first year of serious birding I just happened to find so many without even knowing ahead of time. I guess I'm still filled with the continual excitement that some new Sparrow is always hiding in the brush. Oddly enough, my list of Sparrow seen at Tres Rios is relatively low.
Keep in touch, thanks for stopping by and commenting. If the email doesn't work, send me a message on Facebook, and I can follow up there how to get ahold of the Tres Rios permit lady if you're interested.
Thanks Laurence!!! Will do. The Kathie meister is busy for moment with her daughter's wedding....but we are planning on something for Veteran's Day. Maybe that would work? I don't know but I'm throwing it out there:) That would be so much fun. I haven't spoken with her about the idea yet but she may be game. If not, I'm definitely up for the trek. Not that I'm trying to find as many lifebirds or anything in Arizona....but maybe:) And even if I don't find one single lifebird, I enjoy the photography and treks so much. I'll let you know in a week or so.....things here are pretty crazy right now for me. I'm finding my weekends booked with things....mostly good. Some mundane:) Enjoy your Wednesday! and thank you. That would be a blast meeting up with you. Birding is so much better with a friend. I miss half the things because I'm observing something else. When two or pairs of eyes are watching.....well no one gets away:)
ReplyDeleteCheers Chris. Keep in touch about a Veteran's Day weekend rendezvous.
DeleteWill do.
DeleteOkay...so tomorrow is Wednesday:) I haven't called Kathie yet because she just got back but if she can't, what do you think about a Saturday or Sunday? With cool weather, Phoenix is now open for birding:)
DeleteThe purple on that hummer is ravishing.
ReplyDeleteThanks Mama K. You should see them when their gorget is fully-filled, it covers the entire face, really most of the head.
DeleteThe Costa's hummer shots are awesome, not the usual hummer I see posted on Blogs. Personally I think you did pretty well at the ranch...last time I went "birding" I saw impossible-to-shoot kingfishers (again) and some buzzards, woo hoo. ;-)
ReplyDeleteAh, hang in there Jann!
DeleteThere were a pair of Kingfishers at the GWR too. In fact they live there, but Kingfishers are some of the most notoriously difficult birds to approach and photograph, at least the Belted are. Anyhow I hope y'all are settling in well. The good birds will come, buzzards be damned!
these are great shots! loved seeing the hummingbird since ours have left for the season.
ReplyDeletei like your profile. :)
Thank TexWis!
DeleteYes, when the Hummers go its like the myth of Diana and Persephone from old. Our land gets cold and joyless (ok, not really, because we have cozy coats and hot cocoa). I will miss the buzzy buggers though.
I think you saw some marvelous birds Laurence! That hummingbird is beautiful even while it is molting.
ReplyDeleteHowdy Laurence! Love the shot of the Costa's Hummer. Nice of it to sit still on that pretty little leaf for you. Have fun with those nocs this weekend!
ReplyDeleteVery nice post Laurence. The hummingbird photos are awesome!
ReplyDeleteLaurence, we saw a ton of white-crowned sparrows here on Monday as well as a few house sparrows but we did not see any other sparrow species at all! However, the shore birds were plentiful and I am not sure that we have identified all of the peeps as of yet. We may have seen the dunlin but I need to examine my photos first. The only warblers I saw were butter butts, but Chris saw an Orange-crowned. I love this place! However, it is better in the cooler weather like this!
ReplyDelete