Transfixed at Tres Rios

 For once I decided to be a really dedicated birder and actually try to be at my destination at sunrise. I was successful in that enterprise, but was regretting the choice of wardrobe as the temperature did not rise above 40 degrees for an hour, and I was in shorts. But it was another fantastic morning of birding at the Wetlands nonetheless. Pops met up with me a little later and between the two of us we saw sixty-six species and each got two lifers.

The day started off in an oddly presidential fashion. One of the last streets one crosses while heading down to Tres Rios is Van Buren. While heading south past Van Buren I was driving behind someone with a Washington license plate, and when I parked and exited the vehicle, I was greeted by my first Tres Rios bird, a Lincoln's Sparrow.

Pretty auspicious beginning eh? Well, things only got better. Roosting Great Blue Herons and American White Pelicans maintained constant air traffic up and down the pedestrian stretch, while the handsome Yellow-rumped Warblers and Orange-Crowned Warblers abounded in the low-canopy trees. There were still some wintering ducks on display, including a pair of Buffleheads, six Cinnamon Teal, and this single male Blue-Winged Teal--a species which I don't see enough.

Certainly the most conspicuous residents at Tres Rios were the Red-Winged Blackbirds. There were some Yellow-Headed too, but this time the Red-Wings stole the show. Their numbers continue to increase by the week, and the males are growing steadily more boisterous and belligerent. Of course, this means great viewing for the non-partisan bystander. From 6:30am to about 11am there was a constant cacophony of caterwauling Blackbirds. It was lovely at times, annoying at others, but unfalteringly impressive. Maybe the females felt the same way?

The males would only pause to catch their breath, maybe shift their weight, and then begin the chorus once more. Bulkiness and Braggadocio: the key to a Blackbird's success.



It wasn't just the loud birds out and about either. Of course, Sparrows and Finches abounded in the more arid regions of the trail. The Common Yellowthroats still taunted me with their ephemeral presence, and Common Gallinules slipped in and out of the reedy bank with deliberate silence.

If one really wants to see everything offered at the Tres Rios habitat, one must zig-zag between the river bank on the north side of the path and the woody margin on the south side. While the Red-Winged Blackbirds and Song Sparrows dominated the north side, more muted birds like this Ash-Throated Flycatcher quietly went about their morning routine across the trail.

It was great to reacquaint myself with this confident and composed myiarchus flycatcher. They're often described as a common bird, but I do not see them very frequently. And seeing this bird up close, especially since I had never photographed it before, gave me the same sense of jubilation as when I first discovered it years ago.

But the Ash-Throated was just an appetizer for the awesome flycatcher to come. After rendezvousing with Pops and chasing after some Yellow-Rumped Warblers, we saw a Kingbird perched on the retaining fence across the water.

At first glance, it looked like a Western Kingbird--a cool but fairly common sighting once the weather warms. But, there were also lingering reports of a Tropical Kingbird in the area, and that alone merited a second look. The Kingbird alighted from the fence and treated us to a fine show of airmanship, capturing and subduing a large grasshopper for its brunch. As it resettled and we were able to a closer look...Sure enough! The darker yellow breast extended almost to the chin, and the tail was noticeably notched, whereas the Western Kingbird tail is squared at the end.

"So...come here often?"

New Bird! Very cool. Unfortunately, not all of the new birds for the day were so lively. I still have not seen a wild Barn Owl (nor, more embarrassingly, a Screech Owl). About 3/4 of a mile down the Tres Rios waterway I stumbled upon this once-mighty specimen, deceased for some time. A terrible shame.

Despite that morbid moment, there was still some great birding to be done. Pops and I had earlier been treated to fly-by sightings of Black-Bellied Whistling Ducks (new bird) and White-Faced Ibis. The birds were flying low over the water and disappeared into one of the occasional holding ponds. When we caught up, there was a representative of each species standing vigil on the cement walkway. 

With American Coots and Black-Necked Stilts also present, it made for a very cosmopolitan gathering.   The Whistling Ducks had been on the must-see/should-have-seen list for a while. They were far more beautiful than I expected, with their neatly colored and cropped plumage complemented by perfect posture.

It was a little bit unfortunate to be photographing perpendicular to the sun, but our view of the birds was most excellent. It was great to finally wet our Whistle. Oh and the Ibis? Yeah they're pretty great too. I'd never personally gotten such a good look at the glossy sheen, like mother-of-pearl.

But I think the award for best bird of the day goes to the Whistling Duck, even if the Tropical Kingbird is the rare one. It's unusual for me to see a new bird and get some presentable photos in the same instance. Additionally, the duck was totally stunning, and judging from that oozing-with-self-respect-posture, I'd say he knows it. Also, I guess the Grackle is cool...

With the afternoon getting underway, it was time to eject ourselves from the bird world and make our way back to the cars. Of course, we were birding on the way back, but perhaps the most interesting find was this antique television. It only had one channel, but it was a good one.

We'll have to return to Tres Rios soon for some more outstanding, commercial-free bird watching. I daresay the birding show at Tres Rios is an excellent program, viewable every day.

Tres Rios Flow-Regulating Wetlands

The Salt, Gila, and Aqua Fria Rivers come together and form a fantastic birding habitat at the Tres Rios Wetlands in west Phoenix. This teeming riparian habitat is off-limits to the public, but with the right connections, suaveness, stunning good-looks, and cash-filled envelopes, one might illicit a black-market pass to park and bird in the area. Since I possess none of those things, I called the AZ Game and Fish Department and asked for a permit, which they mailed the next day.

A fair portion of this area is actually off-limits to everybody, unfortunately this is where the vast majority of the birds congregate. But within the accessible birding area there is still plenty to see. In a couple hours of evening birding I recorded sixty species, and some of the Listserv pros have reportedly seen over ninety species within the two-mile loop.

From behind the heavy-duty fence I spied into the sequestered area and saw almost all of the migratory ducks on display, as well as Cormorants, Coots, Stilts, and a half-dozen White Pelicans (not exactly something one associates with Arizona). With their size and color, the Pelicans were perhaps the most conspicuous birds at the preserve, but with every step one took along the waterfront the small and drab Song Sparrows still made their presence known.

The waterways are bordered by thick brush and tall reeds, which provide shelter for the Sparrows along with Coots, Herons, Red-Winged Blackbirds. They also re-acquinated me with my two main photographic nemeses, the Wilson's Warbler and Common Yellowthroat. Needless to say, I took no decent photos of these cowardly critters, nothing new there.

One of the most notable sightings of the evening was my first Least Bittern. It called and took off before I had the camera ready, and I was similarly greeted by some American Bitterns a little later. This Bittern experience got me thinking that birders really need to invent a Bittern-inspired mixed drink. It'd have to have bitters in it, obviously, maybe mixed with some rye whiskey and Creme de Menthe? If some brave soul wants to give that a try and let me know how it works, I'd appreciate it.

White Crowned Sparrow: one of the few birds willing to stand its ground in the face of photography.

The White-Faced Ibis (which I think should just be called the Western Ibis) was another eminently cool bird on display. My sightings of this other-worldly wader have been few and far between, and they're usually along these lines:

I was lucky to have this individual land within camera range, but a bit unlucky to have some stray dogs scare it off a minute later. The dogs and I then had a growling contest and I, having a better, angrier motivation, won.

The footpath moves along with the water, and on the south side there is a nice margin of chaparral and occasional tree clumps. House Finches, Vesper Sparrows, Cardinals, and Yellow-Rumped Warblers constantly alight from shrub to shrub. There is constant movement, and neither the birds nor the lizards stay still and exposed for long. That's just as well. With Kestrels and Shrikes lurking nearby, it's better safe than sorry.

With so many species and habitats condensed into a small area, the Tres Rios refuge really is an incredible birding patch. My photos don't nearly do it justice, but my excuse is that I was just casing the joint here on this first visit. I'm hoping to follow up very soon, as this seems to be as much of an urban birding Mecca as the Gilbert Water Ranch in east Phoenix. It's great excitement to add another site to one's birding repetoire, a new land to explore.