Bird Feet

Incorporating a camera into my birding adventures has, among other things, allowed me to observe and appreciate the pretty and peculiar feet of birds. Binoculars do not have an image saving or zoom function in the same way, and often I am too preoccupied with the colors and behaviors of the bird to really study the feet. It is after the fact, when reviewing photos, that I get to focus on the large and small variations in bird feet and guess at their development, design, and function.
Most bird feet are anisodactyl, meaning they have three toes facing forward with one strong toe (hallux)/thumb connected to the achilles tendon (equivalent) in the back.

Here we have the foot of a green heron. The knuckles are sticky and beady to help grip on slippery rocks.

I was really surprised at how off-center the thumbs/hallux were on the bird. I haven't been able to have this view of song bird feet so I can't compare, but I assume theirs line up more so with the middle toe.

The zygodydactyl feet of the roadrunner, with two toes to the front and two to the back, like many woodpeckers. Presumably this allows for a better grip when running, whereas on woodpeckers it allows for a vertical/parallel/upright ascent and circumvention of trees--not a hobby of the Greater Roadrunner's. 

Here is such a Woodpecker foot


Here is another Greater Roadrunner foot. This one also has the same gnarled back-right toe. The upper scaling, for lack of a better word, is noticeably thick and overlapping. This protects the Roadrunner's feet as it rushes through thorny desert vegetations and grapples with similarly armored lizards.

The backs of a Cactus Wren's feet. Their halluces (rear toe, equivalent of the big toe on a human foot) are almost as long as the frontal toes, with heavier scaling above and a rough, grippy skin below.

These European Starling feet are kinda creepy. They seem much more alien than other bird feet. The Starling is an invasive species after all...perhaps from another world?

Guess who's lovely leg this is!?

The lobed feet of the American Coot compromise swimming with terrestrial dexterity. They're not very dexterous on land though, so swimming seems to have won out. They do like to nest in marshy reeds and the like, and I imagine the lobed toes are preferable in those conditions to the fully palmated feet of ducks and other waterbirds.

Raptor claws! Although this Elf Owl isn't tackling big game, his bristly talons will still help him seize lizards, insects, and maybe even a small mouse (for Thanksgiving)!

More Dessert in the Desert

It was another beautiful morning at the Desert Botanical Gardens. Feeling empowered by my official membership, Pops and I showed up at 6 am to get in some early birding and maybe see some of the desert's more crepuscular denizens, but we were thwarted by an aged security guard informing us that early entries were only permitted on Sundays and Wednesdays.
After biding (not birding) our time, we entered and made a bee line for the wildflower garden, where a Yellow-Breasted Chat, mightiest of Warblers, was supposedly prospecting. This Chat may have been the fevered product of idle chatter, but we did see the usual suspects of Lesser Goldfinches and Rosy-Faced Lovebirds that converge on the sunflower seeds with about as much voracity as one may ever see in a herbivore.
The first interesting sighting was the uncommon Sage Thrasher, one of those fairly obscure desert birds whose rarity is belayed by their unassuming appearance. He was perched on top of some creosote bushes basking in the morning sun, although he quickly departed when he realized MAN had violated his solitude.

After completing a circuit in the wildflower garden, we proceeded to another shaded area that hosted the warblers and flycatchers seen on earlier trips. Except for the occasional Curve-Billed Thrasher, it was largely deserted--very odd. While exploring the other expositions of desert flora, we ran into the Gardens' contracted photographer, who made us privy to some Elf Owls sighted nearby! I had never seen an Elf Owl, and with it being tiny, uncommon, and predominantly nocturnal, I had never planned on it either. Pops had been hoping to see one for years, and neither of us were disappointed.
Although they were pretty far back from the trail, three Elf Owls--two adults and one chick--were indeed perched and visible out in the daylight.

 
I was blown away by how small they are. These birds were a bit puffed up as well, but they were less than six inches tall and totally motionless. We observed for a while and I tried to get some pictures, but the distance and adverse lighting denied me that satisfaction. It was still a great sighting though, and we continued around the Gardens already considering the day a great success.
We came across a molting Anna's Hummingbird and some bickering Broad-Tailed Hummers, who were drawn to the flowering foliage in numbers seeming to rival the bees.

The red throat is filling in as is the red crown, which is particular to the Anna's.

Even if not new, the hummingbirds are always fun to watch: the brain of a bird in the body of a bee flying around like a deflating balloon.
Soon after I was also able to get some excellent shots of the locally common Gila Woodpecker, which is seen and heard often enough but usually too skittish or high in the trees for me to get a good picture.

Before heading out for some biscuits and gravy, we decided to try the wildflower garden once more in hopes of seeing the Yellow-Breasted Chat. While we finished the day chat-less, we discovered another pair of Elf Owls in the "Hummingbird Garden". They were much closer to the trail, in decent light, and pretty comfortable with our gawking. They seemed even smaller than the earlier sightings, despite being closer to us. We shared binoculars with other passersby, and some other birding folk were very happy to get to see these remarkable little owls.

It was excellent. It seemed like all the pictures were coming out clearly today. The company was great and the birding exceptional. With two new birds on the list, some great Elf Owl pictures, and the birding only to get better with Autumn migrants, it was a very satisfactory outing. Elf Owls and Sage Thrashers are the sorts of birds you don't ever really expect too see; they're uncommon and tend to be well hidden, but today was a day for birders.

Elf Owl

At 5 and 1/2 inches, the Elf owl is the shortest owl in North America. It's range is similarly small; this uncommon owl is seen only in Arizona, New Mexico, and southwest Texas. They had recently been reported at the Desert Botanical Gardens, and were apparently in residence for a couple of days before Pops and I found them with the help of one of the Gardens' photographers. The first trio were pretty far back in the brush, and the two parents seemed to be dozing while their fluffy chick sat and contemplated little things.
You can see he still has lighter, downy feather while the adults in the background are a much darker shade. The sunlight was pouring into their little nook, but they seemed pretty content and somewhat out of reach.

This was already a great experience, with the Elf Owl being a new addition for both of our life lists. Before departing, Pops and I decided to retry the wildflower garden in hopes of seeing a rumored Yellow Breasted Chat that was supposed to be hanging around. While surveying a large mesquite tree, we saw what seemed to be a large-headed sparrow standing oddly upright in the tree. It really is hard to take in how small these owls are. Picture the large, Great-Horned Owls we've all seen, only without the ears. The same sort of strong claws, same sharp beak and large eyes, except everything is proportionately shrunken down so it could fit in the palm of your hand. It was simply amazing to see something so small and simultaneously realize that it was an owl.
This pair of adults was also dozing in the early morning light, and provided a much better photo opportunity than the earlier family. To date, this is probably one of the rarest and, by happy coincidence, better documented birds I've seen. They're pretty uncommon, and incredibly difficult to see. Our luck was in full force today as we happened upon them without even trying. Great Day!
Click on the images for a larger view.

I love the bristly feet here. This branch is maybe the width of a pencil, to help put their size onto a scale.  

The white eyebrows are pretty impressive. They match the stoic demeanor well.

There they are. Those big eyes looking past me and back into yesterday.

All of these blurry tentacles are criss-crossing mesquite twigs and branches. These owls were still a good 12 feet back in the canopy, and there was not a clear opening for a picture, but such circumstances come with the bird.

Hummingbirds in Action

The Desert Botanical Gardens are always buzzing with Hummingbirds. This time of year, there aren't many distinct males, and many females look similar. While identification is problematic, their antics are still fun to watch. I believe this is a male Broad-Tailed Hummingbird with a female although the female seems a bit small (relative to hummingbird standards).
Since Pops and I were originally looking for a reported Yellow-Breasted Chat (not seen) in the area, my camera was on the aperture setting, which allows for a better, concentrated focus. The hummingbird activity was thus shot at a low shutter speed, though in decent focus--hence the blurry wings. It didn't turn out too badly, but it shows the trade off between focus/lighting and shutter speed.
I'm not sure if they were arguing or flirting, but it was pretty dynamic either way.

Anna's Hummingbird

Many North American Hummingbirds sport the red throat-ware, but the Anna's is the only such Hummingbird to also have a red crown. They're definitely the most common Hummingbird around the Phoenix area, and in the spring-time their numbers really skyrocket. From grocery store parking lots to the top of Camelback Mountain, they're everywhere.

While wandering around Encanto Park, I spotted the flash of red atop a bottle tree and snapped this first picture was taken probably 15 yards from the base of the trunk, with the treetop being another 20 feet high. I'm including this initial picture just to give an idea of how incredibly eye-catching his ruby helmet was in the morning light. 

This precocious Anna's started to fly rounds between a couple of the nearby trees and bushes, stopping briefly to sound his trilling call, take a breath, and then quickly move on to his next checkpoint. I was very fortunate to have him stop close by and give me a great look at his broadside. It's amazing to me, given the previous coloration, the total lack of visible red when he was perpendicular to the sun. Looking at this picture alone, I'd never otherwise assume this Hummer had anything but dark grayish/greenish feathers on his face.

I was unlucky that he did not turn fully into the sun (just as well, it probably would have been blinding). Even this slight turn of his head, maybe 20 degrees, filled his face with color. I love that even the little side patch behind the eye lights up. The scaly green back and fluffy leggings alone would make this a beautiful bird, but with that scarlet headgear it's almost an overload!

Here is a juvenile photographed at the Desert Botanical Gardens:

This male Anna's was behaving very brazenly at the Gilbert Water Ranch. He would chase from perch to perch, pursuing any would-be interlopers and keeping himself very busy.

Here are a couple shots of the beautiful and delicate Anna's females.

Sage Thrasher

This was an unexpected find at the Desert Botanical Gardens in this limbo month of September. Their northern, summer range extends from the Pacific Northwest to the very top of Arizona, while their winter range comes up from Mexico through Southern Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. There's an odd gap between the two, like the Sage Thrasher will actually go anywhere west of the semi-aridity line except for central Arizona, which is exactly where Pops and I saw it.
With their dull, brownish-gray backs and white wing bars, they're often mistaken for Juvenile Mockingbirds. The strong streaking/speckling on the breast, along with the stubbier bill and shorter size (8 1/2 inches to the mockingbird's 10) does set the Sage aside both from the Mockingbird and other Thrashers.
The Sage Thrasher is uncommon, and given its rather drab appearance I'm glad we saw one when we did, because I don't know if I'll otherwise notice and take the time to tell it apart as a new bird. This Thrasher was a new one for the List.

Note the grayish back and wing-bars, very similar to a young Northern Mockingbird

The streaked flanks and breast, along with the yellow eye and white rump are visible as this Sage Thrasher makes his escape past the creosote bushes.

Townsend's Warbler

This Townsend's was one of many warblers bobbing about in a group of shady trees at Encanto Park. Even from a distance and with the naked eye, it was still striking to see and obviously not like the other more ubiquitous, dull yellow birds. The Townsend's Warblers spend their spring and summer in the Pacific Northwest, and then winter in Mexico. Apparently they commonly stop in Arizona as a part of their migratory route, but this was the first I'd seen. Since it's a brief, seasonal occurrence, and I don't visit the Pacific Northwest too often, it may also be one of only a few opportunities to ever see the Townsend's. These warblers have their fall plumage in full, so they lack the black chin and their black on their face and head is not quite as dark, but I'm certainly not complaining. The black will fill in come spring time when they go a courtin'.

It's nice to have lots of contrast on a warbler, with the black, yellow, and white all making for distinct markings. It's hard enough to get a clear picture of a Warbler, and more aggravating still to get a decent image and then still be unable to identify it.

The Mexican Bird of Paradise makes for a really nice background here. The soft aqua-green with flashes of red and orange are colors to be appreciated in their own right, and the little oval leaves are so delicately attached as they fan out in search of sunlight. I wonder if bird's appreciate their perches in such a way, or if they only see them from a utilitarian perspective. I guess they choose mates often based on their beauty, be it in plumage or song. Maybe it crosses their mind as the most fleeting thought while they continue the search for small edible bugs.

 

I love the yellow frame here around the bird's face. It looks like a crazy cool pair of eyebrows and mutton chops such as you'd only see on a late 19th century British Prime Minister named Townsend.

These first photos were taken 09/18/2011 at the Encanto Park in Central Phoenix, AZ.

This is the first Townsend's Warbler I've seen, though the number may increase now that I know when and where to look.

The Gilbert Water Ranch; First Excursion

The Gilbert Water Ranch is an excellent riparian area in southeast Phoenix that plays host to over 200 species of birds throughout the year. The site itself is actually a water reclamation and recycling facility, but the dozen or so hold ponds are nicely surrounded by pathways and bordered with all manner of foliage, from desert scrub to cottonwood. 

I had gone to the Water Ranch last December with my family while we were still engaged and had a great time. The migratory winter birds were settled in, and we saw Vermillion Flycatchers, Green-Winged Teal, White-Crowned Sparrows, Cinnamon Teals, and much more. This was all before the discovery of the camera, however, and now I must return to this unfinished business and begin photographing the diverse fauna that passes through. It's still too early for the wintering birds to arrive, but this first trip was very fruitful nonetheless.

This weekend's birding actually started out with a preliminary trip to the Rio Salado Audobon Center, which yielded some nice pictures of a Green-Tailed Towhee, a new bird for my List.

The Yellow and Red on these birds is really impressive in the sunlight, and is all the more accentuated by their bold behavior.

My first encounters at the Water Ranch were with the Abert's Towhees that so love to flit about in the shady undergrowth. Their spurts of movement always distract the optimistic birder, who hopes for a low-lying warbler or some other, more colorful wonder.

I don't know the order of the ponds at the Water Ranch, but from my parking place I ended up at Pond 6 first, which was nicely identified and guarded by the friendly neighborhood mockingbird.

I was then greeted by the now familiar shriek of the Rosy-Faced Lovebirds, who seem to be expanding and solidifying their population in Arizona with remarkable quickness. It may also just appear that way because they're loud, colorful, and super gregarious. I've now seen at least one Lovebird on every single birding excursion I've made this year in Arizona. I don't mind that at all.

The pond itself was a couple feet of water surrounded by rather hostile and thorny desert shrubbery, but it was well attended even so, and the birds probably do not know or care about what heinous scratches I endured to enhance their vanity through pictures.

 Canada Geese seemed to be the bosses of the pond, but they soon were scared off by something and evacuated.

 Spotted Sandpipers hugged the shallows, apparently unready for the rising sun.

The Least Sandpipers were already hard at work though, running about on their beloved mudflats and daintily devouring lovely little bits of filth.

I moved on to adjacent ponds and saw some of the same, although some shy Snowy Egrets caught my attention as they probed the shoreline, snapping up this and that with a cool nonchalance. 

The next pond was basking in full sunlight, which is not always a photographer's best friend (at least, when you're on the west coast of the pond). This did not bother the Black-Necked Stilts or Avocets, nor the occasional Greater Yellowlegs that patrolled the sandbanks.

 It was a busy pond, and probably hosted over a dozen species at any point in the morning. In addition to the Stilts, Avocets, and Yellowlegs, there were other Sandpipers, Mallards, Blue-Winged Teals, Geese, Cormorants, Killdeer, Egrets, and Herons. 

 Black-Necked Stilts are one of my favorite wading birds. Their elegance, daintiness, and exuding gentleness (they're not actually gentle, they just look like it) have a very calming effect not only on the appreciative photographer, but on nearby birds as well. The ponds are not much to look at, but I haven't seen such dense concentrations of birds anywhere else in Arizona.

The Greater Yellowlegs probably resents people only ever noticing his legs. He has a nice long bill and especially soft feathers, but all anyone ever wants to talk about is his legs. Such is his cross to bear, for having such nice yellow legs.

At this point I had wandered more or less into the center of the Ranch. As I mulled over which way to next proceed, a Great Egret flew overhead, beckoning that I follow to the southeast. 

While romping about, I also saw the usual medley of desert doves, along with Wilson's and MacGillivray's Warblers. I then inadvertently flushed what may have been a Virginia Rail, but I only caught a fleeting glimpse as it disappeared into the thorny thickets. Curve-Billed Thrashers and Abert's Towhees abounded and I spotted a Warbling Vireo rustling overhead.

My attention was then drawn to a large, chalky-white dove perched in an adjacent mesquite tree. At first I assumed it was a plump White-Winged Dove, but the diagnostic black collar reminded me of the Eurasian Collared Dove, a new one for the List! These are the sorts of birds that are neat to see because they're easily identifiable and attractive, but they are also less publicized, so there's still a bit of discovery involved. The total absence of any scaling, speckling, or wing bars is pretty unique in the avian world.

In a similar vein, I was also lucky enough to finally get some good Warbler photos, and of the very handsome Black-Throated Grey Warbler no less!

It was a birding weekend all in all. I added nearly a dozen new entries to the website and 5 new entries to my Life List. I am really looking forward to revisiting the Ranch as the migratory birds arrive, and am continually amazed at these relatively close by, semi-urban birding environments that seem to offer as much in way of birding as the austere wilderness preserves way outside of town (although the landscape itself is seldom aesthetically pleasing, except at the Desert Botanical Gardens).