And perhaps none are so common as the Grey Catbird
In Arizona one can expect Mourning Doves, Inca Doves, White-Winged Doves (in hot months) Gamble's Quail, Curve-Billed Thrashers, Mockingbirds, Abert's Towhees--in essence the less vibrant desert birds. It was nice to briefly exchange these common visitors for the Robins and Catbirds in the northeast, for the Wrens and Cardinals and Chickadees. They didn't bring the same excitement as new life-list birds, but they really helped to set the atmosphere, an atmosphere very different from the Phoenix bird scene. And isn't that in large part what a vacation is all about?
House Wrens are fairly common and pretty noisy, but you won't find many of them around central Phoenix. This House Wren had a very tidy little straw hovel at Ridley Creek Park. It would pop out every few minutes to get a sense of the neighborhood goings on, and then disappear again into its house.
This was the closest I've been to a House Wren, and of course Of Course there's one little twig obscuring the bird's eye. Ugh...
When it comes to little brown birds around the yards and parks, the Chipping Sparrows give even the Eurasian House Sparrow a run for their money. They're a bit more shy, but also more vocal and, if I may so proclaim, more beautiful.
The Unspotted Towhee err.. Eastern Towhee, is another important denizen of the old wood undergrowth. They don't have the spots like our nifty (western) Towhee, but they're still very pretty and they work hard as they shuffle around the leaf litter.
Rest assured Eastern Towhee, someday you'll earn your stripes...I mean spots.
Lovely pics and blog -I love Towhee's:)
ReplyDeleteThanks Cynthia. I like em' too, and I fear to meet the person who doesn't like Towhees...
DeleteInteresting that the Eastern Towhee and Spotted Towhee's were once lumped together as one species as the Rufous-sided Towhee. Both are very cool birds. I kind miss House Wrens. In the Boise area I always knew where a couple of them were nesting, but not so much here in Utah.
ReplyDeleteI remember growing up with the Rufuous-sided Towhee!
DeleteIt's funny to me that they were split apart but all those different Dark-eyed Juncos are still kept together.
It was really nice to see the House Wrens and Carolina Wrens (not photographed). It's unusual to see even Cactus Wrens around the yard. You can find 4 or 5 Wren species at many birding sites in Arizona, but they don't come into Phoenix very much--locally uncommon : )
I'm back! We must live in a parallel universe. The same here with birds....and the catbird!!!!! Cowbirds, catbirds....what next, horsebirds? I laugh because I saw my first catbird in Wisconsin! It was pretty exciting. I definitely agree.....it's nice to see new things for awhile. I had two missions with birds and I accomplished both....one just barely. Family is awesome but it takes time and therefore I had to do my birding in the early morning....sometimes people with me who just like the walks....and talks:) But I did have fun and glad you got away from the heat for a bit. But I have to say...it's nice to be home. I realize how special our state is for birding....there are so many birds here. One unique thing I saw in Wiscsonsin.....Sandhill Cranes in a farmer's field. Pretty amazing thing to see. I wasn't driving nor could we stop but it was a picture worth taking. I'll have to keep the mental image. Look forward to you bird pics.
ReplyDeleteGood to hear Chris! I'm glad to accomplished your mission objectives--looking forward to those posts.
DeleteIt was difficult to balance family (the purpose of the trip) with birding, and I had a lot of early mornings too (though I guess that's no different than any day here in AZ if you want to beat the heat). I tried birding with a group on Saturday as well. I did see a few new species, but mostly it was people just wanting to chat and amble. This is well and good, but potentially frustrating when you've got a more birdy agenda.
I still haven't been down to Tucson in the winter to see the Sandhill Cranes, but I'm definitely going this year.
Want to see Sandhills Cranes? Visit the Platte River in central Nebraska in February and March. Hundreds of thousands in fields by day and in and around the river by night.
DeleteThanks Gordon. I'm not sure when I'll get a chance to peruse Nebraska, but I've heard they congregate down at the Whitewater Draw site (wetlands?) in Tucson during part of the winter. Have you seen that spectacle?
DeleteIt's quite the spectacle!!! I went for the first time in January and it was cold!!! Rainy weather, thousands of cranes, amazing birds.....I want to go back and visit this summer just to see what else is living around that area. But the Sandhill Cranes were worth the trip alone. 40 thousand all descending at once.
DeleteIt's like birding in Iowa! House Wrens and Robins always nest in our yards. My parents have a Catbird that is always chirping. Great pics.
ReplyDeleteThanks Moe. It was lovely to have an eastern-style domicile for a while, something of which I was trenchantly reminded when returning to the bleak landscape of mid-June Phoenix.
DeleteGreat post! Loved the Catbird which is one species I have not yet seen. Glad you got to see so menay wonderful birds.
ReplyDeleteCatbirds are interesting guys. They're more mild-mannered than Mockingbirds, but seem to fill much the same role out east. I hope you get some see, and hear, some Catbirds soon!
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