tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57910777235217942002024-02-25T14:13:18.389-07:00Butler's BirdsBringing Avian Voyeurism into the LightLaurence Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14766876797454283812noreply@blogger.comBlogger579125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5791077723521794200.post-76028879029624091182019-02-27T20:22:00.001-07:002019-02-27T20:23:59.092-07:005MR Month II: February Schmebruary<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Several weeks ago I had an interesting exchange with a long-haul grain trucker. I was helping him unload fifty thousand pounds of wheat middlings out of a dump trailer in the rain (sucks), and inevitably we shot the breeze while working. He was a big guy, surly looking with only 3 or 4 of organic teeth left in his head after 40 years of dip, but still nice enough. As one does with itinerant strangers, we talked of traffic, local flavor, and, of course, the weather. </div>
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'Chilly and often rainy' pretty much sums up winters here in east NC, not the worst if not the best seasonal dichotomy. It was here that the fellow threw me a curveball, stating matter-of-factly, "Yeah, it's been a weird winter...'course the government is controlling the weather you know."</div>
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This fellow was a chem-trailer.</div>
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<i>Rain, wind or snow...Chipping Sparrows seem impervious to it all, much like mailmen</i></div>
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We've probably all been in this situation before, when somebody shatters the conventional window of discourse and in an awkward flash you have to recalibrate: Did they say that on purpose? Do they think I will be a sympathetic audience? Did they say it half seriously and are gauging reaction before commiting? How much longer am I stuck here? Is <i>The Thing</i> actually destroyed at the end of the movie, or has it just absorbed and transmogrified into Kurt Russell?</div>
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It's hard to unravel the 'how' and 'why' of something like ChemTrails (or <i>The Thing</i>). If the government is controlling the weather, why is it making the weather bad? Grange Man said it was to hurt farmers. Why? He wasn't sure about that part. Is it to increase support for environmental legislation that will increase federal powers? So Monsanto can eventually monopolize weather-proof seed production? Maybe the most practical question should be, "Do you really think that our government could orchestrate and execute something of this scale, in plain sight, without verified whistleblowers, when it spends 1 or 2 months each year straight-up shut down from budget gridlock?"<br />
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<i>Creating artificial clouds or not...it'd be awful hard to keep so many in the dark.</i></div>
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Why bring all of this up now? What has this got to do with bird-blogging?<br />
Because despite all my dismissal, all the evidence and common sense to the contrary...I dunno, maybe the Grain Truck Philosopher was onto something. How else does one explain seven SIX weekends in a row of steady rain and wind??? The Government (Deep State) doesn't want me to win 5MR is why.<br />
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<i>Look at this nonsense. So foggy it looks like an impressionist painting.</i></div>
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After a birdy January surpassing expectations, February has been a kick in the binoculars. I guess the universe abhors a vacuum--or maybe that's Big Gov. too. To be fair, I did get one day in February when it was only overcast and not rainy, and the birding was good. Very good.<br />
The birds were eager to be birded, I was happy to oblige. This February wrap up shall be almost exclusively about that day.<br />
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyvCAUj2OXvLDruJeS4qQ2gRLSmsMzPqKHBgQvoc3nUgVmJLC6BLXa_2-9Q1BKCHonrFqZB20-6bOpcgTHnR92g0P444j8fT2QqjPi7RZcFYjvKF-Rtqcz6rRylnqrzhfRc7jOyrjiQqrA/s640/DSC06227.jpg" style="text-align: center;" width="640" /><br />
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<i>Here is pleasant image of pines and vines almost ruined buy a coincidental YB Blurry-headed Vireo.</i></div>
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There have still been some ticks here and there, mostly from incidental driving, but it seems like for the season most of my little 5MR patches have peaked. However, the one where I saw the most potential for spring and summer has continued to grow and now surpassed the others in its own winter right. It helps that I pass through some farmland on the way and have picked up birds like Merlin, Harrier, Am. Pipit that I wouldn't otherwise know where or how to chase; you just happen upon them with time and luck.<br />
The grassy tangles along the Bear Creek are great for sparrows, and the open woods have great promise for breeding passerines, maybe even Bobwhite or Woodcock. I dream of Woodcock. And in the jumbled mess of vines and younger growth between, there's usually something good hiding.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCTe2cKB5ySPSc0vYlbykwjT9o0D7acHpiUC_FFCQoknqFYiP2qi7mxVPYrAHK_Ek5zDGdkUvheixAWeOk_-GMHTrwwGXMWBj42GWYswXptf_d58Cks9Wv7MJCAzhH7ZTf2C818GIOmUy7/s1600/DSC06180.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1092" data-original-width="1600" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCTe2cKB5ySPSc0vYlbykwjT9o0D7acHpiUC_FFCQoknqFYiP2qi7mxVPYrAHK_Ek5zDGdkUvheixAWeOk_-GMHTrwwGXMWBj42GWYswXptf_d58Cks9Wv7MJCAzhH7ZTf2C818GIOmUy7/s640/DSC06180.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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The first Black-and-White Warbler, fresh of its shift at The Footlocker was not just a 5MR bird, but also a county and even --eek-- a State bird. Another score for birding local. This is the only 5MR site where I've been enveloped in a good mixed flock. And in case you have not yet experienced this orgy of ornithological euphoria, being engulfed in the teeming swarm of a feeding mixed flock is one of birding's greatest and most important experiences. The BWWA was joined by both Kinglets, the Chickadee/Titmouse Hivemind complex, Downies & Redbellies, Pine Warblers, Jays, Cards, Towhees, and the Vireo. Eyes on the prize though.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq_ROYAwdvftJd18JXleIt5n_7xKUa1tuAv7gFXI9bETxzdw6TsLAwNMRGqMUMD0EyS0NcnDgVRuxlIMRHpXdPpJdCWFYYIQ8H79eBNB12xUWYjIC16wFEaZv0AGKBCsvuDj5bQm16UpHQ/s1600/DSC06171.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1172" data-original-width="1600" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq_ROYAwdvftJd18JXleIt5n_7xKUa1tuAv7gFXI9bETxzdw6TsLAwNMRGqMUMD0EyS0NcnDgVRuxlIMRHpXdPpJdCWFYYIQ8H79eBNB12xUWYjIC16wFEaZv0AGKBCsvuDj5bQm16UpHQ/s640/DSC06171.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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And then there was another. And another. After seeing no Black-and-whites in Carolina before, I had 4 in about 2 hours. I also have not seen any since. I highly recommend watching these birds do their thing; the energetic foraging and beeping with their crisp black and white against all the ecru colors of lower canopy is, how you say, C'est Magnifique!? Plus it's A Warbler in Winter--much better than a lion.</div>
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Something I did not really consider until reviewing my 5MR species found vs. missing and expected (a steamy Saturday night, lemme tell ya), is how few woodpeckers are migratory. There is the Sapsucker group (4), then Red-headed and Lewis's. Some ranges expand or contract a bit with the seasons, but none of the <i>picoides</i> and only those two <i>melanerpes </i>migrate. I assume the Sapsuckers move because their diet and habits require warmer temps, whereas the larger genuses are more flexible with their diets. But what about those outliers then? </div>
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Anyway, this all came up because I am waiting on Red-headed Woodpecker to complete my 5MR Woodpeckering. My first few visits to Bear Creek yielded little by way of the timber splitters, but now 3-4 species are reliable, and notably with PIWOs. </div>
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Most conversations that transpire without mentioning and contemplating PIWOs are conversations wasted. Opportunities lost. Things that should be better done.<br />
Part of their allure is the retiring humility juxtaposed with the striking plumage, size, and grace of these birds. Theirs is not a desire for the limelight. My NC experiences with Red-shouldered Hawks are quite the opposite.<br />
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Their conspicuous perching and "help I'm being softly murdered!" calls quickly establish presence here the coastal plain around all the woods and swamps, around neighborhoods and parks, in harvested fields and one time at the Dollar General. They are very good-looking, so this behavior is permissible. They're like the Kardashians I guess.<br />
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March will be interesting. I still have not solved my waterbird dilemma and am missing the likes of Wigeon and Coot-COOT-for crying out loud. But maybe when other birds start moving up from farther south, my little retention ponds will catch something cool. Until then, mostly just hoping to have a flock of Rusty Blackbirds crash into my window (but be ok). </div>
Laurence Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14766876797454283812noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5791077723521794200.post-89743093142003869202019-02-04T19:05:00.000-07:002019-02-05T18:05:33.313-07:00Joy Drive 5MR: Staying Alive in a Dead Week<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">It's a numbers game. Or at least, it's a game involving numbers. In the 5MR challenge, they're not all great finds, great shots, or even great looks, but championships are won with grit...or money. Grit will have to do.</span></span></div>
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<i>Being one of few warblers to winter in the eastern U.S., it is fair to say PAWAs have grit.</i></div>
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The doors of January are closed and with them the first month of the 5MR challenge. After seeing totals from across the country and comparing my own findings with those of Wayne county proper, I feel totally adequately satisfactory. Not as exultant as an Eagle, but neither as brooding as a Red-shoulder who has no cover and no frogs.</div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="904" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH2dsn6DlwatIO76oz2A4KqAEeAggZOr6tbUrhoYloUz1YgiGgnOENClZxpe4izY2OUIcRGQuOnbnf69APzof_Wnvue_Ox19G0CW5fpI1HHnBy_H12zItYd_vh5mciu0W4f37GMBoVo2UE/s640/DSC06303.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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The last week of January was a good/lucky one for the Joy Drive 5MR. A trip to the dump yielded incidental roadside Sharp-shinned Hawk, and a female Purple Finch was waiting at the feeders upon arrival home. There were no cool Gulls at the dump though, just the angry attendant known as the Dump Grump. He works there because the baler lets him crush things.</div>
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<i>Photos courtesy of iPhone 6 through two panes of glass , f-stop 30, ISO 10,000, bird was baited and called at from inside the house.</i></div>
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The funny thing is, the weather and overall birding of the past week has been pretty poor. The weather vacillated between very cold and windy, or warm and rainy. It wasn't a polar vortex like in the midwest, but not ideal for bird ogling, and species totals were low. </div>
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For high octane birding competition, it had the makings of a dead week, but giving up on higher totals and instead focussing on specific areas, for specific species, kept the Vultures at bay.</div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1141" data-original-width="1600" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX8K-fpdHZp8_yQr8aJYWM_M6JGa1EOxsDsMW86cOB9thU0W4nRlVhdrB9uIKj4-nPcNjjIGV3ME7hEHnwN28cfudBYPCWXdJH-XRXf8aIC6HQt7fE8lgbZeN4hJPJd03O2daeEYAzhWJC/s640/DSC06124.jpg" style="text-align: center;" width="640" /></div>
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<i>P.S. Does anyone else feel like the large volume of roadkill and large volume of TUVUs should make for plentiful sightings of Vulture-on-carcass-carnage? I find it to be surprisingly rare. </i></div>
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The glaring weakness of my 5MR is the waterfowl and shorebird potential, or lack thereof. I'm very good at worrying, and my inability to turn up good shorebird habitat this far already has me dreading summer migration. As for fowl, there are several reservoirs in the area but they are hard to access and do not seem to sustain much by way of waterfowl populations other than Ring-billed Gulls and Cormorants. Nonetheless, persistent peeking and borderline-trespassing has turned up a little duck variety.</div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">Plus some Mute Swans, which count for nothing. Nobody has told this to them apparently, as they still behave in the manner of royalty.</span></div>
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Three days ago we had high temps in the teens, but today it hit 74 degrees. Nutso, but typical for this area I am told. You'd be tempted to think it spring time, especially with the Groundhog's prognosticating, but more than likely it will freeze over again, and many of the amphibians and insects mobilizing now will die.</div>
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Life is fleeting; life is faint. For final consideration, a Chickadee's butthole:</div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="820" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ZLxT2l-p4xi7cUca1KD8PnQdNCqyVH-bsFkz4hx-f3ZAkSUwXs2HlELAUpsbrBT870OyrHGYX8khdhcxn6zMlW99qT3AKaXBqY_93pnanVPZCzN9jaN-VatzDSLMaArpjE5Z1xoZiOyI/s640/DSC06330.jpg" width="640" /></div>
Laurence Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14766876797454283812noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5791077723521794200.post-34201103575406653252019-01-23T18:30:00.003-07:002019-01-23T18:30:28.946-07:00The 5MR Challenge: January Beginnings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
"Bro, do you 5MR?" This has been the dominant question, hash tag, and tweet of the past two months. In case you're wondering, 5MR is actually pronounced 'FI-MER' (rhymes with timer) when used conversationally. And just in case you're not fully up to speed, allow me to elaborate:</div>
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If a nosey birder asks you, "Do you 5mer?" you should know that they are asking if you regularly track bird species seen within 5 miles of your home. </div>
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For example, here's a nifty little screen shot of Butler's 5MR, with yellow pins showing potential birding spots based on satellite imaging, and blue pins showing established patches. </div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLS8RCKyZOUaF_3LpXDw234KGRILeEtUab5KKQFR67Nlbn8oo9UrejdVeMpbO61KTxF6q4h0Q3niz78UoZy2xGzpSxUAjLTKT0ACVJt2IYYjrjgrnx0Wr1IqpmgBetjqCkCjWptHsshiZr/s640/IMG-0135.JPG" width="358" /></div>
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The 5MR concept was pushed into the national birding spotlight as a competition to log the most species, in total and as a percent of species seen in a county/counties, by notoriously competitive and productive birder and blogger <a href="http://www.iusedtohatebirds.com/" target="_blank">Jen Sanford</a>, who used her social media nous + the Portland Underground to spread this craze trans-continental. The appeal is broad and reaches those who have limited time, limited transport, limited budget, concern for environmental impact, and a either a current or rejuvenating interest in their local avifauna. Why spend so much time in the car when you could spend it finding cool stuff near home, and then go home and nap?</div>
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Alas, appeal and potential do not always translate into easy local birding. Here is that same Butler's 5MR radius, since updated, based on (un)availability of public access and habitat preservation. </div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6YDBxum2G8tDlV1XZWAadc9xr8T2r2Ej3TjsgQXcdO7IBPA-vYSFv0nnTydtR0CXiAkIQbm3Arqdvb52enNNQMOy9KLrOi6mP5xXHo_-WGqTdjVSH4RSIWTQ7yBs0wZ4G_ZLiPlVV4Ilo/s640/IMG-0142.JPG" width="358" /></div>
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In my nook of Wayne, NC, there is precious little public land. There are two nice state parks another 8 miles away, but here is mostly farmland and reservoirs that have been enclosed by pockets of neighborhoods. The people are generally hospitable and kind, and also prodigious hunters, but they can also be a suspicious folk, encapsulated well by (one of many) local Baptist churches.</div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6e5rhpsc8VWxRGXGMzW3bQggFO1WtHT-AurYSORjfW8FNma6q7NwoPZIRLedwFNnRpXzJ1Tdjc9uq9lrPOdosKyD3wsMI6IUfQvhhLdRDlotVFmVpaBeR-PE2S4ntbYluK1vg7l7wxsPs/s640/unnamed.jpg" width="480" /></div>
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<i>This means YOU, Andy.</i></div>
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<i>Maybe it's a parable. Or a metaphor.</i></div>
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The first week/weekend was a lot of trial and error, driving and crossing spots off on the map without getting to do much birding--actually rather antithetical to the 5MR idea. It did yield some drive-by raptors and agri. birds. And it was good for citizen science...or so I told myself a lot.</div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1056" data-original-width="1600" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsICsVpt7ITkI6o5OxJ94Xe2eySyEjLFWADpaSkXMvD_DvXLCn7SnmjDACAMHysbH4ASDrQlwo-ecWiZ9YJhhhRBq113Sm-4gKZc-_5peHullc6zXVA6ztMZu9vrvqJPG43XZ7r92di8iI/s640/DSC05968.jpg" style="text-align: center;" width="640" /></div>
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If the first week was slapdash Lewis & Clarkin' it, the next couple have been more in the line of the 1800s ornithological exploration. There are *pending eBird acceptance* three hotspots in my 5MR now. The first is a tragically trashed cemetery with limited views of the adjacent, privately enclosed reservoir. It is also conveniently located next to an adequately mediocre Food Lion grocery store, and its trashy woods have contributed Brown Creeper, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, and Golden-crowned Kinglet to the 5MR. </div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzRjUjiXdXSpi4gUz3XzUW0e0u7oN5W8dt_UOuU0Bfy9r2yopto1jRmfHbPXjOIeEXd6BZXz012pFHJ6-HvodyfNOgbREsl9xxMtXj_ZBOBbJj_uocC1lpF9Qw0tXHxOuXjSIo5Y6D9IFS/s640/IMG-0152.JPG" width="640" /></div>
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<i>Eastern Bluebird was not added to the 5MR at Old Mill; they are everywhere. They are legion.</i></div>
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The biggest weakness in my 5MR relative to the rest of the county is the lack of open water. The wastewater treatment facility 10 miles away is loaded with waterfowl and waders, but the little lakes in my radius are all enclosed by private development and, from cursory glances, have no ducky rafts at all. I was very grateful for the one Mallard pair I have found thus far. I ogled the crap out of this lonely, precious, Pied-billed Grebe. I dream of the day a Ring-necked Duck loses its way into my slough.<br />
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Hotspot #2 --officially dubbed Peter's Branch Reservoir, because someone named peter carved his name in a branch on a tree there--is pretty much my only hope for waterfowl numbers this year. It has good numbers of skittish Cormorants, which always scare away the good numbers of Gulls before I can scan them with my wee binoculars.<br />
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<img border="0" data-original-height="861" data-original-width="1600" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcDkOcAns2JLLklOTlWW_wZjNDh2OjXq-Oqzg_7m7RDYu4fKNWKBakGZnSG4nu-IoqH9luygDBMTh1KLTcwAnoUmxdUqd_OIJSaPUzOAcbpy2BrUpJPbLzNNLfH_nz_kU7MC6cvrXKo8hO/s640/DSC06017.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="821" data-original-width="1600" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRDgjqWcUkGLQXJ4vptMLiufSuXNkwxbJi8zESKT40Kwj0CI-b7ZvAzDkU_jGRXR3Jp2F-piFW7wEibuLtpDb_p5hhF5BgBD2vjjiGU5VkuSBp_lH1wX10boJKUR13Dj_LaZJnBqA750Ot/s640/DSC06025.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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My first trip to Peters Branch was also noteworthy for what was going on above the water, where one immature light Bald Eagle was being chased around by an immature dark Bald Eagle (yes, I tried to make it into a Golden Eagle before sense returned). Their back and forth caused great consternation to the Cormorants bobbing below. These were 5MR birds, and also super cool to watch.</div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1267" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggGAPlKKkNIwSw2vcobWjXMC4DWrbXEscHHX6qydqZdhatffzTbb5wUWkBlNoNgEekVt8t0dABmwMo9Zx5ulPRSBUZmtK9NrIz5C_vc5GmXold03LpM1b072ylIcQ5Jqhh2IHGcRBkbEll/s640/DSC05980.jpg" width="506" /></div>
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The brambly baby's-breath blackberry scrub stuff around the lakes has been fantastic for Sparrows. <a href="http://butlersbirdsandthings.blogspot.com/2014/06/a-send-off-and-salute-to-sparrows.html" target="_blank">I am a big fan of Sparrows</a>. Even when I was not birding regularly, I thought about Sparrows a lot. Peter's Branch contributed White-throated, Savannah, and Swamp Sparrow on first visit, added a couple Field Sparrows on the second, and coughed up a nifty family of White-crowns on the third. </div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1003" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5EHHCGZ7VbDUhuWWVBQgLIlOzCeboU06olH3xbmiw64To4aDg9eSRUV5xglXVpba0jP5EoFWvNfZIGWDPQhsowOrfVxECXPGjuCoKEewnZeuZnTnwlg9QjuL0AE-qEyM9sF4ltTuoSge-/s640/DSC06004.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1059" data-original-width="1600" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjDpOm9g_zxgE9akfVgniuNJhq0eXqtAuRloM-5_OCq2a7RWBDBi7j2MyRsYpVdv9wq1V9t-BvG9uLtacJJts5jWy8u1BgmyFlk5tapgdv3Ai5HX84i8l1kDQz1XXyMq98naNtHZ9Mnb4g/s640/DSC06060.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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It's a pretty strong Sparrow species-per-acre ratio. At this rate and progression I should have Golden-crowned by March, Henslow's by June, and Five-striped by September. The tribe of locally uncommon White-crowns will do for now.</div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1038" data-original-width="1600" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVFcx5YH8XyMMylx6guo2JZ7jps2o6ML89oT4YC0vJ1mTCq2Va-xNXzES4g1nnVRwZBiVkcaRQ41IMWtok4TglxOkpI2loWw1Ef1T7vOnwKrW1A9L69ZVYFXdWojzTHv7ZyKCBDXAJabo0/s640/DSC06076.jpg" style="text-align: center;" width="640" /><br />
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1031" data-original-width="1600" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXlrgpBtg2Mk3L-e0_eVtU4cOokR4zLD-3_lySkijgrsNy-NNGrEPsvIxmKaANYg7j9v_BLne5spJbKrpQsyyJNyqHveyMCMPFk6Ln99wNh1Irg6xdBfQ3SX9_lMImJZ97FdhwUV-WWPN9/s640/DSC06070.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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The last "hotspot" in my 5MR, dubbed Bear Creek Thoroughfare, is a thin strip of land between plots of private property. It follows the creek and provides state access to different flow points. It actually has the lowest species total of my 3 patches so far, and this is not likely to change soon. But unlike Arizona, NC actually has seasons. With woodlands on one side and thick riparian vegetation along the creek, I think it will be an excellent migrant trap come spring. <br />
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<img border="0" data-original-height="911" data-original-width="1600" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSUJe2v36sh5C7no7AMrKisxHFhJ_tmDckeCwwcCgItCozGx1fiXahxQOnMbCgRW63o5T8PDC_HltEFUxwbSzBdOuBK3MEQ6m7FYLA4tYBvwBnhQTSSGnOGNSF-rG8lv8WGtKPwo287a4C/s640/DSC06045.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<i>How do Cardinals even survive in the wild?</i></div>
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Almost a month in, the Joy Drive 5MR has 65 species for the year, out of a total 87 species recorded for the county this year. The best pick up has been this pair of Blue-gray Gnatcatchers (admittedly would be common later in the year; just trying to steal some of the 5MR Portland peep's thunder) or the Bald Eagles at Peter's Branch Reservoir. </div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1055" data-original-width="1600" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ3IdNsHW22K46rcM63WWUigh6RUJPOZzH84iUSPiJiO4ITvAR-1vaT7ZGUV3aXSaO8jv0dhuqvdrjdmW9sK4Vq8EUYuD9dqzfI79IIAQtDdnPK7ULXZaIzs7HQ1FDELQgowiJVcPc_K97/s640/DSC06030.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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Mostly importantly, I have been out birding over a dozen times, never for more than 2 hours at a time but never more than 5-7 minutes away from home. This is still more than I have done with the birds than in all of 2018. </div>
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I probably should not admit that on a public bird blog--damages my personal brand you know--but let's be real, if you're reading it's only because you're here to try and glean some personal information about me to crack my Amazon password or something. </div>
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Friggin' Russians.</div>
Laurence Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14766876797454283812noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5791077723521794200.post-81441757293227311852019-01-09T20:43:00.000-07:002019-01-10T17:25:46.065-07:00Local, Organic, non-GMO: Birding<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Ah, to be young and unencumbered again...those halcyon days when I could go birding any day of the week and crank out 160+ blogposts a year. Of course, being poor and de-facto celibate wasn't great during all the non-birding time (not that Butler's Birds is rolling in dough now--still waiting for the big Bird Blog corporate sponsorships to come through...err hem...Swarovski...), but it did have its appeals, not a perpetual weekend so much as a perpetual casual Hawaiian-shirt-and-jeans Friday.</div>
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I reminisce now, with a 45+ hour-a-week job and a full-blown toddler, another on the way. These are all things for which I am grateful. These are all things that make the birding pastime a bit complicated, and bring in to sharpest relief the appeals and the necessities of patch birding. They say necessity is the mother of invention. Case in point: scarce insects in winter necessitate normally insectivorous birds feeding on the ground like Towhees. </div>
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When it comes to birding and balancing other obligations, necessity is also the mother of appreciation. Over the Holidays I followed other's exciting starts to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/2244306435817279/" target="_blank">2019's 5MR Challenge</a> while visiting family back in Arizona, unable to kickstart my own local birding but increasingly jazzed about doing so. It also kept me engaged in Phoenix, just around the neighborhood, to get the most out of what was there. I walked the dog; I walked the toddlers: I walked the grandparents; I walked the great grandparents; I feigned indigestion and walked myself. (Ok...I feigned nothing). I birded light, and without much depth or promise but I birded often. Hummingbirds stay busy in the same bailiwick and they seem pretty laid back, right? Right??</div>
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I also managed to get out proper for a few hours one morning and hit up an old haunt with Pops. At the Riparian Preserve in Gilbert we logged 67 species by 10:30am. This is not to brag about anything--for one that's a usual day and, for two, bragging about bird numbers is pretty lame. It is to--only for a moment--bemoan that in my 5MR I'm at 53 species, total, for the year.<br />
Highlights were finding Fox Sparrow and Cedar Waxwings at the site, which are uncommon in the valley, and of course reminding myself how Good it is to be out doing dedicated bird-sleuthing on a crisp morning.<br />
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But the most satisfying experience from this here-and-there birding (How's that for a blog name: Here and There Birding?) was actually a neighborhood find of my Dad's. </div>
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There's been an Acorn Woodpecker wintering a few houses down, in some out-of-the-way royal palms where there is ample storage space. In case you're wondering yes, I did walk backyards 130 yards down the street while maintaining steady eye contact (couldn't risk a Gila running it off and exchanging places, obvi) so as to claim this bird, officially and legitimately, from the yard list. </div>
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I wouldn't think of royal palms as being any sort of vagrant/migrant trap, but another traditionally northern woodpecker from years before would says otherwise. They have their, err hem, niche.</div>
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At any rate, hopes springs eternal and I am now back in action in Wayne, NC, leaving no stone unturned in a quest to post the biggest, best, baddest 5MR I can --and also, most of all, enjoy regular birding. </div>
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P.S. Leaving all stones overturned, has, thus far, a 0% correlation to finding birds.</div>
Laurence Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14766876797454283812noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5791077723521794200.post-12968474474211214062019-01-05T22:24:00.002-07:002019-01-05T22:25:57.453-07:00Coming 'Round Again: The Birding Boomerang<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Hello again, internet world. We have been apart for some time. During this separation you have grown larger and more powerful, have gained yet more speed and information, have dug your kraken tendrils yet deeper into the world. I have grown larger too, especially over these Holidays. </div>
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I have also made resolutions. So prepare internet, internet readers and friends, poor internet saps who end up here when you're looking for naughty pictures and get misdirected by the crappy word-play links on this website (err hem -- I can see the google searches that brought you here), for you are about to grow with bird-blogging again!</div>
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The trail last went cold in August, after a family trip to the beach and an ensuing tsunami of work. You look for the tide going out, but sometimes it catches you coming in. And you just stand there with a blank look on your face.</div>
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Naturally, one should take advantage of the low tide, and see everything one can, like skittish Seaside Sparrows.<br />
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But it is even more important that one still find good stuff when the tide comes in. That's what happy people tend to do. That's what Herring Gulls do. And look at how happy and successful they are. </div>
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<i>Even with a summer molt going on</i></div>
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<i>Even if there is adversity</i></div>
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2019 will probably bring the fewest opportunities and the least flexibility for birding trips, but nonetheless I hope to make much more of what is around, to share it with other birders, bloggers, and with friends and family. <br />
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At least, that's the plan until June, when these guys will be swinging by the Castille Butler again.</div>
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There's more coming soon. And if you haven't gotten caught up in the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/2244306435817279/?multi_permalinks=2255394534708469&notif_id=1546751820016000&notif_t=group_activity" target="_blank">latest and best birding craze</a> out there, you better bet up to speed and out with your bins!Laurence Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14766876797454283812noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5791077723521794200.post-49434809573926742612018-07-23T06:00:00.000-07:002018-07-23T06:00:15.425-07:00On The Virtues of Boardwalks and The Parula Who Couldn't Be Bothered<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It is good to have a home away from home. Who doesn't want to have more homes? A diversity of domiciles? A collection of camps? A bricolage of bases? In this day and age, with Air BnB and relatively cheap travel, Cabin Fever is a preventable disease.</div>
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Team Butler's Birds recenty spent a weekend at Chocowinity Bay, where the Pamlico River and its tributaries are leave their offerings to the broken beginnings of the Atlantic. </div>
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The small and tidy Goose Creek State Park is a nifty nearby hotspot, where you can find quarantined graveyards for victims of early 1800s Yellow Fever, pay-phones in the woods, and pretty good birds. It should be said that I have never seen any Geese at this creek, however a Carolina Wren does live in the entrance signage. </div>
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GCSP is established as having good birding, and I feel it has the potential/unconfirmed actual of great birding, but I have not yet unlocked it. The site has coastal broadleaf and pine woods, brackish shorelines and inlets, cypress swamps, a little bit of open pasture, and parking lots (nothing pads a trip list better than the Starling/House + Chipping Sparrow/Pigeon/Grackle combo).<br />
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Ovenbird is one of the reliable species at GCSP. Fond of woodlands with decent undergrowth, they're vocal and visible around every trailhead it seems. <br />
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The brackish coastal portion of the park provides the greatest sense of potential, but also disappointment so far. It seems like a great spot for Rails and Sparrows, but other than an occasional fly-by Tern I have not had any birds of note in this area. </div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpZ_U2MtlnNAFDyRM0VaOYfvY0Ql8WFKE3almQ0NOibipcWBJpH18-yvhhHLQQwYEvtYO3GK2AsephrVWTyj6pUS37-HlyLf9RoOvRsOhfDOz3u-VXFWIe_ntH4cpQ7MprXMcRLNghB3r8/s640/DSC05543.jpg" style="text-align: center;" width="640" /></div>
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Partially I blame circumstances; it is the farthest corner of the park and the park doesn't open until 8am (!!!), so I'm not flogging the bushes until 8:30am, but I still can't shake the sense I am doing something wrong with this opportunity. Birders...know the feeling? </div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1093" data-original-width="1600" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzuioX5FRIFKFq6shKoWFPFax1S4dqHOHkzbU9UHdCdBcm0B-g1itvL8x9fTCoffuFX8nJKqqED4zK3TOeF4_3D5adTSouoor9vNACQFcdeKYXKCfkSVrobyOmoazcbxuAJyjwtgeIC-fj/s640/DSC05535.jpg" style="text-align: center;" width="640" /></div>
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<i>Did you know Purple Martins will repurpose old Osprey nests? You didn't? Me either. Because they don't. They're just perched nearby. Don't jump to conclusions.</i></div>
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Every time I have visited the GCSP I have hustled, even bustled, to the corner of brackish inlets, like a child running downstair at Christmas, eager and excited. Like the same child whose parents pawned their respective hair and watch-bands to buy each other gifts and forgot about me entirely, I am continually disappointed and left without. However it's a quick rebound, because GCSP also provides a constant of satisfaction with its boardwalk. </div>
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During the most recent visit, looking for my customary recovery after my customary disappointment, the boardwalk was particularly good, no Magee Marsh or Anahuac, but excellent to scale. Even without birds, the herps are great and it is surprisingly not buggy, actually less so than the woods.</div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1112" data-original-width="1600" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVh6qa8aq49gM5xMqmLO7Ffi41ofiotgpLZkGzKWIS6zIxFL1GFVLFea2oEBvzW3sFbYQQDQhCHzr7SxXhFsoPvdBx7-huyjsreODm3d89KMh4V5j5cQ1vrzElTljrRS3Ss2ogS81wq1_y/s640/DSC05606.jpg" style="text-align: center;" width="640" /></div>
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A buzzy NOPA was yelling into the void right at the start where the lichenous boardwalk runs aground. Parulas are typically gregarious, but after checking me out for a minute, perhaps staring into my bird-lusting soul and sensing the emptiness, things got beyond cozy. </div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAIuK0nVXZY3T3DHbT-0hFwWSZFdaPuektLsJDKNVPuRCKWBJdnoG6NyCb1Mp_0-mtu0iS59FB3Ys5ivZo45spZ1nd4ZyNhlJjNYgo3Ixiy67NtiHGE5zZ3llYNKHAcE60WJtgMnzPc0CA/s640/DSC05407.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1114" data-original-width="1600" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZUZiYHdoFJpYr-kOH3MftRxYBN41q3niWKu3nlnh0a7nsShhv5HO1oD41GtSa143jVPzjRb7ba9LT8tpMoToiHTJ-KsybTiDjJxJ4qnQCN_QTagGqL03XBP-fhlTXkzmIH_INWwkxXora/s640/DSC05417.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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This NOPA had no filters, no scruples, and no sense of personal space. It became my favorite ever individual NOPA. May the gods have mercy on my soul for the crushing I did to it this day.<br />
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1188" data-original-width="1600" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN4t1bfsHRm6fjzsiI_z3gfAUgpysFMTsRHRADdiE4q-_5jabveRVqLfubNegqeeGs0yJ7UUrfCY1fqFr4FOtA8DH6-i2usE7I4VYRaQti_xDZ6kkVz9cm2nQzhAAggnBqzQtEdw3FzJm_/s640/DSC05459.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="807" data-original-width="1098" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2WRFp1FTpclMKO5ZO5tW_RkoXGp1KEeqhvp59WS93Nn3T_6dSQkwt69lNGNpVAajOaCYpviWnAUL75RbgyxVAFoyDDHAlWUWdAm81updOZSRWKf68mnAvJKh2StQZ_51hli3tkSIbpszW/s640/DSC05467.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1135" data-original-width="1600" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-AmPPUMc82rFiy9dtAIPLfZXUIHSGuBYaLWebeuWcBl512BrNwZrXn2EpNKXlcF09HhkQt2bhJXhe40s7p9eKtUMipt9hN-iGuaoguIhdXv7dvKShVrFW5lJvvpmVW0lGoNabb3r_wYIG/s640/DSC05474.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1050" data-original-width="1600" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7xw-54r9jneSJgw9vZDM9l0TbfNfP8aoSQ8igEHnxwsp8ZeC0K8c9q43-0ScpmYUFwTZxerHFlu7CYPwQulW-jxHFPT6bJboBrUXHfLa93G_KaiyYwS1R8bXgnDTQTI9OULqtsjZl4Q7k/s640/DSC05481.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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Portions of the boardwalk are closely hedged in with thick scrub, while others are shaded over with towering mossy oaks and cypress. In between are openings where storms raged through and snapped everything off at a certain height, leaving many convenient pedestals for swampy birds one might expect. </div>
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Green Herons here are very sensitive, and will flush from their conspicuous perches, loudly and with great complaining, no matter how careful one is. Green Heron in NC is a bird of righteous indignation. I am still used to pond-loving Green Herons in Phoenix, which were largely inured to people and highly crushable. </div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1086" data-original-width="1600" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1HcLOy5T5X40j8LurufIWqaIX-DLyKeLxRuzekVi8YYiutzVU_SVqVSx0BKoqxKoCZLHXDf4JBShWtrJcoMBbbog3GWIiHo20p9fVynTXOqB7jYZp4aeJNJDNsXnHIfOISg8EbRTsnVA0/s640/DSC05495.jpg" style="text-align: center;" width="640" /><br />
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig7c1YaUqf0zj-NYsFKYe62S-bG3tv8cxGqWYZE3yhW5XMv77VT9Wb3tMdfo8ck5DSPSfD6jjaHgB5NMWxYWxdwwgyCVPlmlnqRvmPsgsiLhZvYe9bexC9YCb5WKYRTsfxfk4unKmOFIGe/s640/DSC05492.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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Bluebirds and Cardinals also enjoy the open perches, and apparently disregard any notions of compartmentalized aesthetics. They seemed out of place.<br />
For shame generic passerines, you are not of the swamps, but of the yards, lawns, and fences.<br />
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1133" data-original-width="1600" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtPFNCE4Z8iqD6wpZgA4ia0JdoyTAFXo0mAlnmDDwWmzBt2c-4jVrFkb-j3m9Q_yNYT7aDirynAe0w5ndYnZ7ZdfiylnHvmfK9AgsVtY33YnU6Dcijs2oZztGVFnfZqLC_JyosOY76RCh8/s640/DSC05496.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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Possessing both strong aesthetics and habitat integrity, the Prothonotary Warbler is boardwalk perfection.<br />
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1091" data-original-width="1600" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6DORpGfEZP3Z2LTbviKRB_5UoiZOmClcpLNZ15jbAlQ91eXZshcwHnjcqbjY8nA0Oz2wuSaUAiVfshBpkOPh5jBPR5e1AP6_lG910Y_7K0UpZ6M_ldx-NhrkPaB_EjkPCdl6zFWR5g5zq/s640/DSC05530.jpg" style="text-align: center;" width="640" /><img border="0" data-original-height="1135" data-original-width="1526" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVeNuyvPDlPvMp36YitVzR6hmVTkkVym9brc0VviWcJYlGES6MJSYZYBT0DQj9uvWM0itgQkxG4clNsjyRYxxqQ8YkpomzLaWbSx5jQcdatboQemPpZnKz3on0XLMTAMYqFRsN2s1lBLfZ/s640/DSC05503.jpg" style="text-align: center;" width="640" /><br />
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There was a family group of 3 birds foraging back and forth across swamp. Too good. The GCSP boardwalk is the best place I know of for crushing Proths, and by extension it is the best place for crushing Proths that are crushing moths...or dragonflies, etc.<br />
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="1505" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDW_DiOGDyMI_obGvYBvkLv9gSARjhcAOcUUyKcZm8Z0MKEc63Bqk7_cYJ72G7Qju8mOllW0yWb4tutH1NsNReFguSJNG0nr7LdrGsceX-gDk8x6taGqm-ejgtnoAC0mSk_PEw9uslszHV/s640/DSC05509.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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I was also treated to the thick and resonant percussion of a Pileated trifecta. Upon hearing the unmistakably drumming I waited with uncharacteristic patience until they worked their way closer to the boardwalk. Large, powerful, transitionally ornithischian...Pileated Woodpeckers have a powerful impact on trees and people alike. </div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1169" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr566S2-4Ws5iSM4fiX7zH8hbhFGgvS5yM1iVnfwFq8H8SICcbvizKdbn7m5MQYk32kAb-w0otrBdLv0Lb-lxR8o9EZ2_XCkof3kHeM4LIflET_sQjKvaDSLvjHv1V6T98Ehnj4ioXVmbL/s640/DSC05632.jpg" width="466" /></div>
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I know PIWOs inhabited/inhabit areas that Ivory-billed could not, as well as similar old swamp. It's still curious to me that Ivory-bills are all but gone entirely and Pileated are doing decently well. Is that because most swamplands now are the result of preservation since the 1960s, after it was too late for IBWOs? Did IBWOs have other reproductive difficulties? Why didn't Teddy Roosevelt save them?</div>
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With crushy Warblers, big Woodpeckers, a snapping turtle, anoles, and other goodies, the boardwalk at GCSP is it's own micro hotspot. With the exception of a few migrants, the expected species here is pretty set and limited, but until I can get the skills and strategy up to par for other habitats of potential, it's Boardwalk 4 Tha Win.</div>
Laurence Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14766876797454283812noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5791077723521794200.post-61337703960107188112018-07-07T11:45:00.002-07:002018-07-07T11:45:26.645-07:00North Carolina Chronicles: Settling In and Getting Out<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Butler's Birds is now broadcasting definitively from Wayne County, North Carolina. After a much needed and much relished pause in the mountains, the last several weeks have been all about getting up and running at work and up and filing lost or damaged claims with the moving company (seriously, the worst). </div>
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On the bright side, we have a proper yard now, which can start generating a proper yard list. Other than some fervent lawn mowing and ferocious weed-whacking, I have not been able to tend it and make it more birdacious, but all the same there have been a few good pulls. </div>
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Between the generic sounding name and their generic use on logos, Blue Jays have little aura about them. To be fair, they are a quotidian yard bird as well, but they're still gorgeous and not often crushable, in my prior experiences.</div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1176" data-original-width="1600" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtPiLL3SZqo0AsOofCf7g_S5eINS1Q9QrsqpKL9uthFG7YFiJ95lj77VZ8yO-aCC47IPRo2AeC8jXiUUw0yoyG3O09wkdrh2FU8bL_9pBXlPPPXofxRss4ZISLVcnEvzfIfLeJnvaMxpdm/s640/DSC04907.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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The best yard bird(s) so far came under odd circumstances, with 3 Mississippi Kites waiting out a heavy morning shower in the large dead pine across the street. My understanding is that any bird seen from one's yard is still countable. Luckily these birds also flew directly through our airspace when departing, so, double good.</div>
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As well as the incidental yard birds, we've had some cool moths and 'phibs. The first one below, a Cecrophia Silk Moth I believe, was on its last legs. The Luna Moth, like all Luna Moths, was actually an extraterrestrial. The Fowler's Toad (?) lives by our garden hose. Most evenings I watch it hunt with great success.<br />
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The main mission for local birding, other than upping the rookie county numbers, is to photograph Barred Owl well. True to form, last time I saw one at Cliffs of the Neuse it was flushed and didn't stick around. So too this time. Fortunately there were still vocal Prothonotaries around then, as now, to console and to covet.<br />
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Laurence Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14766876797454283812noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5791077723521794200.post-45400067308135466332018-06-27T16:38:00.004-07:002018-06-27T16:42:27.964-07:00Birding Appalachia Part II: Better Quit While You're Ahead<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Driving back down from the Heintooga Overlook, we got enough cell-service to receive the text that Butler's Birds Jr. was still asleep for his first nap, and there was much rejoicing! There was also time, as a part of this rejoicing, to pull over and appreciate the Plott Balsam overlook. We squinted from the grandeur, and almost immediately I recognized a much more familiar song. </div>
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The first sighting is always the hardest isn't it? It wasn't even great BLWA habitat but sure enough, with only the most minimal of effort (and getting snagged by some bikers to take their picture near the overlook sign).</div>
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Butler's Birds Jr. is an early riser, pretty much 5:30am on the dot. However, with the daylight savings change he was technically sleeping in until 7:30 or 8:00am (!!!). As such I planned on sneaking out before sunrise to hit up the trails around the Appalachian Highlands Science Learning Center (like the Southwest Research Station in the Chiricahuas, except much nicer and less busy) where someone had reported Golden-winged Warbler. I would get out, get a couple hours' birding, and get back in time for our schedule departure, based on his anticipated wake up from the 3 days previous.</div>
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I checked the maps and website. I made my plan. I packed extra socks. My kicks were pumped.</div>
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The access gate at mile 7 of 9 was locked. WTF!? WHY DID YOU NOT SAY ACCESS IS RESTRICTED ON YOUR WEBSITE!? I had to cover that last two miles from the station and trailhead on foot. Uggghhh. </div>
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Time was not on my side, nor was the sun, but this portion of dirt road was actually very birdy and I logged many newer birds for the county/area, like Wood Thrush, Hooded Warbler, and Grosbeaks. The best spots were the occasional clearings along the woods, where Chestnut-sided Warblers were numerous, noisy, and nom-nom-noming away.<br />
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1207" data-original-width="1600" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhrRykJ4UcSkInw-kn9C8F4NzmNuE1yzDX-o5BzuovUx0uEtdHCHfqsziwUWxrHnffkoVeDzi9NoNVSQmEp2lksFTsp3JH1fPbctIdVPOpFgLVZ3yc7lByfHRipZgP-_3nwwj7DPOR4FLI/s640/DSC05285.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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There were also Least Flycatchers hanging out and vocalizing on the reg. Sometimes they were prominent, and sometimes they were very shady, like nocturnal.</div>
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Keeping on a pretty quick pace, I reached the Learning Center (from which point I had a notion of the Golden-winged Bailiwick farther past) around 6:45am. It was a pastoral scene, where the Catbirds sang, the Bluebirds blued, and the Flicker foraged with the Towhee. </div>
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...and then I got the phone call. Butler's Birds Jr. had NOT slept in as expected, but was awake as of 6am. Given his nap/grumpiness schedule and that we still had to cover 6 hours that day to get to our new home, this meant we needed to leave immediately, that I had to leave immediately, in order to leave immediately. There was much immediacy. And the Chestnuts played on.<br />
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<span style="text-align: left;"><i>Cedar Waxwing cares not for the problems of hurried parents. Cedar waxwing cares only for berries. </i></span></div>
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Takeaways and reminders from the morning:</div>
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I love my son very very much and love being his parent. Parenthood often sucks though.</div>
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Least Flycatchers behave weirder than other Flycatchers.</div>
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I can jog 2 miles with camera and other gear in under 15 minutes, albeit down hill.</div>
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If you go huffing and puffing with heavy feet down a dirt road with lots of blind curves, you may scare a small park ranger lady into thinking she's about to be mauled by a bear.</div>
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Chestnut-sided Warblers are great.</div>
Laurence Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14766876797454283812noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5791077723521794200.post-1068510184127548762018-06-23T10:08:00.003-07:002018-06-23T10:08:28.050-07:00On the Move: Getting into the Good Stuff<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
By end of May everything was packed up, vacated, discontinued, etc. We were essentially homeless, jobless, and heading across country in our pod-topped Outback with an 11 month-old, hoping to go 6 to 7 hours a day. We puddle-hopped in 2-hour stints from McDonalds to Chik-fil-A, or anywhere else that had a "Play Place" along the I-10, I-40, or I-20.</div>
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P.S. Ball pits don't exist anymore, sad but understandable.</div>
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The light at the end of the tunnel was not our final destination, but western North Carolina and the mountains, where we rendezvoused with grandparents to recoup for a few days in Maggie Valley. <span style="text-align: center;">The view in the evening was pretty good.</span><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><span style="text-align: center;">The view in the morning was even better.</span></div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuJ35HAB635lGWVROmOVs59EZkKezjsgzG9bSvS3iaYecWV5Hn78TK-so3yGWcg74ZGYf_52ic1ioKJtbOtAEAr7w0IVoggucSBR_3W2KA2lwleEDtMlwTXOOX6nCohRNuaSqAqu-oFqq9/s640/IMG-1918.JPG" width="640" /></div>
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<i><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgOkwAU73AZjfTzPh6CbwcWGvozsWUA2kJsOIx8JOFsjpouu78VLepcpy5reWA0maINnUBMKdA1qxcGtrX3rw3PLMKpv7JWzAinGUBd8R_1XUdVrfo9kMpPFwp9hHX4HvlIsa8mtG6yxwv/s640/IMG-1900.JPG" width="640" /></i></div>
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<i>...if you're into the Great Smokies and what not</i></div>
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Like fancy hotels and aggressively advertising crappy apartments, the NC mountains offer many amenities, though the montane amenities are of a much more natural and holistic aesthetic. For the grandparents, it was all about the bucolic drives and quaint roadside stands toting knick-knacks and mountain honey. For B's Bs Jr. it was just about comfortably being outside, in general, for once. For Mrs. B's Bs and I it was all about the critters and the fungi, and of course, The Birds.</div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1150" data-original-width="1600" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBxK6bT8SRO6dDBgI7sgtqr1kmjnQKfcGOJ3J562WSQXgC_rCtorg7le8NkbHEdXVCpTRws_mfaEi8n1DYpIrEyEY75mmS9zmS3p1iuuIuSE9yCa-l9hK24wcM7RQmHCJTDz5Pg85DFc-8/s640/DSC04935.jpg" style="text-align: center;" width="640" /></div>
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<i>Now is the time for Wild Turkeys and chicks. </i></div>
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We dallied in the Great Smokies in mid-June, and as such we had missed the larger concentrations of birds one might catch during migration (and many birds were much higher in the canopy now, if still very vocal), but we still experience an fantastic variety of fauna. The mountain ponds contained outrageous numbers of tadpoles. A couple of cool mystery newts/salamanders were basking as well.</div>
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<i>Internet identification has been typically ineffective for these guys. I'm not sure if it's my own poor searching or if these are some intermediate stage of salamander species and I'm only seeing mature phases.</i></div>
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Pre-pubescent Eastern Newt and Slimy (Dusky?) Salamander made for easier IDs, and at the other size of the Great Smoky size spectrum, we had roadside looks at Elk while traveling the Blue Ridge Parkway just after sunrise. </div>
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<i>Such majesty...</i></div>
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There was also plenty of cool flora to appreciate, such as this super water-logged disintegrating vine. I had never noticed nor appreciated the structure of the vine as it came apart, revealing sheet-layers of fiber. There were also some enterprising vines that, tired of a life of parasitism and living in the hardwoods' shadows, seemed to be making a tree unto themselves.</div>
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Mrs. Butler's Birds and I recently listened to some very interesting podcasts about the subterranean communication and exchange networks between fungus and tree roots, with fungal networks exchanging minerals for sugar with tree roots, facilitating flow from tree to tree, and even seeking out organic life--little bugs and such--and ensnaring it to be processed. </div>
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Also, emerging evidence is that some plants can sense the presence of water from vibration alone and they can learn to react or not react to certain stimuli over time. In other words, if the AI or the octopi don't come for us, the trees will finish us off. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Happening_(2008_film)" target="_blank">M. Night Shyamalan</a> was right all along...but the first prophets are always stoned. It's best to play it safe.</div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYhIGGeQqZB7LQqoM8ikbWHwUf26oj7q-8PiTWQViQMHehEeUqJSZ_IR_uxooYrlSs_BYaK-vcW0-zIKMKzFJ-3ZvUVFgUiGXzfE7Ztpj9xeygbofcF54F6zzTN7CgoLhA46WouIAagfz3/s640/IMG-1909.JPG" style="text-align: center;" width="480" /></div>
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<i>"The fields have eyes and the woods have ears" --Chaucer</i></div>
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Anyway, there were plenty of cool Appalachian fungus (they may be less socially evolved than more metropolitan fungus, but are much more wholesome and down-home).We have a guide book now, but have not even begun to climb the first slope of the learning curve. I will have to work on IDs for these at a later time and provide some proxy IDs until then.<br />
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo0z_Ra-5drk8IEVNfOzCIoIOt_MofgjIRHL1efcBz7G9KCySqsM0yaFOzC1SLT9zXneNpJ0QwTqoldc4NQkf9CXs87ZR2vh9OzZN_p6LBWc0nyoHtb9Vxu30TL-FSMdJgyVw5g7JbHJ10/s640/IMG-1907.JPG" width="480" /></div>
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<i>Orange-capped Bark Propper</i></div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZLHYAuj4Vlb8zp-muetCZD8dcNu9SyS7bPu4UYOCLE-3qPD2GWhyJNeM7a1YJsKiT6xnoxTAKUGGZC7TEpacuUgir3qpnsouKlGDZtNleZfotRpF_gVUGYP-nWPcDjLRtr9Crwf2J0iMj/s640/IMG-1908.JPG" width="640" /></div>
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White-scaled Trunk-stacker</div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOiqcDeTC4jaAZMTkLcXMDCf2MfmV60AZOVjz_x1HMIlu6kt2LvV7A3XFH8ALLIC7wCOCCn3BVpU45skaS_j-S82_Y2j53obD6bcq3Slkf7WMPzdWesH8G9oG0y1zZjDkiYADzJr7mrgEx/s640/IMG_0886.jpg" width="480" /></div>
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<i>Fulminating Slime-Piler</i></div>
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On the auditory scale, the birding was great. There were many species, including wood warbler varieties, singing on territory. However, unless one could find a ridge, road, or trail portion that elevated up to canopy level, the visual logs lagged far behind. </div>
Northern Parulas are always gregarious though and we did have a couple that weren't too busy to check us out in various poses.<br />
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1079" data-original-width="1600" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF5fmZqOD6umOMm2sm4my9PU2gQeXbZ-ddnnzLVOf83MPAIBNEkE_K2NyD4XZxBdA95DKsZpNe5RmR9C-gTXB_fS3pRtDpx2k7SdrGDoyVgseQUYTXl6ysnt4o07jVJ__vwMTws1ukjlxG/s640/DSC05110.jpg" width="640" /></div>
<img border="0" data-original-height="1216" data-original-width="1600" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgp3eynKRU4LdkNLcrgzGTFV7XsxuMc3dAdaCHZw5fJFEWCKGhAr7o1atCk_rcSUJ9ekfgZTGBC90rZssgNUsTiB_W_wjE7Kh5rmcao1lYvEoU0tvgIwptrUM9A55rAjvgP4K6TwzmLZcl/s640/DSC05098.jpg" style="text-align: center;" width="640" /><br />
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<i>This reminds me of a Cuckoo posture</i></div>
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Dark-eyed Juncos were everywhere. They were at every elevation, in every habitat, making all manner of varied calls, chips, and songs. It was kind of frustrating to be honest, but one can't help but admire their success. So here's an acknowledgement, one such individual of many hundreds. Respect, Junco. Please try to sound less like other birds. I swear they're mimids sometimes.</div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1281" data-original-width="1088" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpvlTwsz96SkXP6Ds96nYWS8Khkdf4baC7AJSbu_yBQUHROyeyfaCgDz58w910jfR4gzBlfrs5slX_FlLqctFmrXeGfT40mbkE2PNZ0kNN1vnDA_XP4IwGX7DqZAbMhnLF2fWCLD7mq4hL/s640/DSC05119.jpg" width="542" /></div>
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Keeping excursions balanced with the rest of the crew's wants & needs, we made a couple of forays on Black Balsam Mountain in pursuit of an overdue lifer, a buzzy flash of orange up high in the mixed hardwoods. The first few days were actually pretty crummy weather, overcast and windy. We dipped on the first of our three attempts at Flat Ridge Trail. We did pick up a pretty adorable consolation prize, so no complaints.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWORqv71JWrGywTWGDC_QIydVuy84HQEkSJn970DBE7jV27m6EfvD6SHjF_N2Q96oDAc2sA5npJRCGCC_ESVTUrEbe7H9YNF0V6DHk26zYtky3VwDixDshQhDg55txCMjaPGWOJermHVPi/s1600/DSC04977.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWORqv71JWrGywTWGDC_QIydVuy84HQEkSJn970DBE7jV27m6EfvD6SHjF_N2Q96oDAc2sA5npJRCGCC_ESVTUrEbe7H9YNF0V6DHk26zYtky3VwDixDshQhDg55txCMjaPGWOJermHVPi/s640/DSC04977.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
<img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFZodxIkGXLs6PZ6nKVs-p6uAI9upIVGiliY6DTPeqjOS0ceE3dcDsS2-izLsX7E5Z0qd6mH2xPniK-uPcC0f5MNgFKlS_g57R6TINAWlEriENEGDuUKYHMlIzRiIAsmqrwQAxwc0-H1cI/s640/DSC04976.jpg" style="text-align: center;" width="640" /><br />
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On Day 2 we hiked from the Black Balsam Campground to a little higher elevation, actually where the previous day's trail would end as well, had we time to finish. The morning 'smoke' burned off to an unusually clear day, and near the Heintooga Overlook we heard that much lusted for buzzy warble. Alas, when we looked up, there was only a Waxwing being weird.<br />
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1183" data-original-width="1600" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ywU5uGssr_ZbGMxW0dtQmWdWWbfIEc5Xz8TcFtrvH6ckQMNRuKKVd3QewuG1rwpJDtvn86KW0fMRVZDnFH8QnYPMinR8CHqfIBeTG3QUAdRfIptUT1MnDg8SDEt3HDoQjZ-YBkNm0rJ3/s640/DSC05141.jpg" style="text-align: center;" width="640" /><br />
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Our quarry was high, and small, and flighty as all get out. It was also an astounding combination of bold oranges and blacks, and we chased the flashes of flame through the verdant canopies for a while in search of the SSV (soul satisfying view).<br />
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1091" data-original-width="1600" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeJQSifb8YGXkBuxT9VlQA4iQPce4O1iWHo8TUD_BinDd2BVoCCSiWUiSwpNqgv4J8IqA1Yt4ExSWGhCKfG2hBy1IUPWqyhz47-8V4iRuyTjt7VWHyPRGxOXtTBjjQ6AgvDLk0mxl1NtMn/s640/DSC05145.jpg" style="text-align: center;" width="640" /><br />
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1075" data-original-width="1600" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPZ5ng91y6hI8xwb0_DMaWdiwH83Nqcxhs1tCCjvUmtvVRKNEdvItI-S7b2hnpS2ghIm6A7Lq6cajk5k9bhArjMqbGxQiDbEIbd_H32yKL0ez_hROZs-7ZmbitSErqwa363R5ilRdq6F4w/s640/DSC05135.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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We had two males and a female near the terminus of Flat Ridge and Balsam Mtn. Nature Trail, be the Heintooga Overlook. I thrashed and crashed around like a 3-legged Elk (but even less majestic) while Mrs. Butler's Birds opted to recline and stay put. Obviously she's the one who had a male BLWA foraging like 10 feet away from her face. Good thing she had the wherewithal to snap this photo shortly before her face melted. </div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyWHw16ISEi8KiAdvlF0LyxvAac5DGcDvF_oXalZR9wYFw0mKIQGnEwBDrDPBV63p81Ri7xiX-vfmQBtidj2I1Qh3kdzTMRn1FmrzlJB7M6-EMHRSVpXP2ZfkTHPNVf7fHM8KiGV8XdoF_/s640/Amber+Gloats.jpg" style="text-align: center;" width="480" /></div>
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<i>Insert caption to make this an REI advertisement for boots or a fleece or something: "Wherever you go, go with comfort."</i></div>
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Sweet, sweet lifering. It has been a while, and I have missed the feeling in all the ways and means. What a crippler. A Top 10 Best Looking North American Bird? Most probably.<br />
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1140" data-original-width="1598" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaw89ktqJYBfJIrVtIgOuVJEcXwIu5_qZEWmy2weuw16pctxQGnsRA0kuIZed-TXSx0EtZN_3oC_KYmAD52QZhTZSGSkO-PtdbW_SkBSdARnlfo9cLpkoUFbXIrHC7PW2UcE3fttJW-tNh/s640/DSC05202.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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Maggie Valley is about as close as you can get to the Great Smokey NP, but it's still 20-30 minutes of single-lane mountain roads to the nearest trailheads (albeit on beautiful stretches of Blue Ridge Parkway). The drives are loaded with scenic vistas, but between the early morning fog and the roadside elk, it can be a little nerve-racking as well. Having some Black-throated warblers near our lodge was thus both convenient and wonderful. The Greens stayed in the highest strata but the Blues would forage within view. I bore witness to a <i>geometrid</i> holocaust every afternoon while poking around the local woods. </div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1531" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK1vAFXRE6TfIQydZrMaUMbrHsPd4s5SwB7qYkvMenV8SdcZGyoAzUALIteo3Af0b5NytOnukONVISItiLciqKGw3MXut5iclYd3SoYDw4rwKIbi2RDYxVERmyun_RCkTGuLIKVA8Cy1eY/s640/DSC05076.jpg" width="640" /></div>
<img border="0" data-original-height="1140" data-original-width="1600" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ4GlS3r4MwwOZQZnYxGaXojlGRFXmkQFHrRZMlk6_1wTWNhcskK3qUvdXICOGtyHsIy-X6qFoOuEqWrq9ryIUBITGy53jbGFrcSI6BmVFW1PDzhTooP4DTvI0hhpPH5x8oaenGS9XgFa6/s640/DSC04962.jpg" style="text-align: center;" width="640" /><br />
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1134" data-original-width="1600" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggCmrYc73z3g8YKMuzLpyKjxWVFQbIzkq-OKsRKU2jS-Pn0z3yBcb1xI8HuW_1uUXtFv2ZRw0h7mRYyz-IH1g4arswwpeQZ5tvtJZ6wChkxgasMez6f3k62EGYmyyrhL_LsiSo5GFzS1ZQ/s640/DSC05051.jpg" width="640" /></div>
<img border="0" data-original-height="1132" data-original-width="1600" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoaDfEGYQA-lLlftoRAQwHRezr7FKcMAKtIKX4sPhslMxp0x_4fnIkXxXpN-NoGZuw9ilYv-p71d64htaiMDz3tCNA8azQD4hW3eTAh1GyOkeCDgz9J0JPIRoWgT2SveXp1ngrEPh-XJA3/s640/DSC05001.jpg" style="text-align: center;" width="640" /><br />
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<i>All different birds (presumably) with all different worms (even more presumably)</i></div>
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Between the steady overcast and heavy shade, conditions were never great for photos, but they were great for observations, and I saw many the cute little inch worm snatched and thrashed to pieces by the voracious and appropriately re-classified <i>setophaga </i>(moth eater).<br />
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1126" data-original-width="1600" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE8VZjkjlqwhfIcr3Jbs5Lk_t9sPu0jwX21Vme1WdekDEVlgKgstlOl_jMby7vUarDggDBOS-pfA3nKCP-v5l9T5dkGyMpGK9VCxYnSyuZsre-mvLDnNyEWlgCQ1iMwnmBOBsNhH1wOUgH/s640/DSC05041.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="1473" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUBZaB2sFIOBMKILUKh8dY1FdP5YhFiFUdZTHv6B1Vg-zsRe5IO-hvRvMUnUBBG5ixlqgbmbcSQtcBJTg9I8bv24T4XeyzHQ0MI8Ruw56MdeOCO7Etm7et4dZv5zyeMqYpWhsNqTGkGGiZ/s640/DSC05038.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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I don't know what sort of moth the inchworm larva become, but this impressive specimen was hanging around the lodge the first two nights, and then hanging around dead the third day. He was almost BTBW-sized himself. </div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-K2I5_31yybMoEvTQnxw0twhrygtJqgd-6Nnq5PV9C6JdyDpRKDhAfsSIXJOeQCd12yb8iaChDhHXzAeLav37YQhyphenhyphen-CE2G71RBsCD7cgBmzrsYTRFNp138k8LMRdfp47B9-norjHuPN-B/s640/IMG-1911.JPG" width="640" /></div>
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I snuck out for a couple hours on the day of our departure, planning to bird a little lower in less specialized but more birdy habitat. Butler's Birds UNLEASHED coming up next time (although it got cut short because the kid woke up early, we had to hit to road, etc...so re-leashed pretty quickly).</div>
Laurence Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14766876797454283812noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5791077723521794200.post-9149871048455572612018-06-04T13:31:00.000-07:002018-06-04T13:31:01.954-07:00Bum Birding......it could be defined a number of ways. It could be birding that is done with such dedication and reckless abandon--especially at expense of one's personal hygiene and presentability--that one comes to resemble a bum, a ragamuffin, a bird-obsessed junkie willing to do dubious things for a quick hit of White-tailed Ptarmigan. It could also be birding as a mooch, bumming rides, bumming cigarettes, bumming gear, bumming IDs and even lifers. It could also just be birding while homeless. In my case, bum birding is birding from the bum, from the seat of the pants, from the decumbent derrière. Technically right now I am also homeless, so there's that too.<br />
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Condo repairs & painting, packing and shipping, child-rearing...these are the enemies of good birding. While Team B's Bs eventual route east will take us through some potential birding spots (hello Appalachia!) the AZ birding seems to be going quietly into that goodnight. Reenter bum birding, also known as "geriatric birding" or "Geri birding" in the more scientific circles. I would gladly (well maybe not gladly) trade this bum birding for any of the aforementioned varieties, but until such times as better opportunity presents itself, I must settle to whispering softly with Lovebirds and cooing with Doves.<br />
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1252" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRi_SpX5HW_MnJ3se8_Dzy1WHgzktBrIeayPRQvxVBsMTQJhuwbWIdypgEZc9lljr85TdmJq3Ooj4h-vEqF2P2NhsNxL9ZfER39tgR6aS5kG-g6kHFA7SwVzu36poPPKyshP8JD_q36afk/s640/DSC04905.jpg" style="text-align: center;" width="500" /><br />
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<img border="0" data-original-height="635" data-original-width="796" height="510" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-mYRJRDCye-8DbEzkVdFg0phTxsj420nbZdy7O49WoHWSvplmgtKr8T7O-AT9sMoGBDTBVIpX_Pr_ORMd7nrmiPNyvWPbchzMB-Puo4j2XTfSJBR0s6sZ3MsApccSQMiSC372JXPI4aMp/s640/DSC04874.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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Many Rosy-faced fledglings are now well into adolescence, fully formed powerful flyers and screechers, if still more peach-faced than rosy-faced. This one has also lost the black band the young birds usually are sporting on the base of their bills, but it's 'rose-face' is still more 'rosacea-faced'.<br />
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1205" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQjSXIbGk0SeGeh8TezSVIaVGWPG1v8Zawz20EUz2O-Hgb0JeWEtmoHYmP3CuPY-haRch4uos5lzMMiuQ3nCAB5_p9PlBH31xSTE8RLUpI7ZwnCvkha7puSK3v29GrvKcaJOYoX1h3fsTC/s640/DSC04900.jpg" style="text-align: center;" width="480" /><br />
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White-winged Doves have been pouring into the valley since March, and at this point their numbers are truly staggering, as are their droppings. Now begins the heated WWDO breeding scene, as Phoenix neighborhoods become debauched spectacles of tail-lifting doves spreading degeneracy (and more WWDOs) all about them.<br />
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="1600" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdXp5axWRik4D8cKrmJhCQaBNXIIJYBHGnOASAwWCxqOSHhB3vbyzal_HXN-uuMMgaXRRmwrsBEnafJDAf2IEKcylbNHuC7dWMldPeb9G_fIGOfgr9Y7j27kxzCJkZx6RJxcBCI6S0Ur3U/s640/DSC04875.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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Just think, most Americans do not get to pick up Inca Doves when they are doing any kind of bum birding, or birding in general. I shall be among this number soon. Here's one for you and me, most Americans:<br />
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Bum birding of this sort is pretty low stakes: low risk and low reward. But all is fair in love and war, so always watch your back, or have someone watch it for you. Or, actually, have someone scratch your back, or even your bum; that's really the bum birding ticket!</div>
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Laurence Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14766876797454283812noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5791077723521794200.post-71353796841635589872018-05-27T06:00:00.000-07:002018-05-27T07:12:16.959-07:00Tubac Succor: Birding Alive and Well<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Southeast Arizona is regarded as one of North America's premier birding hotspots. This is known. The Catalina, Santa Rita, Huachuca, and Chiricahua ranges, as well as other "Sky Islands" offer continuous habitat for many tropical species that otherwise would not stray into the ABA area. But this year the lowlands and riparian corridors in SE AZ have been holding their own as well, turning up some nice vagrants with migration and also holding down some fantastic, long-staying ABA codes, the kind that people on Big Years spend outlandish money to go see. </div>
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Sinaloa Wren (1+ individual) and <a href="http://butlersbirdsandthings.blogspot.com/search/label/Rose-Throated%20Becard" target="_blank">Rose-throated Becard</a> (1-2 pairs) are both established as nesting along the Santa Cruz river in Tubac this spring. Rufous-backed Robins have also been over-wintering (over-springing?) and are still being seen off and on in the area. Throw in breeding Gray Hawks, Kingbirds, and the possibility of an errant <a href="http://butlersbirdsandthings.blogspot.com/search/label/Green%20Kingfisher" target="_blank">Green Kingfisher</a> and one could forget all about Madera Canyon.</div>
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<i>In these tangles...legends are made.</i></div>
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Also as a bonus, you can be on the ground birding in Tubac within 2 hours of leaving Phoenix, not bad by birding-commute standards. B's Bs Sr. and I headed down to try for the Becards and whatever else came with time permitting. Even the parking area off of Bridge Road was absurdly birdy. We logged between 20 and 30 species, half the day's total, in the first ten minutes while crossing the bridge. Flycatcher numbers in the early morning were especially remarkable and made it hard to keep eyes on the prize. </div>
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Also remarkable was the tameness of the local javelina, and the size of the local bullfrogs. Neither of these things would prove to have further relevance to the day however.<br />
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This was also my first time being out and proper birding in proper habitat this spring, which meant this was a time of reacquainting with Tanagers and Chats. While I did not do much crushing on this trip (more on guide duty), it was a fillip all the same. Has anyone else noticed how good Chats are at sounding like 4 other kinds of birds? </div>
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Thanks to some extremely detailed directions from the AZ listserv (thanks Tim Helentjaris), we located the Becard nesting spot quickly. It was a massive and messy structure, not what I was expecting at all for this type of bird (which shows what I know).<br />
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The cottonwoods in this area were among the tallest I have ever seen, and even knowing we were in the right spot, it took a long time to find anything. If I were a Becard, I would build my dream home here too...though there are a lot of peeping toms.<br />
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We finally latched on to the female, getting some pretty nice looks and structural comparisons for this tropical false flycatcher with the Brown-crested and Dusky-capped Flycatchers in the area. However, the male Becard never showed that morning. We stayed for a few hours, as did several other birders whom we ran into later in the day, and they reported that despite playing tape the female stayed silent and the male never materialized. Both birds have since been photographed so I guess we were just rusty (Ferruginous) or unlucky (Plumbeous?). To bird is to suffer, sometimes.<br />
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The female Becard was still Class-A and gave me the best looks I've yet had of this species, but we also lost a lot of time--prime time--in the waiting. When we finally capitulated and traipsed to the general area where the Sinaloa Wren and Robins had been seen, the birding activity had severely dropped inverse to the temperature, and we did not pull any more target vagrants. Thick-billed Kingbirds swopped in with consolation, however...giant, front-heavy, awesome consolation.<br />
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There was also a Swainson's Hawk doing a nice Peregrine imitation (or perhaps a Peregrine doing an even better Swainson's impression).<br />
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Damn. I really need to work on my photography--the quality has taken a nose-dive the last several posts. I am ashamed. I am not sharing this looking for platitudes, just saying that I see it to...gotta find that ol' bar and raise it up again. At least there's still one foot in the field.</div>
Laurence Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14766876797454283812noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5791077723521794200.post-35489470145490943502018-05-24T17:46:00.002-07:002018-05-24T17:46:55.398-07:00The Exotic Hotel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
There are many exciting birding prospects in North Carolina, now not to far around the corner (though, alas, after migration). Some are near, many are far, and one will be as close to home as possible. In the N.C. we will have a proper yard, a yard where living creatures will want to be! NOw getting into middle age and also being a Dad, Yard Birding is the Ultimate.</div>
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Despite doing some significant landscaping here in PHX the last few months, B's Bs yard list is still hovering around 15 species, and as such I do some subsidizing for my local and organically sourced birding needs with the neighbor's plot across the street.</div>
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The irony, or course, is that the birds and their purchase there are anything but locally sourced. Date Palms and Royal Palms are probably the most common transplants around Phoenix (other than snowbirds) and while they suck up a lot of water and contribute little shade, they do serve as havens for many avian transplants. Rock Pigeons and Eurasian Starlings nest in the niches and cavities where old fronds were cut. Within the last few weeks, a Red-eyed White Dove has taken up residence as well, after a harrowing escape, release, or mutation from primordial pet shop ooze.</div>
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The Rosy-faced Lovebirds--Phoenix's favorite and best ABA-countable exotic--also love the palms for nesting, and seem to hold their own in terms of numbers and aggression against the other larger tenants.</div>
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Lovebirds are notorious for their networking ability, and apparently this extends to others in the <i>Psittacidae</i> family. A liberated blue Budgerigar has now also taken up residence in the date palms, making for at least 5 species of exotic/introduced birds also nesting in the introduced palms. </div>
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Now if I could only log some House Sparrows there we'd really be in business.</div>
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It's perverse. It's corrupt. But this exotica erotica is the most exciting birding going on in the hood these days. Fortunately I did get down to Tubac for some formal birding (we wore Tuxedos), so better stuff to come.<br />
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P.S. learned that the Australian slang for a men's Speedo swimsuit is a "Budgie smuggler."Laurence Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14766876797454283812noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5791077723521794200.post-55511672196885776912018-05-16T06:00:00.000-07:002018-05-16T06:00:07.461-07:00Here and There Birding<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Sometimes you just have to eek out the birding where you can. With everything else going on this past weekend, I did not have specific birding opportunities. My eBird checklists were embarrassingly "Incidental." The 10 month-old certainly has the right sleeping habits for birding--down by 6:30pm and up at 5:30am, but his needing a first nap by 8:30, plus still being rather demanding of attention, limits how far I can take him afield. Some kids are happy for hours in the stroller or hiking pack. He is not one of them; there's too much to taste out there.</div>
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Lately I have been taking BB Jr. to Granada Park, a decent sized urban park with a couple duck ponds, some transplant pine trees, and desert scrub. It's served as a stop-off spot before for winterfowl, notably during a <a href="http://butlersbirdsandthings.blogspot.com/2017/01/a-5-mile-challenge-5-mile-post.html" target="_blank">5-MR challenge</a> a couple years back. Having recently become very opinionated about small city parks, I now choose it as our family park of choice because of its comparative birding potential and water fountains that don't smell like pee.</div>
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BB Jr. likes it too but he's pretty easy to please if he can get down and move around.</div>
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<i> (He got un-stuck eventually)</i></div>
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There's an old mesquite tree near the playground/sandbox area, and last Saturday it was quite the little hot spot for migrants. The blooming mesquite attracted bees and many other insects, which in turn attracted Yellow, Black-throated Gray, Townsend's, Wilson's, and Hermit Warblers, plus the usual residents and the largest Warbling Vireo I have ever seen. Returning the next morning with my crusher, I was disappointed to observe almost no activity in the same spot--such is the caprice of migration I suppose. </div>
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<img alt="Image result for granada park playground" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzfK_UX7ttzK4eBaNjWFNfzAHnUuJp9vCrTZN3jriimDuFw_Vq0XAR_cY-xVnaKXjy53KIzwASdCXzDzZFa0Qsjyx-yKHwiOReh75DpRwxorhcYaPp3Fvjb1vg85IMr14s7-ROAqYxcE4/s1600/IMG_3552.jpg" /></div>
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<i>Photo courtesy of Playmapped.blogspot.com</i></div>
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However, B's Bs is made of sterner stuff and does not give in to despair, at least not for like 15 minutes or so of sustained adversity. Granada Park is also one of the best places to see Rosy-faced Lovebirds...as I have often relayed to out-of-town emailers getting in touch with amusing nervousness about when and where they'll be able to see these birds. They nest in the palms at Granada in large family groups, and they will also forage in lower bushes, sometimes even on the ground.</div>
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This was the first time I had seen them feeding in/on the fuzzy white creosote seed capsules. Tough birds eating a tough plant...there is great continuity here (though purists may point out that creosote is a hearty native and Lovebirds are a hearty invasive). Presumably the Lovebirds do the creosote a solid by way of pollination and seed distribution, and the creosote does the Lovebirds a solid by being eaten by them. This would seem a less one-sided relationship than that of <a href="http://seagullsteve.blogspot.com/2018/05/the-smith-oaks-rookery-spectacle-of.html" target="_blank">gators and Egret chicks</a>. Most of the carnage I see at Granada Park has to do with some dog-walker's poop-scooping glove malfunctioning (not pictured).<br />
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Sunday afternoon we celebrated a tri-generational Mother's Day, which was well and good, especially because perfectly cooked beef tenderloin was involved and the sides I contributed didn't suck.<br />
Also cool was finding a Cactus Wren chick, recently out of the nest but not yet fully fledged. It was skulking and scurrying along the planters while parents supervised. They all blew a gasket when I approached the bird of course, but after I got to live out my 'bird-in-the-hand' field biologist fantasy all was quickly restored.<br />
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I will be finishing out my last week of work and its aftermath through this weekend, finishing out a 7-year tour of duty in AZ education. Although there is plenty yet to do for the move, there will be more than incidental birding in the couple weeks to follow. There must be, or I shall explode.</div>
Laurence Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14766876797454283812noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5791077723521794200.post-36480955990635698682018-05-09T05:00:00.000-07:002018-05-09T11:31:30.305-07:00Making the Wrong Impression: A High WatermarkBirding and blogging about birding: it can cover many topics, most of which are positive and encouraging. Typically finding and appreciating birds makes up 99% of bird blogging content, and rightly so. But, especially as birding expands, there are elements of common culture that develop, emergent values that turn into characteristics that turn into traits that come to define the group. While much of this culture grows healthily, with expanding and sharing information, a culture must also be pruned and critiqued. Things must be said 'No' to, to protect cultural integrity (yes, even birding can have this too). Butler's Birds is thus wading into the iconoclastic and caustic realm of birding blogging: criticism.<br />
Tempers will be raised. Feelings will be hurt. Enemies will be made. But it must be done for sake of the culture. Today I am saying 'NO'...to Watermarks.<br />
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<img alt="Related image" height="425" src="https://www.natezeman.com/images/xl/NZ_Watermark.jpg" width="640" /><br />
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<b>Image copied from natezeman.com. (In case you couldn't tell). Bilious, isn't it?</b></div>
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Watermarks (aka Copyright stamps)...this has been touched before on other blogs I am sure, but would like to take it upon myself to expound <i>ad nauseam</i> and with great redundancy (it's what I do best) about this practice. Buckle up for a rant dear readers, an internet rant!<br />
No doubt you too have noticed this subtle, soft, but nefariously creeping phenomenon on the photo sharing groups and other social media. It is an invasive force that comes in the wake of affordable and more available digital photography, and now this blight is spreading far and wide over the interwebs, corrupting hearts and minds and ruining otherwise perfectly mediocre photos (even great photos) with a cheap commercial stamp.<br />
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While doing a little bird-group browsing on the FB this past Sunday, I noticed with great chagrin that a critical threshold had been passed in one of my local groups. More than half of all the posted photos had some sort of watermark on them. <u>More than half.</u><br />
Conceding that some watermarks were classier than others, with better fonts and icons, almost all of them still amounted to the same, "<i>Henry Hangerman Photography</i>" or the more ambitious titles "<i>Nature's Bounty by Debbie</i>." And almost all of them were images I scrolled by with only a cursory glance. Obviously I can't post them here...for fear I get sued or something.<br />
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<b>Here's a nice picture of a Red-Headed Woodpecker. I am proud of it. It bugs me that the image quality is degraded by like 25% by blogger's upload. It does not need a watermark a la <i>"Natural Creations by Laurence."</i></b></div>
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Keep in mind that watermarks <b><u>always</u></b> detract from the aesthetic and the viewing experience. Even conceding that some are less obtrusive than others, watermarks never add value or beauty to the image. Especially in the context of nature photography, it is a stamp of artificiality, an interruption of the experience. If your picture is worth a thousand words...then you do not need to cheapen it with words.<br />
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More often than not, I see watermarks malingering on relatively nice photos of relatively common birds snapped in relatively ubiquitous areas--a Great Blue Heron fishing near a pond, an Oriole perched near a glistening orange, a Meadowlark standing sentry on a fence post, etc.<br />
It begs the question, begs it so strongly I now shout it out to the internet void: Dear photographer, what are you trying to accomplish by compromising your image???<br />
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<u>1) Are you seeking free promotion/advertising?</u><br />
Very rarely do I see watermarked photos being shared. I would conjecture that among real connoisseurs and artistes, they're shared <i>less frequently</i> because, you know, there's a crappy watermark on it. We're not talking about graphics and photos that are being used in mass marketing campaigns. We're talking about amateur photography, and looking at a watermark as a way to grow a personal brand is redundant as it is counter productive.<br />
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<u>2) Are you seeking image protection?</u><br />
Watermarks just do not do this. For someone intent on stealing graphic content, watermarks are just about as easy to remove as they are to put on. A watermark might make an unscrupulous blogger think twice about copying an image, but I doubt this is a very common problem. Remember also that your image is still one of many thousands of the same subject on the internet, even if it is of the highest quality, and it is now <i>on the internet</i>, the most public and an unregulated market available. Most of us amateurs are not having our images stolen, and when I've heard of professional images being stolen, those images were actually watermarked!<br />
Now I am not saying you shouldn't try to protect your work or images--I have a disclaimer at the bottom of my blog too, and borrow images with permission and while citing the source. But with image protection being so rarely and so badly served by watermarking, it's not worth the collateral damage.<br />
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<u>3) Are you seeking to look more professional or high-end?</u><br />
Most professional level photos I see cite the photographer, settings, etc. <u>outside</u> of the image, not as an overlayed graphic. Almost all watermarks I see look amateurish to me, and I also am an amateur! I shouldn't even notice with my untrained eye right!? Watermarks unavoidably insert a commercial element into the picture, which necessarily detracts from the idea of nature photography. While this is sometimes a necessary evil for professional photogs doing some advertising, this is never the case in photo-sharing groups, where your profile is next to the image anyway. Is anybody cashing in on their facebook bird photos?? If so, please share and I will sell out immediately and recant all of this.<br />
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**I will insert the caveat here for professional photographers, people who take primary income from the collection, marketing, and sale of their image rights. These are not the people I see filling birding groups with 'watered down' images.<br />
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<b>Nice Varied Bunting right? It's a great photo of a great bird, not one that pops up much in North America nor on the blogosphere. Now do a google image search for Varied Bunting, and behold roughly 500,000 other equally good or better photos (and plenty of Indigo Buntings to boot). I am glad mine is not impinged by a watermark. </b></div>
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Reemerging from the weeds of why/why not to watermark, let's look at the principles behind capturing and sharing nature photos. Realize this, dear fellow amateur photographer: even if your picture is awesome, it is still likely a dime-a-dozen within the larger context of the internet.<br />
However, it is also a unique capture that was special to you and you wanted to share it. Do not forget this core intention Even if it's not a crush, even if it wouldn't make Ansel Adams take up birding, it is something you created from a place of goodness.<br />
When an image is branded with <i>"David Davidson Nature Captures"</i> or <i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">"</span></i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>© BJ Kowalski</i>"</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></span>you have watered down your image and actually made it less special, less effective in sharing an experience of cool nature stuff. The image becomes about self-promotion instead of nature-promotion, and is that really why you're posting?<br />
If you are simply looking for likes and praise, then save it. That drives people away. It amounts to attention-seeking spam and will also make people less likely to engage with anything there-related. They will disengage from you and from the forum. That is selfish.<br />
Keep your image as you keep the memory and the experience of its making in your heart. Keep it special and share it with integrity.<br />
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I understand the element of attention. Obviously anyone who keeps a blog or shares photos with a group is hoping to get reactions, feedback, etc. They are hoping they're not only talking to themselves about why not to put watermarks on images...<br />
When the sharing is done well, with good quality and intent, the recognition comes naturally. It does not come because of a stamp on the picture, but because of how the picture or story behind the picture made the audience feel, maybe even how it connected them with the author. The Varied Bunting image was exciting for me because VABUs are gorgeous, that male was singing very close to me, it was a powerful experience, and I wanted to share all of that as best as I could with other people who might appreciate it. The VABU shots did not get me money and it did not get me laid. The memory of that VABU experience is still vivid.<br />
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Watermarks do not grow connection; they create a barrier. The watermark inserts an awkward self-awareness, a distracting, passive-aggressive cry of, "Please notice me and remember my name!"<br />
Respect the audience as you respect what you're sharing. Recognize that the audience is there for content, and if the content is good, if it resonates with the audience, then they will want to see what else you have to share. They may even give you a 'Like'.<br />
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<img alt="post-cover-720" height="428" src="https://blog.jmleclercq.com/wp-content/uploads/post-cover-720.jpg" width="640" /><br />
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Image take from <a href="https://blog.jmleclercq.com/best-practices-for-adding-un-annoying-watermarks/" target="_blank">The Photography Blog</a></div>
Laurence Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14766876797454283812noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5791077723521794200.post-31025735667712649722018-05-06T09:33:00.000-07:002018-05-06T09:33:04.012-07:00Slate Creek Divide: Hearing is BelievingWith full relocation to North Carolina now imminent (29 days to departure), there are many lists of things to be attended. Most of this pertains to property management--cleaning, fixing, renting, selling, and fondly reminiscing before trashing, etc.<br />
But there is also unfinished business with the AZ birding scene, a bucket list of birding to-dos before getting trans-continental.<br />
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Some of the items are general: birding hard in the Huachucas and/or Santa Ritas again--while some are more specific. I have not yet made attempt at Five-striped Sparrow in AZ, the only resident/breeder lifer yet to pick up here. Most recently I tried to check off the 3rd and last item: get visuals (and a photo) of Flammulated Owl. This little western owl has manifested as 'heard only' for me several times, but always alluded the visual confirmation. Especially considering this species will not be in NC (unlike the similarly evasive Saw-whet), this makes it a near-lifer search while AZ time remains.<br />
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<i>Finding Poorwills on the road is not a bucket list item, but always welcome nonetheless, even if they won't make eye contact.</i></div>
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The Flamms can be pretty common above the Mogollon rim and near Flagstaff, but being ever impatient and short-sighted (very bad traits for a birder, btw), I made an attempt for the local, sparse, but potential glorious Maricopa population in the Mazatzal mountains near Slate Creek Divide. The elevation and water drainage here allows multiple species of pine to mingle with Douglas Fir, creating a special mini habitat not found anywhere else in the county, nor anywhere closer to home.<br />
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You access SCD via 10 miles of rugged road opposite the Mt. Ord exit from Hwy 87, gaining elevation up through oak scrub to fir and pines. Birder buddy Three Sticks Will and I logged great Sparrows as we ascended the washed out road--Lark to Rufus-crowned to Black-chinned, along with FOY breeders like BH Grosbeak and Cassin's Kingbird. Being behind the wheel amidst treacherous grades and gravel, the camera stayed firmly tucked away.<br />
The habitat around the FR 201 terminus at Mt. Peeley trailhead area also hosts the only known populations of Mexican Jay and Dusky-capped Flycatcher, as well as Red-faced Warbler, in the county, though all was pretty quiet by time we reached the top. With our remaining daylight we headed back downhill to explore some of the washes, always good for turning up cool dead stuff if not birds. In this regard, they did not disappoint.<br />
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My guess is the stag broke a leg and/or got stuck in the wash and then drowned. Or a cougar got it and the carcass was washed into the main gully. Or it was brought there as part of a druidic ritual. Or it is the totemic marking of mystic burial ground. Or the deer just nestled down upon its fetlocks and passed on. One of those things. Gnarly.<br />
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The wash descent made for a pretty rugged, somewhat bush-crashing hike, and by time we got down to the flatter spillway area it was dark. Although this was not an area we were anticipating our little Owls, we figured it'd be better to poke around here instead of twiddling our thumbs up along the ridge. This proved to be a fortuitous decision, as we soon heard the alarm call of a female Spotted Owl. Not wanting to spook her, we consolidated under on of the larger pines just up the banks of the wash, and almost immediately heard a male SPOW contact call. The call was close...very close...it was coming <i>from inside the house</i>!<br />
The male SPOW was directly above us. Behold, endangered Spotted Owl butt.<br />
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The owls proceeded to cavort all around the wash, giving us great visuals at times though I did not get any further photos. I did almost lose my binoculars while trying to balance camera and flashlight on the loose rock in the dark.<br />
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After the quality SPOW time we spent the next few hours patrolling the ridge along FR 201 and some of its scion game trails. Near the Mt. Peeley trailhead we had clear audio of Northern Saw-whet Owl, and a few miles down the road logged steady Flammulated calls, but we could never get visuals on either species. The best bird of the night was another heard-only, a Mexican Whip-poor-will calling for a couple of minutes down one of the ravines about half a mile east of the Mt. Peeley trailhead. Although this is good habitat for them, last I heard (years ago) this species had not been recorded in Maricopa County before.<br />
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So a bulk of our best birds were heard only, which is bittersweet--much more bitter than sweet really--but by the numbers it was a tremendously successful nocturnal foray, and we were still home by midnight. The most numerous bird after sundown was Common Poorwill, with one bird kind enough to perch on a burned stump instead of the dusty road or out of sight in the manzanita scrub.<br />
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I feel like people, myself included, do not spend enough time thinking about how fantastic nightjars are. They are gigantic camouflaged flying mouths, nocturnal avian pac-men and ghosts as well...which actually doesn't make them sound as awesome and hyper-specialized as they really are. With fair flair, it's all about the Warblers and shore birding out east, but I am disproportionately looking forward to getting acquainted with new Nightjars in NC.</div>
Laurence Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14766876797454283812noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5791077723521794200.post-16847696546873350732018-04-28T10:56:00.002-07:002018-04-28T10:56:34.359-07:00Last Chances in the Choke Chiris<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Before Great Black Hawk stole the national scene at South Padre Island, AZ boasted probably the biggest ABA rarity buzz with an absurdly confiding Fan-tailed Warbler and (likely returning) Slate-throated Redstart in the Chiricahuas. I have a proud, or at least prominent, history of dipping on Slate-throated, but the Fan-tailed was gorgeous and seemed like an easy tick. </div>
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Curious to see how Butler's Bird Jr. would fare with longer car rides, since we will be doing some significant road-tripping this summer, the whole family headed for an overnight exploration of the Chiris.</div>
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By time we departed, the Fan-tail had not been seen for two days. This was known. What was known later on was that Butler's Birds Jr. does not like riding for more than two hours, and does not like hiking for more than about 30min. in a row, in large part due to being a little big for his carrier and, mostly, because he wants to taste all the rocks. I'll push birding on him but it may be geology that suits his fancy down the road. Pretty cute at any rate.</div>
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So, in line with expectations, we did not get to add our names to the list of people of have crushed the Fan-tailed Warbler. Also in line with expectations, we got to spend time with cool Hummingbirds. </div>
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The Fan-tailed was actually being seen on a private residence in the area (what a yard bird!), and with its continued absence we soon relocated to South Fork, which afforded scenery and shade even if it was late in the afternoon for the better birding. The hikers below almost got t-boned by some Coule's Deer crossing the wash. Apparently deer do not habitually look both ways when startled.<br />
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The next morning I snuck out early to try for the Pinery Canyon Slate-throated Redstart. This location has hosted one or more nesting birds for the last three years, making Pinery Canyon to Slate-throats what Florida Canyon was to Rufous-capped Warblers 8 years ago--the beachhead for a northern invasion (one hopes). </div>
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Finding the bird still takes some doing, and unfortunately I only had a couple of hours to scan and scour before rendezvousing with the Fam. The bird was eventually re-found that day around noon, but during my time in the area it was windy and the high temp was 37 F! </div>
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This is the 4th time I have dipped on a Slate-throat. </div>
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<i>Oh! this bird get your hopes up!? Yeah, me too, but just another Painted. Who even cares about those anymore...</i></div>
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Why am I sharing this failure on the blog? Seeking absolution I guess. Maybe dipping on birds should just be the new theme. How's this for a new name idea--The Big Dipper: Not-So-Stellar Birding. Marketably clever eh?</div>
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Consolation was at least there on the mountain, although it needed to be substantial considering the amount of driving it takes to get up, over, and then down to Pinery Canyon. Some of the morning's first birds were hawk buddies up at 6800 feet and a Tom displaying to a hen off the side of the road.</div>
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Yellow-eyed Juncos were typically welcoming and kept the understory pretty teeming with movement, joined by roving rampaging hordes of Bushtits and Kinglets. House Wrens supplied steady background ambiance. </div>
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This time of year, There Will Be Empids. There Will Be Consternation. There Will (probably) Be Blood (because I fall a lot when hiking and birding simultaneously).</div>
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I could not really justify dragging the Fam back to Pinery Canyon, up and down the nauseating road and dust to bird where there would not be clear trails, so we flipped ol' Slate-throat the bird and instead headed to the Chiricahua National Monument, because who doesn't love monoliths? </div>
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Turns out rock watching is actually way easier than bird watching. There is much less potential for vagrancy.</div>
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Other than the expected Towhees and Bewick's Wrens ever-present in mid-elevation oak scrub, the birding was pretty muted at the CNM Park. However, there were many Mexican Jays, and they were very tame. If you want to crush MEJA and see awesome rock formations, go to this place.</div>
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Floored by the grandeur!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCYmfYh9_y0cO1jTYS5BFEJP6rqYUQduluz6TX-etZc5aI4Iavfu9ibiBj0-Yxlj2EfZ51-k0GyuRxEIAI_yHhMOU4dYS5iucV91_jNVaehJYgvUEuqxXZGdPs_RdL1vEcQUuwHakTrZoh/s1600/IMG_1828.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCYmfYh9_y0cO1jTYS5BFEJP6rqYUQduluz6TX-etZc5aI4Iavfu9ibiBj0-Yxlj2EfZ51-k0GyuRxEIAI_yHhMOU4dYS5iucV91_jNVaehJYgvUEuqxXZGdPs_RdL1vEcQUuwHakTrZoh/s640/IMG_1828.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Laurence Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14766876797454283812noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5791077723521794200.post-50908930968078221312018-04-20T07:00:00.000-07:002018-04-20T07:00:20.782-07:00A Salt River, A Granite Reef, A Big MoveThe Salt River, a bastion of waterfowl in the winter and back-floating beer-toting tubers in the summer, is probably the most well-known aquatic attraction in east Phoenix/Mesa, except maybe for Big Surf. the river drains from the Mogollon Rim and White Mountains up north, running 300+ miles with its tributaries through the heart of Maricopa County. The river's size make it a great attraction for waterfowl, especially species that prefer deeper or moving water and won't be found on smaller city ponds. Of course, it also sustains healthy riparian channels that grow out to the surrounding mesquite bosque and other Sonoran habitats in the valley.<br />
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There are several points of access in Mesa. Coon Bluff is probably my favorite, given its propensity for Vermilion Flycatchers and excellent <a href="http://butlersbirdsandthings.blogspot.com/search/label/Common%20Poorwill" target="_blank">nocturnal birding</a>, but Granite Reef is another, well-reputed for its passerine pull-downs, including some regional rarities like Rusty Blackbird.</div>
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With the Ides of April passed, it's a good spot to look for migrants, early breeders, and the not-so-elusive Salt River Horses.<br />
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The horses are regarded as wild, local treasures by some, feral intrigues by others, and introduced nuisances by yet more. Given they have their own <a href="http://saltriverwildhorsemanagementgroup.org/" target="_blank">management lobby</a>, I don't know how wild they can really be considered, but their ecological impact is indisputable, and not in a "making the world a better place" kind of way.<br />
The Granite Reef area provides a path through mesquite bosque and then tamarisk and cottonwood, plus views of the river itself. Pretty cool to pick up a late female Goldeneye (nice pic huh??)...</div>
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...and then turn to the other shoulder and tick LUWA and YRWA. I guess Lucy's Warbler is like the western counterpart to Prothonotary, as Grace's is to Yellow-throated and Mesquite Bosque is to cedar swamps. They are the only two cavity-nesting Warblers, at least hat I'm aware of in North America, and are extremely vocal. I don't know...still feels like we got short-changed on this one though. Maybe it's just because I haven't crushed them properly.</div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1110" data-original-width="1600" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxN8_QYCTsR4ttzAydWplMryGDvOdZyv6iSBrpZQDVQu4rLsEevmoC3hUE8y45ECN28HG2G75v1GioZG_ugTiDVN0kZ333hFSp8HJKLfG5Z_llwM0A-gi8anl050VgTMC_a2fgjGlBy7Df/s640/DSC04531.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1140" data-original-width="1588" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtPXcN-Vv1wTiO9RumlRaD5dNbRux5MOyLVWSPZ0F_awpa3yOMPdgQh9ut-fnQ3yUcSm8v8uwcowIyMa_hQ3WnI6q2G9pDiHocVybDN35gmnhY3D0_LVOdkTn5Su0dDDprrN9aIo3BBDd8/s640/DSC04489.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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There are multiple nesting Balds along the river too, in fact one nest we observed had a mature adult, fledged young, and new chick all in view. Alas that all I have to show from recent Baldies are these typical distant fly-by shots, seems to be the new thing for this blog. </div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1059" data-original-width="1600" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaYTSVJ2xZy-SPlDNbUX6ZcJlDzOtGKpgRxPNXqQ_YwkHmWmk_Uh_cknZjsU79HgJ9oE8JWh_YR6eXdvVMOSNd6c6A4nBSxPg7t1LPbh2sn1o9f0sc-4HnplecZGobywapFzOIpbEeWUki/s640/DSC04510.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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If you follow the Granite Reed path west, eventually it runs up to the access-restricted dam, but you can continue around to a canal path, without trespassing, and proceed down to the dry spillway and finally back to the river. This portion of the trail moves through chaparral grass that is good for Buntings later in the year, and the canals sustained impressive numbers and variety of Swallows.</div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTre_TtSGURsyAdvWJ5W6SlHilFXCmTeoJ58zmb087nIA9uECv0Wx6KQBsRjR0jjM-INXnxZLZyWCZiYnkSj_tA8S2XSC-Asgn54Q2h1xtl0Bj3Xi5TKhsrQtJJdn591k6n3jRXaQQ4m_G/s640/DSC04505.jpg" width="640" /><br />
<img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB8-74B-BxZejckmMRQefJW7FMJZUdbTAGSUMpfHDJ2GxaQ5atRStZ2TeU5QUxDj9gi3DDSzb3Jb2PyuIo2mp0TYBzkCuAg4tPwY_sIQyqIGwiTP82gEYwMOqczK_2pda1pGLPUKeVm3BB/s640/DSC04502.jpg" width="640" /><br />
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Northern Rough-wings were unsurprisingly numerous, while Violet-greens were surprisingly numerous. We also picked up single digits of Bank, Barn, and Tree, along with the expected Cliff colonies by the dam overpass, making for a 6-Swallow day. Pretty damn special!</div>
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Below is a not great, diagnostic photo of Violet-green Swallow. Will I derive praise or satisfaction upon it? No. Will I use it as evidence of a<a href="http://www.10000birds.com/state-firsts-i-have-known-and-one-i-havent.htm" target="_blank"> first state record</a> for VGSW at a later point in time? <a href="http://seagullsteve.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-human-birdwatcher-project-presents.html" target="_blank">Also no</a>.</div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1054" data-original-width="1600" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjciKHzsj0sgJlmIOCRTgkpGnRwEG0eCbI44ih3FG9IOUYTn1gBHc13wIRelIOPFfK_EgSPdd2uxhyphenhyphenCFpalZHjCbgbZ2Yr7vENAbizp_cI8oL922zPN5V1St_E9kN83dMfzdZu-Jg1dQV0n/s640/DSC04528.jpg" width="640" /><br />
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We spent most of the day looking up for FOY Warblers, Orioles, and fly-bys on the river, but one of the closest encournters came from getting down (and being super patient) with a Green-tailed Towhee that was equal parts confiding and retiring. No Canyon (unlikely) or Spotted (fair shot) to make for a Towhee quadfecta (w/ Abert's) complimenting the Swallow sextet. From this I conclude that birding gods aren't really into numerology. </div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1124" data-original-width="1600" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy_K-CZ82JLNBHQvGnEwlF_UJs28auVUlzQJez892mIMaHWb7cGAyTS3fmD-slC4oMBi78YiP9FSnoRfaScqMJibksI0ap8b_89Z9Kmmnvpc8hQ-LUt7QwJJEUN2TyaBLlGC7JB-ugSUDu/s640/DSC04483.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1185" data-original-width="1600" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7uHbwuq4u3zdQOQb_hxOfP4UhyphenhyphenEKVqnQdznHu_fQAn87BGfb1qES2M66unSCk6MtqDwSHrA7tKRDsz1Bx0CNT7qKpyOD5YI0F3-UzvuTAgnY3ZhxNhr_jynw6fTzDYkK-c3DZhKFdT4Op/s640/DSC04477.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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Diminutive in stature (smallest Towhee) as it is in behavior, Green-tailed is nonetheless a subtle looker, with notes of Olive and Five-striped Sparrow woven into its grumpy fluff. Perhaps because I see them in chaparral tangles, they strikes me as a bird of the rough and arid west: hardy, understated, and yet beautiful in their specialization. They are one of many birds I shall miss seeing often, as of course I will miss seeing many of the other western and AZ specialties.</div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl_MPdGQSE1gd-Wtwe8paU19oR3hbxNA7_Q6L9vPJL2pQatWUXz3u7ktUxViFVFGWvU0Iuut3HRplTNEwZDpbRKkuKMVLxcN6OLXnG5ZcdqCZfYfuF6u41tUkSQnz_Syc2RW1JVxVkeGB1/s640/DSC04474.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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Butler's Birds will be moving to North Carolina (look out, <a href="http://butlersbirdsandthings.blogspot.com/2017/01/the-eternal-flame-wayne-county-and.html" target="_blank">Wayne County</a>!) at May's end. It shall be a tumultuous time for birding and blogging. I will be trading out western Wren, Warbler, and Sparrow groups for those of the east, trading mesquite and chaparral for woodlands and salt marshes, not to mention trading out careers and boring stuff like that, but thankfully I will have ol' reliable Mourning Doves, plus friends and family, to steady the ship. Such a move brings much excitement as it does apprehension and, of course, mourning for what is being left behind. At some point there will be Northern Gannets, so that's awesome.</div>
Laurence Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14766876797454283812noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5791077723521794200.post-74511479026758837052018-04-17T11:37:00.003-07:002018-04-19T19:13:00.871-07:00Weekday SnapshotsFor those modern anomalies, the non-retired birder,s it may often feel like we're just trying to survive from weekend to weekend, parallel to living paycheck to paycheck. Truly, is there anything more precious than time spent doing what one loves? I doubt it.<br />
But in that mean time (in all senses of the word 'mean'), we do what we can to get by. Here are a couple odds and ends:<br />
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If you're feeling bold, brash, and hungry for wild honey...I know a place. </div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZmSQoZSt3_e4zZywyS59sejl75bLr_QwDrA794ASJ-aKozBNFXxbFL0T8Ex49JbyC_obc9N8wl07RzrPM997_lNYwEyedKAaNoMQTm1OmEqJmbye95XUHfz-FJnphi_5VBjRKfZ4RAEv/s640/DSC04453.jpg" width="640" /><b></b><br />
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An observation first, hummingbird feeding from a wild perch. They feed stationary at feeders of course, but I admire the ingenuity here. A very convenient ocotillo.</div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1421" data-original-width="1177" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAlHlHdPEaOIN9XWh_phaJXkGfS69n2FxA6fJrt5p2dRFAQrHFgKA5deBy41pBg6pTFLSqx3LsGpW5Vhe2DqAkn9TxlvCWHNdWshFp14n6Fdb2ydPe3_Hhc8YAv4jwTCwRLUUam3c_K1fx/s640/DSC04466.jpg" width="530" /></div>
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Most flycatchers are not sexually dimorphic. Most flycatchers are not as cool as Phainopeplas. Most Phainopeplas aren't as confiding as this female. Even she is bashful to the camera.</div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1588" data-original-width="1093" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMEbuZUkgHKp_CzFZRwo6htawkGqcYTIJbcEMFVRNp0-sfkkFYiDBwaEJl-3uaSATLCl2zm8A5TjNsXQTykk-_Suq7Jl1N6PbrhVmOO5qSZXrLHUi7VBqsri99YGeG-h_fBR6Bvd08WQ6K/s640/DSC04457.jpg" width="440" /></div>
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Burrowing Owls sure are leggy sons of the earth. Apparently they pursue prey on foot, like top-heavy Roadrunners, when not ambushing from the wing. I have never seen this, but would like to.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUn6j6FBXyJTji10Tcg4ihG5PZ6VJukwIA73Fnr710FFd7iTRkD3-N4yBI1V3j-MQVqbjLYkFGWb_117BnWLTiQddEetVPlrk_AzR74JNhpSYDu8rWvjEa38sZJsUGalEt2v4qdxFnmm36/s1600/DSC03116.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1169" data-original-width="1600" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUn6j6FBXyJTji10Tcg4ihG5PZ6VJukwIA73Fnr710FFd7iTRkD3-N4yBI1V3j-MQVqbjLYkFGWb_117BnWLTiQddEetVPlrk_AzR74JNhpSYDu8rWvjEa38sZJsUGalEt2v4qdxFnmm36/s640/DSC03116.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Laurence Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14766876797454283812noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5791077723521794200.post-23888302811107416352018-04-12T15:58:00.002-07:002018-04-12T16:11:11.517-07:00Caught in the Infinite Space Between<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
No, there are no ABA 1st Red Warbler photos or sagas here--not yet anyway. Although an amazing find and a beautiful bird no matter what, recent photos and analysis of this bird, showing it likely to be the white-cheeked subspecies and to have overly worn tail feathers are raising increasingly problematic provenance questions. Even more problematically, the bird has not been re-found since Day 1. Perhaps it returned home.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkV7CvuLb_V3eNBsj1mNUCGYOHzJEaYifArR5HlaWuRtcH2WAy5N-BKLIpGhc12AXWFLk6my9uLMQkr6nDsx5yvyFJIjvNzbdcoWcKoqfWNmnLrB1ttlJk-Y8yDctaUeNvGUCXMUVYmdtj/s1600/DSC04321.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkV7CvuLb_V3eNBsj1mNUCGYOHzJEaYifArR5HlaWuRtcH2WAy5N-BKLIpGhc12AXWFLk6my9uLMQkr6nDsx5yvyFJIjvNzbdcoWcKoqfWNmnLrB1ttlJk-Y8yDctaUeNvGUCXMUVYmdtj/s640/DSC04321.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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This past weekend, attempting to make good on resolutions not to be a total wash-out birder and blogger, I met up with a friend at Tres Rios, hoping to post some big numbers for the day. But birding for sake of vanity and bravado seldom ends well. </div>
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It has been unusually warm in Phoenix the last week or two, hitting the upper 90s, and this combined with the timing to make for a pretty lackluster showing. Most waterfowl had departed, but migrants and breeders were sparsely present. Cliff Swallows were typically industrious, foraging and homemaking before sun up.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4cUXNpB2s5YTumDhDgb2tTKTwnH-rvscdB64vU4ZjeD9rh1hxnvMRLzfuZ-BMP9HY2y7uoMFDAYaEqczQdcE_ds2KAhGaJ0lRrF1gCEobnH8uy-4BwrNjICNJITCiECk6CHy7C3AUG9jU/s1600/DSC04322.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-H2gan7TX4iUU_0urnjbrQbE6O5Scj5SVbR76Vd08JeV3Zz4N0_NXpYUIv8f0pHLyt3y07koXUkcgJM0A-jjfNxhgXAbXdp5VINwyKPldtD9Z7zuMSEHhvjTpfaxbbniaswHHYfmo7OcD/s1600/DSC04324.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-H2gan7TX4iUU_0urnjbrQbE6O5Scj5SVbR76Vd08JeV3Zz4N0_NXpYUIv8f0pHLyt3y07koXUkcgJM0A-jjfNxhgXAbXdp5VINwyKPldtD9Z7zuMSEHhvjTpfaxbbniaswHHYfmo7OcD/s640/DSC04324.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO1h0YEE2FxaJ2SLOp7ayOeKXHe_dl1jJtw-eviWe14njqd6ZME0-fE35LDSB7mYaVKJAtujX17lYW6K6_fT_pf0mNr7X9kGURC5vPuyoDDSzwut0eVTUcPIclFYXhsZx9A3EpphiO5zLA/s1600/DSC04327.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1142" data-original-width="1600" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO1h0YEE2FxaJ2SLOp7ayOeKXHe_dl1jJtw-eviWe14njqd6ZME0-fE35LDSB7mYaVKJAtujX17lYW6K6_fT_pf0mNr7X9kGURC5vPuyoDDSzwut0eVTUcPIclFYXhsZx9A3EpphiO5zLA/s640/DSC04327.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Upon closer examination I discovered the supposed Swallows were actually flocks of miniature Bald Eagles. Or maybe not; the Eagle might've come later. I don't know. It was a slow morning.</div>
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The resident Burrowing Owls at Tres Rios are always a highlight, though Red-Winged Blackbirds were by far the most numerous and cacophonous bird of the day. There were good numbers of superiors Yellow-headed Blackbirds around as well, but they are much more secretive at this location, and the advanced warmth also meant the riparian channels were already well overgrown and nigh-invisible from cattails. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdrUjIsdT8AMzL4JGavllOC3wu7jnxJnnqItj1NYtLjFrMMK2JWeCZhjw2yG7psV8jhaTsADqARF2MDmP_trPUJa_7aWd0dL2-RCx5nlTL9zRz-o-R39ZeTPS8NPg89cA5QSi2sSBiw9ZB/s1600/DSC04326.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1050" data-original-width="1600" height="419" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdrUjIsdT8AMzL4JGavllOC3wu7jnxJnnqItj1NYtLjFrMMK2JWeCZhjw2yG7psV8jhaTsADqARF2MDmP_trPUJa_7aWd0dL2-RCx5nlTL9zRz-o-R39ZeTPS8NPg89cA5QSi2sSBiw9ZB/s640/DSC04326.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU4T-LiI32aoNMO1HRXrBzX5wmn_wZojj76XDlA41ySV6d0xQu3HW7M3_P0yVZibMZtgdwYcrkt4Xbs6w6d4_InvrsGrg7NE2PdZnzST1c5SkXI4mDGfMEjMVdfFeg7rVT7jrGZJvHjQ8V/s1600/DSC04329.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1177" data-original-width="1600" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU4T-LiI32aoNMO1HRXrBzX5wmn_wZojj76XDlA41ySV6d0xQu3HW7M3_P0yVZibMZtgdwYcrkt4Xbs6w6d4_InvrsGrg7NE2PdZnzST1c5SkXI4mDGfMEjMVdfFeg7rVT7jrGZJvHjQ8V/s640/DSC04329.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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It was interesting to bird this site again after probably two years. I think of these familiar haunts as being fixed and reliable--and on a macro scale they are--but a channel like Tres Rios is also a dynamic environment. There had clearly been some large floods and rapid growth since my last visit, and some of the nooks, paths, and trails I used to stake out were almost unrecognizable. <br />
Heraclitus observed change as a constant, quipping, "A Man never steps into the same river twice." One can extend this observation as well to, "A Man never squats and squints at birds in the same spot twice." Black-crowned Night Herons prove ever-adaptable.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfVZ2SIoIo8PGym88OmtST2RPNJ1Xa3OBWZxPIgTGrX5BnEQRaZ0wuegyONJv3S7LDCf-85e5bf8qzqqPtf-nPBdYDkFq4aMrx5qyD5yN4qT_tDFF14YN1Hh7wY25IvU0r1d2Rhg9PNCN3/s1600/DSC04333.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="891" data-original-width="1600" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfVZ2SIoIo8PGym88OmtST2RPNJ1Xa3OBWZxPIgTGrX5BnEQRaZ0wuegyONJv3S7LDCf-85e5bf8qzqqPtf-nPBdYDkFq4aMrx5qyD5yN4qT_tDFF14YN1Hh7wY25IvU0r1d2Rhg9PNCN3/s640/DSC04333.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCDs1MyCZpVH3WgZ5O-9Z2lJ9f221-4tXbmqVu_WS4JbRvXK5pheJSxNOZBkr3hWIjkboVl3hqRfdoWvoyL1EwfEHHnz8VRUFfv-bjZQLBT5cmkCyyiL0tO529HGr-69HX4vMxREP1R07Q/s1600/DSC04334.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1139" data-original-width="1600" height="455" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCDs1MyCZpVH3WgZ5O-9Z2lJ9f221-4tXbmqVu_WS4JbRvXK5pheJSxNOZBkr3hWIjkboVl3hqRfdoWvoyL1EwfEHHnz8VRUFfv-bjZQLBT5cmkCyyiL0tO529HGr-69HX4vMxREP1R07Q/s640/DSC04334.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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eBird flagged a late Sage Thrasher, which I didn't bother to record at the time given the poor photo-op it offered, but perhaps the most interesting find, one even non-birders can appreciate, was a a friendly George Washington.<br />
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Feeling unsatisfied with the lack of crushing, I slunk out again Sunday morning to some local spots. The Tres Rios experience was too late for winter birds and too early for spring/summer birds. The DBG, like 10 minutes away from home, is a tidy little migrant rap in its own right, and always offers close views of something. In this case, it was close views of many, many nature photographers, birds, bugs, flowers and otherwise. The place was overrun by Geri Photog, though I managed to sneak up on some water chickens all the same.<br />
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At the DBG, Cactus Wren--probably North America's best Wren--is almost a trash bird. I have seen them steal from purses, be baited into eating out of people's hands, etc. It's rather undignified for a State signatory. Great great bird though.<br />
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LEGOS and Verdin showed typically well. Of course, LEGOs show well just about anywhere in their range, especially if thistle is involved. Verdin are pretty accepting of people as well, though curiously I have never seen them around feeder stations. Do they not have a diversified diet that includes seeds and such? I always thought of them as opportunistic feeders and have seen them noshing on mesquite blooms and buds, but why never seeds at feeders? Are Verdins actually purist snobs?<br />
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The day had its pleasant surprises too, not on a monumental scale so much as the, "Huh, well I guess it was worth it to get out this morning" scale (it always is, by the way). Tres Rios is always a good time, but the disappointment was that we picked up almost no migrants or breeders during the Saturday foray. </div>
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It was thus unexpected that the little self-contained, high-traffic DBG held several FOY migrants. </div>
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BTYW actually breed prodigiously in the higher elevations of Maricopa, but Orange County Warbler and Nashville--a photo first for the site, woot woot--consider this fly-over country, or fly-through at least. But migration and mesquite are great equalizers.<br />
We've all been there, a long road trip when, scratchy of eye, tired of limb, and grumbly of stomach. Scruples fall away. Golden Corral, or a little roadside diner with 'eats' and gift shop attached gives welcome relief to the weary. We eat, gratefully. We buy a trinket, perhaps. And we go on our way.<br />
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In addition to warblers there were migrant <i>empids</i> being all shady and ambiguous. Given my severely atrophied birding skills, I probably should not even try, but this seems like a Dusky Flycatcher to me--though the bill is on the smaller side the primary projection doesn't seem to measure up to Hammond's standards.<br />
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It's a case of the candle that burned twice, maybe ten times as bright, with the one-day wonder Red Warbler in Pima County. In many ways though things are just heating up; the birding will only get better and better the next several weeks, unless you're only into ducks.. Stay hungry. <br />
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Laurence Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14766876797454283812noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5791077723521794200.post-89160350178711931372018-04-05T17:15:00.003-07:002018-04-07T21:24:55.278-07:00Who..? Where..? What HAPPENED!?!?It has been over 14 months since Butler's Birds last posted, which is fairly reflective of a pretty fallow period of birding, excursioning, and adventuring over that time. <br />
This is NOT to say the last year has been uneventful. So much has changed. Species have been split and lumped. Thayer's Gull Gull is no more. Rivoli's Hummingbird is vogue. Bottle rockets and fire crackers are still more heavily regulated than assault rifles (ok that's not a change). Amazon, Tesla, Google, Chase, and Facebook now seem to control most of the world. Norway reminded people that it's very good at Winter sports. Tottenham won at Stamford Bridge.<br />
More locally, Butler's Birds is now a Butler brood. The wife and I hatched a Red-Headed Chubby Thigh, on whom I blame most of my lack of bird-blogging and sleep deprivation as well as my constant delight. He is crawling and pulling up and large and has 3 teeth.<br />
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During these months away, I have missed birding very much, even when able to squeeze a little in here and there. Although weekly birding and blogging will be a thing of the past, I am committed and confident in getting more regular again. I will be taking my birding fiber.</div>
Being so long removed has its consequences. I am no longer #1 in Wayne County, NC, nor was I even top 3! It's been over a year since I lifered on anything.<br />
I also got, like, really bad at birding. During a recent visit to North Carolina, I was shocked and appalled and how many calls and songs with which I had to reacquaint. I was confusing NOCA songs with CAWR, and calling Semi-palm Sandpipers Westerns. Why am I confessing this? I don't know, half seeking absolution and half seeking condemnation.<br />
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Ideally, I could go through a get-my-shit-together birding montage, coached by a raspy voiced over-the-hill formerly great birder who would put me thorugh a series of rigorous exercises in that would show steady, sweaty improvement, IDing first skulky sparrows and then empids and then nocturnally migrating thrushes by their flight calls. <br />
Then I would win a head-to-head birding competition against an evil Russian birder, who had killed my good but platonic friend Apollo Creed in an earlier birding competition.<br />
But, since I had no montage, grizzled trainer, or Russian nemesis, it was just slow and steady, back to <br />
basics, one foot in front of the other...<br />
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<i>Apparently I say "...For Pete's sake" now. How domesticated </i>: /</div>
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Swamp Sparrow was a nice county bird, one I have seen only a handful of times generally. While not fully crushed, I spent enough time with this bird to include it in the next installment/update of the <a href="http://butlersbirdsandthings.blogspot.com/2014/06/a-send-off-and-salute-to-sparrows.html" target="_blank">Salute to Sparrows</a>, the American Idol of the <i>emberizid </i>world and perhaps the most worthwhile thing I ever did with this bird blog, (any time one can make birding more judgmental or exclusive).<br />
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As you may have heard, 5-Mile Radius birding patches and competitions are totally hot right now, may they always remain that way. Although I have not really put it o good use, I have a pretty diversified 5MR in Phoenix currently, now in range of the Salt River, which could net over 90 species on a good day. <br />
However, the 5MR from our home base in North Carolina was...disadvantageous. One definite downside to the rural scene is the distance between amenities. It's more than 5 miles to the nearest grocery store, and 3.5 to the nearest convenience store. Similarly, all the hotspots in the county are 7+ miles away from home base, meaning a 5MR expectation for this area would be...30-40 species on the best of days? It doesn't lend itself to head-to-head challenges, unless we switch it up to golf rules to who can seen the <i>fewest</i> birds in their 5MR while still trying hard. <br />
It makes birds like a Red-shouldered Hawk, found in the same shoe-sucking Swamp sparrowing slough, very valuable indeed. <br />
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And yard bird Waxwings are even better, if not really accommodating.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibi8RWD0PIWTe1uHVqfC9InMHmWWqcUkI-hJlQohdxf-4zj1cj4SM3gQoA1rURn-BNgo6d2MPsS4kGa2Yn-Rk65OHFQywho4zlF_-Axpl8HdhnVURRN-yoF2aZ7PiYKmQ5RKua1a7-oAKY/s1600/DSC04300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibi8RWD0PIWTe1uHVqfC9InMHmWWqcUkI-hJlQohdxf-4zj1cj4SM3gQoA1rURn-BNgo6d2MPsS4kGa2Yn-Rk65OHFQywho4zlF_-Axpl8HdhnVURRN-yoF2aZ7PiYKmQ5RKua1a7-oAKY/s640/DSC04300.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Also of interest in the area (and also out of 5MR range) was an old orchard, complete with decrepit silo containing nesting Swallows and an impressive bone pile. <br />
To add to the atmosphere, it's also just down the road from an old insane asylum...<br />
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Carolina Chickadees have a cool sort of echo call or whistle--4 notes total--a sort of 'tee hee tee haw'<br />
Strangely, I hear this often in NC, but have not encountered nay recordings on it on the birding apps. Another confession: try though I did, I couldn't not visually distinguish between CACH and BCCH--not that one has to in NC but...still.<br />
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It would be nice to explode onto the bird blogging scene with a fantastic post full of witty observations and face melting photos, but we're just not back there yet. Were we ever??</div>
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We'll see what the weekend brings. </div>
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Hello again Nerds.</div>
Laurence Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14766876797454283812noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5791077723521794200.post-33936400149374440152017-02-03T21:03:00.004-07:002017-02-03T21:03:53.998-07:00Cardinals and Mudflats, Mudflats and CardinalsSometimes that is what life gives you...and you can make lemonade or take pictures--all have their own appeal. This past weekend I was down southeast with some of the family for a half-day hike. We didn't get to pick up some of the iconic and masterclass SE birds, but perhaps some good takes on old classics. Pyrrhuloxia is like Casey Affleck is to Ben Affleck (don't ask me why that's coming to mind; I recently saw <i>Manchester by the Sea</i>), not as immediately recognizable or stunning, but more nuanced and arguably more attractive overall.<br />
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<img border="0" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsiKZ17pd2sXCmKAhqPDvAWkvQeYMF8FKwe4OV0Pij0V6EatR1xkcFAppQQKbJFSw5i6hV5oz_cgONzFXAMPQS_xjwsZfDSwKjP80x8a3SjqPQZZp3KM1y3TJRVVmlKvcvFZGfbJjHqpKG/s640/DSC04106.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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In fact, while I'm hesitant to indulge in anthropomorphizing so heavily, Pyrrhuloxia channels the <a href="https://images.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search;_ylt=A86.JyL9UZVYwF0Ad7snnIlQ?p=ziggy+stardust&fr=yhs-mozilla-001&fr2=piv-web&hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-001#id=0&iurl=http%3A%2F%2Fimages2.fanpop.com%2Fimage%2Fphotos%2F9100000%2FZiggy-Stardust-ziggy-stardust-9109824-842-1191.jpg&action=click" target="_blank">Ziggy Stardust</a> look pretty well, certainly better than I did that one fateful and liberating Halloween...<br />
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<img border="0" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPEGmqty-GKLqKPxJN_bFRCmCYdjf5p18vwJIaMGqCeFL6nek4e14Wheeq05qJnf2oD8Bd8onwdyF2VdSC5MwNxZ1lQrmkbofbihGOz0-mYlGY_HeeSHgNgPlczbumutURnzZ793DMZ1O2/s640/DSC04113.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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Of course even NOCA is pretty irresistible when it perches right next to the trail with indefatigable determination. The Cornell site is positively effusive: "The male Northern Cardinal is perhaps responsible for getting more
people to open up a field guide than any other bird. They’re a perfect
combination of familiarity, conspicuousness, and style: a shade of red
you can’t take your eyes off. Even the brown females sport a sharp crest
and warm red accents. Cardinals don’t migrate and they don’t molt into a
dull plumage, so they’re still breathtaking in winter’s snowy
backyards. In summer, their sweet whistles are one of the first sounds
of the morning."<br />
(Northern Cardinal is a true American hero). <br />
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Say's Phoebes may not be the most impressive color spectrum of Flycatcher--not compared to Vermilion at any rate--but they do have a pretty impressive longitudinal range, stretching all the way up to the northern borders on Canada and Alaska. Considering I take them for granted as a common, conspicuous, and very crushable bird year-round in Phoenix, it's trippy to think of this same species rubbing shoulders with Rustic Bunting 3,000 miles up north.</div>
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Despite the preponderance of close-up Cardinals, I recently realized I did not have enough mudflats in my life and set about remedying this. The ponds in Gilbert supplied plenty of Dowitchers, which I like to watch. Avocets without personal boundaries do too... <br />
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<i>Ain't no party like a mudflat party.</i></div>
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Mudflat parties, like any big event, tend to get crashed by cads or cops. In this case it was a spiffy male Northern Harrier {cad}. </div>
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Perhaps the oddest weekend sighting was more circumstantial than taxonomical. The shrubby gravel around the ponds is popular foraging for doves, sparrows, and shorebirds. It was surprising to see a Wilson's Snipe hanging out, doing its best not-a-snipe impression. <br />
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With nary but some shade for cover and naught for camouflage, this may well be the boldest WISN in Arizona, the tip of the spear in micro-behavioral adaptations. It is probably dead by now. <br />
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<img border="0" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN0i_E52WllQpMkaDaKvGKHhVfvGlwKJjTS3G-QUtCv-NNlRyB7IogFWq7V9hNJGzdYB6ojk71qC1F3KbnZYssJ8v0xpNJYbXlKa1zc_tl8BCwxwRmEOgTQOsu2p4tmYQY-whSCGHMiA55/s640/DSC04265.jpg" width="640" /></div>
Laurence Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14766876797454283812noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5791077723521794200.post-2976248719333199492017-01-24T21:28:00.001-07:002018-04-26T13:36:01.758-07:00A 5-Mile Challenge, a 5-Mile Post<div class="MsoNormal">
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--></style> Over the last couple weeks the bird blogging world has been
abuzz about the ragiest rage in competitive birding, the 5-Mile-Radius
challenge. The mission: see as many species as possible within a 5-mile radius
of your domicile in a 24-hour period.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like any good birding challenge it involves stamina, habitat knowledge,
an appreciation and perseverance for finding relatively common birds, and a
fair amount of trash talking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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The recent showdown, available for $29.99 on pay-per-view, pitted
Portland’s legendary maverick and former bird-hater <a href="http://www.iusedtohatebirds.com/2017/01/the-5mr-big-day-challenge.html" target="_blank">Jen</a> against Austin’s
silver-voiced bird-watching machine <a href="http://www.thismachinewatchesbirds.com/2017/01/five-mile-challenge.html" target="_blank">Nate</a> against none other than GBRS #7
“Bay-area Brawler” <a href="http://seagullsteve.blogspot.com/2017/01/fulfilling-destiny-five-mile-challenge.html" target="_blank">Steve</a>. Adding to their respective legacies now kept in oral
and digital traditions, they battled inclement weather and seasonal inertia to
post big numbers. It was tremendous reading and vicarious action.</div>
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<img border="0" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5XnkEygu78vSwQMtXyAgylvKQC68XS43BSJL_7YlO85KK-UozCYdXqxBMq3NpTsFbZk5Ay0R9rw__InSwaEyzJMja-xdgSiEty8ev_Pees-VY7qDb14TfpInMSmx36OhC6U9g0Zn78MDS/s640/Post2010.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<i>Twice as suave and twice as hardcore, if less color-coordinated, than the World Series of Birding Guys. Totally Badass.</i></div>
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Now if you’re reading a birding blog, you’re probably also
well versed in nature documentaries and general principles of food chains,
natural hierarchies, scarcity etc. As such you are well aware that when lions
are feasting on a tasty wildebeest (caught typically within 5 miles of their
den) the lesser creatures, the hyenas and vultures, must wait their turn and
dart in for scraps when the dominant predators are distracted, otherwise
occupied with such things as concern top predators. </div>
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This is where Butler’s Birds inserts itself into the
narrative, dear readers.<br />
Like an unwanted parenthetical, like someone’s dorky
younger brother who followed them to the party so that he can “do beer,” like a
starved but ambitious hyena waiting to pounce amid the dusty aftermath of
titanic struggle…I too embarked on a 5MR challenge!</div>
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With Jen’s milieu still besieged by Oden’s frosty rage, with
Nate having found debilitating happiness and direction in life, and with Steve
being distracted by the impending birth of his cub (and a Ross’s Gull), they
were ALL vulnerable. Even if Phoenix was enduring its own relatively dismal
weather, the iron was hot and this weekend was time to strike.</div>
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<img border="0" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhW_Fn2Sksr7Muq4Gp-2E9WlTuXMfHpsMlK8d1FS202b6U1aQbOS7d2SEzgwncHKA6PzlCL6PJAHEkHMk8N7Xh9zML_4Bl2tgovhyadoQIObNYbPvJgzaoG57A6boM1phL5gY0YazIO_KS/s640/Screen+shot+2017-01-23+at+11.02.12+AM.png" width="640" /></div>
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As far as 5MRs could go in the central PHX valley, I could have
a worse hand to play. Of course living near the Tres Rios Wetlands would be
ideal—that site alone could net over 100 species in a day—but that would
require moving to Tolleson and choosing exclusively between Red Lobster and Olive Garden for fine dining out. That I would not do. </div>
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My bubble <i>did</i> include the
Phoenix Mountains Preserve, a very scenic stretch of desert washes and rocky
hills. A portion of the McCormick Ranch area, as well a Papago Park, would also
supply decent-sized ponds for waterfowl, and then places like the Botanical
Gardens and residential spots had a few other stake-outs. </div>
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<img border="0" height="560" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv1KCiEwsXEd6LY7l0PJhubcWT8IGBU_1mjdaJwAO2atWaE5Lci9xoFdRvCBfPBOs8bT4Mt_mJtpjE24bRQrWYg3Du8VGIUuN_gREnZe7m5N2TCcYLMvrDM8jRMkhG6IDn6yjRTk2FVgCt/s640/Screen+shot+2017-01-24+at+10.03.19+PM.png" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYhL1PPYBHaj5IzeBgXjsjeHyFvW9AqjAsLQ_HYgmRQOM2qEtQkREiggLI5YUWqiY0NBB5f88Ci8HgnacNrCEhhyphenhypheni3sWewnAsekpgYyHwy5iH2fyDp-sxbPnOmoIyrlsjY3yfTQWJGQFIB/s640/Screen+shot+2017-01-23+at+9.28.39+AM.png" width="640" /></div>
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<i>Much as I dislike golf and the amount of resources directed to golf in Phoenix, I must often humble myself and take advantage of the oases it creates.</i> </div>
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I was crestfallen to see that any and all stretches of the Salt River/Tempe
Town Lake were outside my circle. Access here would have provided Osprey,
Brown Pelican, RBGU, Bald Eagle, and 3 Grebe species, none of which I could
anticipate seeing anywhere else. It takes a bit of wind out of the sails to have such a handful of easy birds so close and yet so...close.</div>
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<img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp0IwvsN15gwNtTr0cf2VX4eoG0mgiESMnuZp0tsc5It3EVF0MmUrkzFx3ln9Df9MukHwcFC0zDxiLztpJafAtC98dgw8N3juMxFxIUrGmQwlkpE0w0wuSjE3tGjxGWjnJbb6KJG1thBQf/s640/Screen+shot+2017-01-23+at+9.30.53+AM.png" width="640" /></div>
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<i>Son of a biscuit</i></div>
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The sun rose late and seemingly without warmth on Saturday. Substantial wind kept the temps low at the Phoenix Mountains Preserve and were
initially cause for worry, but after 3 days of rain the birds were not to be
deterred anymore and it proved to be a very productive start. The PMP, like
most of the other sites on my itinerary, overlapped a good portion of its
species with others like the DBG, but there were also some species here
that would be specific to this area for the time of year. Long-shot <a href="http://butlersbirdsandthings.blogspot.com/search/label/Long-Eared%20Owl" target="_blank">Long-eared Owl</a> did not pan-out, but otherwise the site-specific birds showed well. </div>
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<img border="0" height="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHVVYO8WK-chBYftR0GW4t2jPA4P5CnK6tHcGQs-mJ8cYqR7aAkqbK-tL53-PnduLUEdqJ-M4PWOrOxMIMcnXeHd3EbaELI37UgToCJf7ps5huuy6A6z20ADWxXc6B2_AGfRECauLnBPZI/s640/DSC03769.jpg" width="640" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Ever-industrious, Verdins are among the first to rise and work. They make most other passerines seem lazy layabouts by comparison. </i></div>
<br />
I have discovered that cold windy weather is pretty great for Hummingbirds. Their colors are vivid and they do not want to fly. Poor, poor Old World birders have no hummers at all. Anna's are almost trash birds at the PMP, but not of the polluting variety. <br />
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<img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcJm3Lp13SPRP2_HjIk9Pr-XF0wUc1dnvMLa-x-9SCzd9CyM4yTVoENdxQrH9Q9-gi2_ch_RUVybUOOmneFZVDz0oqr5SiuTKTYTvER7Ox02yh3Gxekg54QkS2f-nqWKPXzkMszBJiT7Iw/s640/DSC03777.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW1ddJ93kF3HRcMFOFn_CMTgZdm-1J_iC_w2Jtkkf06IGvf3sYxPzB09xBNbPuJtLqUH0-gyZ9Hh0VlaUFXpj5z-OZWC4vUzBDVcjt4GgsiOem34FS4kGgT3ZlH-LwShPoRhcdysJZGuYO/s640/DSC03783.jpg" width="640" /></div>
<br />
Curve-billed Thrashers are probably the blandest Thrasher, visually speaking, but they've got peppy personalities and appetites to match their substantial vocalizations. The bird singing below was doing imitation calls, something I rarely hear from CUTH but impressive nonetheless. <br />
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<img border="0" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7HgLdGzD_1ATuCE0aamp2rTj73yJv-OjIgsJOTYxI5dQhR9g8FOhT8v-oN2wd5d9GWR49InT4YzmVyIEr36sxb_Dq8oKNleDaY3F84vVX4X5RdaeZK6nTdOIHesHBsDwZpjcPCpmAzJ0T/s640/DSC03790.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2HHxUL8fnR_TyCxyIDFY0CEW3ExgmrRaH0Tt8l1pFfwyweIRlnyC-Zw-MLdiHiG-WQh37n3VJoXUK7WoKs0iDp63aVWUk6q8kkgefs3BKAZCCIARADtGhy57_oGycjhsvZqqFdbWilqwD/s640/DSC03821.jpg" width="640" /> </div>
<br />
Black-throated Sparrow was a site-specific bird, one I couldn't hope to get elsewhere than the PMP. They're also a highly rated fan-favorite Sparrow for obvious reasons, being very handsome, approachable, and vocal. They also unflinchingly perch on <i>cholla</i> cactus--Nate's <a href="http://www.thismachinewatchesbirds.com/2014/05/on-karma-and-cactus.html" target="_blank">envy</a>.<br />
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<img border="0" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIlp6MPBi6olBrv9Eg5zUTM9rYcKMIW63XYqzCWxs1t8J5HTLakDVfCv9gdFuFzW5L6oe5FKXLHMMkT3fqvVMzXF6QfOeC7fk-vRezGvNF78YameNDI5kBIugPgh8vBNRYqb_Dx7mL5RbQ/s640/DSC03791.jpg" width="640" /></div>
<img border="0" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRIjgal1zPNmHjz-cUgubzP_DAqFisHP7iGpIiVG3UEBKnPLItieXy06WaMWdaxvv2hSC8cV_AUtiGjmIZ45beLTsGe_sjBS_1Kd5J3UX4blKNeJaprDcTF0cpThhmEVgqvIWJSJimjKu1/s640/DSC03817.jpg" width="640" /><br />
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<i>Grimacing and gripping, isn't it?</i></div>
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Ash-throated Flycatcher was a somewhat unexpected pull, one I was hoping but surprised to find this early in the year. eBird didn't mind it though so some must overwinter in the area. Confidential confession: up to this point in the morning I hadn't decided whether or not to commit to a 5MR undertaking, but took this bird as sign that it would be a better-than-normal birding day. I do not listen to fortune cookies, zodiac calendars, or Chinese restaurant place-mats, but random bird sightings in an arbitrary context? You betcha. </div>
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<img border="0" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyvQihXcgLMjeeybwXGcK7wbjzmxPWQhQqlveW9CsYVn56M8XC7NladyLMvelSNpBHQWEKmKUZT2DIGbx2eOHFh30nTWtno06SZhH1eD0KrQoh2ytj4a-bbrO-xS73PzgU9J70BY-JhIFl/s640/DSC03825.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsjBM7y9qHtCTfnU9jI-iG_pfmJPWMfELM7o6pSuGzebfvq32PDcUT2EuRCB-6TZJGk-AQDkiBjrdH_12vGX7R6UYtsT7T9i_-2smh6C-3k1P8c6tQvb_ZeWwIv4MipyIubQaDZfRrsSAo/s640/DSC03862.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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Canyon and Rock Wrens were also solid, if expected. Rock Wrens really are comfortable on rocks, perhaps in part due to shared disposition. They are pretty dauntless around people and would probably be a more recognized symbol for the indomitable spirit of the West if they weren't so small and ecru. <br />
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<img border="0" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj62gP-EcVaowupgSZefMpJYIXGqzh4e0fUYAf_6SHffovqGLPMG8XggKu9wHu8CCmb7UU6e8zbxYWBWgmdTdAYKfdpjfGbajTiVnMzkq91nY_v9iuhsBqLEbcVzyvybJ-kT_ebrF7yocCZ/s640/DSC03830.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBHrD83R15q16FeRa3gMZC0dyuwC2LDVeg3Lh7YE7yCYSwAwB3QNbbYTxMEwnZhtUo8ziECv_1aTi7TVZ0bqV1pKs_R9PIbIrgmF0LP0SxhUJtoodjMpjR59TjmB5-1zXYSov1cIC8hU12/s640/DSC03849.jpg" width="552" /></div>
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Also noteworthy at PMP was a mountain biker totally wiping out, but I did not photograph that. I can't really make too much fun; I have wiped out while birding just doing regular walking.<br />
The next stop was Granada Park, which has two duck ponds in
addition to creosote scrub and various imported trees. I was hoping to pick up
a few bonus ducks beyond the standard Phoenix dabblers—Ring-necked, Wigeon,
Mallard, Shoveler—plus the resident Lovebirds. With Canvasback and Common Mergs
turning up it didn't disappoint.</div>
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<img border="0" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe0o8kMlSJ4ZdngsaeNmjW7wgPRLJXgUB-uCdbaP45Zf35TYSnfy0dg0fKfOPMZddXgVdnOv5NMvlkyEiaTgOiRqE8AVZcmNaaVHPgZpX8RK40Ra7kq3bgQY_gg-QFEKu7sSCe9tEo_ZCF/s640/DSC03887.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4q6yOJQAChgkASSJxiwX1wNjSCboKH_GuzNh7_LPdkVn5bq9uRX_CJX3EhWKqGMGd_yKsTTfzbXQpLidVVKEiCTqIOAjNAxV8twIvqJO5cSlwb3hGmLav93IAt3g9TqURuKHHP78QYjDr/s640/DSC03870.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixhH15oq236ewnoTnwjQuy44ACBpYiRRBdJbLb-sFc8slMGVjBXq5uGTaGsqt7QPzr73FfAtvpmf5YsVoARrnVkqIew71ehznWEXS-RS3NM_BKFP3JQJIHTIsnynPsNxkACDKYAxC3uPYn/s640/DSC03885.jpg" width="640" /> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>COMEs really like to swim in lines (to hide their numbers). I have no further explanation of this observation. Anyone else noticed this? Are they just very hierarchical?</i></div>
<br />
Granada Park also held a few species that I did not consider special at the time but proved to be one-offs for the day. Great Egret is common but pleasant. Pulling Brown-headed Cowbirds out of a flock of Pigeons is common and unpleasant, but such debasement is par for this course.<br />
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<img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj125Tdg0sMdJmrvKZLz5dItubokRE1UeJ5KFIXJsCmsW4wOstj3w-SfagD-LLYxpFRjgMN78ygBbonXG9DuE5hyIggZqN6Lmpq7rSDtCXmSplYHJOu7Nj0hXmRWVLT_Zk8DQeZdVFUw1gD/s640/DSC03878.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDVAgrAUKVbOCUwUCuN0i3TZQgN7Ra8UTYW84TK18RqqCYi5eErbkfLXjUoLCQnNTEe8KW4NGxKOnsir9IY3yiZGjGfM447eabPvEfFotzs7CTong_9B51yCKP8IBXpEbb2Gn_FX7C_v-M/s640/DSC03882.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUcuiHJA4TUh_bOvdM-ShqsS1qqIwrso1sIQ0v81NecuO2MgvKNKasw0QocSTK_PRaAAXZQrb1jy4eGt9Te-u45R0_X532rfdscF1cvKO7gI6Tny1qNbQ6f6ampDRtZBtbfyT6FyJcMpYB/s640/DSC03879.jpg" width="640" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>A little salt-and-pepper Storm Wigeon?</i></div>
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Segueing with cool ducks in less-than-cool
settings, the next spot was a crosscut of canal near my condo, where I had seen
Wood Duck a couple times hiding by the bridge. Rough-wing Swallows were
also a nice pick-up here. Isolated pockets over-winter but not reliably. Weirdly, I have seen Wood Duck at several spots along the central canal in Phoenix, but very rarely see them elsewhere in Maricopa. WODUs and other canal ducks, unlike many of the park birds, are still shy to approach.<br />
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<img border="0" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR1r_9puZ2kVRRKxE3vABJ1V7hckYn3_oIt7hO6hCiC_pVhl8F91TCEN7Dgf5y6bo7lRL6cc7jRL8oJwLO-YnFPiKhFaa7Z55ZUng0uW0CZXR3u85mmEsDQYCAxnmgQoe-sapPsoQfPyuL/s640/DSC03891.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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I had to balance other errands (grocery shopping for preggo wife) during the afternoon portion of my 5MR but looped a stop at McCormick Ranch into the trip. This area hosted some Snow Geese at the larger lake a few years back. Now such luck this time, though GWTE was decent, but the nearby spillway between the golf course and some luxury condos was totally flooded from the recent rain. I was hoping to pick up flycatchers and Great Blue Heron here, which I had worryingly not seen yet, and was treated to much more. This site was definitely the surprise package of the day.<br />
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<img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL61SSBJSLYnq-yBru-DC_9BNxNt8CcOyMtaDcIRl3bj5riY2ZBZkLPC5AfieevQ8xIALtQBNd6h6hqm3I6X9U806HKUsyph8W7a58oQWnhENtE9YVtLf0ZQ8cGjvwXjI4cWJNdtiOIthB/s640/DSC04003.jpg" width="640" /> </div>
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Some distant views of the larger lakes yielded Pied-billed Grebe, plus Night Herons in the trees. Otherwise, being bereft of Snow Geese and their ilk, the 'lakes' were pretty underwhelming.</div>
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<img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb6m2WEv0fUGYy1aKpFMhWlMgwDVD0pRFQMPJp8OhOSw39HF2QINB2KN-xdnTjDQZADsQfrfEWagdaITV3nIP74XiUlJcv6NbeO0UV5vDNBaC9Pk3r3AVc5lY0s-hs2LjMCsY_E8LQ3uJP/s640/DSC04042.jpg" width="640" /> </div>
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<img border="0" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAGUHbOfc4nEQ2OJFiHgrxxTXikGc4w1JkLZpW5ThibQPg888JbvIdqc4BIu3yjlWgeNxuUDsejFui8DERL4hrJLbcqSq5GNrKJO2X_Gd5xQDOMJTtFxcFId1pHTh0E-DMJ_vvEYFBMv-i/s640/DSC04039.jpg" width="640" /> <img border="0" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj_aBG7BMIrHMlqTarSlOpst6LKT-VuH4P5UBLp91MZ9Sl-OSPWdqB3IM-p1r3bnq7NRqkeGWwDNHrEO8NgAwxuK7SnLHx7u3wrTNh8GznzTKhnvwBiuOZqesT-iC5551cfhLnQ0MI0gVz/s640/DSC04006.jpg" width="640" /> </div>
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After scanning the large ponds/mini lakes I rounded to the drainage area where I've had good flycatchers and sparrows in years past. It was an interesting situation.</div>
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<img border="0" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLGelYNYcXKLGMDrHqbZ1u5oNuJlNtWV4wBsuzwIKAILPjLT4SVvS2CeFxd_tXGVywIrD2XM5pm_yBMPJwQwGK0OJQkdj3ZlgB3Ayx2HVWDr9GJcy0HT_87uS3zHZ0mRq0fZr26GNijzK0/s640/DSC04043.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
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Climbing down the escarpment to get eye-level with the flash-wetlands, I spooked Spotted Sandpiper and exchanged perplexed views with another Rock Wren, who spent the entirety of my time here atop his high ground and seemed a bit thrown off his groove. </div>
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<img border="0" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnwblwe5DKUWEtzEs-cQYgkhwL0EZjjnAotg8nP0zBzu0Q0_T11bRQkky6hIsL8RHq3FuEvbOqOXpVVq1jAHqadVIZPVWcJA2yijfgkT8c68OmW5A_McUwoE0wtDCPzc-jzuEcifZpdg4A/s640/DSC04048.jpg" width="640" /> <br />
<img border="0" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfokUE3_YcY3h4K31e7B7XqFYi9DB5Aj9oCFomXx_M6sVwf5f6MgnIbHhIE-GhxtAkHcK5A-qHXvlWTlLwtxBmX_-frBPzRsUoY2Pj-NtltwSmT59riJBZIkwekkd63KOtOcgNIrYaQ9AD/s640/DSC04032.jpg" width="640" /> <br />
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The condominiums had many 'No Trespassing' signs to keep wayward golfers (or birders...) off their preciously manicured property. Perhaps this moat was further reinforcement and protection. A patchy Vermilion Flycatcher did not care.<br />
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<img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIohoNfQDNDJYcJkzekJNG-uVXsLqPEcbRalPDGmj0oc_QWqKmmw157ho2vFLDeZf01VY-m3a_IgHNa_gNlqFz_AR_1QlmQUyiK8tuaPMcDwK0bqf1w8wqKQPM0NubKSr-e7GzUIqsvF1I/s640/DSC04028.jpg" width="580" /><img border="0" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizjcxVw1DZhizSsD0O4zG2FITlWf-2G4mxQK4LeXjD9r0Q_2R0p_dbjPFqjYXYSv4f38Qaymt0H0ShtcJW8I-oVpzOOEYRiPOdd69yrzn24E2DLAqStZHRG2R3b2DP1lW4-NJwXfpHEoEG/s640/DSC04021.jpg" width="640" /> </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"...Nyyyoooooom..."</i></div>
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<img border="0" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx47-XFfBa4jpXdbXbbOXRUEK2OOlFOVFGUVMbDU0t9J9zKMMm0cAguOk81spSBg2k7tt9K-sBSjbfY5P1JM1mhXn_4G68R_wZ6HKl-7ZrIOXJDKJv_Epm-muBryIyhAXKC_UwSJ5B_2qe/s640/DSC04014.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<i>Some Kestrels don't prefer perching on utility wires. This behavioral subspecies is rare and organic and precious and will probably go extinct soon.</i></div>
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Pishing and poking around the flooded brush turned up Lincoln's and Song Sparrow. It also yielded the day's first bigfoot-esque looks at Great Blue Heron, and bird I had just started to worry would avoid me entirely. <br />
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<img border="0" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij-rZyPLjkkr0q5JhJqh7r-VoeEY55wMyHdfyLUsNPiNTkfexCrFkPZfhhtJsgTt1p6qj7uiHVycqTxE1Eltszhanh9wQjli2WfpWEUEMwNFhfKU5rMsOqzDVr0RGdUpPbDLuBIctWv4gA/s640/DSC04029.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgucr9XfAILqBGX3a17M21xYSziscwLrQhP1JBeu9BcTOTi6eVcnhjSjMPZ0bxRT55p43DOsp_nooKAI6RAeUuGq77cF3pX1VIu8iHMaczRmrDfh_IXNGBdXoGb7u23oGdNEjt6PsMVB2Of/s640/DSC04034.jpg" width="640" /> </div>
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<img border="0" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLR6wzetb1M6rmFpNvMO4fJw6-x_O09E7Mh8Unt6tMKZjy0PBDIEt_A3_HXPJW5OUVvIaNEMAzyXuAOObNsLcbaxoPU76rSKCCMW5dIBB9AqKjAAIRfZUmiDJ63CDlDYJiHUuWpUW3ibSd/s640/DSC04037.jpg" width="640" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Skulk all they might, GBHEs are inescapably conspicuous when they take to wing.</i></div>
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Groceries wait for no man. Alas goat cheese and sour cream, though delicious in many ways and forms, are both unusable when hot and spoiled, so I had to return home.<br />
I was able to sally forth again in the evening to the DBG/Papago Park area and, on a whim, adjacent <a href="http://butlersbirdsandthings.blogspot.com/2015/02/oh-just-pokey-polkin-around-kinda-post.html" target="_blank">Pera Corporate Park</a> where there is usually a pair of Red-tails (still missing from the day). I wasted time trying to turn up a stale Pyrrhuloxia at the DBG but did relocate the roosting Great-horns and crush a Costa's Hummingbird very hard. Papago was a somewhat disappointing stop overall but the unassuming Pera park provided a few ticks before sundown.<br />
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i>What's better than one Great-horned in a cottonwood?</i></div>
<img border="0" height="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiki4f3URDecvq_r1nTaenRLEim8fQ8jbzSuQGCiWvy2SNfPp6aWHfChjoKx0y7Jmt_q1UAtmhAKW1NSmZM-Aa-BPsLvV_joD-KFGct2ChyYkNQp9UUDE20ZhUBPDzdeKcLtLfwv2Kb3SRP/s640/DSC04063.jpg" width="640" /><br />
<img border="0" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisFO-Cy-_9sd-K1k_pMLgUqgWQ-jmnEBEWQ8dQ7zCR0n5-QAuHzs8bcanphW32UVK9VLb-0oyYHFUF2_PMQz4R_g2wbIaL8RP0Vwky2lMGabyHh3-b82LiIGiRSxv8bIyVi6XnJlIxnmeI/s640/DSC04058.jpg" width="640" /><br />
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<i>Correct!</i></div>
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A couple winters back I participated in a <a href="http://butlersbirdsandthings.blogspot.com/2014/11/taken-for-granted-challenge-allen-vs.html" target="_blank">Taken for Granted Challenge</a> against <a href="http://gregandbirds.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Hoosier Greg</a> who tasked me with Costa's Hummingbird as one of my 5 targets. The COHU showed up at 5:37pm, 37 minutes after the deadline and thus deprived me of a perfect score. But as previously mentioned cold cloudy days are good for crushing, and for revenging, because revenge is best served cold, much like popsicles or steak tartare. <br />
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<img border="0" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGaw9mWEMQWXWwKnFHnBCFc_KQq6EJWkaZcus8n__qANp5hTaGN_OfyI-CCmP__AJ8l6jXTjaAtt9LYk1V1lcB7D0h9ItzhSmnvbsJXQDOA2jd7_eCX3ckDQgYIZZvRjX35RY5KkFK-Gy-/s640/DSC03938.jpg" width="640" /><br />
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Eventually the persistent wind made for a break in the clouds, and COHU seized this opportunity like any junky to get a quick fix. Too slow of shutter speed to freeze the motion but I like the disembodied effect.</div>
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<img border="0" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihTeNxLcva8fdIxSCw9aVajEbsd-RdUZZZ-TA5xVdvH3p4mVvjGbgt_GMx1YVmV8ag9XNuPz8Jxg_36H9JeCQp6T4A5rcF0lwkOHmp-QjTwsUaq4WlL0cHyiRFkRyRj-Gfvs_c-sOcFwaJ/s640/DSC03995.jpg" width="640" /> </div>
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<i>Science only has a tenuous grasp of how they do it.</i></div>
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His primal needs being met, or at least some of them, the Costa's stallion then perched inexplicably close and did nothing to abate the vengeful crushing of backlogged crush-less years.</div>
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<img border="0" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlRBt3fTUxP4wrSPIN-h4ulMS1gRd8PJ5Xm6i1pNsNH6QIkXNlwjp8q2EEYrTss4FApe8Iw8uwQcRWqh7OCMyPOidLi3u2FXzv6G8hCUvESrLZ7MuIlDIovsubTTgDARFzfBqDOiFqS68s/s640/DSC03918.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2a-VUB6G_Llkw2l8cRqCivAEEXbqX0DGCUCPTSAuG0SYc6PR-AdDmcGFYtAW5C9TTm4p-_YPVBZSY9UT7KtKgjZBdeGPCmjMicZbqYeyemlC1YvGpnSZ_qb8KStO-4RZ22clIYxE4s4UQ/s640/DSC03953.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBRtntsa6eU1TjnrKfeZBDmcJZ8G1k-SaYJNGQc32AIMEd6bgvBSgA353i8aRjw7AxQ7NXjELHGwMnj47kvEGckobOYeRMRnd-STnBH1mHjCYCp_cDk3s4U48dLj6qzsfrfZBDHwl_J9fc/s640/DSC03960.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiICnQK7EmcvbNcYfwFIoFxeklCS2iEv9_xnO-bFk28CM-7tHqCdHruTdgG4tSk7cdsGhJNSdIPCBu95BFbmwu5B4jnKdqLBX9IueA-r_4wh9zP4OFbalLn_l1pcgvFWE8ezzdW-SIPi-8v/s640/DSC03976.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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There are certain species of birds one can hope to see by location. Green Herons will be near water features, if they are around at all. Once one has checked all the water features to no avail, then one can conclude there will not be GRHEs that day. Then there are other species who span varieties of habitat and are not so much seen by location (sometimes) but simply by time spent sufficient in the field. Case in point, I spent all day birding in places where I have had Loggerhead Shrike before, but was still without Shrike. On little more than a hunch and a hope I swung by Pero Park and...</div>
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<img border="0" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaK22_S-iqZEcKT6K_pLxlDucsT5rjaBRUWeI2dAnWHxD5U976jnGevGOfFre9WqpFvmKecjy5ZJKNUq37q-afTN9Vx40O2hU_O0HNvxDQeU6DOtJeU6AA4Xz_mkB_XMc1e9A86O0mDoJw/s640/DSC04074.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiLzqRp8mICaACl2hFEROt__lJQvstPGFDXJDSkO-h-DZ9j0LwnKBYSB5Dn2bLBMnzyCpl1jpE94jq7wnIJ7096HutIulmMXMUa811SsHaJfqXfMJCVfE9RMm1ptAntNSOKYOlD5vTBuPP/s640/DSC04085.jpg" width="640" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Ah yes, of course...the other, other habitat for Loggerhead Shrike: bright orange swing sets.</i></div>
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Eventually the odds fall in one's favor. LOSH was one of three clutch birds that Pero delivered. On one of the palm tress--not the many, more appropriate bottle and pine trees I had inspected throughout the day--was a hold-out Red-naped Sapsucker, and last but also least, a capstone light morph Red-tail Hawk.<br />
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<img border="0" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh50Hf1dslP0pqBFUWFcWQbFExPVUEwtPGE2IKSFzgDa91Dt82yipjEH4iXLQqDiMPKsV0uJIYdh5SeOceTsMhyJ7EmK4Y8GywEQaHkgzauZ4F4OWdG6qLd7gKBPLaygrFu4RqL2whG9Bv/s640/DSC04097.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgccug9tim1xiN5txGDeTwVx_4tig9TIE_d_3q_jMy9OJYEfm78DXfKHPv5k9XyeXGBR2cuQjmpFA5xAgZ5owEU_EUL3Fq20Zcmz5q0gzttX1aC2ygKI-W0dmDo4ThrCFZIyU_YhgCRdl5C/s640/DSC04100.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<b><u>Notable misses</u></b> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u>Harris’s Hawk:</u> I see this species often: on my way to work, to the grocery store, in my parents' neighborhood, around my neighborhood...nowhere to be seen on Saturday. Jerks.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u>Snowy Egret:</u> I don't have any one place for SNEG (who does?) but one would think that between all the ponds...They're usually at Papago. I would've missed either this or Green Heron.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u>Least Sandpiper:</u> Screw you Least Sandpipers. Why did you abandon me?</div>
<u>Black-necked Stilt:</u> No hard feelings really, not a bird to look for so much as one to stumble upon in my area.
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<u>*Pyrrhuloxia:</u> There was/has been a bird at the DBG for the last couple weeks. This would've been a county bird for me (a pretty good find in Maricopa) so I spent too much time looking for it at the expense of time elsewhere. Vanity and pride, thy name is Laurence's List.<br />
<u>Northern Cardinal:</u> I dunno...must have said something trivializing about Cardinals at some point. <br />
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<img border="0" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8vBnE5bmYhyphenhyphenwEEoPpyJI1htsgqtLj0b7fayzrwYgbp88luuCl4fo4tCpR52Ij_mBUa-d1qHnVjT9QCAhZ2BzxQHLaSBeYPtaxEIChU5AHST7P_OiIYZl6kidNmwiN2i8G2OJYRW5Mb6EO/s640/DSC04068.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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The final count for my 5MR/BD was 82 species. There were several glaring omissions from my final tally but also several birds I wouldn't have counted on either. Considering there's always a few misses with something like this, for everybody, I really can't complain. Most of the time when the hyenas and foxes and stuff try to sneak one by the lions they still get their assess kicked/mauled. Steve's winning species tally of 86 still stands.<br />
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<img border="0" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnvm3QIczwgQ4nnOJC5aIbysk2nkAsLuCDoIZJ4WQ3pHoa41zysPTO5bLckpquUyLsLq6vFYDOmnP5C_r6wwZZIFhip_MCGXWYncGVMuVCp3uMJhhe8Bhc7OaXhmQ6TPMOZ3qQzXTQ4c1g/s640/Screen+shot+2017-01-24+at+9.07.53+PM.png" width="640" /></div>
In all honesty, until I move and can include the Salt River in my 5MR I doubt I can make much stronger of a showing. Since I also have relatively little wooded riparian space for migrant passerines I would probably be less competitive in the spring as well. I didn't hit the ceiling but neither is it far away. It was still an exceedingly enjoyable day of birding. I had great looks--in some cases better than ever-- at some local species and renewed appreciation for others. I have never before felt so excited about seeing a GRBH skulking through the marsh or a Shrike on a swing set.<br />
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<img border="0" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIgIuGzhLlJ7rMDR6HOvCB_bZtysXhzZNhG4xPb19m7UcGLL5AoO6V5KYz3GcVFOCBcEuqE3zLCcd98gmLpR8xJ9460M9I_etCoLe-F4fyqfHPX7Q3RvJxYJAqebIJsJLfd-GXAz0Ukm1K/s640/DSC04055.jpg" width="640" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>The PMP is the best place in Phoenix to see Gilded Flicker. But seeing a GIFL chisel its negative shape into a seed block while eating a pastrami sandwich isn't so bad either.</i></div>
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I don't know with whom or where this challenge originally started (Jen?) but piggy-backing off it/onto it (#howIlivemylife) was sweet, so thank you for the inspiration fellow bird bloggers and thank you for nothing, Scottsdale drivers. You're the worst.</div>
Laurence Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14766876797454283812noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5791077723521794200.post-62464966694010040872017-01-18T23:02:00.000-07:002018-04-07T21:55:19.550-07:00Who Needs the Ballet?As promised, this past weekend was pretty rainy in central Phoenix, and when it wasn't rainy it was still pretty damn gloomy (which will be the case this weekend too). In combination with other business, this was enough of a deterrent for dedicated birding and exploring time through Sunday, but by Monday morning I could no longer resist the Call of the Wild, or of the Almost Wild, or of the Maybe Wild...or of the Definitely Not Wild.<br />
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<img border="0" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0L3JkLWIh9zlU7DMwbje0pJy5OWzzYYu1QXCQqsj2WzWixP092N1tMxgGJeQDdJ1cWk98i87bFFUG85LkgPPOv0umdDlxjSf9gm7BiAp0XNqL96_XfZt1NzlJibn4dA44njtVTDI1agCR/s640/DSC03698.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<i>Sunrise is usually good after a storm, even if there was still thick fog in the valley. RTHAs dig it.</i></div>
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Mopey weather given, western Maricopa has been host for the last few weeks to 3 swan species (couldn't turn up that Black Swan, alas), and questions of provenance aside the possibility of logging a '3 Swan Day' was too enticing to pass up. <br />
It may not sound like an obvious migrant trap, but it seems every couple of years the alfalfa fields in the Buckeye/Jackrabbit area of western Phoenix hold one or more wayward Swans. A couple years ago it was a half-dozen Tundra, and this time around a lone Trumpeter decided that here would be as good a place as any to spend the winter.<br />
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<img border="0" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNfohovRzHAePG_SL0K-wHqJSFFoodZT6qA6z04HO-rtqqosTUBeJ9RReNZVQxuUsQdnMbBFMBmfT1QXch4vPhc1Ckn_kDONj-_hBt6-MfqrDgP6qSL0cbtA-OWNwsxI_cdG0BtSUHgL1E/s640/DSC03702.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY9BkV8SjRIyuVfQmLN0rKyLasPH7ynZJK2zuD_RclpsR8HTKG_Env3i0aXV85ebKe81k2f08NNxTfJ4UtQTxd_smrDuP_DSbmrtSB8aGgVNebrAHy69cLxlKm1CmE0UgemjHOnONAIFeR/s640/DSC03705.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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Lamentably the bird was very far from public roads. Some birders have had luck asking for better access from the hay business in the area, but no dice on MLK Day. TRSW is a great county bird, even if this sighting was sort of better on paper than in practice. Of course, once one gets a taste for Swan--even from range--one is not easily sated.<br />
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The Deer Valley golf course, which runs through subdivisions in Sun City West (one of my very least favorite places in Arizona) has a perennial and pinioned population of Mute Swans patrolling its various water features. More excitingly, these birds were joined by a lone Tundra Swan first spotted in December.<br />
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<img border="0" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAOTFch3A2M9fnMp51FsLiAh5hbO7z2rOovkzoOTVMTP0LOR5hphHUkvc2pc3cDaXoUIiwXC7xYaXialFddeaNJB9m_VUvs9KYznEmEt_EOK5eYEFWJC_WZQDhRRHc7sD0ZrSpY-t4UBKU/s640/DSC03761.jpg" width="640" /><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Brontosaurus have since been, I recall, adjudicated never to have existed. Maybe the fellow who misconstrued his fossils originally had Mute Swans in mind?</i></div>
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<img border="0" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI3bFvehf8iurqesGZtcJuR1_OtdUdbDWqR5kjPxN20uXxOyPdOcfGIwsKeLncRZppaoAH_bPl7Ts6rqM39NH97OmkYwhO2eBgGC1ZdfOTFkmg6TFToIfe4DXqvzuB-mLywKUWM5udZmR9/s640/DSC03715.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOE1jrMrSxfhiq84y1lAKjGt3H2B8YGnS2TllsueyjEU2FtvyJtLb0fZKafDKXShI1Y7uyYt5lkKThrrPeGmAhRjYOoCDgOz9MYPn-DlZE87atL5X3WbuVzIoPa7E0vE3169EZ9VBoZ7Js/s640/DSC03718.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<i>To the extent anything with a large leathery testicle on its forehead can be elegant...these birds are pretty elegant.*Author's note the number of people who report these MUSWs on eBird as "Continuing rarities" is disconcerting.</i></div>
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Scanning the first several ponds where the most recent eBird reports placed TUSW was unsuccessful. The object bird did like to hang around with one or more Mutes (they're good listeners), but there were also Mutes that did not have this noteworthy accompaniment. One such pond did have a noteworthy Vermilion Flycatcher, noteworthy only because, well, it's a Vermilion Flycatcher.<br />
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<img border="0" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj94xmtliOuuM83_rw0vJDVvMtvTiJUI7izp-vwRGHsgVdB9rOdYlyNOpHN-r48WyDwvP2_r8pMVBX8O0-4bmr76Gy5ops99oSjXnyJzQfMiCXiJwqe48ECGFoVVs8-9IFnLTRU2T6phuGs/s640/DSC03722.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixJhgxJVTmiT5bWSwn5nC9Wbr4W9ll_CTBfPb9mcotSu0m1iKmv_kaSs2FZTsu6MpoTsxj5SP0LqVf7iyM1QaAz5ZIffPiD-1KRyafdMV6tlQBGIsq_2yXeHp_7PPX9xBfsbtPiRO5x6K8/s640/DSC03729.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<i>It is widely accepted as impossible to properly photograph/expose this bird in overcast lighting. The color is too saturated at all times. </i></div>
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After dipping on the first 5 of 7 possible ponds I was feeling about as glum as the weather, but the last pair hit pay dirt. Behold this semi-tragic portrait of pinioned (crippled) Mute Swans, the lost Tundra, oblivious CAGOs, disparate lawn colors, and quintessential golf cart in the background. I guess it still beats landfill birding.<br />
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<img border="0" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiw3R9-WiVWJg75mUekrh1cNMdohNUkjaEVsWekMWvEqnPruUACKcd9KfQLS19SwpsVwSTFGEBSWfzGorumBWpUpj7epoZJWyQQijc04WdUu-ck3pfHquSoXhtFZHF2ttPMTyyQZ8mfETT/s640/DSC03736.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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More so than other classes, vagrant waterfowl must pass the barometer provenance test. This bird is not a long-time or yearly resident (according to the
long-time yearly residents), has all of its flight feathers (and has been witnessed flying), and is not missing any toes. Furthermore, TUSWs do winter somewhat regularly in Prescott, which is only about an hour north. That is negligible straying.<br />
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<img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsHkGjjDtNj24et79topUocbeCDUq_gI3Mo3uhhxTjkhwKnV7K1gEe0nmDLsODAfuvl5spc5t4cY1m5-t0-Z6b-CnVBh93KMvFcsDOZ6608ysuDHtts5Naz7bteKVVa-igOlYQI1C_Ites/s640/DSC03738.jpg" width="478" /><br />
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<img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA1hyphenhypheny_wDXqnYmM5mDAqWPRrpO1vm5S05vpPid_8zc_KxDkROi9QourZ3aU1HTKEIv8RN5xgInZCROzN0C5rE24Gf53aB_RbZwgMRdnLDog_XqUtoeAwxElp0zc2VmTmA8tHWs1X_ZmDb-/s640/DSC03743.jpg" width="570" /></div>
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Naturally, if this bird hangs around after spring the provenance question may be opened again. But who could say he/she isn't just staying out of loyalty to the flightless Mute comrades trapped in Sun City, where the grass is well aged? <br />
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<img border="0" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQZxFx_rX-Bfa_2HhwZdGe6dmTfe9Co1YFQcLgd7KmzN_J-4YjnktfVokvyA8_6dqEmzszanVuOo3eeDZx1pNZe8s04nFV1t_VQxMi07uD1lwteXJDZrceiP6fgvzXDjNm0ujbwyLvdgrS/s640/DSC03747.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4lIYoVS2oaeLG4Pt4hd3jq5tkHIUqi1tbUxrcpR0FUKEUG62n1L-VQJ8VT_OGzpY888nqQA0Irp8aHoKyL124t3qS-j7Q36Ih5s6kRfHKSq29apGbvtlcKfceQkJegIQVopOpHgMCwINk/s640/DSC03753.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<i>What nice halluxes you have, Tundra Swan.</i> </div>
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Fun fact I read about TUSWs, the symbol of measured passion and love; they pair up for a year before breeding, taking it slow and getting to know. Lewis and Clark dubbed them "Whistling Swans" due to the sound of their wing-beats, but Prudent Swan would also suffice. <br />
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<img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij91Z9297uGNx2_M5Nmz9T8UKC_Z_KC40oFVZoYrshb-TL6fHFJB8Y0NFP2JzVyrhh6OLKSzPw2KjLwaJOvidWePofdWvyeHvTPnTLEip5gFwzqPfSO8Ynjx6elGQPs2zZ55gbywhgThvf/s640/DSC03762.jpg" width="558" /></div>
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P.S. Here's another Burrowing Owl shot. It was stored on my camera. I do not know when or where I took it, which is unusual. The ubiquitous setting of the shot is thus reflective of the ubiquity of Burrowers out in the agg. fields of west Maricopa--not that I'm complaining. </div>
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<img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNbCLiMD6TmLOatU41aB25kxZLUN6PsxlweJLpesO2t2RSlRa0TyA8kCrSPed04k6aB-7KErbo5sPK9sdLGfAcQ-K5C6VLStmRI5POiR90l9lgI3FeITAdkkbo5_jSs5f6DAn79i4z06KN/s640/DSC03693.jpg" width="640" /></div>
Laurence Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14766876797454283812noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5791077723521794200.post-37450569450773049232017-01-14T05:00:00.000-07:002017-01-14T10:36:30.325-07:00Aim Small, Miss Small<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Recent goal-oriented birding in Carolina involved working long or hard hours to log relatively usual birds. Recent birding in Arizona involved distant duck sighting in dim lighting. Both of these provided their own satisfactions, but not without a bit of strain all the same. Some people like to say they have to take a vacation from their vacation, and to these people I say, "You are weak vacationers. Weakness disgusts me...but not in a way that weakens me." But on the other, more relatable hand, birding benefits from its changes of pace as well. Sometimes it's nice to watch and photograph the birdies without concern of lists or chasing, the lazier, more passive approach in local circles. </div>
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Of course, this should only be done on workdays when there's a spare hour or two in the evening. Doing this on weekends (soft birding around town) is disgusting weakness, to reiterate.</div>
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Papago Park and the Desert Botanical Gardens, frequently mentioned on this site in times long past when I was very new to the Phoenix birding scene, are still some of the best places to crush common waterfowl, Sonoran species, and other just-a-bit-better-than-generic-park birds. (Most generic Arizona parks do not have cool Warblers like out east).</div>
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<img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6dBV-JP4DRLwS1h4GQYiQB5dU8-Zic5hueDjPdIGK2I7h0eSV8DqFKrSFPpOKfCo3KLAIqJE6gzB25eHV1e8MuiNCiuh2hNLDvvxfSOE1GxVkqA-F2Q8O9RoroatX_v-NjYXneEPcZFfN/s640/DSC03682.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<i>This GHOW is often in the cottonwood corner at the DBG. Some day it will poop on me, but this day was not that day. </i></div>
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So mild-mannered are these areas that even the timid Common Gallinule (red-shielded, obvi) will swim out into the open ocean without a life vest. Fun fact: The Common Gallinule actually used to be called the Common Morehen, because their entreating calls reminded one of a rakish greedy Oliver Twist impression.</div>
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<img border="0" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqo7L8yKLoOMuVH2pSCC0rdDce20DcrbVHLtYLNyxTMQ71UmFBH9NCNKPbJ7P7n5RRBqu1bUN3l1OIfc8o7eFeZ6aZRVRvihx8iI0tXW8DwX669BwIpfnubX2-WHJ2JlFv3OLAwUBt8lYy/s640/DSC03637.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" height="403" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq1lqOEfG01KUUaiq841iDMc2C1WD1gNm2-wq1DmdVPJAB1GbVozGOlOL5SHrUk80TiQYyI4TvTLeiseI6bKt_bKm-PBiZe7b__9DZ1XDOLmN_Rcx1328AwFjwl7lGV-7dG_s8Ud2WQb3T/s640/DSC03630.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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Verdins are industrious nest-builders (not pictured). They build expansive breeding nests and more conservative roosting nests throughout the year--up to a dozen--because otherwise they would be idle, and idle feet are the Verdin Devil's playthings. </div>
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<img border="0" height="417" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwWLljpJ0iwtBO5ZqBDBhsJqiYggoi0x-mvRKuFQB9-Sa5BCJkdz27Sd5oH2Lm5qRJbYrbyrmWEIoXJEK8KgyMMCSPESFR4n-bM-hdzYg3ECHIHy-H_X3TFkNruBbmHXwBVvqvCDHQhN6K/s640/DSC03625.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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The DBG pulls in a vagrant rarity from time to time, but is mostly known for its close-up opportunities with desert flora and fauna. Even so, some unusual behaviors may still be observed. What flock of birds is feeding on buds in this mesquite?</div>
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<img border="0" height="487" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWcwc2nnybTbDdaijGPaxHtUVhHkbJoHrjQd3VpqtE8-eY2GdtRbHamxCSlJub0b17iXOFn1FgQ2pt47KAGOCS2PQ7lToheBygy5SbiXnclmeA464yf2L3CWJ_VLKyT32kVYb0ppug2j1_/s640/DSC03666.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" height="407" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtVWbweIixGs3A1vkGM6skhKZyterRU5Fr8HCr8ebeP1-rdYmpSxalgqByLsnZBMmxNXD66QR4Se8U9o4UvFwbpaSGnBCg14OrgXShkEpao96DEEjyGpg0SgjEIpeyPke5Q5hnApPjkeR0/s640/DSC03671.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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Yes the answer is Quail, Gambel's Quail. Timid like most Quail species, GAQUs also become very tame and confident in the right setting, probably also like most Quail species.</div>
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<img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVqeIjdprd_iP5lYtv6IAa7usK-U87NjtEPt6YnmCPl-0XVVoouqSxaNT40K0hgN9pPOKEzft7P9stuAL6AZ0Dmh7RiThpjSz-F8ruYzyVHJL_HHDzjhybKxGL4Y8BzpEV1zhtubyRGX0w/s640/DSC03667.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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Curve-billed Thrashers also take to the trees in groups, gregarious behavior untypical of the family. Although that may just be circumstantial because these Thrashers were obviously a family, with the two younger birds following the presumed parent around incessantly. The mature adult had a shorter, stubbier bill than many CUBUs I've seen. I have no idea if this is entirely random or may be a way to sex the birds, like with Curlew and Dowitchers? </div>
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<img border="0" height="459" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGotgDWyTToZe1F5dQ8qn1IWCMdQ9EKyTXVCEpQ37QB9Xkq20rloCzIpd6-QqVMXpsFkE_MOAes3wrXu7Dyl7p-MpVlrvIxZtq50_ZV8PF_jEtNht-3ipUr-tAuUwxBmpQSdmBst1r3kLy/s640/DSC03654.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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Cactus Wrens are notoriously hardy birds. They may not be as tough as Gray Jays, per se, but are nonetheless able to withstand living in areas entirely without free-standing water and can<i> also</i> withstand living in the middle of Phoenix suburbia--provided the landscaping suits. They are also highly territorial during nesting season and will chase reptiles and mammals either away or into <i>cholla</i> cactus snares near their nesting sites, like clever and less passive clown fish. They also destroy other bird nests and bust eggs. What a jerk. Pretty great state bird eh?</div>
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<img border="0" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBTn0AL9VmQ-Mpu1tU7hnY0N8MtWXHci6brqPMd3sVTBanJIX3ewZ6e-cUxJcY7Bx3OZTfRvn1NTKZErLdoHDaaSBRBVL2U32qsWsuPukmAoGPihYk9IvvNLnoe2m6FEtX0RzR3zS1HQIy/s640/DSC03648.jpg" width="640" /><br />
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Laurence Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14766876797454283812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5791077723521794200.post-24528013513352250182017-01-09T06:00:00.000-07:002018-04-26T13:36:21.391-07:00The Eternal Flame: Wayne County and Economy of Scale BirdingNorth Carolina is a land of many wonders, wonders that are horizontally spread. The outer banks and sites like Cape Hatteras are famous for their getaways and pelagic birding, while the inner banks offer their own liminal brand of beach life. The coastal plain and Piedmont areas are marvelous watersheds of agrarian life, and some of the best stretches of Appalachia just through the western border. Time spent in the Great Smokies is among my favorite, and I yet pine for a trip to the outer banks. Most of my time with family in Carolina is spent in Wayne County, in the heart of the rural plain.<br />
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<img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVP3h3j_PrkGVEl51toHXm4uUtb0a28kG3M6bKzbCCYVzA26aVbCBXd36vYiUt4ovZVrLTC8L9WxZvblt-DJI6csmvM8RvjXnXCPxy5hPfOBuy9IJUKrLTTF5Ec6FNkJC0tT1OsCNiw_pZ/s640/DSC03421.jpg" width="640" /> <br />
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<i>Eastern Phoebes can be found throughout pretty much all of this various habitat in the southeastern states. This commonality is more appreciated in winter, perhaps, as there are few Flycatchers then and one should never go too long without.</i> </div>
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Wayne County is wet. It is woody. It echos with firearm discharges on Christmas morning when everyone and his mother tries out their new presents. It is also the site--and maybe you've heard about this in <i>Legendary Magazine</i>, ABA Smack-down, or simply hovering in the ether above Lake Michigan--of an epic struggle for eBird supremacy. For the last few years the coveted-if-not-heavy crown of 'By Species Leader' in Wayne County rested upon the ordained head of one Matthew Daw. His infamous reign rested on a cunning and cruel record of 96 species up through 2011. As county leader, Matthew Daw was cold. Some say he didn't even bother to bird in Wayne anymore, that he was once green and good but turned up his nose for the lascivious bird-scene in the Triangle area. Others say he was cruelly meticulous, a veritable Sheriff of Nottingham in Wayne County determined to spook and flush all the birds away before anyone could approach his record. <br />
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<i>*(Author's acknowledgment: Matthew Daw is probably, in actuality, a super nice guy). </i></div>
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The people needed a hero, even if most of them didn't realize it when I asked or introduced myself. By way of reigniting my own lackluster birding, much less birding leadership, it became my pre-New Year's resolution to usurp the crown, free the land, and impose a much better form of county listing tyranny in Wayne: one that recognizes me, Laurence.<br />
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<img border="0" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxCXSvP7LibxXgpq-tmNTuHij5RlmOEAHCLnzXbGU9TFxILMQAp82f8VrJXXpGRlMpFkeIO8vp3jbSy2c3Sj9fHkik-PIAhot1revg7S_H3krT3rz3uuw186ILINSlc8O9uUZUXv6XsVjr/s640/DSC03414.jpg" width="640" /><br />
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<i>Golden-crowned Kinglets are of little concern to most listers on anything grander than a Day or Site list. This is not because they are not cool birds--they're golden--but rather because they are common as hell.</i><br />
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Wayne is a pretty small county in a state made up of 100 relatively small counties. It has neither coast nor mountain nor desert, but one large river, a few lakes and reservoirs, and one State Park. Birding in Wayne County is thus largely restricted to a few elements by virtue of good and accessible habitat: birding Cliffs of the Neuse State Park, birding the Goldsboro Wastewater Treatment area and adjacent constructed wetlands, and then cruising the farmland and fallow fields with their border-woods that surrounds all the rest of it.<br />
Sitting on 92 species, my endeavor was to bird the hell out of all these areas in between cramming biscuits and collared greens into my face and then having to hustle it off at the Goldsboro YMCA, and also finishing up Christmas shopping. The first two settings, Neuse SP and Water Treatment, provided the best numbers of new county birds. The third element, random rural birding, probably provided the most satisfying.<br />
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Before we go any further though I must share this image of Tufted Titmouse. This bird was not a county bird nor in any way relevant to this story, but somehow I have never photographed/posted TUTI on this website before. I did not even realize this at the time or I would've tried harder. In my humble opinion all Titmice should be Black-crested or Bridled.<br />
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<img border="0" height="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0WuUyX3GvQAayTPAOx38_HOwwnND6HKFehOu4QKVbYJJNT4IwczAyHG1lhc075e3k9u2cEJ2_PorKGR7YdC6IixC2FtcKHYS_U1nnxMm5E4pul3ClBK5bjDxv_jMNoJyFwSY-zkLavWgv/s640/DSC03494.jpg" width="640" /><br />
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For picking up waterfowl, there's no place better (or, really, much at all) than the water plant and nearby run-off wetlands. This really should be scope-birding, considering the areas are gated off, but I had neither scope nor bolt cutters, so distant binocular views it was! Finding some species of duck was tricky; I still don't have Gadwall here. They're much more skittish than in Arizona, and I suspect this corresponds to the preponderance of hunting in the area. Redheads and Scaups were ticks from this raft.<br />
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<img border="0" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRWtTUDV0onJI5tWd5fBW_oq3jkqO69ZDrUsUI6TDqyti_56huHiSpg8H9ub28GE1Mvu2akovx1G8JviUdyGCJNES1ET3tSQ9KXCq7TzbewR6cyRvMg2it-KUD-IsuXILAqNi8RJAtQeB1/s640/DSC03505.jpg" width="640" /><br />
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Flying over the wetlands were lean-looking Turkey Vultures, which were not new, and stocky-looking silver-fingered Black Vultures, which were.<br />
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<img border="0" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguhuFYCRMIcFlSuk66iFvuTJ8Er1T_A2LfJkuC1l9LGQCLIaSh0AL6aY1Hz0O71X3XDpuivJ9fk7CVJI1Sb2gE_uFZvKOF8PHPOjuAh9LwL_NYL112NSdYOc98Yc06_t7wF_2yjoUnHjbj/s640/DSC03500.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdXhumWJCUzV90IkGU_W1XrwKD3G64b5Q590RK-J2JvcD1iMG5-t7UnAq9G-wZWL-VTF_fcP_CBD0T46MK8L2_bpBG-5a5d6BmJIwVtNk88quD1RTcbGVsnK5wyysDcLTfmc5CoHjyjmZ-/s640/DSC03502.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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The wetlands also offered up petting opportunities for North America's most vitamin & mineral laden rodent, the Nutria. As I understand it, they were introduced for fur farming and are a destructive invasive species given their propensity for burrowing and eating delicate water plants. With those large orange teeth it's also a mug only a mother could love...and momma still makes them move out of the house.<br />
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<img border="0" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ZEDGKQkJ-raq1Csn2y1FwUHyqXVNn_sk_SjH15fCWvidBXZatYiZpivZfhYV1MNsrhcoOd_FKvRbGgqX4ACOddK-beVl_Ee2M9yiTjXL1SV9IAM1ROiR0TCdhK3OI6vNmjjs_jxr_AdR/s640/DSC03522.jpg" width="640" /> <br />
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In a way I've been talking down WC birding, which is not my intention objectively but just a result of comparative resources and space. These restrictions actually make one focus and maximize resources; it's essentially patch-birding highs strung together.<br />
That being said, it was also with humility and foot-in-mouth that I logged a County Bird AND Lifer at the ponds. Palm Warbler. How did I not have Palm Warbler? Unhook your trailer and GO man!<br />
Anyway taking photos with a foot in one's mouth is tricky business but PAWAs are cool birds, seemingly comfortable tail-bobbing and feeding in a variety of settings. <br />
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<img border="0" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgARDC6IulO09XelCyVaHri8Hpb_XqENU4xFf9ySC6FnGBSbxQlt1OOFdifT8d4tKeNCW_3tpuBEo4qXT3UsD3tY00l5ig3PrkrlCzN0wIkqnAy1HLMAO0a7G3N-c0LifOxAaIkFh4k73u2/s640/DSC03513.jpg" width="640" /> <br />
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At times they seemed to be doing fly-catcher behavior, as do Yellow-rumps, but also foraging on the ground like Pipits or Larks--both behaviors unbecoming of many other Warbler sp. Truth be told I had kind of forgotten about these birds being here in the winter. Winter warblering just isn't really a thing. I am ashamed, but I'm also operating on a pretty low level of bird-awareness anyway. Most importantly, it was great. Birding is goddamned great.<br />
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<img border="0" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqd_FQKJJx8vmkL_m71mMEAYv8_EPVRS6UYeRXrdkcY9_wLiiLTrhWt1cm_AnpB_wdzJjhhBvAfiL_sj5C4zWSA57M1SNUGvSPwTrPip7vgyRBpS2DIdVFroRJIwFw3xI4epVTUoXmcQtz/s640/DSC03535.jpg" width="640" /> <img border="0" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8XtGLJ8hafAtxyGDESCzKN39UVh8rVeF1i5cDVu-uV5QyM-bjolCyoq_PHfV3KROJx-tgZr5cz1ML1Z_NzC2E4Nh-ODVHPQzD9GLRfKiBjVWYRdH5NL4igAgCixf3xhW9PdJbsVTY9fqU/s640/DSC03539.jpg" width="640" /><br />
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Cliffs of the Neuse, where I had logged lifer Barred Owl and crushed Prothonotaries in summer months, was also productive. This stretch of the Neuse river itself is pretty gnarly and with disappointing to no water birds. The surrounding woodlands are great, both in terms of scenic easy walking and avifauna. Blue-headed Vireo was a solid CB, as was a weirdly high-perching and stationary Fox Sparrow. That bird stayed treed, silent, and still for like 10 minutes until I moved on. Weird.<br />
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<img border="0" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDMaoJhSyBcwYt-iRV3J4vzB2fr6rS1wmLTWbYJpiq-fOQ7qGmUOEMlKLEE6pPyevEJTZDYH8TIckeg7jJMF6OiBAaNwXH5CoA7UF4pm1scP0zUXYbDPJPUMqAF7Ygr_-uJca37_eB5EnE/s640/DSC03386.jpg" width="640" /> <br />
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<img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp9qvbYgJlpcLBLgtDTV_hNVlIcH2eSuUCtEptYZbmx64Iu9BhvOZV0NhsNcn_VQgr8SGtRx03ReIoq9zmyzMh5XRLOsjSlhXb7gxYdD0WYO84B72dh-vwU6PotjELOa2VQ09yT5SgXpQp/s640/DSC03431.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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Fracking is still a hot topic of environmental and economic concern, but drilling sap wells is largely unregulated. This suits Yellow-bellied Sapsucker--the most cowardly of woodpeckers--just fine. YBSA was another CB, one of those birds common enough to be found in the right habitat on any given day with some time and perseverance, but not necessarily found on any given walk in the park.</div>
Other CBs here included PIWO along with White-breasted and Brown-headed Nuthatch (: ::sigh:: : yes, I know).<br />
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<img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4P5m6FBl-VVf2K5j9DrjY78Vy729-L71lyfP20qwUOUdugakL3uMPQT4E4VybP4HbBuUzyA7H3pPyRe8gwhUS5k2RyB3ZhT52wz77oFjEbqwdSqdPpN3GB9mZMAdmE7mnJ714owrOSS0T/s640/DSC03396.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL_oAEcXxkVK6EIg6pDvb0leL5NPKRSYyqSEq3Dd0qtdWVxs4bOhK101PW9fPIWR9ivbefrQ8DnaDM8Oh7StXhAbKxG_I-OHueY3N4TNOOzUUmiLFtgPIilLGOkwFEs595XkfMncal_Yu0/s640/DSC03407.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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Those photos weren't very good though, so here is a Carolina Wren, perhaps one of North America's most crush-able bird species in general. I have no other way of fitting this bird into the narrative anyway, but it's good to have more Carolina flavor.</div>
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CAWRs are dapper, loud, curious, and largely unafraid. They are a true staple and lynch-pin of southeastern woodlands, and even if they go unappreciated at times, life would be sad without them. A Top 3 North American Wren? One could argue.</div>
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<img border="0" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9cvttkp2hduPd5IWqh1K69QMJBcsukQBujKa32a4MVneSp4XWYW8BdOAxZJ-w3CXdg-5NKqmOY4xyZbuxJ6etE6OAN3Od4MBWx8FyQARqjVeUreLwppsTOvdr-n0iigd60DlPk_Yi2_fN/s640/DSC03450.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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Somehow, Carolina Chickadee did not end up as the state bird for North or South Carolina. To be fair, South Carolina does have the Carolina Wren in lieu, but how was this not snagged by NC?? Clearly that election was hacked by Russians to boost the chances of Red Red Cardinal.<br />
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<img border="0" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBYjthPc-0fWRsMHzjslASxQpmnL2EUydL2cqMsbirFjDBMsiXZtM8F4ibt8ifpY5xhU2c_6fNUHTLuI6N5b83v_bfoZtUhGnKa_j8H8HISF8_nz2edocLhAk1wqZzgL9Sry3LUMn8EEGA/s640/DSC03483.jpg" width="640" /> <br />
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<img border="0" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitBX9htjH10IXDD10mScmgc9bTCDZQdpX7Q2i018mnA1RQqXGjnCu7Yl0jzFm8muwBMNCfCViN4LttUaPCzo-bCo8LhGFos2utlQrPsEdjn0QL-vN7Yl4e5LVw5xdeP8-MU7iy1gk0Csx8/s640/DSC03476.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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Living in a rural area, one often drives through open land, some of which is undeveloped and some of which has development since run to ruin. A derelict homage to the tobacco industry and its declining relevancy, there are many old tobacco barns and other abandoned buildings dotting the farmland. </div>
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Apparently, having never learned my lesson from horror movies, "Deliverance," or common sense, these seemed like great spots to check for owls at dusk. To my surprise I checked near two dozen tobacco barns and found nothing, not even whitewash. On the upside I was not killed. With all their rafters and openings in the ceiling they seemed ideal, but many also smelled strongly of their former wares so, I dunno, maybe that's a turn-off to Barn and Great-Horned Owls. </div>
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<img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEpnoLO7Pc9HwEBCIGT29enVFkVdOMoTU80So6maGctFXPZX9_tIzcLPIcTqTe4QVKgBlwQLCvKBANztTlv0lAwliGw1sOve0XBYt4giC8dHkpafRzwM-0GyB2bG5ZpV0U2SKTpRihYg84/s640/-1.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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After good work at the aforementioned sites I was up to 104 species. Eclipsing Matthew Daw and all but erasing him from the history books. Already the land of Wayne County seemed a bit brighter, a bit more fecund, a bit safer. But shoot, a difference of 8 birds? All it takes is one judiciously smuggled bag of 8 imported species from out west released and then photographed in one's backyard to catch up. Who would do or even think of doing such a thing? Matthew Daw would, obviously.<br />
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Thus the quest continued and nothing less than a distance of 10 species would be acceptable. A happenstance flock of Purple Finches supplied #105, which put me within striking distance on Dec. 29th. Traditionally, one strikes gold with a rich shining vein in the rock, typically a granitic or quartzite compound. Sometimes one strikes gold from the depths of a river bed. In my case, I struck gold here, not in a stately tobacco barn with history and tradition behind it, but a lean-to shed with old vacuums, toilets, and maybe a meth lab in it. <br />
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<img border="0" height="516" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoCVRLlxIFi1etIP_JM4iujdkyz5ax7JHiGNGOFyocT0xznjXsauF1cWlFAI6eyP66QmtM3qmfDehiVQeTTuXuuU1VKkd3uG3nYW7kIM2_mpzO5cwzsSS24uMKQ0ihyphenhypheno7jEY9jwD5LQfg4/s640/DSC03556.jpg" width="640" /> <br />
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Who else is into that sort of stuff, apparently? This Eastern-screech Owl, who was grumpily perched in the left corner of the shed upon entering. There's a sub-theme in this post, as readers have no doubt wryly noticed, of logging birds either as lifers or CBs that are probably overdue. This EASO was a CB and only <i>not</i> a lifer by virtue of hearing one outside of Kerr WMA in Texas a few summers ago. From that initial exposure onward (and in that case, I was the one exposed) I never experienced EASO again, not even with the help of birder friends and a very reliable stake-out in Austin. <br />
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I'm probably not the only bedraggled fellow to enjoy catharsis in that dingy shed, but Specialness is not an exclusive place or feeling. It's been said many times but it holds: Owls are the best.<br />
Relatedly, in addition to setting a new record for Maricopa County, Arizona legend Tommy Debardeleben also completed his quest in 2016 to see every North American owl. I highly recommend reading about it <a href="http://tommysbirdingexpeditions.blogspot.com/2017/01/the-story-of-toby-tommys-owl-big-year.html" target="_blank">HERE</a> for great story and great owling info.<br />
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I was also able to pick up a few more species--grassland types and a Sharpie--at the now-created birding spot of Walker Family Cemetery between La Grange and Goldsboro. For any Wayne Co. birders who might be reading this, check it out; It's a good little spot with lots of relative variety.</div>
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Thusly into the new year do I sit, mighty on my throne of 111, eminent in Wayne County and indigent in most other things. There is still much work to be done and I do not know when next I shall do it, but in the mean time Wayne County, be at peace.</div>
Laurence Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14766876797454283812noreply@blogger.com16