tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85583779637981027712023-11-16T01:08:21.000-05:00The Rambling WrenThoughts and observations from a Michigan wildlife artist.Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12736098600288028338noreply@blogger.comBlogger488125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558377963798102771.post-67286822983776293532022-05-18T07:38:00.006-04:002022-05-18T10:29:37.500-04:00Birding Arizona: Sabino Canyon and Saguaro National Park (East)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As I was planning this trip to Arizona it occurred to me that I know a lot of people who live there, all of them transplants from some other place, and many of them in the Tucson area. I wasn't going to have time to see them all but we planned Friday as a meet up day with a few of them. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In the morning I met Jennie Duberstein, a fabulous birder and someone I met at the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival when I got roped in to utterly humiliating myself in a birding "game show" for the American Birding Association's 50th Anniversary edition of their podcast. Jennie was gracious and did her best NOT to wipe the floor with me (then went on to win the thing). Anyway, I had not seen her since then (November of 2019) so we met up at Sabino Canyon for a morning walk and some birding. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhxD6n5JjztnHNpahSRc0VlpA5rx31aauDxJTw7PBMheS7O2oIzL65CEzjWeeY2l5u8nTPMwkMVo0Jee9cGd4ldnUwTRWHt7CaDPmFeApSHujZvv3AXMj5Y3mpUtpb4ALo4an6atZabUAqO6f4pYFTTAaqA84XPjjZGtT5IyO1b6k6U1t8Qnecx64Niw/s4032/IMG_8974.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhxD6n5JjztnHNpahSRc0VlpA5rx31aauDxJTw7PBMheS7O2oIzL65CEzjWeeY2l5u8nTPMwkMVo0Jee9cGd4ldnUwTRWHt7CaDPmFeApSHujZvv3AXMj5Y3mpUtpb4ALo4an6atZabUAqO6f4pYFTTAaqA84XPjjZGtT5IyO1b6k6U1t8Qnecx64Niw/w480-h640/IMG_8974.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixEXGrrAhuiK1qLSCfrvWMX6M9QmO_p8dg_BQEx-cvB_K0O5-HUJiZJw3pV65XgfEGkdgt4AYMsuqtc00IsUPfFDD2Rn2dfqN2SOQYYQbaxYX9nW8eLdM5qe7Q2OvTRiVTp9D4xPPi0bBiPJ4InBwFASQRofxXmMZJrCGQDkyMAVSMLFfDwdTWYo734Q/s4032/IMG_8980.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixEXGrrAhuiK1qLSCfrvWMX6M9QmO_p8dg_BQEx-cvB_K0O5-HUJiZJw3pV65XgfEGkdgt4AYMsuqtc00IsUPfFDD2Rn2dfqN2SOQYYQbaxYX9nW8eLdM5qe7Q2OvTRiVTp9D4xPPi0bBiPJ4InBwFASQRofxXmMZJrCGQDkyMAVSMLFfDwdTWYo734Q/w640-h480/IMG_8980.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>You just might get tired of pictures of saguaro cactus by the time I'm done with series. I don't care.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw6Z9eUadbYFRYUXyeqqfxZnnLAyUn3uQawRf9Z_8Kf7E90qQD6qJsLI2VU5k2WP304xoLj3YO9zjnL-ttEk4cTNRlZxXYAfvA0yeISIu39enuJgseTIsC1AkL1bTI-Aa9HGgguWn6mM8fwMH0zC2N-86MbWbivu_3wK9nk_Axr87cyO3fy_BHSbzRLg/s4032/IMG_8982.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw6Z9eUadbYFRYUXyeqqfxZnnLAyUn3uQawRf9Z_8Kf7E90qQD6qJsLI2VU5k2WP304xoLj3YO9zjnL-ttEk4cTNRlZxXYAfvA0yeISIu39enuJgseTIsC1AkL1bTI-Aa9HGgguWn6mM8fwMH0zC2N-86MbWbivu_3wK9nk_Axr87cyO3fy_BHSbzRLg/w480-h640/IMG_8982.heic" width="480" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>I think we spent more time chatting than birding but we did get so see some really cool things, like this roadrunner with a lizard. The backlighting was intense but I got a few shots off before it moved behind a shrub and fed the lizard to its little one. I missed the exchange thanks to said shrub but Jennie got to watch it. Then another baby popped out into the open a bit farther away and I got a few more shots. Turns out this would be the only roadrunner I saw the whole trip but I've got some good material for a new piece here.</p><p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOxqockF7mcqPY640623BKhfroGW8gqqfdxgQwD6E5kQ05BvykOwGprvE9FkjPiHcsKyCU-53jHG0On61DqaGM9-BEqF1ydoWskmWm8qOBw0x-JVioZRTGnZb3l3oeICuFQZkDUxNSBf_BYHyGn5JnuLcINEGCqwtOQS1hn9SRrG5_at3En7zXm5eeEQ/s1779/IMG_3381.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1779" data-original-width="1186" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOxqockF7mcqPY640623BKhfroGW8gqqfdxgQwD6E5kQ05BvykOwGprvE9FkjPiHcsKyCU-53jHG0On61DqaGM9-BEqF1ydoWskmWm8qOBw0x-JVioZRTGnZb3l3oeICuFQZkDUxNSBf_BYHyGn5JnuLcINEGCqwtOQS1hn9SRrG5_at3En7zXm5eeEQ/w426-h640/IMG_3381.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Roadrunner with breakfast for junior.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg8T3ISnE3L3AnNLMForkYW2iiK9UORV6DAIE5LijfF3vnmoLSJ7d5l333MYjR9kalcBE1mFTeOx1rcn-jlItBzMsa0dyZlxE0VanKfwgmUE4f_7kRruVbcdtkbcPO6QgPxkNYnSob8cn8-nWwyPShbiFZs2i92Eai7OIXzZUK7s0QYmRpbPmhssPWqA/s1611/IMG_3383.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1074" data-original-width="1611" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg8T3ISnE3L3AnNLMForkYW2iiK9UORV6DAIE5LijfF3vnmoLSJ7d5l333MYjR9kalcBE1mFTeOx1rcn-jlItBzMsa0dyZlxE0VanKfwgmUE4f_7kRruVbcdtkbcPO6QgPxkNYnSob8cn8-nWwyPShbiFZs2i92Eai7OIXzZUK7s0QYmRpbPmhssPWqA/w640-h426/IMG_3383.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Junior #2</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />There were many cactus wren about and we found one gathering insects, indicating it too had young to feed. <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUJzezKiGg-Q9nPxl_7d99_YZTbn8UUyD1ocOg7ouAYqlkmVgugIbsZjnLidofc0LkuGVCZ5P77D_vWORkAONEpOqxlh4xBJQOWCAv44W-VTAVPijL75aFKLm578u6WhlXAFVFtZEe_x21V_Bgx3-FT7IEad3JTQ-AK9qFE3EYaogJ7SKwWshr27mAaw/s1971/IMG_3386.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1314" data-original-width="1971" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUJzezKiGg-Q9nPxl_7d99_YZTbn8UUyD1ocOg7ouAYqlkmVgugIbsZjnLidofc0LkuGVCZ5P77D_vWORkAONEpOqxlh4xBJQOWCAv44W-VTAVPijL75aFKLm578u6WhlXAFVFtZEe_x21V_Bgx3-FT7IEad3JTQ-AK9qFE3EYaogJ7SKwWshr27mAaw/w640-h426/IMG_3386.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Cactus wren with juicy bits.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />We watched where it went and found its nest in a cholla right next to the trail.<p></p><p><br /></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGUjTGQkBfOK55-vfe7mqosnAkqBHikYXnRB-3PaqdoFEzXFQe1pPQqfJTEnMwyBSbiRwZM8ej_PaiB1WlK-h5IZhrW0GIjJXsP1_lIdQqMNfRpM1U3cegx8qd4QwnL4b3fwaW1v96fghsk1Wqlj0TPi3DS325mDzQnB12QeYoREpzxh_hD-Ql-oKxjg/s5760/IMG_3388.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3840" data-original-width="5760" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGUjTGQkBfOK55-vfe7mqosnAkqBHikYXnRB-3PaqdoFEzXFQe1pPQqfJTEnMwyBSbiRwZM8ej_PaiB1WlK-h5IZhrW0GIjJXsP1_lIdQqMNfRpM1U3cegx8qd4QwnL4b3fwaW1v96fghsk1Wqlj0TPi3DS325mDzQnB12QeYoREpzxh_hD-Ql-oKxjg/w640-h426/IMG_3388.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Cactus wren nest in a cholla. The dark spot in the center is the entrance hole.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />After an hour or so we went back to the parking lot and met David Amamoto, a Michigan birder whom I had met last year during my Michigan Big Year, who happened to be in Arizona birding many of the same places I was headed. He and Jennie had gone to the same Pittsburg-area school, but about 15 years apart.</p><p>We walked down to the dam, which is little more than a rock wall where Sabino Creek (the same creek that flows through Summerhaven in the Santa Catalina Mountains) flows over into a couple of shallow basins. On the way we crossed paths with a family of black-throated sparrows. </p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Y-lA-9SZ0ETjeUim3OIpdf2Sw_wjWVc83nezjJN7cThNPpsb4dBpRBk6X8R8i23brPkHhvLSIiQSP57cUXl6K9Qa9T-78XPyQLhwgpZckq9WN24VNI20PE6WK63Ap21vehe-KwtG1jtMcE4iNN_tUUoVEzYuVDgPezhwuvcFeuZZhoswwNycfgqOHg/s2059/IMG_3389.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1373" data-original-width="2059" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Y-lA-9SZ0ETjeUim3OIpdf2Sw_wjWVc83nezjJN7cThNPpsb4dBpRBk6X8R8i23brPkHhvLSIiQSP57cUXl6K9Qa9T-78XPyQLhwgpZckq9WN24VNI20PE6WK63Ap21vehe-KwtG1jtMcE4iNN_tUUoVEzYuVDgPezhwuvcFeuZZhoswwNycfgqOHg/w640-h426/IMG_3389.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Black-throated sparrows.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p>It wasn't particularly hot this day (highs forecast around 80°) but the sun was hot and I was, by now, somewhat overdressed. I got down on one knee and splashed cool mountain water on my face and wet down my hair.</p><div><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZqvBmhq6WBDN520PZgwTS0uS6bRFRBGTXyx5Axv0EZF7CIT_7O9epJTaMKvvLTDGPUQ41Yo37KuQd_rdbHxkjE4wpzj_C_d286rg6H_cZyWpaKIFyxHIFLYDxr2t6Ii4XkS_nRNmM_PFRVSNmfjyMGofz2uYoW8p8QiBwjTxglClBw4ond0hEdFR-FQ/s4032/IMG_8988.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZqvBmhq6WBDN520PZgwTS0uS6bRFRBGTXyx5Axv0EZF7CIT_7O9epJTaMKvvLTDGPUQ41Yo37KuQd_rdbHxkjE4wpzj_C_d286rg6H_cZyWpaKIFyxHIFLYDxr2t6Ii4XkS_nRNmM_PFRVSNmfjyMGofz2uYoW8p8QiBwjTxglClBw4ond0hEdFR-FQ/w480-h640/IMG_8988.HEIC" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Pools along Sabino Creek</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />On the way back we found a few cactus in bloom.<p></p><p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrNMeyTpyIuckYiuFzLq2zGHK-MxqIoym6UWzpwRuvjkQEzahDJJBHysYGj-UVDM-QsVJG632G9kz8M5WHjgYa8zGdE0H7LFEq9W4srsMwNCemQ93n6DoSq2wFmFpayFS1lOeKkUHixl3mzukLYDDPm2R7Z6_8b1oqx48F-KTnKDr5YhIq3l5q_X_kIA/s4032/IMG_8992.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrNMeyTpyIuckYiuFzLq2zGHK-MxqIoym6UWzpwRuvjkQEzahDJJBHysYGj-UVDM-QsVJG632G9kz8M5WHjgYa8zGdE0H7LFEq9W4srsMwNCemQ93n6DoSq2wFmFpayFS1lOeKkUHixl3mzukLYDDPm2R7Z6_8b1oqx48F-KTnKDr5YhIq3l5q_X_kIA/w640-h480/IMG_8992.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Pinkflower hedgehog cactus, about 8" tall and growing in the shade of another cactus</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />We took the obligatory selfie to commemorate the day.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv1HXEhKKtXxFnGU6OHByTFn2JI_MhuBe40QJwh9a9qZV6IODsLzTcJKtfSFcPuqHiZe4mprAKxBnlEHVD3wPYBBVsOPRu_mg4ZwXVMPPpUL9wDdIrDkRwNUkRoGn3kmXRPiniedn1V_vCm-4JumFxV-QXzpxyuMn9X_daR_AloGK4c21dBS4c6bhHxQ/s2048/IMG_8996.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1538" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv1HXEhKKtXxFnGU6OHByTFn2JI_MhuBe40QJwh9a9qZV6IODsLzTcJKtfSFcPuqHiZe4mprAKxBnlEHVD3wPYBBVsOPRu_mg4ZwXVMPPpUL9wDdIrDkRwNUkRoGn3kmXRPiniedn1V_vCm-4JumFxV-QXzpxyuMn9X_daR_AloGK4c21dBS4c6bhHxQ/w640-h480/IMG_8996.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>I drove back to Marcy's to pick up the girls so we could head to Saguaro NP to meet our friend Martha who was driving down from Phoenix to meet us. I had time to chase a couple birds around her back yard, including lesser goldfinch, a bird I had seen previously but never photographed...</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuYZE7jTlUF_ky9VZZbEC25WGJgbEMUN2UsrNMeQHNuL02uilR_ah2ybfgsmv7ooNx_rKnlzFocu97TQ__p229vFNO66rJOd-CsMwJ0R-efDVqTsq3NooI1USqw13oGTSEWW2Fbm__mutGrrD5FUkVggo-2iFj7QAFOGkV9q2E9jJd6mMPB-RhJQ8fTw/s2122/IMG_3375.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1415" data-original-width="2122" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuYZE7jTlUF_ky9VZZbEC25WGJgbEMUN2UsrNMeQHNuL02uilR_ah2ybfgsmv7ooNx_rKnlzFocu97TQ__p229vFNO66rJOd-CsMwJ0R-efDVqTsq3NooI1USqw13oGTSEWW2Fbm__mutGrrD5FUkVggo-2iFj7QAFOGkV9q2E9jJd6mMPB-RhJQ8fTw/w640-h426/IMG_3375.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Lesser goldfinch</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>...and phainopepla, which I only had poor images of.<div><br /></div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEVOPsy01BdpiXQhXb7OvNMaJe7OKayMye-RmKhidSFfjk4iZU7qY5NVirSyNm4c-szzRXjNVf-Iw84zf3ug-Q-x13_uezMGgOrfybV7jfTh9AzAdMzf8pdsY_MleWM0YDYkYnrpBPk4CIbhAx1WpBqnfvTbJxcG3xtJCc4AztbVcfE3FxBx3tagpTag/s1893/IMG_3376.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1893" data-original-width="1262" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEVOPsy01BdpiXQhXb7OvNMaJe7OKayMye-RmKhidSFfjk4iZU7qY5NVirSyNm4c-szzRXjNVf-Iw84zf3ug-Q-x13_uezMGgOrfybV7jfTh9AzAdMzf8pdsY_MleWM0YDYkYnrpBPk4CIbhAx1WpBqnfvTbJxcG3xtJCc4AztbVcfE3FxBx3tagpTag/w426-h640/IMG_3376.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Phainopepla. Still not great images as back-lit black<br />birds are super hard to shoot.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;">We packed a picnic lunch and made the short drive to Saguaro NP. It was a glorious day, warm but not hot, with a stiff breeze and, for the first time since arriving in Arizona, clouds.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWvJb6wW1aeWxG-dI_2rgPBqNiPCkMABQS9tXOFbKkB2UGSKCXvEd2dKxwu3Jox4oybiyyGk38kH_ccjIPseafQI5pPRTjLwo2BUwohQ2NvYkLnWS6JCwGnpKYm3maNrgDngVI-hZou-4pJnV6oz3S6Di3ko43qNuqPeo0AdCG6qYvURmbvWsxRqHAUw/s4032/IMG_9002.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWvJb6wW1aeWxG-dI_2rgPBqNiPCkMABQS9tXOFbKkB2UGSKCXvEd2dKxwu3Jox4oybiyyGk38kH_ccjIPseafQI5pPRTjLwo2BUwohQ2NvYkLnWS6JCwGnpKYm3maNrgDngVI-hZou-4pJnV6oz3S6Di3ko43qNuqPeo0AdCG6qYvURmbvWsxRqHAUw/w480-h640/IMG_9002.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>The desert is assumed by many to be a lifeless sandbox, and we drove through some places in this drought-stricken region that certainly felt that way (especially in New Mexico), but the reality is much, much different. The desert (this is the Sonoran) is full of life. One of my favorite plants was the ocotillo (pronounced oco-tee-yo), a spindly, thorny plant with bright red blooms bobbing at the ends of the tall stalks.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXLYFbiraU0p1oQIGKH9pt3Q8d5F-SgUG1Lg5_Nd8EIfydK-4Yf1T92Bco_6TAaoXsc7e2FLl_SPeBKLjRhIW_aFWmCulmUaicdxrAv84SbqR_XKR6jaKetrTKiK2u96gx59mnaAo3DiFLP466erLYgIivcgqT8eqcWZITApnhnUJqVMlSWY2H4zFHlQ/s4032/IMG_9004.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXLYFbiraU0p1oQIGKH9pt3Q8d5F-SgUG1Lg5_Nd8EIfydK-4Yf1T92Bco_6TAaoXsc7e2FLl_SPeBKLjRhIW_aFWmCulmUaicdxrAv84SbqR_XKR6jaKetrTKiK2u96gx59mnaAo3DiFLP466erLYgIivcgqT8eqcWZITApnhnUJqVMlSWY2H4zFHlQ/w480-h640/IMG_9004.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Name-sake saguaros dotted the landscape. The east unit of Saguaro NP lies just to the west of the Rincon Mountains, another of the Madrean Sky Islands. There are several picnic areas within both units and we found ourselves a covered table and had a feast.</div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-OPwrhnYiZWiDGUIWbObL8gecDOSYXAoh1QezBtZAQnDvdUa1diELZxm88Xp-dnfaDT-axR0sSr-98lKQtUYOkO9QCQSSGhHEdlu5anLE02psIMg30NMUNdEiraPJisMglagf0EAwkehDeNkgh8cmZM06nqT2rWHh89KurBfCLAexz25LOTHLphODnQ/s4032/IMG_9007.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-OPwrhnYiZWiDGUIWbObL8gecDOSYXAoh1QezBtZAQnDvdUa1diELZxm88Xp-dnfaDT-axR0sSr-98lKQtUYOkO9QCQSSGhHEdlu5anLE02psIMg30NMUNdEiraPJisMglagf0EAwkehDeNkgh8cmZM06nqT2rWHh89KurBfCLAexz25LOTHLphODnQ/w480-h640/IMG_9007.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLBCZHgrncv5lZ_5oWsmmrEy2ejEgDMTaAstLahKeG85bi6xCx_abQ4EQwLP-ZV1plE3trnU3ST0z1H0bZGqk-_4xVg6fizylbbrTFqbGymbQp14OUJ3pmvnGyyY3DlL2sFF5CN4GOoVDDrOihrjXzB-zxl2QdFdekVlHZjQ1JzL86yqSTdvKywPqjjw/s4032/IMG_9013.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLBCZHgrncv5lZ_5oWsmmrEy2ejEgDMTaAstLahKeG85bi6xCx_abQ4EQwLP-ZV1plE3trnU3ST0z1H0bZGqk-_4xVg6fizylbbrTFqbGymbQp14OUJ3pmvnGyyY3DlL2sFF5CN4GOoVDDrOihrjXzB-zxl2QdFdekVlHZjQ1JzL86yqSTdvKywPqjjw/w480-h640/IMG_9013.heic" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiieEY5RxMRXt339BG7xYp0bJAd26Z2AeaZPQKJQX3xlyGYhXvBKbkUydm0xdMRWmhpX-3FQwJ-9yNpPaKAd1CWAa1X2_E8xAM7pLi0Wrqn2isCv7qKcqujSI5KVSGNeY721b4gsqxEvwPJAqv3kxP7RFO-YDBKsFW7_Gme3H4SNAL_nq63pLm45-dHVA/s4032/IMG_9014.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiieEY5RxMRXt339BG7xYp0bJAd26Z2AeaZPQKJQX3xlyGYhXvBKbkUydm0xdMRWmhpX-3FQwJ-9yNpPaKAd1CWAa1X2_E8xAM7pLi0Wrqn2isCv7qKcqujSI5KVSGNeY721b4gsqxEvwPJAqv3kxP7RFO-YDBKsFW7_Gme3H4SNAL_nq63pLm45-dHVA/w480-h640/IMG_9014.HEIC" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The inner structure of a long-dead prickly pear cactus</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>While we sat and chatted birds moved around us. I've often said that the best way to see birds is to find a spot where you know there are some around and just sit and be still. They will come to you. We had a pair of canyon towhee pop in and out of the shrubs, picking bits off the ground as sparrows do.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHCiFmpOrcetkbW9brwPkr2eaIagBTWZz-yG_nlGsskAqrYPpN3uJMFFjvk2Ys2mhhGhmrPkL_VCDK6Xy6JpL6yiX1ZjJQ09WZgLGYQHk9l8kUxIr6f0u-4q_DmrihQ6oh2HiOBdOIYq4Rm4C4eRXN5nHD3WHY9CHae3GrbHcXdgC_6yZws-8vUX3Jxg/s2176/IMG_3364.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1451" data-original-width="2176" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHCiFmpOrcetkbW9brwPkr2eaIagBTWZz-yG_nlGsskAqrYPpN3uJMFFjvk2Ys2mhhGhmrPkL_VCDK6Xy6JpL6yiX1ZjJQ09WZgLGYQHk9l8kUxIr6f0u-4q_DmrihQ6oh2HiOBdOIYq4Rm4C4eRXN5nHD3WHY9CHae3GrbHcXdgC_6yZws-8vUX3Jxg/w640-h426/IMG_3364.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Canyon Towhee, life bird #582</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>A cactus wren flitted through an ocotillo...</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic4jiDCF_jlmtPlN1xLP7AO-JuMVbDMkOQL6L97E57FUHZtbPIPloGDPkPBLJKWvRcmgj6DPFCREhhyxGPR4yKiXXTr4BzenwLHEbfZR8rGV4XE65XxQ1HaHbTuWTjZ_j8XovK2sCrhbH82e3OmUtPnvCbMF2DGRxLEEgYSkb2IfPhzzUDnq9BWzntRw/s2100/IMG_3368.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="2100" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic4jiDCF_jlmtPlN1xLP7AO-JuMVbDMkOQL6L97E57FUHZtbPIPloGDPkPBLJKWvRcmgj6DPFCREhhyxGPR4yKiXXTr4BzenwLHEbfZR8rGV4XE65XxQ1HaHbTuWTjZ_j8XovK2sCrhbH82e3OmUtPnvCbMF2DGRxLEEgYSkb2IfPhzzUDnq9BWzntRw/w640-h426/IMG_3368.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>...and a curve-billed thrasher came around several times to check on us.</div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD5mRYroi0-b3QgoB91cnqz0NlhwpRZSmQ6rmJPjreSyHlO9Lx9yeX4YavYo2Az9N-DHZOZxCTXoUyuTtNWUCW4XnTWjC0IcqzT60llxlA_TP7EWs44_rILCWXRvtWxY9m6_079FJI5MZVh42YlEfLOnenexXarIEz3M1t67gM2JUop01pCoBgMxjf1Q/s3481/IMG_3371.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2321" data-original-width="3481" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD5mRYroi0-b3QgoB91cnqz0NlhwpRZSmQ6rmJPjreSyHlO9Lx9yeX4YavYo2Az9N-DHZOZxCTXoUyuTtNWUCW4XnTWjC0IcqzT60llxlA_TP7EWs44_rILCWXRvtWxY9m6_079FJI5MZVh42YlEfLOnenexXarIEz3M1t67gM2JUop01pCoBgMxjf1Q/w640-h426/IMG_3371.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgceEYk0KMLKQEyU0nVjfodVxgQTjPJXAOJCEovsar5S8IGlvSsh_I_DgJ3vlFDqqKQ7Qj3465aSlLbiurC3T644G1VE1joPOVczvxuiMgCcv031MOG76CriKqjaAy7cbfA9u0RaORC_bXVaY_JygG4taTIeUQz9rUN1VhBT7EcjaBvBbf2oVQXOcC8PA/s4032/IMG_9028.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgceEYk0KMLKQEyU0nVjfodVxgQTjPJXAOJCEovsar5S8IGlvSsh_I_DgJ3vlFDqqKQ7Qj3465aSlLbiurC3T644G1VE1joPOVczvxuiMgCcv031MOG76CriKqjaAy7cbfA9u0RaORC_bXVaY_JygG4taTIeUQz9rUN1VhBT7EcjaBvBbf2oVQXOcC8PA/w480-h640/IMG_9028.HEIC" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Another cactus wren nest tucked into a saguaro.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>As the day slipped into evening it was time to pack up and head out, but Martha suggested we do the auto loop before heading out. I'm so glad we did. We had not really spent time at sunset out in the desert and it was something to see.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinzGi4lJgTxYBQUdaHCzRTrmdB-xg3-mA_XuLIImJQt2c874IZI4-8nTHB7k53P4K-WAfFAiuaY0cb_JE6sNbkotceB9ScVgZ_QmBUfOnLhAsHsHW7bi2j8i4Oa_JOawthU7g4T7csAA-GxunBHiitoLc7qNT7-R5Uy22UJ0ym_Vm4knkYNtx02SuzYA/s4032/IMG_9031.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinzGi4lJgTxYBQUdaHCzRTrmdB-xg3-mA_XuLIImJQt2c874IZI4-8nTHB7k53P4K-WAfFAiuaY0cb_JE6sNbkotceB9ScVgZ_QmBUfOnLhAsHsHW7bi2j8i4Oa_JOawthU7g4T7csAA-GxunBHiitoLc7qNT7-R5Uy22UJ0ym_Vm4knkYNtx02SuzYA/w640-h480/IMG_9031.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisCax8sSuPYmQnbm-zLnVT1RLZ8T4LthaZM4JvsxfvMMkBB6b8vxgc0K7Q7RProxzVljEx7jpAUFjRcfNQTgvfry_w_Da9DzD0Xk6_NvIZGOnIXwEjZF71sPmAM_oiKYZCpvQjKxthvfTlLWx69MewNa59LZzOmhDQTgWCjp-uu-OXd9zhbc-Jvfkcow/s3999/IMG_9037.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1721" data-original-width="3999" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisCax8sSuPYmQnbm-zLnVT1RLZ8T4LthaZM4JvsxfvMMkBB6b8vxgc0K7Q7RProxzVljEx7jpAUFjRcfNQTgvfry_w_Da9DzD0Xk6_NvIZGOnIXwEjZF71sPmAM_oiKYZCpvQjKxthvfTlLWx69MewNa59LZzOmhDQTgWCjp-uu-OXd9zhbc-Jvfkcow/w640-h276/IMG_9037.heic" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwcANZXze5RAIhMVyt2Dbd3TkJJkttP0esbyT1lshkfWdYDamTbtMB8f8eeqqjoz3PyCtKF5wUh_ZDugpJaYh1sLmj936bH7P85TTB1Ze6X7Rdmi-zqFXYPlT1UkIP2QLdRH8y-tsFBbC99LN7EKcXIyrRbQTHbRbFIiwOMZNg7khGLTeyqioM97NrUA/s4032/IMG_9042.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwcANZXze5RAIhMVyt2Dbd3TkJJkttP0esbyT1lshkfWdYDamTbtMB8f8eeqqjoz3PyCtKF5wUh_ZDugpJaYh1sLmj936bH7P85TTB1Ze6X7Rdmi-zqFXYPlT1UkIP2QLdRH8y-tsFBbC99LN7EKcXIyrRbQTHbRbFIiwOMZNg7khGLTeyqioM97NrUA/w480-h640/IMG_9042.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>As we crept along Lori, from the back seat, called out "owl!" and I hit the brakes. Sure enough, perched on top of a saguaro, was a great horned owl. Holy smokes.</div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGUW2oJ4N6RH3TBivsFlDvrpBWIvCnv9ZSpwlZ0T733Zcq4mFQWLE9mMR7DYUNyKrx_WS9tkmI3nWITsurxQpOxQ2uQoQ4LemYYq07HTmZ-GEma4ZCcojXzTk3MiTByeRlcH6lV547Vw6mRuqG9_UCQ54Frc46TyKgScfVjkMRKDhnTeKX6qMWVB2u6w/s5021/IMG_3360.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3347" data-original-width="5021" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGUW2oJ4N6RH3TBivsFlDvrpBWIvCnv9ZSpwlZ0T733Zcq4mFQWLE9mMR7DYUNyKrx_WS9tkmI3nWITsurxQpOxQ2uQoQ4LemYYq07HTmZ-GEma4ZCcojXzTk3MiTByeRlcH6lV547Vw6mRuqG9_UCQ54Frc46TyKgScfVjkMRKDhnTeKX6qMWVB2u6w/w640-h426/IMG_3360.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There was still a pretty stiff wind from the SW and we watched in amazement as the owl launched itself off the cactus and into the wind and hovered, watching for prey below. None of us had ever seen this behavior before.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoGEqXQELxWLBU7hW2Gny89QsnnftA2ZWzTNd3Ned8AojFbg-G__yhQBtffyDlJPNBGd82aPkn20eeIpacZh732BEmVa-OQAgpEx3Clf30uKv_yCJ7RblMu-EZ-eriE1OzNkRc9VYh-X4moSHYMC5mRRLT62s2MRvdViO4RcKlNyK895F9lvhfrjpkXg/s2211/IMG_3357.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1474" data-original-width="2211" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoGEqXQELxWLBU7hW2Gny89QsnnftA2ZWzTNd3Ned8AojFbg-G__yhQBtffyDlJPNBGd82aPkn20eeIpacZh732BEmVa-OQAgpEx3Clf30uKv_yCJ7RblMu-EZ-eriE1OzNkRc9VYh-X4moSHYMC5mRRLT62s2MRvdViO4RcKlNyK895F9lvhfrjpkXg/w640-h426/IMG_3357.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>It was a good day.</div><div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlvCeM0gGd7-SEOiFXoB9Pj-E3Kic75gNlFO1Jt64mC3R_FM42_vHJS0vPLLBu-GxNPC39puBNRzEKYEnOkAGQKQO3YbBCVKNbjfSiSJRzLXFRtYR4jn45KB-I0W_8qN1FaXvomXU4WivGaIGwMAZaNwPR_6HdK2af_UnQb5Zya-hSldHVsQa201K-pA/s3173/IMG_3355.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2115" data-original-width="3173" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlvCeM0gGd7-SEOiFXoB9Pj-E3Kic75gNlFO1Jt64mC3R_FM42_vHJS0vPLLBu-GxNPC39puBNRzEKYEnOkAGQKQO3YbBCVKNbjfSiSJRzLXFRtYR4jn45KB-I0W_8qN1FaXvomXU4WivGaIGwMAZaNwPR_6HdK2af_UnQb5Zya-hSldHVsQa201K-pA/w640-h426/IMG_3355.jpg" width="640" /></a></p></div>Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12736098600288028338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558377963798102771.post-12722485127375007822022-05-04T09:22:00.000-04:002022-05-04T09:22:07.897-04:00Madera Canyon and the Santa Rita Mountains, Arizona<p></p><div style="text-align: left;">There are as many ways to bird as there are birders. You can study and learn songs and locations and target particular species. You can go to one location and sit and be still and wait to see what comes along. You can bounce from place to place in an attempt to see as many species as possible. You can stay home and birdwatch at your feeders or you can drive across the country in search for something new. I have, as I assume most birding "listers" have, done all of those things at one time or another. Pretty much every morning I sit and count the birds at my feeders. I've chased rarities all over the state of Michigan. I've traveled long distances to see new species (and new places) and I am blessed to be able to do so.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Generally speaking our vacations are not relaxing affairs where we go hole up on some beach or mountain cabin and chill and read for a week. No, we are more explorer-minded, and are busy every day we're away--you know, those folks that need a vacation from their vacation. And none of our trips is truly a vacation anyway--we are constantly gathering information and images to use in our work. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This trip to Arizona was no exception. Since we had never been to the state before my list of "lifer" birds was enormous--counting rarities and sub-species it topped 130--so I didn't really have particular target birds I needed to see. Pretty much every bird in Arizona was a target, so we planned trips to certain locations that were particularly "birdy" or had other interesting things like unique plants or habitats.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Madera Canyon falls squarely into the "particularly birdy" category. Situated on the northwest side of the Santa Rita mountains about 25 miles south of Tucson it holds the third highest species count in Arizona. Desert scrub in the lower and upper Sonoran zones transitions to grasslands to woodlands all the way to up to the Canadian zone at the highest elevations, where one can find Douglas fir and aspen. It snows here in winter, and the canyon features a riparian zone where water flows for much of the year, a rarity in this part of the world. There is also the Santa Rita Lodge where one is invited to sit and watch their feeders for hummingbirds and other SE Arizona specialties, and, further up the canyon, the much sought-after elegant trogon, a Mexican and Central American species that pushes up into the southern-most portions of the Madrean Sky Islands.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The first order of business on day two, however, was to get out into Marcy's neighborhood and photograph the species I'd seen the day before. I find that, generally speaking, city birds are easier to capture as they are more accustomed to us and tolerate our nearness. At the end of her driveway I followed a small group of Lucy's warblers and got a few decent images. This is perhaps the most plain of our North American warblers but it has a beautiful song.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLVsQcAd4Ns--ue__A0vWz53CH1qGAr9I_ncuGT4qKgXxzBFMH35zYNDucjMma46daNYMk0IFoeW7CC3PNLgPNfKcAwRLCUjGrPGd-qQzyO1oow-hY05fFl62Qj2S7N0EuLi1Jib2JhaQ-iJ7t80LOnXPGQ6yApquOyQqwb1lTAQBu2gwAPTSbZuH45Q/s1861/IMG_3391.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1241" data-original-width="1861" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLVsQcAd4Ns--ue__A0vWz53CH1qGAr9I_ncuGT4qKgXxzBFMH35zYNDucjMma46daNYMk0IFoeW7CC3PNLgPNfKcAwRLCUjGrPGd-qQzyO1oow-hY05fFl62Qj2S7N0EuLi1Jib2JhaQ-iJ7t80LOnXPGQ6yApquOyQqwb1lTAQBu2gwAPTSbZuH45Q/w640-h426/IMG_3391.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Lucy's Warbler, life bird #557</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Gamble's quail were all over, calling from every nook and cranny. They were like wild chickens roaming the neighborhood. This couple seemed to have territory at the neighbor's house. I'd seen the similar California quail in Utah but could never get this close. I saw the pair and just stopped in road and waited, and the male practically walked up to me. Adorable little things!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGXRVWr51t4fFc37zHQXpK9sbtNYhxkah7kHX0iM1aBX7dOB_aP872ZxypDuXyMtifXeGfQqrYPqx95sxa3M6id2NSEb4-FIWXpNiXrMEqwEOFwuPYZ1nmYSpd8pD2wOF4gc1HyF7o8mihOA-RdCmJ1qtdROv8A7fzPnNsSCOfb6WojlNytmgHq69feQ/s2675/IMG_3394.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1783" data-original-width="2675" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGXRVWr51t4fFc37zHQXpK9sbtNYhxkah7kHX0iM1aBX7dOB_aP872ZxypDuXyMtifXeGfQqrYPqx95sxa3M6id2NSEb4-FIWXpNiXrMEqwEOFwuPYZ1nmYSpd8pD2wOF4gc1HyF7o8mihOA-RdCmJ1qtdROv8A7fzPnNsSCOfb6WojlNytmgHq69feQ/w640-h426/IMG_3394.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Gamble's quail cock, life bird #562</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj31z7XR0twAwrzdaCknOv81cuNjJHni5fFpmJ5AK3NYgukOlXQZxrFb__rKUXvzhT71K4qbUdx-XMQmIt2bwWOXlQht-l7Y0wyyv7xXhQiQznGRQ1jK0vf-fSx0ZJNMJCgD49_dkwmjhNnfYGZtFOqFjuUrqKqVfQGpGsz6AZeH4k_PSLjIKdJTHf4A/s2191/IMG_3396.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1461" data-original-width="2191" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj31z7XR0twAwrzdaCknOv81cuNjJHni5fFpmJ5AK3NYgukOlXQZxrFb__rKUXvzhT71K4qbUdx-XMQmIt2bwWOXlQht-l7Y0wyyv7xXhQiQznGRQ1jK0vf-fSx0ZJNMJCgD49_dkwmjhNnfYGZtFOqFjuUrqKqVfQGpGsz6AZeH4k_PSLjIKdJTHf4A/w640-h426/IMG_3396.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Gamble's quail hen. I want to pinch her little cheeks.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We also encountered a lot of desert cottontails who seemed quite tame.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKG9QXTWyzamnyYMQq-NyV5i0wTBnY2wMicY0LLzaLinnyr4SCzLy1Msb2z0jmTG19GpS92THT9s4IykqCyrMuy29dXE1R8It9GkuxY4hv69qrLBRwM0umJC0itnf_yZn6MU2JcncwmU5sZCSYLrXBfpHr-VDsCraWCtxSALp89Nq2jBxZplpea-QnTA/s5760/IMG_3403.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3840" data-original-width="5760" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKG9QXTWyzamnyYMQq-NyV5i0wTBnY2wMicY0LLzaLinnyr4SCzLy1Msb2z0jmTG19GpS92THT9s4IykqCyrMuy29dXE1R8It9GkuxY4hv69qrLBRwM0umJC0itnf_yZn6MU2JcncwmU5sZCSYLrXBfpHr-VDsCraWCtxSALp89Nq2jBxZplpea-QnTA/w640-h426/IMG_3403.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p>Out on the street I was able to put the sun behind me and finally get some well-lit images. This verdin posed nicely in a mesquite. I'd seen this bird several years prior but for literally 2 seconds, never having a chance at photos. This was a common species in the lower elevations.<div><br /></div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-5FSnrYN28S4hSgzG-KWEAr-RmFG7WlhMASf71I1cXTrbG1xX2xsqgSTGVgAJCApZyRR9sXTaRs25lZ6e9vfNZCgAuFACg8l6K6fHpkap62k3-zb_PQ0fI1awVG9a0J1izvujHIQSjN4sXZejQNYfW2IP7Pb_hpb1LrZ2xg7cXlUv06388et_Y_j9Tg/s2101/IMG_3402.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1401" data-original-width="2101" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-5FSnrYN28S4hSgzG-KWEAr-RmFG7WlhMASf71I1cXTrbG1xX2xsqgSTGVgAJCApZyRR9sXTaRs25lZ6e9vfNZCgAuFACg8l6K6fHpkap62k3-zb_PQ0fI1awVG9a0J1izvujHIQSjN4sXZejQNYfW2IP7Pb_hpb1LrZ2xg7cXlUv06388et_Y_j9Tg/w640-h426/IMG_3402.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Verdin in a blooming mesquite tree.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>Rufous-winged sparrows are referred to as the "chipping sparrow of the west," being nearly as ubiquitous and similar in appearance.</p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDP1d2Skho7Ynq-TRUEKS6h46HLwZi-PJvkKXj1nXoZopkli0iiB7-JdUReWGst0hyzke5Hww-6oHoS3QnNr6t6V9pfexSCfKnubAute6k3NekwUwD2ukMpMN1aaF0-4Aa38NgPbvo95OsTyXZjw1swubNZSoTQWmmoKVdvBc6WvK3YqaVFH46UhwrBw/s1714/IMG_3398.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1143" data-original-width="1714" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDP1d2Skho7Ynq-TRUEKS6h46HLwZi-PJvkKXj1nXoZopkli0iiB7-JdUReWGst0hyzke5Hww-6oHoS3QnNr6t6V9pfexSCfKnubAute6k3NekwUwD2ukMpMN1aaF0-4Aa38NgPbvo95OsTyXZjw1swubNZSoTQWmmoKVdvBc6WvK3YqaVFH46UhwrBw/w640-h426/IMG_3398.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Rufous-winged sparrow, life bird #558</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>The cactus were just starting to bud and bloom. While we were a bit early for the main event we did eventually find some in bloom.</p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6E2g4_cbo112YUnZIzZCSUxgmB0rOr-3LaFSdEqnShrwhIo0boNdeN4LUwKw8Lso52lampB4KH2Pw8jhwVCzFegv5G5F40SqEnRdsqxyXeGot7K2ECZjgdw-kN24DZKW6AYhqLhBMXLxMWSRRVRSNJ9tJp8ofu-4cDWCbc27sBYDzlG2BoyAigwSNNA/s4032/IMG_8934.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6E2g4_cbo112YUnZIzZCSUxgmB0rOr-3LaFSdEqnShrwhIo0boNdeN4LUwKw8Lso52lampB4KH2Pw8jhwVCzFegv5G5F40SqEnRdsqxyXeGot7K2ECZjgdw-kN24DZKW6AYhqLhBMXLxMWSRRVRSNJ9tJp8ofu-4cDWCbc27sBYDzlG2BoyAigwSNNA/w480-h640/IMG_8934.HEIC" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Pricklypear cactus, probably Engleman's</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The mesquite trees can grow quite large--up to 50 feet--and are an important plant for people and wildlife. They provide shelter from the hot sun, nectar when in bloom, food in the form of seeds and the insects that are gleaned from its leaves. The wood is exceptionally hard and is used for cooking, fence posts, and tool handles. It's in the legume family so makes pods that are edible and can be ground down into a flour.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPZ2KZEsP5GrvsEzxJ4YIqK5shQrpzNR1HUq782gsdliIOENP01TqfR6DAsKFMK8pXeSlENRoBXV7PNhZAPa1146rJjf73GzPQrF_zsaKA7xKxbZuS5kHu4DiZZuAvMqkA9PUqSlaod09yvpC4gnU4WSkMKzZdDUwTy8Be-BcJEn4WeWpssfJdvBqdQQ/s4032/IMG_8935.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPZ2KZEsP5GrvsEzxJ4YIqK5shQrpzNR1HUq782gsdliIOENP01TqfR6DAsKFMK8pXeSlENRoBXV7PNhZAPa1146rJjf73GzPQrF_zsaKA7xKxbZuS5kHu4DiZZuAvMqkA9PUqSlaod09yvpC4gnU4WSkMKzZdDUwTy8Be-BcJEn4WeWpssfJdvBqdQQ/w640-h480/IMG_8935.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We got a bit of a late start on our drive to Madera. Everyone was still tired from the previous day's adventure and we hadn't had time to recover from our three-day haul across the country. By the time we reached the grasslands it was already hot (the high in Tucson was forecast for the mid-90s again) and there wasn't much going on. In these lower elevations you've gotta bird early or late in order to get the birds when they're most active.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirvxKHN_4x9uOCU7vtIJmUl7NWr1Dp3VhDOKWuEjnVQk5rAapd-zJNOLHwQwPNdRlA-5Bt_fD3Y2SWX9vYYqBOThdWY0tRNNTfpIgl8MxkuRjSb5il72zZv_GvCLw36tdQEXwDrdNcNo_S6hqVCx52L_ErSCxsFa_OPDLOGErQ1qTBD_iZuozeHj96jw/s4032/IMG_8936.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirvxKHN_4x9uOCU7vtIJmUl7NWr1Dp3VhDOKWuEjnVQk5rAapd-zJNOLHwQwPNdRlA-5Bt_fD3Y2SWX9vYYqBOThdWY0tRNNTfpIgl8MxkuRjSb5il72zZv_GvCLw36tdQEXwDrdNcNo_S6hqVCx52L_ErSCxsFa_OPDLOGErQ1qTBD_iZuozeHj96jw/w640-h480/IMG_8936.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We stopped at several locations before heading up into the mountains. I picked up a Cassin's vireo at the Proctor Road hotspot, then we stopped for lunch at the Madera Picnic Area, where I finally got some photos of the Mexican jay.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKFXDFUHjX0b3wh1bPvAs5aHxSRuFjtfZmDANoB5ipo-8cs9exWgwvcE9NroYArFysHvJImRyhuL_dMlAsY0g5kAEA__1iGorS6sodNwpc-T85nnRhHKNY9guuAfFmtETFUgezR78kf-EK8Zqf4hNFb6nrXg1ZvoZX1ZDUfvbxx0bJVee5WZA7Ipf3oQ/s5760/IMG_3407.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3840" data-original-width="5760" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKFXDFUHjX0b3wh1bPvAs5aHxSRuFjtfZmDANoB5ipo-8cs9exWgwvcE9NroYArFysHvJImRyhuL_dMlAsY0g5kAEA__1iGorS6sodNwpc-T85nnRhHKNY9guuAfFmtETFUgezR78kf-EK8Zqf4hNFb6nrXg1ZvoZX1ZDUfvbxx0bJVee5WZA7Ipf3oQ/w640-h426/IMG_3407.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We had just started eating when I saw a painted redstart nearby so I grabbed my camera and tried for some better photos. There was a small group of people about 100 feet away who were clearly birders so I called out to let them know. A man and woman came over but by the time they got to us the bird was gone. The lady left but the man ambled over to the picnic table and proceeded to mansplain birding to us. He was clearly one of these dudes who likes to hear himself talk and wanted to help out the little ladies. He commenced to explain to us that there are many smart phone apps that aid with bird identification blah blah blah. Now mind you this is after I've just called out a species, and I am dressed in my birding "uniform," complete with my Tilly hat adorned with bird pins. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was annoyed and kept turning my back on him but Marcy, who is a local, had to be a bit more gracious. Turns out he too lives in Tucson and is an active birder. After <i>at least</i> 15 minutes he askes, quite casually, if we've been enjoying the owls. Now, he saw us roll in and sit down to lunch so knows damn well that we haven't looked at any owls. Turns out that group nearby was watching a pair of Northern pygmy owls that live there at the picnic area. I grabbed my camera and left.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEx_f4AnWEVLbwNfts-hioMIk-G9i70h08NUJa9sgPPnyAdIq8f44xq7xjzzb4Y2a60MOxSwITsCBY9TaOnathT56GJycUHUacScPaGDcMO9SbubOGsHPIoXzPKWhdBk2Ei8w6rS3AGb0VW0VA6sov2XzXJliOzvfpawXDBMdvHF4DW5_ZLeXYDyIHdw/s1775/IMG_3352.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1183" data-original-width="1775" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEx_f4AnWEVLbwNfts-hioMIk-G9i70h08NUJa9sgPPnyAdIq8f44xq7xjzzb4Y2a60MOxSwITsCBY9TaOnathT56GJycUHUacScPaGDcMO9SbubOGsHPIoXzPKWhdBk2Ei8w6rS3AGb0VW0VA6sov2XzXJliOzvfpawXDBMdvHF4DW5_ZLeXYDyIHdw/w640-h426/IMG_3352.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Northern pygmy owl with lizard. Life bird #574</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>There was indeed a pair but only one was out in the open and easy to photograph. Note the dark "eye" spots on the back of it's head. This is to confuse predators that might want to make a meal of this relatively small owl.</div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7JUqRFpENf2KEIjgIMlzHkYa-2-k31uILBL8oN4g7bbGodvlt2oLB-nfN84mgPFZ6OPwaLRHTpdHivPDXC0iuCPlx7Cxe0OIxAtXGBNnQh6y1HcBNyFL4TvwdLcp0HQiLqa8qAtlLkDsfU9xWixzlhnV4lnYkyBZOPl6JvRJ5QMWQJx-KKEy0AtTztw/s1911/IMG_3353.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1274" data-original-width="1911" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7JUqRFpENf2KEIjgIMlzHkYa-2-k31uILBL8oN4g7bbGodvlt2oLB-nfN84mgPFZ6OPwaLRHTpdHivPDXC0iuCPlx7Cxe0OIxAtXGBNnQh6y1HcBNyFL4TvwdLcp0HQiLqa8qAtlLkDsfU9xWixzlhnV4lnYkyBZOPl6JvRJ5QMWQJx-KKEy0AtTztw/w640-h426/IMG_3353.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">From the picnic area we drove a short distance to the Santa Rita Lodge. This is a must-stop location if you are birding in the region. They offer lodging but also allow visitors to come sit and watch the feeders (asking for a 30 minute maximum for parking). There's no charge to use the facility so we bought a few things in the gift shop and watched all manner of hummingbirds vie for the best spots at the feeders.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Udm84u1pUQWxU0W2iu3wSFFXSBOT0vDhHQg-4tAtpRMj-9IzFhjgBUaBMkKQEuam91qzRs6BrLBq1a7O-gsp_e5RqpfsisvGU3A1YbHa4SpcamOZtwjnGFyIqdaFpAzIGXQJuTh_OjzpYT_REMHS3CcFzp-UxsJp2dyknbtgJ5vOkaddlU3_AyY-wA/s4032/IMG_8941.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Udm84u1pUQWxU0W2iu3wSFFXSBOT0vDhHQg-4tAtpRMj-9IzFhjgBUaBMkKQEuam91qzRs6BrLBq1a7O-gsp_e5RqpfsisvGU3A1YbHa4SpcamOZtwjnGFyIqdaFpAzIGXQJuTh_OjzpYT_REMHS3CcFzp-UxsJp2dyknbtgJ5vOkaddlU3_AyY-wA/w640-h480/IMG_8941.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUzizSbyUaSIqWVgLebXe5ZhkrbCF2c-5UiAwhHRWbK-2jhLNGRt0_YNbNj6XGnmMxI5HLSFPLWEZVrl1CAfAiq26nFgdzL46Ucbn-ZXfy2a0BXBV3QXrVWCTDdyiTly6_Nm8L08IVmC_5N80RO3itfgabpWpMbIQD4etW27RLgp_d23nY1HBhPfK_pw/s4032/IMG_8942.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUzizSbyUaSIqWVgLebXe5ZhkrbCF2c-5UiAwhHRWbK-2jhLNGRt0_YNbNj6XGnmMxI5HLSFPLWEZVrl1CAfAiq26nFgdzL46Ucbn-ZXfy2a0BXBV3QXrVWCTDdyiTly6_Nm8L08IVmC_5N80RO3itfgabpWpMbIQD4etW27RLgp_d23nY1HBhPfK_pw/w640-h480/IMG_8942.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Feeders and viewing area at Santa Rita lodge.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Perhaps the most common hummingbird in the region is the broad-billed, and what a stunner this bird is. It was easy to overlook them, they were so common. After a while we'd catch ourselves sayin "oh, it's just another broad-billed."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh72951vx0HzxwkN_JR0IhAFQ4xVfOyNolmL9ezAWvYYWYM5K2lIEidbzT2Z-zAWaAtcEEN4gceJk74Wy8vgy49Jo7xq1iGomFXeeSBky5VCPGSelCqzZ2aupedtMxhcBYuQPsO99SFt2U5mG1HFaQYqEJrqWb9komfskyce4bjV442pgpchsfyLhCNGQ/s3133/IMG_3414.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2089" data-original-width="3133" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh72951vx0HzxwkN_JR0IhAFQ4xVfOyNolmL9ezAWvYYWYM5K2lIEidbzT2Z-zAWaAtcEEN4gceJk74Wy8vgy49Jo7xq1iGomFXeeSBky5VCPGSelCqzZ2aupedtMxhcBYuQPsO99SFt2U5mG1HFaQYqEJrqWb9komfskyce4bjV442pgpchsfyLhCNGQ/w640-h426/IMG_3414.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Broad-billed hummingbird. I'd seen my first in Marcy's neighborhood, so life bird #561</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Black-chinned hummingbirds were also fairly common. This bird most closely resembles our only eastern species, the ruby-throated. I was never able to get a good look at him with his gorget in the sun, but it is a deep purple/indigo. </div><div><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTro7uVxaF_vfhMqyixlVj_Q3H0MA6c9SDLNa6wbKUYUE7YqBF2c8AfOapi_-PldWo88-4bNksT7IGUeuDTq7v9sI76B7eatZS8qw-pLItK2mF04x_RWPkSFYKJuIHsyCSMAEp96QNk9uMoHonJi13cCKhi8m331221raGzn1yX0D6IeQvKWAUuaNQQQ/s2975/IMG_3426.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1983" data-original-width="2975" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTro7uVxaF_vfhMqyixlVj_Q3H0MA6c9SDLNa6wbKUYUE7YqBF2c8AfOapi_-PldWo88-4bNksT7IGUeuDTq7v9sI76B7eatZS8qw-pLItK2mF04x_RWPkSFYKJuIHsyCSMAEp96QNk9uMoHonJi13cCKhi8m331221raGzn1yX0D6IeQvKWAUuaNQQQ/w640-h426/IMG_3426.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Black-chinned hummingbird</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Because we had Bailey, the girls took turns hanging back by the road. Good thing, because Lisa found a pair of bridled titmice working over an oak. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8o-VWgq1BfTCZm_dHJQyuGTtI4XgTf8WCpj5y_ZpQFWFT0dZLrZdPoRpOXG-mMYqkHkmSYPDQDUatj9unQFuMSsbWdMZ8gmXaJD6mLFv0BizSaLVcqar06Mtw7Pcr9shfquY8p-nlhz8oFbOwDneac4LU0yzCSU4Bz7roK6y0U_5YmU1PY4O8QLTxKQ/s1799/IMG_3415.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="1799" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8o-VWgq1BfTCZm_dHJQyuGTtI4XgTf8WCpj5y_ZpQFWFT0dZLrZdPoRpOXG-mMYqkHkmSYPDQDUatj9unQFuMSsbWdMZ8gmXaJD6mLFv0BizSaLVcqar06Mtw7Pcr9shfquY8p-nlhz8oFbOwDneac4LU0yzCSU4Bz7roK6y0U_5YmU1PY4O8QLTxKQ/w640-h426/IMG_3415.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Bridled titmouse, life bird #577</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Back at the feeders we finally were treated to another hummingbird species, the very large Rivoli's (formerly the magnificent) hummingbird. At five inches long it is a bruiser among hummers (the black-chinned is 3.5"). The bright sun made photographing these birds a challenge.</div><div><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpyMeVCD1m1IYFzkUc-BM2MjnVlL9U5VC3lqPbWh8KIIkjMx3I6we30ob7nQXUIJjS1RrZpoiHkzUZ1DVWWzGkTcMnt-L6ERHG6FkOPQaxHb0VgVDlWi5Lyt1GpKw35sKxmLb76Wz2FOVanZQ4pw1CtV6J-xBDw4NKujUjCLYZCHr_czUzSsQHVTNuFQ/s5760/IMG_3419.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3840" data-original-width="5760" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpyMeVCD1m1IYFzkUc-BM2MjnVlL9U5VC3lqPbWh8KIIkjMx3I6we30ob7nQXUIJjS1RrZpoiHkzUZ1DVWWzGkTcMnt-L6ERHG6FkOPQaxHb0VgVDlWi5Lyt1GpKw35sKxmLb76Wz2FOVanZQ4pw1CtV6J-xBDw4NKujUjCLYZCHr_czUzSsQHVTNuFQ/w640-h426/IMG_3419.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Rivoli's hummingbird, life bird #580</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I managed to miss a Scott's oriole that was hanging around at the edges of things, but I did add Arizona woodpecker, black-headed grosbeak, and hepatic tanager to my list. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSP6u9iop8fk6_3P_FnOGK6z3tab4QkA1eOQMq2aedjDwk1-tevhTDWYkQGhA8Hj7ApJWAdgqAV-yhF4uz2f3AQ8NBIVC_6gRYuIMz84AqRFGddofiI7XAJymEBhqXAjal09CP3CbSwcVaVMc3aW2zv9Won1_Yf2TZ40eOeUkczSXMuGr_v1Cb0-lc-w/s1506/IMG_3420.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1506" data-original-width="1004" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSP6u9iop8fk6_3P_FnOGK6z3tab4QkA1eOQMq2aedjDwk1-tevhTDWYkQGhA8Hj7ApJWAdgqAV-yhF4uz2f3AQ8NBIVC_6gRYuIMz84AqRFGddofiI7XAJymEBhqXAjal09CP3CbSwcVaVMc3aW2zv9Won1_Yf2TZ40eOeUkczSXMuGr_v1Cb0-lc-w/w426-h640/IMG_3420.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Arizona woodpecker, life bird #578</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibc7uAIEOlN9qDIxbRVvE4baalLWBBbp3jxyrLM5YqiD844_E9J7mmuwT6UE_i4AKJ5iz3v8UV5QfHunzdoquA9_MmnwK-kZMR9jY6atFNjyZT0xOfgDjkD_7dcK-yHIyJZCqm-vZVAhYyyZoZd7T_2EiJ17vaHJYHR8u3LRyBIH4dOU0dVWhFReE1_w/s1874/IMG_3421.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1249" data-original-width="1874" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibc7uAIEOlN9qDIxbRVvE4baalLWBBbp3jxyrLM5YqiD844_E9J7mmuwT6UE_i4AKJ5iz3v8UV5QfHunzdoquA9_MmnwK-kZMR9jY6atFNjyZT0xOfgDjkD_7dcK-yHIyJZCqm-vZVAhYyyZoZd7T_2EiJ17vaHJYHR8u3LRyBIH4dOU0dVWhFReE1_w/w640-h426/IMG_3421.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Hepatic tanager, life bird #576</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju4Q-xGCJc4tMq5m1IkXJOLrUsUQC0zRMCP2cKJnZmYC6xm09JQeBYSDHgSXs_kIfcMHQ9RnAVPVofmynJggHESj-I-Jg6L2kDZLbXzPG8GAC_Ut9402Q0jWAiZjoEBjZ722l_DxD_RjrPZymVbe60X10Rrlv6-hcK8UHeTw8XIv5yeWW6NbuPxiLe_Q/s1941/IMG_3427.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1294" data-original-width="1941" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju4Q-xGCJc4tMq5m1IkXJOLrUsUQC0zRMCP2cKJnZmYC6xm09JQeBYSDHgSXs_kIfcMHQ9RnAVPVofmynJggHESj-I-Jg6L2kDZLbXzPG8GAC_Ut9402Q0jWAiZjoEBjZ722l_DxD_RjrPZymVbe60X10Rrlv6-hcK8UHeTw8XIv5yeWW6NbuPxiLe_Q/w640-h426/IMG_3427.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Black-headed grosbeak, life bird #575</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>We left the lodge and holed up at the amphitheater for an hour or so. It was 3:00 in the afternoon, a terrible time to go birding. We were ultimately headed to the end of the road and a hike up the mountain in search of an elegant trogon, but decided to take a break and wait until later in the afternoon. It was so pleasant in the mountains, warm but not hot, and the sun shone through oaks and sycamores along the creek. We chased a few birds around, and had this gorgeous grey hawk circle overhead a few times, but mostly we sat with our boots off and enjoyed the quiet.</div><div> </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkAWDVFJpyBhUORGtdGnzbuILGoKRgFx-NLtwQ0xcZK1HqBBb4rU7VLFQ9HTaEOqNd9mAwzQAVf_Dj4ILEQ7Itv-tPPc3T9r7slQRBKrvI3PYfRJvLUONTsiWIr0LbIiCWev7BmBOtdo_iRnQetvTvK2_0C1hIe8WisEMBhXDYld1Eo3JbqYvYDZ3RMQ/s1759/IMG_3429.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1173" data-original-width="1759" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkAWDVFJpyBhUORGtdGnzbuILGoKRgFx-NLtwQ0xcZK1HqBBb4rU7VLFQ9HTaEOqNd9mAwzQAVf_Dj4ILEQ7Itv-tPPc3T9r7slQRBKrvI3PYfRJvLUONTsiWIr0LbIiCWev7BmBOtdo_iRnQetvTvK2_0C1hIe8WisEMBhXDYld1Eo3JbqYvYDZ3RMQ/w640-h426/IMG_3429.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Gray hawk.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>We eventually made our way to the upper parking area and the trailhead. We carried water and hiking poles and optics and hiked up the mountain. We talked to a few people who had either heard the trogon themselves or who had talked to others who had heard/seen them. We reached the spot where they had been most active but it was quiet. Lisa and I pushed farther up the Carrie Nation trail to where it crosses the creek, leaving Lori (and her new knees) to keep watch. <br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWpTjciFeBse6_UXZtMFNtaUkqgHLtvjl1yttC6WnKLKH4lksR5kZASBBJhFRH2rOWD8puHZn9ckc0L5of31rDytrhPweqfJTBhuSqpz1nEMwQ8K9qq_mRULNobkXGpwdaBC273OX_ulcJqJ3YyRDtK8oecphi_IAnSABPBNpY2fwOIjvCihmnG9Y7pg/s2393/IMG_8949.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1795" data-original-width="2393" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWpTjciFeBse6_UXZtMFNtaUkqgHLtvjl1yttC6WnKLKH4lksR5kZASBBJhFRH2rOWD8puHZn9ckc0L5of31rDytrhPweqfJTBhuSqpz1nEMwQ8K9qq_mRULNobkXGpwdaBC273OX_ulcJqJ3YyRDtK8oecphi_IAnSABPBNpY2fwOIjvCihmnG9Y7pg/w640-h480/IMG_8949.heic" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>We ended up dipping on the trogon (wouldn't be the first time) but it was such a gorgeous day that we hardly noticed.</div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Vhs7WAI_icoWPjBnAwOp9zp9s0JKcZkanwzAsSE8RJ2LGH4jytL_7-TsTCNBfPltq1JbDK2o7APPMv8g1sBrLEjUwU-_IeOCDZ_gqvSxxDBLhLQk0qJ1d3GnCkkjS0JPDsxX4n7rITOq_8H9zADbvP_iR7eUHyIszqJyJLGA3DIcF3R94DZob5XdjQ/s4032/IMG_8950.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Vhs7WAI_icoWPjBnAwOp9zp9s0JKcZkanwzAsSE8RJ2LGH4jytL_7-TsTCNBfPltq1JbDK2o7APPMv8g1sBrLEjUwU-_IeOCDZ_gqvSxxDBLhLQk0qJ1d3GnCkkjS0JPDsxX4n7rITOq_8H9zADbvP_iR7eUHyIszqJyJLGA3DIcF3R94DZob5XdjQ/w480-h640/IMG_8950.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRSeHmcmKa-PmKWa4NVruEQi34lItvrVZDTnw9ttZHHXVcwqFlfUIicTQPdOPfKfTNgXy4RLTzgEDJKR3tuhoXWm8c8yq7iocEDmBxjxHZFLOQXS5ai_o4f3IHPvI6IspCdbmQ__5t4P9HvmkwlVu5GDP47s6CicjQ2C0ulRwg_yEeFMMz6sQeop0-Rw/s4032/IMG_8956.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRSeHmcmKa-PmKWa4NVruEQi34lItvrVZDTnw9ttZHHXVcwqFlfUIicTQPdOPfKfTNgXy4RLTzgEDJKR3tuhoXWm8c8yq7iocEDmBxjxHZFLOQXS5ai_o4f3IHPvI6IspCdbmQ__5t4P9HvmkwlVu5GDP47s6CicjQ2C0ulRwg_yEeFMMz6sQeop0-Rw/w640-h480/IMG_8956.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8D_1yEkKGBAck7oYyVi1oIAPLzLNlydO6j0w9D_O0lac5OCwhQK9P8t0oIrjaDRcfjO9ANJ1l8gqavfSqqfYfuK-7Cxpv_fkH_4a8f6_loCETpx_b_gIJZyIrKXMtgx9sFKr_RgULjmmKqprC8sw8OWPyl5WVpZY-78GiQCdAHFgMw3QnUcbbzl5G5Q/s4032/IMG_8953.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8D_1yEkKGBAck7oYyVi1oIAPLzLNlydO6j0w9D_O0lac5OCwhQK9P8t0oIrjaDRcfjO9ANJ1l8gqavfSqqfYfuK-7Cxpv_fkH_4a8f6_loCETpx_b_gIJZyIrKXMtgx9sFKr_RgULjmmKqprC8sw8OWPyl5WVpZY-78GiQCdAHFgMw3QnUcbbzl5G5Q/w480-h640/IMG_8953.HEIC" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Lori enjoyed being able to walk again.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Water in the creek was intermittent. Sometimes it was on the surface, sometimes underground. The sound of it was welcome and magical in this arid, drought-ridden region.</div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJojPjZErndUIjfTilRoLo5w8xz10Pi83PLumMlGQECT30zC5ok3lE1OiZH8SLTtVWBuGdCWTt3N5kpv22uhBPG_4H3zxDRIky_KhPnZAHdP3AZ4D2FrdTbdgHRKE75T4gKsgWeR5HAZPbFG7jeCCU36MYVIwZQ8lUapcOdh0tk0Wvtfl2NTSdymjSQ/s4032/IMG_8955.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJojPjZErndUIjfTilRoLo5w8xz10Pi83PLumMlGQECT30zC5ok3lE1OiZH8SLTtVWBuGdCWTt3N5kpv22uhBPG_4H3zxDRIky_KhPnZAHdP3AZ4D2FrdTbdgHRKE75T4gKsgWeR5HAZPbFG7jeCCU36MYVIwZQ8lUapcOdh0tk0Wvtfl2NTSdymjSQ/w480-h640/IMG_8955.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>We left the Santa Ritas without a trogon but we would have other chances. We arrived back in town for a late dinner (this became a theme) and headed to bed. Arizona doesn't do Daylight Saving Time so they are essentially on Pacific time in the summer. This means an early sunrise (pre-6:00 am) and an early sunset (7:00 pm) in mid-April. That's a strange thing for us, where the sun is setting well after 8:00 pm this time of year.</div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpLeReHQyIsCASPxa-_Nvc29ecz84p2B4zb9-1jXId5KEVyOfGPsAdmM9POe-Hd7PrfgAV_q2mzQH7Oe2y5eX0VFdH9X6gdDTYTywWpjoohmkx5FY2dy8UPVH84eGGq6tMvA15f9kivDK15lWQg3T5BC_qGKK4JljfcMI00SiHb_AnNiCp0rnu8EUPhQ/s2041/IMG_8971.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1531" data-original-width="2041" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpLeReHQyIsCASPxa-_Nvc29ecz84p2B4zb9-1jXId5KEVyOfGPsAdmM9POe-Hd7PrfgAV_q2mzQH7Oe2y5eX0VFdH9X6gdDTYTywWpjoohmkx5FY2dy8UPVH84eGGq6tMvA15f9kivDK15lWQg3T5BC_qGKK4JljfcMI00SiHb_AnNiCp0rnu8EUPhQ/w640-h480/IMG_8971.heic" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Day three (April 22nd) would be more about connecting with old friends than about birds, but there was still plenty of amazing things to see. That's coming up next.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12736098600288028338noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558377963798102771.post-60745543067994405692022-05-02T09:58:00.003-04:002022-05-02T10:06:11.129-04:00Southeast Arizona's "Sky Islands"--A Long Overdue Birding Adventure<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Over the past few years we have had several major, out-of-state trips canceled for one reason or another. In June of 2020 we had a trip to Alaska scheduled. We were to rent an RV and drive the Alaska Highway, visit Tok, Fairbanks, Denali, then down to Homer to paddle Katchemak Bay. After that we were to head over to Seward for a day on a sight-seeing trip to Northwestern Glacier. But all of that was canned due to COVID. Then last year I signed us up for a guided birding trip to Colombia, the country with the most species of birds (over 1900). That trip, set to happen in early December 2021, got switched to a trip to Costa Rica when not enough people signed up for Colombia. Then the tour company went out of business.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was determined that we were going to go somewhere. We had travelled to the Badlands, Yellowstone, and Grand Teton in 2016 and that had been our last big adventure. I looked at our schedule and saw a gap in April, then I looked at my bucket list. Arizona popped out like an engorged tick. (Well, that doesn't sound pleasant.) Like an angry pimple. Oh never mind, you know what I mean. I had never been to the state and had never birded the southwest. Also there's a big birding festival in the state in August (monsoon season) that I would like to do some day, but that would mean having work of the region's birds. I talked to the girls and they approved so I planned the trip.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We almost had to cancel our plans again when, on our way to a show in SE Michigan the week before we were to leave for Arizona, the wheels literally fell off. Less than an hour from home the bearings seized on the camper and the tire fell off. We nearly missed the show but Lisa came to deal with getting the camper to the repair shop and we continued to Novi, staying with my mom during the show.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidwaf9wgVdrxfOkck0-aN1xTEGXaBI9eI1grXIS-q1Yw2EDu9hOFds2tEfmucdyKGDEf0NquooSh-pyghx_cNGTin2-TNiuLz40LJOYqneGCjZ4xIH6-s-2In_oKjc1kywxmCw4h_sGukntVOjnDYQ7iT08tTR-3KunPT7L2AxK_aSY-xdc89mN5Ua4g/s4032/IMG_8756.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidwaf9wgVdrxfOkck0-aN1xTEGXaBI9eI1grXIS-q1Yw2EDu9hOFds2tEfmucdyKGDEf0NquooSh-pyghx_cNGTin2-TNiuLz40LJOYqneGCjZ4xIH6-s-2In_oKjc1kywxmCw4h_sGukntVOjnDYQ7iT08tTR-3KunPT7L2AxK_aSY-xdc89mN5Ua4g/w480-h640/IMG_8756.HEIC" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I think we need that....</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It took six hours and multiple tow trucks to get the thing to the repair shop (that's a story of its own) and when the mechanic looked at it the following Monday he said we needed a new axle, and that wouldn't be available for 4-6 weeks. Not only did that mean to trip to Arizona was in jeopardy but it was also going to affect our show season. There are a myriad of reasons whey we camp at shows rather than get hotels (which, again, could be its own post) so we considered our options, which were few.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlUe_ttwXQEljxSxwKCkNugWwN_D8P4GIL1p1desQ4W29ypvZdaAeB02KdsdU_sf24nHNsTrty6nknT2AO6tcpK5V8hVIWgZmt9QznTGfj0Kr0G-stPy1MnQWIQbkkbfNP2WONZSjJvNuSwP07W2NYiHQgFtPC9Gdp6Z8X_YkyzxMb9VLhq9XrxUu4bA/s4032/IMG_8760.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlUe_ttwXQEljxSxwKCkNugWwN_D8P4GIL1p1desQ4W29ypvZdaAeB02KdsdU_sf24nHNsTrty6nknT2AO6tcpK5V8hVIWgZmt9QznTGfj0Kr0G-stPy1MnQWIQbkkbfNP2WONZSjJvNuSwP07W2NYiHQgFtPC9Gdp6Z8X_YkyzxMb9VLhq9XrxUu4bA/w640-h480/IMG_8760.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>You would not believe what this cost.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What we ended up doing was buying a new (used) camper. It was not an expense we were planning for but after talking it through we decided to take the plunge, get something a bit bigger that would be better suited for all three of us (even though it's often just me on the road) and then sell the other camper after it's fixed. Much like used cars, campers are in high demand still. We got lucky with this one (two feet longer, 6" wider, and has a slide out) as it had just come in the day before as a trade-in. We snatched it up. Not only is it much nicer than our other camper (better quality parts and build) but it has a double axle. This way, if a wheel falls off, there's another one that will at least allow us to limp to the repair shop.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi39j9ZVoLlCxp7Bv98Dg1Pi7xIfj-dM_0Wccu71l3VRsHbdDJRUbGj3E01EaDNeMMNuNYay88isL1I2An2iPAojaqn_aAaGhJVYqynT1AkS8XIHyl2zVvVVtaeoiDTz7kDw-nm-POufRxqCmo2OwNmf7wKnFqT6TUXxNtVL-5rHr4bsGKk0qvNroltlg/s800/IMG_8809.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi39j9ZVoLlCxp7Bv98Dg1Pi7xIfj-dM_0Wccu71l3VRsHbdDJRUbGj3E01EaDNeMMNuNYay88isL1I2An2iPAojaqn_aAaGhJVYqynT1AkS8XIHyl2zVvVVtaeoiDTz7kDw-nm-POufRxqCmo2OwNmf7wKnFqT6TUXxNtVL-5rHr4bsGKk0qvNroltlg/w640-h480/IMG_8809.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This thing feels super fancy compared to what we've had in the past, and I in turn feel super spoiled. It's amazing what a difference having that couple extra feet that the slide-out gives you in the center of the camper--it feels enormous even though it's not much bigger than the Wolf Pup. Of course it came with it's own set of problems. We bought it on a Tuesday but had to leave it until Saturday so they could "prep it." That meant leaving two days late, but that was better than not going at all. But when we got it home it became clear they hadn't actually done a damn thing, and we discovered that the water system leaked and was not usable and we couldn't get the refrigerator to light (we fixed that on the road), among other things. We decided to deal with the inconvenience and just go.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuCNoiw84NvdEGaWv2cfx-7C7vTQm22Dt-sOWOepuBReaL9_wigdHRxEPTmLLY2jQT60jnGvQHdmWCPIAvofqEehON5g60Mn1E_XaMmAUQq_z-PQgTsLHvhCBiZdXEF08WkswAbZdYySRs0D7unaV3XvqV4-_hUjRLPHDxDVKoY2X1oTpaWNi8D-n1tQ/s800/IMG_8812.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuCNoiw84NvdEGaWv2cfx-7C7vTQm22Dt-sOWOepuBReaL9_wigdHRxEPTmLLY2jQT60jnGvQHdmWCPIAvofqEehON5g60Mn1E_XaMmAUQq_z-PQgTsLHvhCBiZdXEF08WkswAbZdYySRs0D7unaV3XvqV4-_hUjRLPHDxDVKoY2X1oTpaWNi8D-n1tQ/w640-h480/IMG_8812.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Arizona is a big state but we planned to focus on the southeast region for one main reason--the "sky islands." For more detail you can look them up but basically they were formed by volcanic activity hundreds of millions of years ago. They lie in a region that connects the southern Rockies and the Colorado Plateau to the Sierra Madres in Mexico. Because they are surrounded by a "sea" of desert and desert scrub each mountain range is essentially cut off from the others, hence the idea of islands. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLvW6kH_vgLrgbgYZXDZ3aKJ2Ou3DVnjRYvZJKRqWIXLwJz9yQF8_p76cgzHKfZvBrKZ9i4z9XcyCa42AsFs_gRC6naYdCQJjw1IUkj6HmNghTh3pL6RRqULVnY2D9Flzmu4v-h8tq-cdFHTekH6HuHTsYpVmNOhz66FRSqJduaBxYYe3-tIEDP5QeIQ/s560/coronadoNFmap.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="560" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLvW6kH_vgLrgbgYZXDZ3aKJ2Ou3DVnjRYvZJKRqWIXLwJz9yQF8_p76cgzHKfZvBrKZ9i4z9XcyCa42AsFs_gRC6naYdCQJjw1IUkj6HmNghTh3pL6RRqULVnY2D9Flzmu4v-h8tq-cdFHTekH6HuHTsYpVmNOhz66FRSqJduaBxYYe3-tIEDP5QeIQ/w640-h500/coronadoNFmap.gif" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidzfsQxC_PjEgrToNK9L9IzTabBzyuxUBZwulMcW-PjnvJ4exBGaKOnT14z4wmaTFKUaXmZuzeZbix99pyTULinieJcNC6xE6EQk8yeWeIkb453EP2xaojMVBB-sDbfkjruHVvp8CH2uMlBo1KFAS9pIpatP-SUPTZ9cE2rp2NrlSue4aWTyQbxsUZDA/s1275/map%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="665" data-original-width="1275" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidzfsQxC_PjEgrToNK9L9IzTabBzyuxUBZwulMcW-PjnvJ4exBGaKOnT14z4wmaTFKUaXmZuzeZbix99pyTULinieJcNC6xE6EQk8yeWeIkb453EP2xaojMVBB-sDbfkjruHVvp8CH2uMlBo1KFAS9pIpatP-SUPTZ9cE2rp2NrlSue4aWTyQbxsUZDA/w640-h334/map%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The region is rich in biodiversity because as one travels up in elevation, the climate changes and creates differing bioregions that support completely different species. According to the Sky Island Alliance, there are nine bioregions, or life zones, in the mountains of Southeast Arizona: <span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif;">Sonoran Desert scrub, desert grassland, open oak woodland, canyon woodland, pine – oak woodland, pine – oak forest, pine forest, montane fir forest, and subalpine forest. The Pinaleño Mountains and the Santa Catalina Mountains are two of the ranges in southeastern Arizona that reach the highest life zone (subalpine forest). </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here's a graphic I found online showing the different bioregions or life zones: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Uldkrnguf-24UFyu_JVU8Cc6FzJSszYqmER7_tkAuV8Q570qeFKbQQ-GeCDwnWlu2VyWGUBNnF7dXTT5gebLZvDKYWXAmXrMVZAV-crEbv9lw9ZeSnxHglpJeU1seWSmgwqKox8Js-TChDv3BFoRujl5i7ofnIN0neJVlPZyUAyYId8gvFKGRJAlUg/s850/VegetationZones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="284" data-original-width="850" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Uldkrnguf-24UFyu_JVU8Cc6FzJSszYqmER7_tkAuV8Q570qeFKbQQ-GeCDwnWlu2VyWGUBNnF7dXTT5gebLZvDKYWXAmXrMVZAV-crEbv9lw9ZeSnxHglpJeU1seWSmgwqKox8Js-TChDv3BFoRujl5i7ofnIN0neJVlPZyUAyYId8gvFKGRJAlUg/w640-h214/VegetationZones.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This all means that one can travel 6,000 feet <i>up</i> and visit habitat consistent with travelling 1,000 <i>miles</i> north. It hosts hundreds of bird species, some resident, some breeders, some migrants using the mountains to hopscotch north. Also, because it's so close to the border there are some species there that are not normally found in the states, such as elegant trogon, eared quetzal, and flame-colored tanager. It is, in short, a birder's paradise. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFB7BxO7VafJxPEPc0Nhsl8e5ZSPTH6xg-U5ngeEvILeXvZS7W8e2Pt1sKvirhizH2mUKYX_fZ1RXi8wz1YdN4vn_R1gzqKGD5HjjRIjj55aKrAR4UChKop7yPJ6prAuwxufp_7jW_nKOgDcqLfGpdn6Tpjm0AOxROAi8Nel0MV3ESWCRzIBc17eXo9A/s800/bio%20influences.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="618" data-original-width="800" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFB7BxO7VafJxPEPc0Nhsl8e5ZSPTH6xg-U5ngeEvILeXvZS7W8e2Pt1sKvirhizH2mUKYX_fZ1RXi8wz1YdN4vn_R1gzqKGD5HjjRIjj55aKrAR4UChKop7yPJ6prAuwxufp_7jW_nKOgDcqLfGpdn6Tpjm0AOxROAi8Nel0MV3ESWCRzIBc17eXo9A/w640-h494/bio%20influences.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We busted our butts to get there in three days. We stayed with Marcy Gray, a most gracious host who allowed us to park next to her house, plug into her electricity and use her showers. Not only that but she spent two days driving us all over the place. She has a guide book-level knowledge of the region and what birds are where and when they can be found. She liked to point out to people we met on our travels that she's not a professional guide but she sure as hell could be.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We had arrived with just enough time before dark to set up the camper, so I was up and out at dawn the next day to have a look around. Wow. Her neighborhood sits at the southern edge of the Santa Catalinas in Tucson, and the morning sun lit them up. I had Bailey with me so I'd left my camera back at the ranch--there were far too many pokey, bitey things that he could get into and with his intensely impetuous nature that I had to watch him like a hawk. Even so, I managed to see five new species in the 15 minutes we were out. I decided I needed to get up even earlier the next day and head out with my camera.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEHinP_M8XPaPM00dDqNHRwADYstfxIc0KUTfFej_R2k6Vo3jg7GGcx2f1-V5kgW-jzWe5BeuNH3jNWsZ-BEpP0LSIJ-vQpCPOjZzUx_N6YBpF0XmAl9YAx1L6Cwy-8SGeSO6KrzQyYYuX9BjNB781YG-YZJch_BRdQWhme3nzcD8BV4iPG8Jki3DKsg/s4032/IMG_8872.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEHinP_M8XPaPM00dDqNHRwADYstfxIc0KUTfFej_R2k6Vo3jg7GGcx2f1-V5kgW-jzWe5BeuNH3jNWsZ-BEpP0LSIJ-vQpCPOjZzUx_N6YBpF0XmAl9YAx1L6Cwy-8SGeSO6KrzQyYYuX9BjNB781YG-YZJch_BRdQWhme3nzcD8BV4iPG8Jki3DKsg/w640-h480/IMG_8872.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAq4XGB-vBeGU9jhtb7zv_paVTtbkDmslwl84TYqtczklWFLknPMNTDgQTlhQ2CKizYFim9Yfkd24f7Aw_PHHvVdqnNsMFImT4XJ_2Nx1-zAgnSk2QR6CSYH2LbnCa8993DDxbkh1fyN7jC-EiFGGjdknZT60L55Vsuc1AT_NGFD05OKDzpvxjKNJbCQ/s4032/IMG_8877.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAq4XGB-vBeGU9jhtb7zv_paVTtbkDmslwl84TYqtczklWFLknPMNTDgQTlhQ2CKizYFim9Yfkd24f7Aw_PHHvVdqnNsMFImT4XJ_2Nx1-zAgnSk2QR6CSYH2LbnCa8993DDxbkh1fyN7jC-EiFGGjdknZT60L55Vsuc1AT_NGFD05OKDzpvxjKNJbCQ/w480-h640/IMG_8877.HEIC" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Chain-fruit cholla (pronounced choy-a). <br />One of the many pokey things I had to keep Bailey--and myself--out of. </i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglfhcib4KEh3GUwltVIJFLbzMuv5jmi38pBQyn9aSUsUBDszrFsMyGetC6lJd2KJh13I_Jr5tp_5jrBPH3Ry9m0crBBdohOn5zbTYVrlep_-DVjx0kU-9ZYnjUPiF12Bzg1GfBTSy8hQjWqYNfNUlVUR8c5uaUIT9q7NxK0WKoo0gYCpk-hemZdDbGfA/s4032/IMG_8881.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglfhcib4KEh3GUwltVIJFLbzMuv5jmi38pBQyn9aSUsUBDszrFsMyGetC6lJd2KJh13I_Jr5tp_5jrBPH3Ry9m0crBBdohOn5zbTYVrlep_-DVjx0kU-9ZYnjUPiF12Bzg1GfBTSy8hQjWqYNfNUlVUR8c5uaUIT9q7NxK0WKoo0gYCpk-hemZdDbGfA/w480-h640/IMG_8881.HEIC" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Fruits of a staghorn cholla.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'd had something of an itinerary planned out and had wanted to head to Saguaro National Park the first day, but the forecast was for highs in mid-90s. I am not a fan of the heat so we rearranged our plans and headed up into the mountains. One of the reasons the sky islands host such great diversity is that, in addition to squeezing out what moisture is left from the winter rains coming in off the Pacific, the temperature gets gradually cooler the higher up one travels--it can be 25-30 degrees cooler at the highest elevations than down in the desert. Day one, therefore, saw us head up into the Santa Catalinas and up to Mt. Lemmon.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is a beautiful, twisty drive with many pull outs. I'm grateful that Marcy was driving as I would have been distracted by the views at every turn. We were gobsmacked by the saguaros, which grow up to an elevation of about 4,000 feet. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQpedo7YLrwungKW2KHwp4oJ3nJvyrgcbJzaNfqN2YaAcYEGzBb4KeH6srxMlTGjxSv-WeUTk0VTiT-7ceuyerK8Rra5ysr7CFWvRRGrBDN7JdTU8rC5QtIPiQ-laXoEC4j9ERuTECZJUCZ3Ra8NZGkb8aJxEpnE_IqW-3yRYWbhMA33XY_GI7vby0eQ/s4032/IMG_8886.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQpedo7YLrwungKW2KHwp4oJ3nJvyrgcbJzaNfqN2YaAcYEGzBb4KeH6srxMlTGjxSv-WeUTk0VTiT-7ceuyerK8Rra5ysr7CFWvRRGrBDN7JdTU8rC5QtIPiQ-laXoEC4j9ERuTECZJUCZ3Ra8NZGkb8aJxEpnE_IqW-3yRYWbhMA33XY_GI7vby0eQ/w640-h480/IMG_8886.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC8ymain6A4xXKaba-ju8zb9Bpmyw7mlGO3QQgJYXf0W8D3GAzpt6547zyJMJj9JGHiTCvUyG8jmc-j4UltJYBLZgP3OsEDIXZ_PWFlGzwHXrxp2Kuq-8w50SX8iYTXAetDYrs5O-oKn-2WoM2qsos-2XEsmzXfXZkLgf-h5TvShPz2yn5tQbxEVSoog/s8408/IMG_8885.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3802" data-original-width="8408" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC8ymain6A4xXKaba-ju8zb9Bpmyw7mlGO3QQgJYXf0W8D3GAzpt6547zyJMJj9JGHiTCvUyG8jmc-j4UltJYBLZgP3OsEDIXZ_PWFlGzwHXrxp2Kuq-8w50SX8iYTXAetDYrs5O-oKn-2WoM2qsos-2XEsmzXfXZkLgf-h5TvShPz2yn5tQbxEVSoog/w640-h290/IMG_8885.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Looking south towards Tucson from the Babad Do'ag Vista.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The first bird I photographed was the rather ubiquitous black-throated sparrow. I chased a pair around a shrub at the overlook until the male gave up and came out and perched, singing . </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2kjiIXz7Y9e89YtUekCQIVQZrbZUR2QYsa04uL-7j3jXhSy58CPi8DQF2940Ek5vtvCDfw76YJZzFa6Q1mNLXsMIjEFD6fLLdj5TKtX63UtlV8nhiHunVZeH2AbiMF7-q71ffxW1hGXbKNpmgHuEx2qtW6dckyaZXcFTlbLjcLttQvmNVo6TjrOTCDw/s2178/IMG_3349.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1452" data-original-width="2178" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2kjiIXz7Y9e89YtUekCQIVQZrbZUR2QYsa04uL-7j3jXhSy58CPi8DQF2940Ek5vtvCDfw76YJZzFa6Q1mNLXsMIjEFD6fLLdj5TKtX63UtlV8nhiHunVZeH2AbiMF7-q71ffxW1hGXbKNpmgHuEx2qtW6dckyaZXcFTlbLjcLttQvmNVo6TjrOTCDw/w640-h426/IMG_3349.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Black-throated sparrow, life bird #563.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As promised, the higher we drove the habitat changed. We found Woodhouse's scrub jays and Townsend's warblers at 5,000 feet, but another couple hundred feet higher and the jays were the similar but distinct Mexican jay.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh56jbyfBwdbN9BaemK0_p3N6bQW7Xid6QfYTUZf1oQFS3co8vGgOBvnrWOxGYIj6pDlHYVTKfRmej3YYLH6aRBQrUc20k_19Uz1cFVsxCkAzo-lY70R2tU3qyaguym1c7wfuRG70BgVRdOywqe9DgvPo19YB6bBsEn_sjLP-cTGuvbvux8lN0Q_ae-QQ/s1685/IMG_3347.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1123" data-original-width="1685" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh56jbyfBwdbN9BaemK0_p3N6bQW7Xid6QfYTUZf1oQFS3co8vGgOBvnrWOxGYIj6pDlHYVTKfRmej3YYLH6aRBQrUc20k_19Uz1cFVsxCkAzo-lY70R2tU3qyaguym1c7wfuRG70BgVRdOywqe9DgvPo19YB6bBsEn_sjLP-cTGuvbvux8lN0Q_ae-QQ/w640-h426/IMG_3347.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Woodhouse's scrub jay, life bird #564</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We stopped in the Bear Canyon area and stayed until lunch. I chased a bunch of birds around, including this gorgeous yellow-eyed junco. They too were quite ubiquitous and I had many opportunities to photograph them. Being in the sparrow family they were typically low to the ground and easy to photograph.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg304aHDphBZ7xai2qW7JtS8UDnzLpx_oSbII1POAk8rCLGJZ2vbHhlJuVkTMKFUTSG6hJxktOHTR_dgi_pw6kkY2sNBjZXdEBVQr4d-unu3RO31P8I32MEn8UbbpXlmtJL7MRohtIGYewT6njKWRgkUa867s0PVFr-T6l0Sa3R_LGbfIYAfBDwsRCUQw/s1993/IMG_3340.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1329" data-original-width="1993" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg304aHDphBZ7xai2qW7JtS8UDnzLpx_oSbII1POAk8rCLGJZ2vbHhlJuVkTMKFUTSG6hJxktOHTR_dgi_pw6kkY2sNBjZXdEBVQr4d-unu3RO31P8I32MEn8UbbpXlmtJL7MRohtIGYewT6njKWRgkUa867s0PVFr-T6l0Sa3R_LGbfIYAfBDwsRCUQw/w640-h426/IMG_3340.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Yellow-eyed junco, life bird #567. (eBird doesn't record birds in order of when you see them but in <br />taxonomic order, if they are all in one report. I did actually see them before the redstarts<br />and Grace's that follow.)</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div>There was nothing easy about photographing the painted redstart. A low to mid canopy dweller they were constantly on the move. While bright sunshine is good for the soul it's awful for shooting a black bird in a shady tree. I was happy to come away with anything. Some photographers will use playback (playing a species' song over a speaker) to try to bring a bird in closer for better photos but that's not my thing. I settle for what they give me.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-a8zDEp-FEP6vT3voWYGmjt6VNB4Ox3ie6fzyFZQHdgSUF2MlBY79Pf_92PrW72K4b_X3zITyjQ5eAyEkxbzJox7mG7FFujgjLczuiXghiGgLm4Uh4g8A1o60V0jsMiJT0sl8NHYIqVizqZw1Xj5-nLrbNLODDKSfEwmG1MiYiGm_TjYAijrTuTzSlA/s1693/IMG_3341.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1693" data-original-width="1129" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-a8zDEp-FEP6vT3voWYGmjt6VNB4Ox3ie6fzyFZQHdgSUF2MlBY79Pf_92PrW72K4b_X3zITyjQ5eAyEkxbzJox7mG7FFujgjLczuiXghiGgLm4Uh4g8A1o60V0jsMiJT0sl8NHYIqVizqZw1Xj5-nLrbNLODDKSfEwmG1MiYiGm_TjYAijrTuTzSlA/w426-h640/IMG_3341.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Painted redstart, life bird #565. This image could use more processing <br />but I don't have time for that right now!</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The redstart has a habit of fanning its wings and tail, and I was happy to catch a couple shots of this behavior.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEFrBciWk-qDPN_dmTuK4BwLfEBc1BoTLnae7a83bmQRR3NB0D2xzFmpTd4kUHptvGy5JMZMQvLzNqQKOqZQJgWJJvwKzN4OyL9Wq2Lbkgmqx6TiE3OxbEILjS4vJqtc3ulyHx0WV2nmMnvPeKLfeSNhjAwEs1CPXYekXALFclbHIffjcZXsMEfSsHdg/s1684/IMG_3344.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1123" data-original-width="1684" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEFrBciWk-qDPN_dmTuK4BwLfEBc1BoTLnae7a83bmQRR3NB0D2xzFmpTd4kUHptvGy5JMZMQvLzNqQKOqZQJgWJJvwKzN4OyL9Wq2Lbkgmqx6TiE3OxbEILjS4vJqtc3ulyHx0WV2nmMnvPeKLfeSNhjAwEs1CPXYekXALFclbHIffjcZXsMEfSsHdg/w640-h426/IMG_3344.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I lucked out and fired off a couple shots of a warbler moving through a pine near our picnic table. Turned out to be a Grace's warbler, one of only two I saw (and the only one I got pics of).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqyd_veqXDSFvVnXdMHG5-PCEqZYm7x_DTV9jq49_DuqSpndafkuuKe_9lLwqFSDA_0XVrvS8sP-UVR4OrjEr9wPz85-eDthBFuaFKIPJ7EO_3kIkIU5sgXv0i8HnpDXXZ_cTIrcefUFbuLwvBm3Vsa3Yx2EA0bC19pzszvcIl0XN373TfELo1jK_ZwA/s1077/IMG_3326.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="718" data-original-width="1077" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqyd_veqXDSFvVnXdMHG5-PCEqZYm7x_DTV9jq49_DuqSpndafkuuKe_9lLwqFSDA_0XVrvS8sP-UVR4OrjEr9wPz85-eDthBFuaFKIPJ7EO_3kIkIU5sgXv0i8HnpDXXZ_cTIrcefUFbuLwvBm3Vsa3Yx2EA0bC19pzszvcIl0XN373TfELo1jK_ZwA/w640-h426/IMG_3326.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Grace's warbler, life bird #566</i></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As we pushed up the mountain Marcy turned us down Incinerator Road, with "road" used loosely. It wasn't terrible but I'm glad she has a high-clearance vehicle. We found our target there--red-faced warbler.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDLSJ6Plz_rMfdrGiO0_yk-Z8gH4kmSJD1FWM1tW3mnfnokstnK54nmsp-msCPCm5JXNKLlcxLy6EonYP-mmQWkz-OUauLYOnMaiy6faAkGGpseVqa5VnkaISFxr2OHwqWiKR-sTb_o59qHUDuOMxgAjKOa5lC9PsdDymqEbeDL5oojgdGaImxnF4PVw/s1745/IMG_3336.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1163" data-original-width="1745" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDLSJ6Plz_rMfdrGiO0_yk-Z8gH4kmSJD1FWM1tW3mnfnokstnK54nmsp-msCPCm5JXNKLlcxLy6EonYP-mmQWkz-OUauLYOnMaiy6faAkGGpseVqa5VnkaISFxr2OHwqWiKR-sTb_o59qHUDuOMxgAjKOa5lC9PsdDymqEbeDL5oojgdGaImxnF4PVw/w640-h426/IMG_3336.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Red-faced warbler, life bird #569</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We drove to the end of the road near Mt. Lemmon, then headed back down, stopping in the town of Summerhaven. This place has been recently burned in wildfires and is being rebuilt. The whole region, already hot and dry, is getting hotter and drier, and wildfires are becoming a greater risk with each passing year.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_GQkcd33Wq4q4Huoo5G0LyNLijokhFP4FN3-Q-SUG8x0P89wBgG6GrqY7clvKrpr_gmZanzNsXODxhoXXSDWSbmtmoj4HvMvR75VLcfNAXk8VhFrcFTRjIs2PubtSzUzhTFsc4jb6zZroTU8fBAGPjEF1ZbhkQZebCAEy-Vpf6Krx8yiypDlj3R0rcA/s4032/IMG_8906.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_GQkcd33Wq4q4Huoo5G0LyNLijokhFP4FN3-Q-SUG8x0P89wBgG6GrqY7clvKrpr_gmZanzNsXODxhoXXSDWSbmtmoj4HvMvR75VLcfNAXk8VhFrcFTRjIs2PubtSzUzhTFsc4jb6zZroTU8fBAGPjEF1ZbhkQZebCAEy-Vpf6Krx8yiypDlj3R0rcA/w480-h640/IMG_8906.HEIC" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>View from (near) the top.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sabino Creek begins just outside Summerhaven and runs all the way down the Santa Catalinas to Marcy's neighborhood. In Summerhaven it had water, but by the time it reached Tucson it was dry. Up here the creek attracted all kinds of birds, including a large flock of pine siskin, song sparrows, juncos, thrushes, and towhees.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvdI4_lVJWeRbUBFxAPTXiUmglawg1xGRbyOb0IVfSgafJP6_lppSNEKKTzBvEuFUWDNzVAgiHbUpiPUl_6wRmr8lw_Apzxx6mCMK2u0GaNgXKlnms3kHmAkXO4yRBwv5haBAfdFaGfQ1DOP3T9OFJvNG7XLz4NZmz0QoQu3BuDRsokuoWy2ZPo8S3JQ/s2217/IMG_3330.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1478" data-original-width="2217" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvdI4_lVJWeRbUBFxAPTXiUmglawg1xGRbyOb0IVfSgafJP6_lppSNEKKTzBvEuFUWDNzVAgiHbUpiPUl_6wRmr8lw_Apzxx6mCMK2u0GaNgXKlnms3kHmAkXO4yRBwv5haBAfdFaGfQ1DOP3T9OFJvNG7XLz4NZmz0QoQu3BuDRsokuoWy2ZPo8S3JQ/w640-h426/IMG_3330.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Spotted towhee, not a lifer but first decent photos I've gotten of one.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji5A4NzGaMt9KhEyEFCsDLxaPh-56maro5f-w6_JVfZQVpDnjfY6Yw6MUgFumT3vt7BAvyZY4NilonuobCiwhwI2IEhvPcdQDH5k5sKQMftWh4R1BSG6RT9a7ecOdtSw_yXcWBh73yCNngY3j_y5HKpHjmMYUqu9NBxZVAqV45FYBZvDMt_W0Y7Jqz8w/s3869/IMG_3333.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2579" data-original-width="3869" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji5A4NzGaMt9KhEyEFCsDLxaPh-56maro5f-w6_JVfZQVpDnjfY6Yw6MUgFumT3vt7BAvyZY4NilonuobCiwhwI2IEhvPcdQDH5k5sKQMftWh4R1BSG6RT9a7ecOdtSw_yXcWBh73yCNngY3j_y5HKpHjmMYUqu9NBxZVAqV45FYBZvDMt_W0Y7Jqz8w/w640-h426/IMG_3333.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Another yellow-eyed junco because jeepers that's a gorgeous little bird.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKsGNnmxjCUXbbouXFOa2DL29Dq9OyxGgvLGV_aEVONIsY-sG2JN5pE849sbQK48oCE8m67zkCOCgF1z3qW2Jyr62qKSvUXakRRDe5hqAygXLVVpoALuqVXkJ6D3nFmhCJ1m-XdwrpTpLl1-JI2_BcPahMj8X8yd8fNvha1psT4loW7N9wnZJ7h00znw/s4032/IMG_8910.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKsGNnmxjCUXbbouXFOa2DL29Dq9OyxGgvLGV_aEVONIsY-sG2JN5pE849sbQK48oCE8m67zkCOCgF1z3qW2Jyr62qKSvUXakRRDe5hqAygXLVVpoALuqVXkJ6D3nFmhCJ1m-XdwrpTpLl1-JI2_BcPahMj8X8yd8fNvha1psT4loW7N9wnZJ7h00znw/w480-h640/IMG_8910.HEIC" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Burn-scarred trees in Summerhaven.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We made a few stops on the way back down to take in the views, which were prettier in the slanting afternoon light.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq9nIkdNGRiBGCn1OeQD_KGY1tOT0GmxV-El_VbvJ5SMbJLagww2AVZSfnk_nZ3gqH3k2B2XtlpcIopks0UkMEP7vuWu-Qr1cLTVi_GWTW6Mzsz-UT3lJHdJKxJkdddOVJYgtShtWOVMJSAwSu0zz1eU2HE3OrUijB6zuyrY0do6Jk6t-vQ0-xDTm6tg/s4032/IMG_8903.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq9nIkdNGRiBGCn1OeQD_KGY1tOT0GmxV-El_VbvJ5SMbJLagww2AVZSfnk_nZ3gqH3k2B2XtlpcIopks0UkMEP7vuWu-Qr1cLTVi_GWTW6Mzsz-UT3lJHdJKxJkdddOVJYgtShtWOVMJSAwSu0zz1eU2HE3OrUijB6zuyrY0do6Jk6t-vQ0-xDTm6tg/w480-h640/IMG_8903.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSVKFHB5spkgfLmTX3I_ul6JDrflPrmcqSeYq_7Z9IVsAbPHNvRU5_I6llBsuc3V7RyyS6qu9d8pDkxRL2wOmOIxsWCCpVgPBaYu90ZYcEHUKp4_MY16XDfHWDjOue2nQhllAfHBQDkzjtiGy2C17OHZDjc8DQ_7H1pd1b0J2f8BDX0qVyBZRBxLC2IA/s4032/IMG_8911.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSVKFHB5spkgfLmTX3I_ul6JDrflPrmcqSeYq_7Z9IVsAbPHNvRU5_I6llBsuc3V7RyyS6qu9d8pDkxRL2wOmOIxsWCCpVgPBaYu90ZYcEHUKp4_MY16XDfHWDjOue2nQhllAfHBQDkzjtiGy2C17OHZDjc8DQ_7H1pd1b0J2f8BDX0qVyBZRBxLC2IA/w640-h480/IMG_8911.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK85-sB-XNPM5zblyJ9OdGEaXcPBKwdM5RLk6U86GzdCdZEdYo91gQ3ZBivFv0AI1iIVYTD0E7DabGhftUYRRDwiEGX4Le4XxCBO3r2AzKxZ2-8s9HdRlPgzPJ_EtL74ChYrIncFSFFhtm49eMlLqGQYMj9rQPf9uqTMZjYJQMG_yS6g9W-VuoNyRmGw/s4032/IMG_8913.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK85-sB-XNPM5zblyJ9OdGEaXcPBKwdM5RLk6U86GzdCdZEdYo91gQ3ZBivFv0AI1iIVYTD0E7DabGhftUYRRDwiEGX4Le4XxCBO3r2AzKxZ2-8s9HdRlPgzPJ_EtL74ChYrIncFSFFhtm49eMlLqGQYMj9rQPf9uqTMZjYJQMG_yS6g9W-VuoNyRmGw/w480-h640/IMG_8913.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaSqX3XFaIQw0oKJJ2ZFjhcQTHNrsg9F1QF6JVVnaVQZjm74bwjQQFLqFfLbHfpc5nQiZ2ZW1CBpIwMy6Sh9gYgkcdPwqpxz4sMaEECXw9flYvvW_VXgR18Ol-j5JaV2KgRnDL1hzC1Nu3oI6vgNq3uLp86D4GIOmGm9z0_fgYpKaPQCPMeQNNerAJMw/s4032/IMG_8914.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaSqX3XFaIQw0oKJJ2ZFjhcQTHNrsg9F1QF6JVVnaVQZjm74bwjQQFLqFfLbHfpc5nQiZ2ZW1CBpIwMy6Sh9gYgkcdPwqpxz4sMaEECXw9flYvvW_VXgR18Ol-j5JaV2KgRnDL1hzC1Nu3oI6vgNq3uLp86D4GIOmGm9z0_fgYpKaPQCPMeQNNerAJMw/w640-h480/IMG_8914.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>We made it back to town at dusk and Marcy treated <i>us</i> to dinner at El Charro, a restaurant celebrating it's 100th year. Another big WOW right there!</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Next: day 2, the Santa Rita mountains and Madera Canyon.<br /> <p></p></div>Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12736098600288028338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558377963798102771.post-56557797606145663342022-01-03T10:22:00.004-05:002022-01-03T10:23:53.145-05:00A REALLY Big Year, Full Circle<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As the days of December swept by it seemed less and less likely that I would add any new birds to my Michigan Big Year (you can see my list of birds, many with photos, <a href="https://marierust.blogspot.com/p/2021-michigan-big-year-bird-log.html">here</a>). I had recorded 317 species, a number that I could not have imagined I'd reach a year ago when I began this journey--I was hoping I would get to 300! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In addition to doing a Big Year I had also signed up for the 100 Mile Challenge on the North Country Trail, something I had done twice previously. As a section of the trail is 15 minutes from our house, hiking 100 miles should not be difficult--even at one mile a day one would hike 365 miles. But as November slipped by I'd only hiked 40 miles on the NCT (though had gotten many more schlepping my optics around chasing birds) and didn't give finishing much thought until mid-December when I started seeing others getting their patches and deciding I wanted mine too. That meant hiking 60 miles in two weeks.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">With the holidays coming and my rededication to hiking I did not see that I'd be able to pull off any long-distance bird chases. Plus, I was already slipping into my old way of thinking, not wanting to chase birds I'd already seen in another place and time. I passed on chasing a Little Gull that was in Monroe County as I'd already seen one in Michigan a couple years ago. I also passed on kittiwakes and a Northern Gannet, even though they both would have been new Michigan birds. I just didn't have it in me, and I was eager to move on to my next adventure.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But a report on the 29th of a Northern Hawk Owl in Chippewa County in the eastern U.P. gave me pause. I was feeling a bit sentimental about the year and how amazing it had been. It was also kinda of a crappy day, being the 3rd anniversary of my father's death, who had been here with me on hospice care, as well as having found out that Birdwatcher's Digest was closing immediately, a magazine that I had just done a cover for and with whom we have a trip planned (and a lot of money invested) in March to Costa Rica. I'd already seen a hawk owl in Michigan--we'd made an overnight trip to Marquette back in the winter of 2020 to see one. But I'd not gotten great looks at the bird and was not happy with the photos either, and I really wanted to see this species again. This bird was apparently right by a road and giving very good looks.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Looking at my schedule I didn't see how I could do it. I had one day--the next day, the 30th--to finish my 100 miles on the NCT as I had my last of three Christmas Bird Counts to do on the 31st. Finishing the NCT challenge was something I had really devoted myself to since the 13th, hiking over 50 miles in that time, leaving me with about seven to go. Also, I didn't need the bird for any list. While adding to my Big Year number would be nice, it wasn't going to get me back into second place or reach some other milestone number. I could go see it after the new year to get better photos but even that seemed frivolous. Going to see the owl now meant not getting to 100 miles on the NCT--or so I thought.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then it dawned on me. The NCT crosses the Mackinaw Bridge into the U.P., winding through St. Ignace along the water before crossing under I-75 and heading north and west. If I went to see the owl I would be going right past it--or over it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I opened Google Maps and put in the location of the owl--four hours to get there. By all accounts the bird seemed to be on territory, the homeowner saying the bird had been there at least a week before a birder discovered it, so it seemed like as sure of a thing as I could hope for.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I started doing the math. I walk at about 2 mph (most people do) so seven miles would take about 3.5 hours. Sunset it just after 5:00 pm, so to give myself ample time to complete the hike I'd need to be on the trail by noon. There was a trailhead at Castle Rock, right off I-75, about 35 minutes from where the owl was. If I left by 6:00 am, got up there by 10:30, that would give me an hour to see the owl.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I knew it was a risk--what if the bird didn't show? What if it did but stayed back away from the road? It would mean I'd driven four hours and made a day trip to the U.P. to hike seven miles. But as my excitement began to rise thinking about closing out the year and two big challenges in such a dramatic fashion I knew I had to do it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I got in touch with Terry Grabill to see if he was going up. He was already on the road, heading to Sault Saint Marie for the night in order to be on location first thing. I had met Terry January 3rd, 2021, the day I'd decided to attempt the Big Year. We passed each other on a quiet, snow-covered road near the Walkinshaw Wetlands, and found out we each had the same goal. We ended up watching Short-eared Owls together. This meeting would spark a friendly competition and is part of the reason we both did so well (he finished first with 323 species). He said he would let me know in the morning if/when he saw the owl.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'd set an alarm for 5:00 am but woke at 4:30, so I got up and out a half hour early. It was chilly and I passed through areas that were in the single digits. The waning crescent moon glowed in the east as dawn seeped into the sky. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8KKRjkCioCpQSPUFFZvg4YwBwBPKQioo5kQIPMX_JwGo2ygPjhahDMqvFTAtY91BSZ4Yc4npK_EFnKmFhVapx5mD_hjP3ZSL45JVUslTEpZ9tgumsW0WRi4aLiwStPyiXtOrEQthhxaE3wrC9ergAl-Fa6PlB843irM_hxlFU1kAUdy1p79Us05FPiQ=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8KKRjkCioCpQSPUFFZvg4YwBwBPKQioo5kQIPMX_JwGo2ygPjhahDMqvFTAtY91BSZ4Yc4npK_EFnKmFhVapx5mD_hjP3ZSL45JVUslTEpZ9tgumsW0WRi4aLiwStPyiXtOrEQthhxaE3wrC9ergAl-Fa6PlB843irM_hxlFU1kAUdy1p79Us05FPiQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>From a rest area somewhere on I-75</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The miles ticked by, the day brightened, and by the time I crossed the bridge the sun was over the horizon and shining down the Straits.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVXoodGMLMRYyDLL7rCOpI-CMGmj5nmRza0WxSvYQjAmW1qldcYBsaRHUgGnjS27mm_AIh9yHH3Gy72yS8FuGisyyPEjpie76nnHWzX7QWWramwwEyg8bwhAi8jRXOnpMZY-TumGtY0iU_71hIlbeP-8TGtHzm_fI2PtfZSZsaIcbeI-g3b86GAmc7Eg=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVXoodGMLMRYyDLL7rCOpI-CMGmj5nmRza0WxSvYQjAmW1qldcYBsaRHUgGnjS27mm_AIh9yHH3Gy72yS8FuGisyyPEjpie76nnHWzX7QWWramwwEyg8bwhAi8jRXOnpMZY-TumGtY0iU_71hIlbeP-8TGtHzm_fI2PtfZSZsaIcbeI-g3b86GAmc7Eg=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>No-look shots from the bridge of the rising sun. Not too shabby!</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxMX6rmuNNgyE5M2lxyoAbly1f0E9u_Sp_v5IivQkLES-ipBkA66WneMsNQVzfkxx1kCzMM76OzL4BmtVb5VNeS32j_u5L-C_A83JU8lRlQioIffQ8qvjmsS-fvSI0DBxtGMWI7HJp_bmQ5oWiKoMUaCiwR05c2gX2vx1nYPgyCdvSiC1UD-AQHL2gkA=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxMX6rmuNNgyE5M2lxyoAbly1f0E9u_Sp_v5IivQkLES-ipBkA66WneMsNQVzfkxx1kCzMM76OzL4BmtVb5VNeS32j_u5L-C_A83JU8lRlQioIffQ8qvjmsS-fvSI0DBxtGMWI7HJp_bmQ5oWiKoMUaCiwR05c2gX2vx1nYPgyCdvSiC1UD-AQHL2gkA=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Mighty Mac, for the umpteenth time last year. I spent a lot of time in the U.P. and that <br />is not a bad thing!</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Terry had messaged me to say the owl was still present, but by the time I got there he was off looking for a Gyrfalcon and the owl was not in sight. One other birder was there and he left me to watch while he drove some nearby roads. He returned about the time several other birders showed up and before long the stretch of road was lined with five or six cars. I positioned myself where I had a clear view of the area where the bird had been hanging out. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Thirty to forty minutes after I arrived, one of the birders shouted that he had it. I looked where he was pointing and saw the owl perched near the top of an aspen. I just got a glimpse--enough to count it for my Big Year--before it flew towards the woods. I hopped in my car and moved closer to the action.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As I was parking I could see the group looking up into a spruce. I hurried as quickly as I dared in my clunky winter boots on the icy road and got there in time to get some shots of it perched and preening. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhYhw9gUHPd4BK9-6B2mvP8P7F0Jma6JFb_7259J2jF7nKjesS9RuRoNvGWUbq1GgWhEclZNMgF0kEp9UHpUngvWzz41eJFC6mHx2X5PvHGNzvecAdy9rfib1hXj0n_mmfeT_AdHH2i6n02vt8a50RNGLSeFYJFM6r7z3S9m0OY9A-3aIMdq35C-GnXmg=s1706" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1706" data-original-width="1137" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhYhw9gUHPd4BK9-6B2mvP8P7F0Jma6JFb_7259J2jF7nKjesS9RuRoNvGWUbq1GgWhEclZNMgF0kEp9UHpUngvWzz41eJFC6mHx2X5PvHGNzvecAdy9rfib1hXj0n_mmfeT_AdHH2i6n02vt8a50RNGLSeFYJFM6r7z3S9m0OY9A-3aIMdq35C-GnXmg=w426-h640" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Northern Hawk Owl sitting pretty, barely bending the <br />spruce branch. So much of the bulk of these birds is feathers. </i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhVc5faf7rpEpzj-FCtvfe4KRglcV0nz_kJVQn6KecJ-qougFETAwvlXjdi11Gmm2bHD8UohT1MYEySkVglor_HHCSgmjQYNp-bDRz0TJ3zS48JQKwuwEzODvdCGo3mWoqtbFj1klNLNbNo3ZpkvShyO_C8x7TKdyyjGBtN81WrcoknvIfFwDn0evoTaQ=s1714" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1714" data-original-width="1143" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhVc5faf7rpEpzj-FCtvfe4KRglcV0nz_kJVQn6KecJ-qougFETAwvlXjdi11Gmm2bHD8UohT1MYEySkVglor_HHCSgmjQYNp-bDRz0TJ3zS48JQKwuwEzODvdCGo3mWoqtbFj1klNLNbNo3ZpkvShyO_C8x7TKdyyjGBtN81WrcoknvIfFwDn0evoTaQ=w426-h640" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Preening</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then the owl took off to the south, flying first to a utility pole next to the homeowner's poultry pen (wherein chickens, Guinea fowl and a couple emu were housed) and then flew south again to the next pole. Everyone else hopping in their cars and driving down the road, a few of them pulling up right next to the owl. This got my hackles up a bit, so I walked down but stayed back, positioning myself between where the owl was perched and the abandoned house and fallen-down barn across the street where it seemed to like hanging out. With as active as the bird had been, and now with a phalanx of birders chasing it, I figured it wouldn't be long before it flew again, and I was right.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Dropping off the pole the owl flew within 30 feet of me on it's way to a pole behind the house. I did my best to keep the bird in the frame, trusting the camera to do it's job.</div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg4VvpFrzUts9uJL3tywDTIop1Y-_D8elO1rtuzlfxXJm3Op9Fmik7ltn5YSvmbLtLgkpl-oBLVesJB241zL6PuFEZ6lgbDeX2V7gzBYxCFKIxmzuw0SseqBdObH2iPDUVrg7Sy-I76dD8UToCc41jXtQoo9BA6nfN3QiqY1RX7jWmG-ngylfA5nHxbEA=s4403" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2935" data-original-width="4403" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg4VvpFrzUts9uJL3tywDTIop1Y-_D8elO1rtuzlfxXJm3Op9Fmik7ltn5YSvmbLtLgkpl-oBLVesJB241zL6PuFEZ6lgbDeX2V7gzBYxCFKIxmzuw0SseqBdObH2iPDUVrg7Sy-I76dD8UToCc41jXtQoo9BA6nfN3QiqY1RX7jWmG-ngylfA5nHxbEA=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhIenhnAhRTsFGgcD9wBJ2nSdGvKisx3F14BD0VZ5xte0fBP-wSh-SojKUkXma2tZHtn0yhrS69PlqFswBdAPiF5RnBcycHuD34ttM-udmbvjN9o9JlHVsaWVG975IQoFrkYeMcQ4dSffW4y3TZ3C2rxeS7f_s35pHrKjoIXNcXHGZDKZUQNHy6Nwy-XQ=s2629" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1753" data-original-width="2629" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhIenhnAhRTsFGgcD9wBJ2nSdGvKisx3F14BD0VZ5xte0fBP-wSh-SojKUkXma2tZHtn0yhrS69PlqFswBdAPiF5RnBcycHuD34ttM-udmbvjN9o9JlHVsaWVG975IQoFrkYeMcQ4dSffW4y3TZ3C2rxeS7f_s35pHrKjoIXNcXHGZDKZUQNHy6Nwy-XQ=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEheaKLFsHgdpcrEt1vDF4pXV9bJ68MYQJS1RFynUooUiNXGiWI0gLhoJX15CoNFwGZ7oSmbwyaoEpnR_3zTGo2S-N2LII0yJo1_VPhSUI2Kag-odmGBA8HgaBuszb98sEQHqm37nCUlkD9CM8uq7ac5xGcSciHp4b4TEdWJwbNEdPt1ON_PT_c1WYOmsA=s2484" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1656" data-original-width="2484" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEheaKLFsHgdpcrEt1vDF4pXV9bJ68MYQJS1RFynUooUiNXGiWI0gLhoJX15CoNFwGZ7oSmbwyaoEpnR_3zTGo2S-N2LII0yJo1_VPhSUI2Kag-odmGBA8HgaBuszb98sEQHqm37nCUlkD9CM8uq7ac5xGcSciHp4b4TEdWJwbNEdPt1ON_PT_c1WYOmsA=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhw1ropJ6goiBwyl-4iDQRCgfUe4KKl8mDNPvCVE0oX0UhQHvZvTEW-OhI5N5Xj_dBh_nToxBuw9YsYuSWqAWDc_AsmaxwtaZhHyVw9T7nISj5yldPBsoQpY5fyJ2iDJ7zQ1H9iJ6dSVCnZiqqKRLHvmvlZ68ZtGC3GXY2TIfMnBwB4NKzbdTsUfhOyFg=s3280" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2187" data-original-width="3280" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhw1ropJ6goiBwyl-4iDQRCgfUe4KKl8mDNPvCVE0oX0UhQHvZvTEW-OhI5N5Xj_dBh_nToxBuw9YsYuSWqAWDc_AsmaxwtaZhHyVw9T7nISj5yldPBsoQpY5fyJ2iDJ7zQ1H9iJ6dSVCnZiqqKRLHvmvlZ68ZtGC3GXY2TIfMnBwB4NKzbdTsUfhOyFg=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The owl seemed content on its perch behind the house so the others began to leave. As I made my way back to my car I noticed Terry's orange Subaru coming down the road. I smiled and pointed towards the bird. He pulled up and got out, and we stood on the side of the road chatting a while, talking about the year we'd had and how it seemed so weird that it was almost over. I would have loved to have hung out, maybe get lunch somewhere and share stories, but I still had business to attend to, so I got myself on the road and made it to the trailhead before noon.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiLWrwNL-VrYYr8YblroTslZr6qLShdXGNxq4_TyZ9X_r_vv2QFfzjDF-bknZExCvit5-jzpGLLn6sMALGVyRG0K6mRUdMDysrapBxg5cmrp2enWRDRK2h2zOjqoHZAZgMryYE4SMsz34SfIlONLafbGvlSMnDu2gDNPiosV3ZavWY-I2xh2HYH4B_eQQ=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiLWrwNL-VrYYr8YblroTslZr6qLShdXGNxq4_TyZ9X_r_vv2QFfzjDF-bknZExCvit5-jzpGLLn6sMALGVyRG0K6mRUdMDysrapBxg5cmrp2enWRDRK2h2zOjqoHZAZgMryYE4SMsz34SfIlONLafbGvlSMnDu2gDNPiosV3ZavWY-I2xh2HYH4B_eQQ=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I changed out of my heavy winter clothes for lighter hiking gear and put my microspikes on my boots to help with the snow (only about 3-4 inches but enough to mess with my footing). I had boots on the trail after a quick lunch in the car.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiz2oWSg5i6cRNW4Y43p_ExdzF4xfnkixfKqMoXABBxaLRQ5v20tzwURWD-fl5kJFujHz_whFix-M_U39eb960qVoIjOI_0E5J2Kj-d80BxcO2Jkz_tDC7URVJ4NhDEJlJUdIkpkZssXSoI_sMLZrKKWrVo9WaS9fy--YT5hTX4tVkU5FDgLZiPOj2GUA=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiz2oWSg5i6cRNW4Y43p_ExdzF4xfnkixfKqMoXABBxaLRQ5v20tzwURWD-fl5kJFujHz_whFix-M_U39eb960qVoIjOI_0E5J2Kj-d80BxcO2Jkz_tDC7URVJ4NhDEJlJUdIkpkZssXSoI_sMLZrKKWrVo9WaS9fy--YT5hTX4tVkU5FDgLZiPOj2GUA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It had snowed the day before, then it either warmed up and melted the surface just a bit or there was some freezing rain because everything had the thinnest crust of ice on it. The snow had stuck to everything and it looked like a winter wonderland.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyOOPj6hex48QMmh1Z7XA8yHT60RL0_YybOyeLN8dWV58taM4-pBURNOX7DGfPuoo5JRHRpZO4q6GS_9xN3WqUGkQkn1h3syFKNTBqVkFkS4vjhTi6nzQ9VDwUhhKFiBmrY5dyN1JOPu-TrPyvKj9K0_jIDRm8VCb2MH9oE3tvJywD5c3rcsxoqN5I1w=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyOOPj6hex48QMmh1Z7XA8yHT60RL0_YybOyeLN8dWV58taM4-pBURNOX7DGfPuoo5JRHRpZO4q6GS_9xN3WqUGkQkn1h3syFKNTBqVkFkS4vjhTi6nzQ9VDwUhhKFiBmrY5dyN1JOPu-TrPyvKj9K0_jIDRm8VCb2MH9oE3tvJywD5c3rcsxoqN5I1w=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I hiked to the north and west, away from the section that's on a rail trail. It would be easy hiking but in winter it is also a snowmobile trail, and I detest snowmobiles, so I took the harder route in favor of peace and quiet--and I'm so glad I did.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There were multiple sets of footprints at the beginning, but within a half mile all but one set split off, and those tracks were both coming and going, meaning I'd likely be alone on the trail. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The forests in the U.P. are different than those here at home. The forests in our area are generally mixed hardwood/coniferous, dominated by oaks but also containing red and white pine, hemlock, aspen, maple, and some beech and birch. But in the southern U.P. you're on the edge of the boreal forest, and the make up is different. There's still red and white pine, but the aspen, hemlock, beech and birch are more dominant, oaks are replaced by black spruce and balsam fir, and while still a mixed forest it's decidedly conifer-based.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The terrain rolled and I passed through wooded uplands and along boggy lowlands. A light snow began to fall, hardly a flurry but enough to add to the scene. I heard White-winged Crossbills in the spruce but they would scatter before I got a glimpse. About a mile from the trailhead the other tracks stopped and turned around, and I was left with fresh, unbroken snow.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhTODKarXghEXDY3i7PFlKgh2pDZfTDBnAZL9zco8hjs3JofdP35g2pob5gVmvnigVPh3EYxXS6GNl7IZPMbZbMSwEj9Bx8EKks3G6MuLrG7kKJWErBVMiaZ-CFJ6daI5kTT-IuAgslzrMKy6nM0EEjgNV1zBdAqNlDbFB5n8Xrbrrea1ABrs1RfYvI2w=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhTODKarXghEXDY3i7PFlKgh2pDZfTDBnAZL9zco8hjs3JofdP35g2pob5gVmvnigVPh3EYxXS6GNl7IZPMbZbMSwEj9Bx8EKks3G6MuLrG7kKJWErBVMiaZ-CFJ6daI5kTT-IuAgslzrMKy6nM0EEjgNV1zBdAqNlDbFB5n8Xrbrrea1ABrs1RfYvI2w=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">With the human and dog tracks gone other things began to stand out. I could see a lot of snowshoe hare tracks, most of which were on top of that thin crust of ice, their impressions fresh yet barely visible in the dusting of snow on top.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjHVR8G6ZZLsVPeehJp-1QfKn7CriaCWrBLp0mSh5MBMDrtc6ARy-TBfIeodv7-eAwZtdfUFuyQb3AmbDacssxBAGgx6HGJaiApIoB19HeHpbF4PsRwURblymFDNuVSGDOEZii4cf2_iz0xwiTQNhC_ZRdKkZZjmtd2dbLq9RjCOzjqMLZ6xCrwCQw0EA=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjHVR8G6ZZLsVPeehJp-1QfKn7CriaCWrBLp0mSh5MBMDrtc6ARy-TBfIeodv7-eAwZtdfUFuyQb3AmbDacssxBAGgx6HGJaiApIoB19HeHpbF4PsRwURblymFDNuVSGDOEZii4cf2_iz0xwiTQNhC_ZRdKkZZjmtd2dbLq9RjCOzjqMLZ6xCrwCQw0EA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Grouse tracks crisscrossed the trail too. Some were deep, made the day before when the snow was wet, and some clearly from that morning, also striding across that thin layer of ice. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjNtY0lgYXJXVkOxtUw7fwH_y4qSM97nBy5BuiTf8AOKRO06kG3gbbgjlHCAGsEcxUeoa-I6fIQZRcLCCnSRVWCBRsNMV0upTgDrotV8XsLjkP6y9oGIvd7ZcARBvYG6QoqPrrcUk4i1Tnr7SUT2hCHPwCleEd9qrYZbxD6vEcU1gHBKyEwue-YSP2OsA=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjNtY0lgYXJXVkOxtUw7fwH_y4qSM97nBy5BuiTf8AOKRO06kG3gbbgjlHCAGsEcxUeoa-I6fIQZRcLCCnSRVWCBRsNMV0upTgDrotV8XsLjkP6y9oGIvd7ZcARBvYG6QoqPrrcUk4i1Tnr7SUT2hCHPwCleEd9qrYZbxD6vEcU1gHBKyEwue-YSP2OsA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I don't know how long I'd been sharing the trail with a new set of tracks, but I realized at some point that there was another set of footprints. I stopped and looked down in amazement. No human made these--they were clearly canine. But these were not fox tracks. Not coyote, either. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjlCYInknsQQZ0d2ahsaEqe7i3EC0zjc5TlqY-b8L2HL_skGvylpVA6qBmlrvxOf-Xb8SsnLIWny46tNDCkXOFM9_KY9kCfDDsZEUN17VkQ6nyQ5ShNCuNQiaD80cBdXR5ewvkVJVRwZtHX41E165TtwH1fuG0w_GO67MP14U0DyoNF7HaIcCN13ij_Kg=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjlCYInknsQQZ0d2ahsaEqe7i3EC0zjc5TlqY-b8L2HL_skGvylpVA6qBmlrvxOf-Xb8SsnLIWny46tNDCkXOFM9_KY9kCfDDsZEUN17VkQ6nyQ5ShNCuNQiaD80cBdXR5ewvkVJVRwZtHX41E165TtwH1fuG0w_GO67MP14U0DyoNF7HaIcCN13ij_Kg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>I bent down for a closer look, holding my hand beside one, and my hand and the track were nearly the same size.<div><br /></div><div>This was the track of a wolf.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiXeKKoXUDkJX1d3IUne9Rybz4ofzYBg20QzS9CsOE5jHRUZV_e1t-8e3A5OkGyoGs7Z7tpoytnOdJPB7kAhY7y_cqlOAXlS4RW0scZVvk80WIj3FcQHA4I9hgM9RBKRWA2Kr8yZ_ZFpWhRPnXn4ZoRx9Xk8duDXUUrfgvkd-VRqs5MJtC4w7dISBinow=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiXeKKoXUDkJX1d3IUne9Rybz4ofzYBg20QzS9CsOE5jHRUZV_e1t-8e3A5OkGyoGs7Z7tpoytnOdJPB7kAhY7y_cqlOAXlS4RW0scZVvk80WIj3FcQHA4I9hgM9RBKRWA2Kr8yZ_ZFpWhRPnXn4ZoRx9Xk8duDXUUrfgvkd-VRqs5MJtC4w7dISBinow=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Nearly as big as my hand!</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I will admit I found the idea of sharing the trail with a large predator a little...concerning. I know wolf attacks are rare, but being alone certainly makes me more of a target than if I were in a group--more of a target for anyone, really. I knew a healthy wolf would not be a threat, but if it were hungry, injured, starving...?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhiYy6MRD-h-Io4rctQjSDFOtcVoa6brovHw6js8POivjCOUNKpQIgIAnFMl5bn7KGDUTvK780GaTWVSkK8LZq587TYtHNl2w9Lr0z3RNYMtXm4mpEMgtO78HlqqqgwUoAFJM0z5BjeTPfhzclRk_xo31vj_eCKUlsbTwWrmhiRE7X-RNe9n-fMKhpvqQ=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhiYy6MRD-h-Io4rctQjSDFOtcVoa6brovHw6js8POivjCOUNKpQIgIAnFMl5bn7KGDUTvK780GaTWVSkK8LZq587TYtHNl2w9Lr0z3RNYMtXm4mpEMgtO78HlqqqgwUoAFJM0z5BjeTPfhzclRk_xo31vj_eCKUlsbTwWrmhiRE7X-RNe9n-fMKhpvqQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A stride of over two feet, another indication that this is a wolf track.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The tracks were going in the opposite direction, coming toward me down the trail, and were clearly from the day before based on how much snow was in the ones out in the open. I decided I was probably safe and pressed on.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjPjz04LWqykTKZEh955GuzGo9QxjSIuLN2ScmHSl2qJ4Hmf5RBRVf11OGtQHNs6lV-A5BCgxZzUrtxEXKjCok109StP68yGMaH0tPWBWqcBcjtydJ3jp81PFSBM0qnVT5BPLHGoFaNg7fPBI3pcUuh13GpIvvp7qY5j_Xf0SwMKYk0IgW0fcgZFXwdoA=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjPjz04LWqykTKZEh955GuzGo9QxjSIuLN2ScmHSl2qJ4Hmf5RBRVf11OGtQHNs6lV-A5BCgxZzUrtxEXKjCok109StP68yGMaH0tPWBWqcBcjtydJ3jp81PFSBM0qnVT5BPLHGoFaNg7fPBI3pcUuh13GpIvvp7qY5j_Xf0SwMKYk0IgW0fcgZFXwdoA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Another half mile or more in, the tracks changed. I looked down and realized that, in addition to the single set heading southeast, there was now a pair headed northwest, and they were pretty fresh--no snow piled in these tracks!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiO7u7qju-CMyNpW_AEyvw3H7U05zOS2eDG0jGzitUPMf6L8ldnd4RvSrVRTLwYwL5G3jbPKVV1NoS-bM0h5eT9LVvIwiTrRrMsedhYhXkb8ROyMO7ofSfUH9PGSoq4tfdPnrEsHS8xSS-qrIVs-jSUkYV6EHwE8VugudQwVXv5oOdjdGxWC2xlJeVVUA=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiO7u7qju-CMyNpW_AEyvw3H7U05zOS2eDG0jGzitUPMf6L8ldnd4RvSrVRTLwYwL5G3jbPKVV1NoS-bM0h5eT9LVvIwiTrRrMsedhYhXkb8ROyMO7ofSfUH9PGSoq4tfdPnrEsHS8xSS-qrIVs-jSUkYV6EHwE8VugudQwVXv5oOdjdGxWC2xlJeVVUA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I stopped again and pondered. Lone wolf, old tacks, no problem. Two wolves, laying tracks within the past 12 hours? The past six? Two? That really gave me pause. There was clearly plenty of prey around considering how many hare and grouse tracks I'd seen, along with the occasional deer. And, again, I know wolf attacks on humans are virtually unheard of, though certainly not impossible. What to do?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ultimately my desire to not head back and walk with the snowmobiles was greater than my trepidation, so I kept going. But as I walked I tried not to step in their tracks--it felt disrespectful somehow, almost sacrilegious, because while I was a bit nervous I was so excited to be in the company of wolves.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhhypkT-pQu5DSKZ0KaCWdtt6ZJ094bdfUVptjh3O7BM6_5CSLa_FloXOaoYea6Ea9jZjV8mWR9r9gdky8fOdYK2WX3nnbW3_Bsm6m7sRd28LL4iGpYl5poDLPPenLrQp1m5YnsQhoe5Xf6UvHjUDkk2yXAz3Yc-yrwRrCHHMEZiWRqjaAUXl053XgMYQ=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhhypkT-pQu5DSKZ0KaCWdtt6ZJ094bdfUVptjh3O7BM6_5CSLa_FloXOaoYea6Ea9jZjV8mWR9r9gdky8fOdYK2WX3nnbW3_Bsm6m7sRd28LL4iGpYl5poDLPPenLrQp1m5YnsQhoe5Xf6UvHjUDkk2yXAz3Yc-yrwRrCHHMEZiWRqjaAUXl053XgMYQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A narrative began running in my head of the naysayers, because part of <i>me</i> was not completely convinced by what I was seeing. No doubt some would claim this was just a coyote. How would I refute that? The size of the track, the length of the gait, the depth of the print indicating a heavy animal...?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As I'm thinking this I came upon a small spruce next to the trail surrounded by prints. I noticed urine on the snow and thought, "huh, that's not very high up for an animal as big as a wolf," and then I saw a few drops of blood. I realized this isn't the male marking his territory, this is the female, and she's in estrous. This means these two wolves are likely an alpha pair. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiPvY12zIplGTt8d4gUN9YGnpJaRgoaIZx5xlp82IBrAmkWd2-0SSq91VQIjU25DO6g7p5sPzukwrqHXOhJ_7o_n3YlaVoXJLKtJF70NyVFE19_LoFG--JDT53CYa6Bvn0Xn87uZ_xDi0lBXEizKXznDpfmBBucDGsF8xGsAenVk-bMUlvS143xf3RntQ=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiPvY12zIplGTt8d4gUN9YGnpJaRgoaIZx5xlp82IBrAmkWd2-0SSq91VQIjU25DO6g7p5sPzukwrqHXOhJ_7o_n3YlaVoXJLKtJF70NyVFE19_LoFG--JDT53CYa6Bvn0Xn87uZ_xDi0lBXEizKXznDpfmBBucDGsF8xGsAenVk-bMUlvS143xf3RntQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Urine with just a bit of blood below; a female in heat.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Still chewing on this bit of new information I came across another sign, and any doubt about whether these are really wolf tracks is blown away. There on the trail is the long scrape a canine makes after they deficate, like a dog kicking up grass in the yard, and next to it is a HUGE pile of scat. Now maybe if coyotes got to the size of wolves their poop would be that big, but I am utterly convinced now that these really are wolves. Short of seeing the actual wolf I have all the proof I need. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhrEbJnxJvzKGFfrAJptYT2sz8X4o818MsCgTr_zLT21GX9hWbTsHgvjdN7fR-nrKHrJxfeMF5znJ27mRCZhmfE4gyLEBtaBHVyIc69qc1_tUWCkYkWjvFAeY2xfihwWthJLG0q8ol0RC13VjuT__MZzL8IgJd--lWoThKqopfYJHhnsmtoWwRwuPwj0Q=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhrEbJnxJvzKGFfrAJptYT2sz8X4o818MsCgTr_zLT21GX9hWbTsHgvjdN7fR-nrKHrJxfeMF5znJ27mRCZhmfE4gyLEBtaBHVyIc69qc1_tUWCkYkWjvFAeY2xfihwWthJLG0q8ol0RC13VjuT__MZzL8IgJd--lWoThKqopfYJHhnsmtoWwRwuPwj0Q=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh82J3cJYH8wJmrmaHHB-2G7jAqXxGI12ZRulEHUuFKuSeAftzakiYx8hE10lfdoZcgDSHQ-fNDvAvskEASzOkAV_G1UxDfoeDYIGcX7HXVqlGKQKAjCulE2F2kzG21R5rPeJD1kJg0n8KPmPabKkkxYzd2MO6UkiCRElA5BJiH_X6dei6I5eDD19elhg=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh82J3cJYH8wJmrmaHHB-2G7jAqXxGI12ZRulEHUuFKuSeAftzakiYx8hE10lfdoZcgDSHQ-fNDvAvskEASzOkAV_G1UxDfoeDYIGcX7HXVqlGKQKAjCulE2F2kzG21R5rPeJD1kJg0n8KPmPabKkkxYzd2MO6UkiCRElA5BJiH_X6dei6I5eDD19elhg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Pictures of poop because how often does one get to see wolf poop?!</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I continue on, following the tracks that followed the trail deeper into the woods. The trail had been heading steadily north towards the edge of a ridge, and I could see the valley through the trees. But as the trail turned to the west, the pair of tracks kept going straight, over the hill and down the slope. The other, older set of tracks, the first one I'd found which had been mostly obscured by the newer tracks, were evident again, continuing on to my left. Within 20 feet they also disappeared down the slope (although when they'd been made the wolf was coming up the hill, not going down), and I was once again left with fresh, unbroken snow.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZrtnnWMbkF-abxOqZQBVe_X4rAvfdUc5axP8SYiOcfNzqXoAPf80TJ7Fi743b7Cac57gcZT5DAKwK_aedIP6Geb8aTCHZ6v2G73_NzgYrKa5Rk-t1hoDEMTApcOMBN8tWjyGmXqRf-iwhus3traXhDTPCeVfi4oqV3c0BFvc_2LBe0oYvqp8yvMZJCg=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZrtnnWMbkF-abxOqZQBVe_X4rAvfdUc5axP8SYiOcfNzqXoAPf80TJ7Fi743b7Cac57gcZT5DAKwK_aedIP6Geb8aTCHZ6v2G73_NzgYrKa5Rk-t1hoDEMTApcOMBN8tWjyGmXqRf-iwhus3traXhDTPCeVfi4oqV3c0BFvc_2LBe0oYvqp8yvMZJCg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood and sorry I could not travel both." <br />Robert Frost</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMErSkhqtc_fPx5ZQwEKvuPOLiIZgd5EEOdM11V0ghAg535oN_K4vnnPBYVn5aljAOeyOqSmaMfmd9esox-7vitDRtwCVovbde7CzrjVbLiuZOeKO6PpWJ3Jd5pS3IXtEAlBW4oXDp1NalVqrI3VcFWengGrYHWnwoWlnXlbx-h736nkBW18EtWj6Xlg=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMErSkhqtc_fPx5ZQwEKvuPOLiIZgd5EEOdM11V0ghAg535oN_K4vnnPBYVn5aljAOeyOqSmaMfmd9esox-7vitDRtwCVovbde7CzrjVbLiuZOeKO6PpWJ3Jd5pS3IXtEAlBW4oXDp1NalVqrI3VcFWengGrYHWnwoWlnXlbx-h736nkBW18EtWj6Xlg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Looking into the valley</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br style="text-align: left;" /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Partly because of my dawdling to take pictures and bird watch and partly because of the snow (which makes footing a bit tricky and slows my pace) I wasn't making good time. I'd only gone about 2.5 miles and it was past 1:30 already. I decided to hike until 2:00 then turn around. Two hours out and two hours back would normally net me about eight miles, but I'd be happy with six.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But as I pressed on that little voice in my head told me I should just turn back. I argued with it for a while but reminded myself that it somehow knows things I don't (which has been borne out with some bad experiences) so I decided to turn around and head back.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The snow began to increase from a few flakes drifting about to something more substantial. I stopped several times to take it all in--the silence, the smell of spruce and fir, the snow like fairy dust. It was such a change of pace from hiking downstate, and I was warm and comfortable, that I wished I didn't have to leave. It all felt utterly magical.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As I neared the end the snow stopped and the clouds broke some, giving views of blue sky and a few quick peeks of sun.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiZJkKr1K2OSsl4beyUDWdcr6TtnvlO956VSGM_di2oRYf9GJaAROqS4u23SwJTHbFFui4utK6GagzL3wBekTAp-6ChxvnsRWS_iaNJvceVK8Dmcsen64z6m933zJgMyHis5wvKwfzS6c1hWyU4zf09W9RtZmPrDHnAUqtyNKOuX0VjvwMF36QkWo1E4Q=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiZJkKr1K2OSsl4beyUDWdcr6TtnvlO956VSGM_di2oRYf9GJaAROqS4u23SwJTHbFFui4utK6GagzL3wBekTAp-6ChxvnsRWS_iaNJvceVK8Dmcsen64z6m933zJgMyHis5wvKwfzS6c1hWyU4zf09W9RtZmPrDHnAUqtyNKOuX0VjvwMF36QkWo1E4Q=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Back at the car, after logging just under six miles, I decided that was close enough. I knew I'd have boots on the trail for a short hike the next day for my local Christmas Bird Count, and with the variances of the different tracking apps I concluded that I was close enough to 100 miles to call it good, and vowed in 2022 that I would not wait until the literal last minute to finish. (I am thinking about hiking/backpacking the NCT through the entirety of the Manistee National Forest, so that would get me to my goal.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhk7dQFQC7dqb1qJXmuWV75C1SCdYFHJSfBCCNqlYYGGi_M8Ku83dWapzuN-NFW6PLO85pjlG89ARsxGzlDl0n79acZBPla0Ex5v92_IqoJIUmCw3V6aCBAIL5UbZ2Tou0xDIhn0AuamVlnA-JKsnkcxQqL_FJn_oJFebqmqn-hOHhKvDjfAQbPjIbgug=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhk7dQFQC7dqb1qJXmuWV75C1SCdYFHJSfBCCNqlYYGGi_M8Ku83dWapzuN-NFW6PLO85pjlG89ARsxGzlDl0n79acZBPla0Ex5v92_IqoJIUmCw3V6aCBAIL5UbZ2Tou0xDIhn0AuamVlnA-JKsnkcxQqL_FJn_oJFebqmqn-hOHhKvDjfAQbPjIbgug=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My drive home was uneventful. The sun peeped through the clouds as I passed back over the bridge, bringing the day full circle. The drive gave me time to reflect on not just the day but the whole year. What an amazing experience it's been, testing my resolve, by birding skills, and my competitive nature. It reinforced for me that while I like to do well, I don't have to be first--that I need more balance than that. I'm happy to have finished in the top five--and I have a screen shot of the eBird standings to prove that, for just a couple days in June, I was on the top of the heap. That's good enough for me.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I also realized that the year had ended almost exactly as it started, standing in the snow, chatting with Terry and watching owls. I didn't know him before January 3rd, 2021, and our chance meeting on a lonely country road on a dim afternoon in winter at the start of both our Big Year attempts kicked off a friendly competition that pushed both of us to achieve more than we thought we would. For it to end with us together again, purely by chance, nearly a year later, talking about birds and reflecting on what we'd accomplished, was some sort of kismet.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Neither of us realized it at that moment, and honestly I think that's best. There were no celebratory selfies, no high fives, just talk of birds, a bit of joy at ending the journey with such a great species, and a shared sense of accomplishment and a bit of relief that it was over. The significance of moments like these are often only seen in hindsight, leaving the moment itself pure in its ignorance of the significance of it. We can look back at all of it and marvel at what we've done, the friends we've made, and how each of our journeys really did come full circle.</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg2ksvJB72XsBSDdp9haDGaVvPgQkv1miAbI2FnhpyVvyCEZmQCW3G4xMksPajF-WiPjQqjPoJgKiv8XvtQKxuyuJ8pwGcidXytz6bTg983LbMzESDp5Ol2dmwMrBv6jE5OMRyqf3Mjd9Yu4rcP6sZiHaGECJsIExZ8vd7FUtLmGGU9H1zMjKh0Xn-VgQ=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg2ksvJB72XsBSDdp9haDGaVvPgQkv1miAbI2FnhpyVvyCEZmQCW3G4xMksPajF-WiPjQqjPoJgKiv8XvtQKxuyuJ8pwGcidXytz6bTg983LbMzESDp5Ol2dmwMrBv6jE5OMRyqf3Mjd9Yu4rcP6sZiHaGECJsIExZ8vd7FUtLmGGU9H1zMjKh0Xn-VgQ=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">MBY bird #36) Short-eared Owl, January 3, 2021</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi5sFgTBhJY2FALuUydgB2aj5SD1STJ_LAsVIAaHGKLX32iE1QfeS_SZFNPtefBsbQB2Ss46EoRtOceIrH7kTxWVmfcCmWBCHhMUKzsvR_LD4Le3ndJlx3L36byjdztjptR2oBVqBtsJRzMVbU5CuwjFQ68W3wuaf5hDYvKkSszBpA1a8JiOTLQcF9CGw=s2983" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1989" data-original-width="2983" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi5sFgTBhJY2FALuUydgB2aj5SD1STJ_LAsVIAaHGKLX32iE1QfeS_SZFNPtefBsbQB2Ss46EoRtOceIrH7kTxWVmfcCmWBCHhMUKzsvR_LD4Le3ndJlx3L36byjdztjptR2oBVqBtsJRzMVbU5CuwjFQ68W3wuaf5hDYvKkSszBpA1a8JiOTLQcF9CGw=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">MBY bird #318) Northern Hawk Owl, December 30, 2021</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhrl8NHw_HO8lv_QWAOpG_r1CB-tHehiSNXHPNeIy6fYUERWuqK1XBr-_Q3D4BUituMtH74_yPR0n1QcZM_bUlMRWxZbhjqJI8yH6ZTNv-rp4J7Vji-DTaQtKUB1tbgfLi5NoeG5Dqu4Txb15WN8neRdE3znVRQYc_ZxbrUrW1d-alragibUsWbKCqdSw=s1621" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1621" data-original-width="1081" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhrl8NHw_HO8lv_QWAOpG_r1CB-tHehiSNXHPNeIy6fYUERWuqK1XBr-_Q3D4BUituMtH74_yPR0n1QcZM_bUlMRWxZbhjqJI8yH6ZTNv-rp4J7Vji-DTaQtKUB1tbgfLi5NoeG5Dqu4Txb15WN8neRdE3znVRQYc_ZxbrUrW1d-alragibUsWbKCqdSw=w426-h640" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p></div>Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12736098600288028338noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558377963798102771.post-15210514213012353262021-11-12T20:02:00.002-05:002021-11-12T20:02:51.824-05:00Solitary Sandpipers Mucking Around<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After living here on our little lake in the Manistee National Forest for almost five years I've got a pretty good sense of what birds we see when. I've been keeping annual and all-time "yard lists"--I say this with quotes because it's really more like a patch that includes our property, the lake, and the two track that circles it--as well as a short list of when certain species show up for the first time each season. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One thing I've noticed is that we do not typically get any sandpipers here in the spring. I suspect this is due to higher water levels resulting in a lack of appropriate habitat. Our lake is a kettle, a tiny and shallow thing carved out by glaciers, and has no in or out flow of water. It gets what it gets from rain and snow. This can vary wildly year to year--in the 18 months from the fall of 2018 until the spring of 2020 we had an abundance of precipitation, resulting in the flooding of our boardwalk for much of 2020. The the drought started in June 2020, and by this spring the fen was nothing but black muck.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Because of the wildly swinging weather patterns it's hard to know what normal is after only five summers, but what makes sense is that typically the fen is flooded in spring with snowmelt, dries out slowly over the summer, and by August is without standing water--a vernal pond, essentially. The lake level drops too, and by August there are exposed mud flats here and there that draw sandpipers on their southbound migration. So far the only species I've seen are spotted and solitary, and that may be all we get. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This year I went down to the dock to find a pair of solitary sandpipers--the most common species we see here--on some floating detritus about 40 feet from the end of our dock. I went back to the house and got my camera and snuck back down to try for some photos. That evening the girls went fishing and said the birds were literally right next to the boat--so much for the need to sneak. So I went out in the peddle boat the next evening and pretty much parked and let the birds come to me. There was one adult and two juveniles, the adult distinguished by the bold white spots on the wings and scapulars. At a distance these birds seem quite drab but up close their markings are bold, and I love that white eye ring. They went about their business, picking at insects and crustaceans in the muck, not paying me much mind at all.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia-1lHxmCx6lZPWTwgYz1hlJFktkII3J7L7BdcU0KgDtP3tJNDtTvPuaK6WD-QufRFDNBkQWSwyMYk7EubvWKWOL8lpjdzbPsgljCqA6MH4v18CBm_jIADLHTQHAdos2DVz8UYzEvy46dk/s2048/9D29D2E0-BE21-431D-8568-230B8667DD98.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia-1lHxmCx6lZPWTwgYz1hlJFktkII3J7L7BdcU0KgDtP3tJNDtTvPuaK6WD-QufRFDNBkQWSwyMYk7EubvWKWOL8lpjdzbPsgljCqA6MH4v18CBm_jIADLHTQHAdos2DVz8UYzEvy46dk/w640-h426/9D29D2E0-BE21-431D-8568-230B8667DD98.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Adult</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim95R69uP_zCfD-MzKPYLQde9wPog-glCW-uPuj2B9RO0stVfDSX80DIn7nKSPMdYAqCbiFOacVo-pSgSsZFiys7IoBGy4Bhq5odMfI8tkpPCVrfvS_3r11iwDDBx1ewPPZvuT0IHqG9K6/s2048/15EECE22-BA43-45E2-BC0A-845F1AD79F06.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim95R69uP_zCfD-MzKPYLQde9wPog-glCW-uPuj2B9RO0stVfDSX80DIn7nKSPMdYAqCbiFOacVo-pSgSsZFiys7IoBGy4Bhq5odMfI8tkpPCVrfvS_3r11iwDDBx1ewPPZvuT0IHqG9K6/w640-h426/15EECE22-BA43-45E2-BC0A-845F1AD79F06.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Juvenile</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg63E9oTnYjcrIPGibrj0qgApZBFAfasfgMBoYnqVOxhT7PEuzTAANzxGqw6mdiUAuF3AcfmTtyTrJ24Wk9iEPo7DF9qFjM9m3KnFOTiG-qssFCQielZGovWCdK5DQqlAmbSYMo1a1M_5AJ/s2048/49CF45DE-A2B6-471D-B17C-8FEB533181B7.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg63E9oTnYjcrIPGibrj0qgApZBFAfasfgMBoYnqVOxhT7PEuzTAANzxGqw6mdiUAuF3AcfmTtyTrJ24Wk9iEPo7DF9qFjM9m3KnFOTiG-qssFCQielZGovWCdK5DQqlAmbSYMo1a1M_5AJ/w640-h426/49CF45DE-A2B6-471D-B17C-8FEB533181B7.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRXWRfWqTUcZg-1lY7LOhmZaaREjQBbHNw82Mr0YYmDAOPT7miQqowupbq5g5gjolmNlIEXd1sLmeTV3y9HIpO3ZakazyKeq_7RyfmLNW4TQb49WOb_Mg-b23eh3A-j7QPCNgHqk8jFWa-/s2048/89A09545-0EE8-4C01-9D0E-4CA725CD82CE.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRXWRfWqTUcZg-1lY7LOhmZaaREjQBbHNw82Mr0YYmDAOPT7miQqowupbq5g5gjolmNlIEXd1sLmeTV3y9HIpO3ZakazyKeq_7RyfmLNW4TQb49WOb_Mg-b23eh3A-j7QPCNgHqk8jFWa-/w640-h426/89A09545-0EE8-4C01-9D0E-4CA725CD82CE.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTGAkimFoYN45-j0aMNd5O69-JrvCw0Cpx368ATzugWCaQGS-NoYtN9QTPSvHoJjBqlrb-lUTkBrnMREgU28Q8K1HWX8cTXxewb9RfPeaB5Y5dZiRO-ydvg2LUR2V8N6W09wdJW9pQuseb/s2048/694C3E20-82D8-4052-9DE9-D17B092B3320.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTGAkimFoYN45-j0aMNd5O69-JrvCw0Cpx368ATzugWCaQGS-NoYtN9QTPSvHoJjBqlrb-lUTkBrnMREgU28Q8K1HWX8cTXxewb9RfPeaB5Y5dZiRO-ydvg2LUR2V8N6W09wdJW9pQuseb/w640-h426/694C3E20-82D8-4052-9DE9-D17B092B3320.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgsp1LDk9LgVO71UglK9zL-FBpt542NUTiCCi8ufhHy41C6oO3SJ6mBFj9KFWRmX83au5NkzH9BdH8QncN51QB4LXYz-l2ptrDG1_OZuGsceCZxQaW8mqTNgpo6mGbjJ4lUl0OpjEW47To/s2048/AE681798-9306-4D10-A169-F7B2607FFE0D.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDJ4Vc_0TEgLaUfMvRlTTOc4A_1Y7hjz7yqEj0Dg8dD7Qxn2hoMuMEeZp3zzcbgT652B9N1p15bxvlCW1oZ0lW7dxJLbNAak5iLK4mgZ6d5obtrpJa5XpANxMmcUizJ9Tva1lgwHHTf9Nj/s2048/EE27C7BB-44AB-4513-AF7B-E09EEC38CBC2.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDJ4Vc_0TEgLaUfMvRlTTOc4A_1Y7hjz7yqEj0Dg8dD7Qxn2hoMuMEeZp3zzcbgT652B9N1p15bxvlCW1oZ0lW7dxJLbNAak5iLK4mgZ6d5obtrpJa5XpANxMmcUizJ9Tva1lgwHHTf9Nj/w426-h640/EE27C7BB-44AB-4513-AF7B-E09EEC38CBC2.jpeg" width="426" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhF1_SuW6toQVU0850E7jTN2UDZ7o8fcP4eSboFk-e8NZqZ6ntCKUzSXojAnYdoPvdKACPHu7axapVJAQgEKdPe70uO62PXMpwVBpXWR6ssVZKBstNwGG1Vl8beGI3AYar8ePktuWQmWkP/s2048/F9A6E08F-274E-470C-8BCC-06675F5E5AAB.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1366" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhF1_SuW6toQVU0850E7jTN2UDZ7o8fcP4eSboFk-e8NZqZ6ntCKUzSXojAnYdoPvdKACPHu7axapVJAQgEKdPe70uO62PXMpwVBpXWR6ssVZKBstNwGG1Vl8beGI3AYar8ePktuWQmWkP/w426-h640/F9A6E08F-274E-470C-8BCC-06675F5E5AAB.jpeg" width="426" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12736098600288028338noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558377963798102771.post-59625197662943921192021-08-19T09:03:00.000-04:002021-08-19T09:03:10.969-04:00Spa Day For A TanagerEvery birder has at least one nemesis bird, a species that they've either chased and been unable to find, or have not gotten clear views of. I've got several of those, but one notable species that stood out was the scarlet tanager. It's not an uncommon bird in Michigan in the summer, and I've actually seen them all over the place. I think my first look at one was on a bus tour in the Kirtland Warbler Management Area in NE Michigan during the Tawas Point Birding Festival way back in 2011 (I think). It was distant but utterly stunning, that bright red bird bopping through the tree tops in an oak savannah. I've seen them in Michigan's "thumb" at the Sanilac Petroglyphs. I've seen them in the mulberry tree at our last house in Pinckney, in the woods, along roads--heck, even here along the lake shore. But I had NEVER managed to get a decent photo of one. Either they were gone by the time I got my camera, they were a million miles away, obscured my something, or my camera settings were off.<div><br /></div><div>But finally this year we had one show up at our feeders. I looked out the window and there it was, sitting on the suet feeder. It flew to a nearby oak and just SAT. I got great photos and the curse was finally broken. </div><div><br /></div><div>Fast forward a couple weeks and we are having dinner. My seat at the table allows for a view across the living room and out the door to the deck. It had been hot, we were in the midst of a year-long drought, and our oaks had been decimated by gypsy moth larvae. It was recommended that we water the trees to help them recover, so I'd been running a hose to water the two trees the deck is built around. Movement caught my eye and I looked up to see the tanager, in full sunlight, bathing in a thin puddle on one of the deck boards. OMG. I got a couple quick shots through the window.</div><div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNeKNcsfl3A7qiCRJYdThjrkGMZE5tgQepoq2AHu39ahHVaScId_FWz3v9KozoUJ6m3BVGHzk5JeXTyEBvUf6CRCxewWEKmDk_DJvKrVJPquF8iEpU_5QgFVxwEBojlbcQPSFfGPH-psHl/s2048/tanager.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNeKNcsfl3A7qiCRJYdThjrkGMZE5tgQepoq2AHu39ahHVaScId_FWz3v9KozoUJ6m3BVGHzk5JeXTyEBvUf6CRCxewWEKmDk_DJvKrVJPquF8iEpU_5QgFVxwEBojlbcQPSFfGPH-psHl/w640-h426/tanager.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVqDMpAq4hPIZU_to_Y1-npXjbAHw_oip4vSThwhKDs735w2dWmSxyRBUdyr4c8LER592G27O_m9MiktoBUp2i3RjqTIvK7ISmDigUN5_ljJo3DGw8w5y7lQRwLjVCu6xqp0fCAgEUzHp6/s2048/4E4E937E-1963-4B34-B227-FFD4DEDCEB45.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVqDMpAq4hPIZU_to_Y1-npXjbAHw_oip4vSThwhKDs735w2dWmSxyRBUdyr4c8LER592G27O_m9MiktoBUp2i3RjqTIvK7ISmDigUN5_ljJo3DGw8w5y7lQRwLjVCu6xqp0fCAgEUzHp6/w640-h426/4E4E937E-1963-4B34-B227-FFD4DEDCEB45.jpeg" width="640" /></a></p></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">At this point the hose was off but I wanted to give him more water to bathe in. He had hopped farther down the deck, so I grabbed snuck out the side door, careful not to spook him. I inched over to the shutoff and turned the water back on, then hunkered down next to the hose caddy to wait. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The sound of running water got his attention and he hopped over to investigate. He perched on the hose and eyed the water streaming out of the end.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbT5_5Pq7zmHuJzNwo98kWoc5bzxFKivtmox7udMRBbGDCEFYhFxJ13nqwB2ZEIPX6xb7Iic40Dmx7krrde_mV39N7GwbttVSgijm8lCUIEdP2Y6abcKgPxe-9-iQ-gE3MLff79YFhtWqa/s2048/78F75C7A-BCBE-4E1F-A9E9-696E0E979C0A.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbT5_5Pq7zmHuJzNwo98kWoc5bzxFKivtmox7udMRBbGDCEFYhFxJ13nqwB2ZEIPX6xb7Iic40Dmx7krrde_mV39N7GwbttVSgijm8lCUIEdP2Y6abcKgPxe-9-iQ-gE3MLff79YFhtWqa/w640-h426/78F75C7A-BCBE-4E1F-A9E9-696E0E979C0A.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Hello, what's this?</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioeSO582rznplOUeNqV5djYnGVO0CPDIB2ULcyaCLkA01Z07nBFKCVQMaG_rCRVbKITIrzl9XsZX8SLOP2AhHgWLGAoEV76lRt-bqkj6Y1uO0BeWqGq6ZZNEdcmbyq5yitYk-FCLDlgQoz/s2048/DED93C40-BD65-4B99-AFFB-7A85F7564778.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioeSO582rznplOUeNqV5djYnGVO0CPDIB2ULcyaCLkA01Z07nBFKCVQMaG_rCRVbKITIrzl9XsZX8SLOP2AhHgWLGAoEV76lRt-bqkj6Y1uO0BeWqGq6ZZNEdcmbyq5yitYk-FCLDlgQoz/w640-h426/DED93C40-BD65-4B99-AFFB-7A85F7564778.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>A puddle!!</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHcbvSV22i4Vpze7ADyVUVOfnrwEZ9kZw-lTuR3CiLv6LLLWGAUwaqHErlcZtwt1997nkZLSXr29f0wgfRS6CqkYJcOomO4shIYG_Jwjrv9q0QxQ6j765915TxP-aWUdPZhTjyMax_6ycW/s2048/48CF5E61-FF83-465E-B41F-D47433986EDB.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHcbvSV22i4Vpze7ADyVUVOfnrwEZ9kZw-lTuR3CiLv6LLLWGAUwaqHErlcZtwt1997nkZLSXr29f0wgfRS6CqkYJcOomO4shIYG_Jwjrv9q0QxQ6j765915TxP-aWUdPZhTjyMax_6ycW/w640-h426/48CF5E61-FF83-465E-B41F-D47433986EDB.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I shall bathe like no one is watching.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqY978ma9Gzqhlg_Y2NjQMlfbQ5URSluL7MJCySQex9A7bAztwO16574gmbbWAyrCzuCm8s9iOCFrYfpBmR1LFywT2kqZR-01cJgCsEYwPzP9QN5b4FHLyVxwxDR9kS0kZyIwubu1owMYb/s2015/473BC6BB-4D7D-40B9-BA42-49093A7B1E7C.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1343" data-original-width="2015" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqY978ma9Gzqhlg_Y2NjQMlfbQ5URSluL7MJCySQex9A7bAztwO16574gmbbWAyrCzuCm8s9iOCFrYfpBmR1LFywT2kqZR-01cJgCsEYwPzP9QN5b4FHLyVxwxDR9kS0kZyIwubu1owMYb/w640-h426/473BC6BB-4D7D-40B9-BA42-49093A7B1E7C.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Pf39ZM0SdcSiZ62YMMWcnCyLHKgeG38D_X8jh_r9SHI8Jx9sj_KMBdVvI466nBvlFLNwQQ-HyiCG_BONKuvd5stzK6naYpsKFldQrBw5cBUGtO3xCFQax0_pXrdIjAQkDkXiYg2fTNdt/s1829/A4AC3B25-2362-49C5-89D4-3E977B48EE95.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1219" data-original-width="1829" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Pf39ZM0SdcSiZ62YMMWcnCyLHKgeG38D_X8jh_r9SHI8Jx9sj_KMBdVvI466nBvlFLNwQQ-HyiCG_BONKuvd5stzK6naYpsKFldQrBw5cBUGtO3xCFQax0_pXrdIjAQkDkXiYg2fTNdt/w640-h426/A4AC3B25-2362-49C5-89D4-3E977B48EE95.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcXxQY40WED9EG1qBUNWwvNtOgvIMuhZwFVQB_VWw-OrSjBNUYFp5NdAsvOGEqBN6kikAvxy7kr9TEigmvqx_JA42a7nHuweJ7bhQHJKgZwGckFP9SR4Lem4dT0UoGwPFuxCeBlcMYAIQp/s1862/5AE2789A-2481-4FE0-B7C7-83ED3F164CB2.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; 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text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwC1Jp4nTz1GgcAFCCbuu6CJ7oEKMd4wuLa1L5XufUNVu4ogKs-Q3Gb5-qaETvxkdC9c23Rlm0w5as53yfPO874oUf7SDZi6ey9ohipb4tOQ7QHc1JKGWMRwEBdvCwNFGlhofZnZNDpvX0/s2048/4378F07C-FDDC-4AD3-941D-6E24F9F20238.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwC1Jp4nTz1GgcAFCCbuu6CJ7oEKMd4wuLa1L5XufUNVu4ogKs-Q3Gb5-qaETvxkdC9c23Rlm0w5as53yfPO874oUf7SDZi6ey9ohipb4tOQ7QHc1JKGWMRwEBdvCwNFGlhofZnZNDpvX0/w640-h426/4378F07C-FDDC-4AD3-941D-6E24F9F20238.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSpprd_UnqQAUimsvsKCwkNb_Zd6tCby8EfjHpyOEO6xN83gRMung8YDdPCe3FnK6EilES40ABNM8P2hzEiZOKt65vBUVbJGP3ZAdptCbSSGjgdeOWfB0vVd_bq6JvtXg02uUTG0kl8poP/s2018/615E7BDA-1016-44BE-93F6-E3340DFD3893.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1345" data-original-width="2018" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSpprd_UnqQAUimsvsKCwkNb_Zd6tCby8EfjHpyOEO6xN83gRMung8YDdPCe3FnK6EilES40ABNM8P2hzEiZOKt65vBUVbJGP3ZAdptCbSSGjgdeOWfB0vVd_bq6JvtXg02uUTG0kl8poP/w640-h426/615E7BDA-1016-44BE-93F6-E3340DFD3893.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>He eventually flew of to preen and fluff, and I was left breathless and so very happy to have had a moment with this gorgeous bird.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p></div>Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12736098600288028338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558377963798102771.post-70701234845077916732021-05-02T09:24:00.000-04:002021-05-02T09:24:05.302-04:00Catching up on March: MBY Vol 13<p></p><p>As I've been birding more to list species than to really enjoy birds and birding, I've been taking fewer photos. I am less reliant on getting a photo in order to obtain an ID, and I'm often lugging my scope around too and so am less inclined to add the camera to that load. That means I've fallen off, for the most part, on taking pictures of what I've seen, so I've got less to share with you. As I write this (May 2nd) migration is kicking into high gear, and I'm once again feeling like I want to just skip the last month and get caught up. I will resist, but I will attempt a less wordy, quick run-through of a few weeks in March.</p><p><u>March 14</u></p><p>Having already dipped on both the Ross's Goose and Cackling Goose I jumped at a chance to get them both in a flooded field in Isabella County, a mid-state county where I'd never birded before. Most of the snow was gone but, while the sun shone, it was chilly with a blustery north wind. </p><p>We pulled up and saw Cackling Geese right away. Half the size of their Canada cousins, cacklers also have stubby bills and a more vertical forehead. The green arrows point to a couple cacklers.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9VdX1TtzEMInvYhgrb_iynTjTqw4I5pFXld5V-zK4OaYVQQxjy-RhkqO5zp4Iyeum4M0EXJuiMEZwxyY1N-jbYPW7SpFPadHIapRSs_nfbq-OjPwzgfhHJdYKrEXN5QRksPrRLVbI2PAX/s2048/6N0A6805_LI.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9VdX1TtzEMInvYhgrb_iynTjTqw4I5pFXld5V-zK4OaYVQQxjy-RhkqO5zp4Iyeum4M0EXJuiMEZwxyY1N-jbYPW7SpFPadHIapRSs_nfbq-OjPwzgfhHJdYKrEXN5QRksPrRLVbI2PAX/w640-h426/6N0A6805_LI.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>We scanned the flock and found a pair of Greater White-fronted Geese, a species I'd already seen but not this close.</p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgud9QuMiolo-ZNWkQB4EodhS7zaPeKWo1hiNCm4a3aLhWTlGFeMGve-ZW37ekRdQIaMcXYl_bRCghsPMYi0zkK3W7XDEFwx_x3Qdu5NzwMX3mX28livLTw3Cj0JVEwllbvUgqTAZJYmXol/s2048/6N0A6809_LI.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgud9QuMiolo-ZNWkQB4EodhS7zaPeKWo1hiNCm4a3aLhWTlGFeMGve-ZW37ekRdQIaMcXYl_bRCghsPMYi0zkK3W7XDEFwx_x3Qdu5NzwMX3mX28livLTw3Cj0JVEwllbvUgqTAZJYmXol/w640-h426/6N0A6809_LI.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Then it was on to the white geese within the flock, most of whom were Snow Geese. But tucked into them...</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnvWcL7RWuP6wbBWuozcBPlhBgtT_dJeSp0hpNOBHAPuAcQ5NTuO12VsNFYjy26VY7hd2LcV0DZoBsGvUywBVy8blcqx96clVwiJkl2aH6RuyGo_ZBprAbM7pYHKfB1vxR0whk2x2s-vYj/s2048/6N0A6814.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnvWcL7RWuP6wbBWuozcBPlhBgtT_dJeSp0hpNOBHAPuAcQ5NTuO12VsNFYjy26VY7hd2LcV0DZoBsGvUywBVy8blcqx96clVwiJkl2aH6RuyGo_ZBprAbM7pYHKfB1vxR0whk2x2s-vYj/w640-h426/6N0A6814.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>...was a Ross's Goose. Somewhat smaller with a shorter, pinkish bill (rather than orange) with a blue base, it stands apart from the others on the far right.</p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXAPUdLs8cpZV2BsxirAQ5ZbMLfyTp8yJdWWfzz1EXzrwF8PhfiZXKYWYFPl5qxLN60pYeGMOLGJEdn5-KKeAODoEQoWJ2nlhXVIMPYl4FqKLPXXtzt-vDOrIQI-rXpBTcG60Ul-6L4R3q/s2048/6N0A6841.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXAPUdLs8cpZV2BsxirAQ5ZbMLfyTp8yJdWWfzz1EXzrwF8PhfiZXKYWYFPl5qxLN60pYeGMOLGJEdn5-KKeAODoEQoWJ2nlhXVIMPYl4FqKLPXXtzt-vDOrIQI-rXpBTcG60Ul-6L4R3q/w640-h426/6N0A6841.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpd6oN0dfrKLhY0lh7z4FIciOT1VYG8vuNSNlPjuf73i9b3iinDA1i6_-If2E_fX4IjrTEM8_k1oBGn7gUHL8PD0tD5KPItVsbbEKR2zxuo4R1BcOhXQ5NeRlOU2jFshD0-k0yvFm4ASBj/s2021/6N0A6844.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1347" data-original-width="2021" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpd6oN0dfrKLhY0lh7z4FIciOT1VYG8vuNSNlPjuf73i9b3iinDA1i6_-If2E_fX4IjrTEM8_k1oBGn7gUHL8PD0tD5KPItVsbbEKR2zxuo4R1BcOhXQ5NeRlOU2jFshD0-k0yvFm4ASBj/w640-h426/6N0A6844.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>It is these subtle differences in species that has reminded me that in order to be a good birder--in order to really find a lot of species--I have to look at every individual, because you never know what might be hiding within a flock!</p><p>Mid-March was crazy warm, with days in the 60s and even a few 70s. It was hard to stay focused on anything that didn't involve being outside. The evening of March 17 I drove down our road to see if I could find woodcocks. A staple at our home in Pinckney, I had not heard them here, even though I'd seen young birds on our property. So I drove to the creek and its floodplain and right away heard the birds peenting and doing their aerial display. One was super loud but I could not place it until it took off from right next to my car on the shoulder of the road!</p><p>On March 18 Lori and I drove up to Sleeping Bear Dunes. The idea had been to just do some casual birding, but then I'd seen a report that the Red-necked Grebes were still being seen in Sleeping Bear Bay so we drove up. We pulled up to the shore to find gale-force winds blowing from the NE. I had not thought to check the weather up there--oops!--and there was no chance of seeing anything from Glen Haven or Glen Arbor, so we drove up around to Sunset Shores Dr, where I knew I could be out of the wind, up above the water and, hopefully, looking across the waves and into the troughs. Sure enough, within a few minutes I picked out a grebe from among the Buffleheads and mergansers using my scope, but I had no chance to get images in that with all that choppy water. </p><p>From there we went into Empire and had our first indoor dinning experience in over a year. We had both had our first vaccine, the place was virtually empty at 11:30, and the wait staff wore masks, so we felt pretty safe. I felt so good to eat inside instead of on our laps in the car!</p><p>March 20th saw Lisa and I in Allegan chasing a Western Meadowlark. This wayward bird had been coming to this spot in the State Game Area for several years, signing a weird mutated version of a Western and Eastern song. It took a while but we did finally hear it singing. We walked down to that spot and I saw a bird fly across the road to the corn field (this was right before it was harvested) and I took some photos, although I did not think I'd gotten the Western (there were 4-5 Eastern Meadowlark there too). It was not until weeks later that I looked closely at the photos and realized I had indeed gotten the Western. The Western has a yellow malar stripe (the area that extends down from the base of the bill) and spotted flanks, verses the white malar and heavier banding of the Eastern Meadowlark.</p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOWVNBtPhSPpRxWxLHZV_nE9vEpoV08SzEEw7HEsJBlSEkzy3lhZOWoI_Hy5fS7gtS5voGq0hjfA5EeFQbTcdc1xLk3kgvVIL7BjX2_YBCK-txw7i76rYzucAPp4CU50KDZCJqLMYNCOtw/s1975/6N0A6867+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1317" data-original-width="1975" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOWVNBtPhSPpRxWxLHZV_nE9vEpoV08SzEEw7HEsJBlSEkzy3lhZOWoI_Hy5fS7gtS5voGq0hjfA5EeFQbTcdc1xLk3kgvVIL7BjX2_YBCK-txw7i76rYzucAPp4CU50KDZCJqLMYNCOtw/w640-h426/6N0A6867+%25282%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>We met birder Greg Smith there and he had some insight into where to go within the Maple River SGA since he birds there frequently. So on March 23rd we headed over and started on the east side of US 127 We walked down to X Unit and found a whole bunch of ducks and other water birds, then we drove over to an area where Long-eared Owls had been seen, but we had no luck. Turns out their location had become public a month or more before and scads of people showed up to see them. That's fine, except some people where crawling under their roost tree and shaking branches to get them look. No surprise they abandoned that roost. </p><p>We then tried our luck on the marshier west side of US 127 but did not find much there beyond some new songbirds. We would go back a few weeks later after figuring out where to go for shorebirds. In all I ended up adding seven new species there that day.</p><p><br /></p><p><u>Isabella County, March 14</u></p><p>#109) Cackling Goose</p><p>#110) Ross's Goose</p><p>#111) Turkey Vulture</p><p><u>17 Mile Road, March 17</u></p><p>#112) American Woodcock</p><p><u>Sleeping Bear Bay, March 18</u></p><p>#113) Red-necked Grebe</p><p><u>Allegan State Game Area, March 20</u></p><p>#114) Western Meadowlark</p><p><u>16 Mile at Cedar Creek, March 22</u></p><p>#115) Eastern Phoebe</p><p><u>Maple River SGA, March 23</u></p><p>#116) American Wigeon</p><p>#117) Blue-winged Teal</p><p>#118) Pied-billed Grebe</p><p>#119) Tree Swallow</p><p>#120) Northern Flicker</p><p>#121) Great Blue Heron</p><p>#122) Greater Yellowlegs</p><p><br /></p><p> </p><p></p>Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12736098600288028338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558377963798102771.post-6307934636792154092021-04-26T12:18:00.001-04:002021-04-26T12:18:13.623-04:00Great Horned Owlet! MBY Vol 12<p> Holy moly, I'm not sure how a month has gone by since my last post. Actually, that's bull pucky--I know exactly how--I've been birding! Since my last post, where I was at 102 species for the year, I've added 76 more. I've been all over the state, chasing rarities and uncommon birds. I've apparently gotten over my reluctance to jump in the car and drive three hours to see a bird.</p><p>Another shift away from my usual mode of birding is that I have not been concentrating on photographing them. I do my best to get shots of rarities for the sake of confirmation, but for the most part my camera never leaves its bag. I go out with my scope and my iPhone and use that combination for getting images. Not the highest quality, but at least I can usually get diagnostic images with it. So for a photo-heavy blog, I don't have a lot of great photos to share, except for some of a Great Horned Owlet I got in Ann Arbor last month. </p><p>March 9th was Lisa's birthday and we drove down to Grand Rapids to do a bit of shopping. It was unseasonably warm, reaching 63° in the afternoon (at least 20° above average) and we planned a walk in a nearby park. Before that though we stopped at Red Robin to get take out lunch. Red Robin has a dedicated fryer for their French fries so Lisa, who has Celiac, can have them without fear of contamination from breaded chicken or onion rings. While eating in the car in the mall parking lot I heard a Killdeer call for #103. </p><p>We ended up at Millennial Park which has a sprawling tail system along the Grand River. It felt so good to get out and walk without being covered from head to toe with winter clothing. I actually got hot from the sun. We saw lots of birds but nothing new until we found the "nature trail" (basically meaning an unpaved trail in the woods) and found some Common Grackles and Brown-headed Cowbirds for #104 and #105.</p><p><br /></p><p>On March 13, after a couple of days "off," I drove down to Eaton Rapids to go birding with my friend Kirby Adams. He had a bead on Rusty Blackbird, but really it was just an excuse to get together and bird with a buddy. I was up at 5am, on the road by 5:45 in order to get there when the birds would be most active and easier to find. He took me right to the spot and we found seven "rusties" for bird #106. From there we drove to Crandell Park, a converted gravel pit, where we heard and then saw an Eastern Meadowlark singing for bird #107.</p><p>We hit a few more locations including a lake where there were lots of ducks and mergansers. On the far side we both saw what looked like a large gull, but it was too distant to tell for sure. He went back to his car to get his scope, got on the bird, then stepped back and asked me to take a look. Uh oh, I thought, he's testing my gull ID skills, which are seriously lacking. I took a breath and took a look.</p><p>Instead of a gull what I saw was a board, maybe a hunk of 1x6, weathered and gray, floating in the water with two white, round balls of some kind (perhaps Styrofoam), looking for all the world like a white-headed, gray-backed gull. It's not the first time we've been fooled by some inanimate object that looked like a bird, and it surely won't be the last.</p><p>From there I drove to Ann Arbor to take a stab at the Great Horned Owls that have nested in a park in town for several years now. Owls are one of the trickier species to find, as secretive as they tend to be, so I felt it wise to get this species while they were at their nest site and easy to see. But I had a heck of a time finding this nest. It should have been obvious--it was in a big willow with a busted-off branch where the nest was. I'd seen photos. I had the eBird hotspot location, which was Island Park, literally a tiny island in the Huron River. I wandered around that park twice but came up empty. No nest, no owls, and no crowd looking at owls. Just some teens/20-somethings working on a dance routine. So I phoned a friend, who directed me off the far side of the island and to the left. Bingo!</p><p>I have never seen an owlet in the wild and I gotta tell ya, they really are the cutest darn things. All fluff and attitude.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvgk5vV7SE0yFNVG0GDEWqBkdxo2zclcjUnm3vKKFdTduB7QMbeeXRBkrbpZO25QA3DnmfBRd5LDmwLJYaoHvsm5sPGXy9cjdVDBFur3VS8_aMqBzZYc-C3EDt9t85Hp13AVE5LgH9hqbw/s2048/IMG_E1602.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvgk5vV7SE0yFNVG0GDEWqBkdxo2zclcjUnm3vKKFdTduB7QMbeeXRBkrbpZO25QA3DnmfBRd5LDmwLJYaoHvsm5sPGXy9cjdVDBFur3VS8_aMqBzZYc-C3EDt9t85Hp13AVE5LgH9hqbw/w426-h640/IMG_E1602.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>OMG.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>The little fluffernutter was alone in the nest. It had a nest mate but apparently that one kept falling--or getting pushed--out of the nest. It had already happened once and a rehabber had been called in to rescue it. It happened a second time just days before I arrived. There was some debate about whether it should have been rescued again, or if nature should have been allowed to run its course. But that second option was never really an option--many people had become attached to this family and there was no way in hell humans weren't going to come to the rescue. (Some time after I saw the birds the second chick was returned successfully to the nest.)</p><p>I took my first shot from the walkway along the fence behind the soccer fields, then moved into the woods to set up my tripod nest to the other photographers and curious onlookers. There was an area roped off so over-zealous people didn't get too close. Their nest tree was literally a few feet off a well-worn footpath, so walkers and joggers had to make a slight detour. The owls seemed utterly non-plussed by all the human activity. Mom and dad were both nearby, one napping, the other preening, and Jr. sat quietly in the nest, looking around, preening, and yawning.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF0pztu5H_1sX7gbt3OzvAW7kEeYX9LrttSmlVj9JwiznfGh6fQ1K8-MstC8HciawfghyphenhyphenhzFn193HVq2hBO8aba_UTjjEkQpc6C3cHnHrsP0RLcIrT713YXA_BGPwPkkd1ev2tbsxafpFM/s2048/IMG_E1535.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF0pztu5H_1sX7gbt3OzvAW7kEeYX9LrttSmlVj9JwiznfGh6fQ1K8-MstC8HciawfghyphenhyphenhzFn193HVq2hBO8aba_UTjjEkQpc6C3cHnHrsP0RLcIrT713YXA_BGPwPkkd1ev2tbsxafpFM/w640-h426/IMG_E1535.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Well hello!!</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGXKSX-rAI_GM2InM8x-VIOIWGTjNc9FoAO0viWVevij9lC4DjKJX7hiKO_m0u_m3OwZvlEhnu_n_wov1qmwUL_ln30MXomnXaSnv-4XXj0bmsQ75j5ngGE0TUYeWTzGvu_P3drhzxemk8/s2048/IMG_E1538.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGXKSX-rAI_GM2InM8x-VIOIWGTjNc9FoAO0viWVevij9lC4DjKJX7hiKO_m0u_m3OwZvlEhnu_n_wov1qmwUL_ln30MXomnXaSnv-4XXj0bmsQ75j5ngGE0TUYeWTzGvu_P3drhzxemk8/w426-h640/IMG_E1538.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I love how the bits of nest floof are visible.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQo9G7CEhmLL8CjYusyDn1O2QDjn_GZXBofMgGZPJwoK943VWlvIqSj370zpMPDQWoo0N5yHIqrDGlmW-PnrS7pZfsyQLkjYK-3sD77jAJi_pfV0vz2jQYCd_8vNs2MPlB5IuMv3bmw767/s2048/IMG_E1589.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQo9G7CEhmLL8CjYusyDn1O2QDjn_GZXBofMgGZPJwoK943VWlvIqSj370zpMPDQWoo0N5yHIqrDGlmW-PnrS7pZfsyQLkjYK-3sD77jAJi_pfV0vz2jQYCd_8vNs2MPlB5IuMv3bmw767/w640-h426/IMG_E1589.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Parent #1, napping</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlStl6GodrVl7QjDyEs5F9YK8vJlERj1uazHlNDZcyg4RY1EJE9MRQHp1OwqzyNGx3oNWri__I5bZ0utJrkSMjpAwX3TNeqACJP3k5ic_h26pq4l4Er556WAQn8M7zenvoiXAaR9LQqefH/s2048/IMG_E1590.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlStl6GodrVl7QjDyEs5F9YK8vJlERj1uazHlNDZcyg4RY1EJE9MRQHp1OwqzyNGx3oNWri__I5bZ0utJrkSMjpAwX3TNeqACJP3k5ic_h26pq4l4Er556WAQn8M7zenvoiXAaR9LQqefH/w640-h426/IMG_E1590.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Parent #2, preening</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy0-5h55dW4S7r02MX72iZejiT6RWE9uQ8wc1XU7zUqirTs77-f-Y4CZ9ICtpBGu3VwtH4lHDyW-eVYUuMnt40prZK03KD3azoCfDtH9wycCgtXSGvCsfP-lnbxrQJD8dTgNRQ7F2A_bqe/s2048/IMG_E1591.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy0-5h55dW4S7r02MX72iZejiT6RWE9uQ8wc1XU7zUqirTs77-f-Y4CZ9ICtpBGu3VwtH4lHDyW-eVYUuMnt40prZK03KD3azoCfDtH9wycCgtXSGvCsfP-lnbxrQJD8dTgNRQ7F2A_bqe/w640-h426/IMG_E1591.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Beebee, watching.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKmukhT-vn0ux0yrU8GoxUdTaL_4X-_jp5Aui65F2g_qefN9eFpX5YQy8mT8p518hyphenhyphentxqvIS6XIdQGSHmzFaUH0JlX0NUOCPVb7SEWzwrl914ORnIcMuVNPGL2P12AxELwjOUaP2TgNhUH/s2048/IMG_E1592.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKmukhT-vn0ux0yrU8GoxUdTaL_4X-_jp5Aui65F2g_qefN9eFpX5YQy8mT8p518hyphenhyphentxqvIS6XIdQGSHmzFaUH0JlX0NUOCPVb7SEWzwrl914ORnIcMuVNPGL2P12AxELwjOUaP2TgNhUH/w640-h426/IMG_E1592.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>What's dat?</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZfWBhL4E0Eb9zAnMKcHAnyZO3ca5nZz4t22S5W4_T6ETiIpazrglCzm8D3CxYJKvwDWmJYwSriTFNjcsK0y6kxsqZ91cLenqFZToVHEnEcbiTUYNwwEFXnKtVKGILv2IO0lW3DZqlpJL5/s2048/IMG_E1594.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZfWBhL4E0Eb9zAnMKcHAnyZO3ca5nZz4t22S5W4_T6ETiIpazrglCzm8D3CxYJKvwDWmJYwSriTFNjcsK0y6kxsqZ91cLenqFZToVHEnEcbiTUYNwwEFXnKtVKGILv2IO0lW3DZqlpJL5/w640-h426/IMG_E1594.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>And dat over dere?</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1j2drwV4Z7KULn8QacAXw_AIvEtaPjsYvj4dy1GqRANClMtSRL-DWz8bWk1Ij78x0VhGfiG36S_TPXId-G8MyvU1aLo1p54aXSoLhT9KLnKP2yeFd9muxkhTh6sIi5MY3FEO-tEm_r46x/s2048/IMG_E1595.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1j2drwV4Z7KULn8QacAXw_AIvEtaPjsYvj4dy1GqRANClMtSRL-DWz8bWk1Ij78x0VhGfiG36S_TPXId-G8MyvU1aLo1p54aXSoLhT9KLnKP2yeFd9muxkhTh6sIi5MY3FEO-tEm_r46x/w640-h426/IMG_E1595.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Who dat?</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHkDF6_nP_jHAbyXgWyqDJ0aewZ236S4-d22cyeDt2XzVoK2Jzhn3vitnIL5yrZmSVkMby26dyAG3ZGKBgqPUtPJePa6INWfxE7f2n2gPNfdROfrSp-uLBTo0x4IfPgXPBXui_9C9DNid4/s2048/IMG_E1598.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHkDF6_nP_jHAbyXgWyqDJ0aewZ236S4-d22cyeDt2XzVoK2Jzhn3vitnIL5yrZmSVkMby26dyAG3ZGKBgqPUtPJePa6INWfxE7f2n2gPNfdROfrSp-uLBTo0x4IfPgXPBXui_9C9DNid4/w640-h426/IMG_E1598.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Who dis?</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqC61D9uLDYTrjfv7MfPPqQZbt-apAczoC9KwDfnTpDnWxevH1HoXnH7H7UT7k_r1O9GJ-GNhRbJPOUnfWUKWlJ1afwXfpagb0mv2pNLGsrgWZYrOEiwE2w5KMGdw_Ld_nK2irJrtVxmig/s2048/IMG_E1600.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqC61D9uLDYTrjfv7MfPPqQZbt-apAczoC9KwDfnTpDnWxevH1HoXnH7H7UT7k_r1O9GJ-GNhRbJPOUnfWUKWlJ1afwXfpagb0mv2pNLGsrgWZYrOEiwE2w5KMGdw_Ld_nK2irJrtVxmig/w640-h426/IMG_E1600.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I know you. I seen you before.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQLSev3OkMece8Mi_W-TmR7Ba7bTAiPTs0F-QeWb4UEKqkP1Q17lzdMd_eU3nlxD_DqjVPcmh4sqxv8e9_6VKBl67lptUoeDdMPodsjHfVJZTY7scnZq22cSYU2l_MTpmjfVdrnXOSmGbx/s2048/IMG_E1601.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQLSev3OkMece8Mi_W-TmR7Ba7bTAiPTs0F-QeWb4UEKqkP1Q17lzdMd_eU3nlxD_DqjVPcmh4sqxv8e9_6VKBl67lptUoeDdMPodsjHfVJZTY7scnZq22cSYU2l_MTpmjfVdrnXOSmGbx/w640-h426/IMG_E1601.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>All dese questions make us seepy. I take nap now.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />The day was rounded out with a visit to my mother for a late lunch/early dinner in my car at Culver's. By the time I got home it was 8:30 and dark, and I was fried. Plus, that night we switched to Daylight Saving Time so I lost an hour of sleep!<div><br /></div><div>Next blog I'll try to do a bit of catching up.<br /><br /><p><u>Woodland Mall, Grand Rapids, March 9</u></p><p>#103) Killdeer</p><p>#104) Common Grackle</p><p>#105) Brown-headed Cowbird</p><p><u>Eaton Rapids, March 13</u></p><p>#106) Rusty Blackbird</p><p>#107) Eastern Meadowlark</p><p><u>Island Park, Ann Arbor, March 13</u></p><p>#108) Great Horned Owl</p></div>Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12736098600288028338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558377963798102771.post-79182224584098332032021-03-24T20:40:00.004-04:002021-03-24T20:40:47.587-04:00The Dance of the Sharp-tailed Grouse--MBY Vol 11<p></p><p>In the two weeks after our U.P. trip I spent some time driving around west and central Michigan, picking up birds here and there: Greater White-fronted Geese in Montegue; a whole host of birds, including the previously dipped on Barrow's Goldeneye, in the Kalamazoo area; Cedar Waxwings along a paved trail on the Muskegon River in Big Rapids; my first Red-winged Blackbirds of the year at home on March 5th; a few new ducks and a Glaucous Gull at Muskegon Wastewater. Spring was springing, the snow melting and dripping and forming ice all over our driveway and sidewalks. I spent a lot of time roof raking and salting and putting sand on the icy driveway. But in spite of adding all those birds to my list, I was itching to get back to the U.P.</p><p>For me, one of the biggest limitations of doing a Big Year is being able to be in a given location at dawn. Birds are most active at sunrise and for a few hours after as they are breaking their fast, so to have the best chance of seeing and/or hearing a bird, you've gotta be out at dawn. On our first trip to the U.P. we were twice in the Rudyard area around 1:00 in the afternoon--perhaps the <i>worst</i> time to bird--and did not see any grouse, or hardly any birds at all. So I planned another trip north in early March. Here's the tale:</p><p><br /></p><p><u>March 8:</u></p><p>After dipping on the Sharp-tailed Grouse on our last trip to the U.P., someone posted photos of five or six grouse on a lek in the eastern U.P. (A lek is a patch of seemingly random turf where male grouse compete for the attention of--and the ability to breed with--the females.) I had no idea they would be on their leks so early, and Lisa and I almost went up the next day. But getting up there early enough to see the birds on their lek would mean getting to the area by sunrise, and that meant, if we left from home, getting up at 3 am. We were going to do it, had all our stuff ready to go, when I decided at 10:30 pm that I really didn't want to be driving at four in the morning. Plus, I want birding to be fun, not torturous. So I checked the weather and picked a day to go up and stay overnight in the area, knowing we had some time because the birds are on their lek for many weeks.</p><p>We got up around 6 am, showered, had breakfast, and started loading the truck--we did still want to get up to the Whitefish Point area and make an attempt at a Spruce Grouse. Around 7 am, in the still dim morning, our beagle Bailey stood at the sliding glass door, grumbling. I went to look, expecting to see the feral cat who lives in the area but was stunned to see a beautiful Barred Owl sitting on one of the bird feeder posts! Of course my camera was already in the truck, so I was left having to take some craptastic photos with my cell phone.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrjCROB6gYFRgJuxE8YEjqC1kxrWXckgXUSnCdgDC0cV3F2xMszJd7mhL2X84NXfL65qw39GOZnVaw1-_Ku8EecAhXjgfTq1dF6nL78N2KWsPrru5qZS9fU87dNhb0F8r52jOJueEzrPVi/s2048/IMG_1749.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrjCROB6gYFRgJuxE8YEjqC1kxrWXckgXUSnCdgDC0cV3F2xMszJd7mhL2X84NXfL65qw39GOZnVaw1-_Ku8EecAhXjgfTq1dF6nL78N2KWsPrru5qZS9fU87dNhb0F8r52jOJueEzrPVi/w480-h640/IMG_1749.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Barred Owl at the bird buffet. I wonder if this is a female based on size.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />We got on the road by 8:15 am and had a lovely drive. It was chilly, in the 20's all day, but it was sunny and not too windy. We drove up to Whitefish Point to have a look around. The beach was like a moonscape and studded with the cones of ice volcanos. These form over shallow water just off the beach by waves getting forced under the ice and then erupting through holes. The cone forms as the water and ice bits rain down around the hole, slowly building. But the breeze was easterly, not onshore, so no water was erupting from them. It's even possible they were by now cut off by the ice expanding out into the bay, but they were still cool to see.<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk_iZeQJwgduAMaO0X7imCKJN8vRkYsz4Co9M2wm4zb-6pB586Xb0dfg8zf7Tj-fUQdLu-irKEahKSl-dJBSj4j8Tckc6OdLJ_QhHGY-LvOXbcLEt-roP85mrEgW1RFskonCV-i2GdwLfc/s2048/IMG_1764.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk_iZeQJwgduAMaO0X7imCKJN8vRkYsz4Co9M2wm4zb-6pB586Xb0dfg8zf7Tj-fUQdLu-irKEahKSl-dJBSj4j8Tckc6OdLJ_QhHGY-LvOXbcLEt-roP85mrEgW1RFskonCV-i2GdwLfc/w640-h480/IMG_1764.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Ice volcanos at Whitefish Point.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOGnT_NAgUdPYr3CN2w77-kq94jhwgvXjAOnquphlYqbRvmMEWc9ZcQymOeM1kR4BFISwMV50-Crl_GHU0TMVUPlu-yqN6Yu6xJFCj-gc6bjMKHrZZ4A2WtaR2Tf1v8LyxYPhu2FCNRra0/s2048/IMG_1765.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOGnT_NAgUdPYr3CN2w77-kq94jhwgvXjAOnquphlYqbRvmMEWc9ZcQymOeM1kR4BFISwMV50-Crl_GHU0TMVUPlu-yqN6Yu6xJFCj-gc6bjMKHrZZ4A2WtaR2Tf1v8LyxYPhu2FCNRra0/w480-h640/IMG_1765.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Wind-swept and oddly lunar-looking beach.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>Cold air holds little moisture and allows for the remarkable blues of a northern winter sky. Contrast that with the whites of the lighthouse it nearly makes me weep.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNprz_2DOjQveWR4JvJgCU7VdMZfXaJM4wgdHo6it_8fzx5UixiFZO-qD55bM9Q4_tKw_R4SVDF2MK2NzHADFbDz5t68f4cnqBYErdiyFWS7GnBRGqB1A7bnTvy4EPzhNEjFltTlGg3w01/s2048/IMG_1770.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNprz_2DOjQveWR4JvJgCU7VdMZfXaJM4wgdHo6it_8fzx5UixiFZO-qD55bM9Q4_tKw_R4SVDF2MK2NzHADFbDz5t68f4cnqBYErdiyFWS7GnBRGqB1A7bnTvy4EPzhNEjFltTlGg3w01/w640-h480/IMG_1770.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Whitefish Point Lighthouse</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />We paid a visit to some friends who live just south of the point who do owl banding there every spring (and yes, I'll be going back!) and they gave us some tips on where to look for Spruce Grouse, another northern Michigan target bird. We drove some backroads but with all the snowmobiles (we were there on a Sunday on what was likely to be the last good snowmobiling weekend) there were no Spruce Grouse about. We did have one heart-stopping moment when a grouse flew across the road in front of us, but I could tell by its tail that it was a Ruffed. <p></p><p>So we made our way eastward toward our hotel in Sault Ste. Marie, stopping along the bay to see the sights, like the Point Iroquois Light Station.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_wEjcxaaBS7jMxqSpScyEBJEslWjXAiqz37GWABiOO4MFmrxMCowERnrUegGlQT9sn_i1asSxJIEb8IZ32c4vppllZFQOocPKqUS2bTbEL8kmbqR189Od0V7N4ECxzO6RQ4GA36Qu7FJ9/s2048/IMG_1779.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_wEjcxaaBS7jMxqSpScyEBJEslWjXAiqz37GWABiOO4MFmrxMCowERnrUegGlQT9sn_i1asSxJIEb8IZ32c4vppllZFQOocPKqUS2bTbEL8kmbqR189Od0V7N4ECxzO6RQ4GA36Qu7FJ9/w480-h640/IMG_1779.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">The lek where the grouse had been photographed earlier this week was about a half hour south of the Soo, so to be in the area at sunrise we still had to get up at 5:30 am so we could reload the truck and make the drive in time. We arrived pre-dawn and started creeping along the secondary roads as we made our way to M-48. The lek was on M-48 a mile east of I-75, but the woman who had seen them apparently does not use eBird, which would have given us a precise location, so I had to rely on her sense of direction and distance. </p><p style="text-align: left;">We reached east-bound M-48 about 15 minutes before sunrise and drove slowly along. Fortunately it's a pretty desolate area, mostly farm fields, so I wasn't holding anyone up. The photos I'd seen showed the birds out in the open, displaying. Against the still snow-covered fields they should have been obvious, but we saw no birds.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Not wanting to dip again, especially after incurring the expense of a hotel, I had to decide if we would drive up and down M-48 and hope to spot them, or to head back north to check out one of the several locations where they had been seen the day before. I really wanted to see the males on their lek doing their display, but the more important thing this trip was just to see one, <i>any</i> one, so I decided that the smart thing to do was to head to one of the other locations (a couple are at homes with bird feeders, so fairly reliable), check the bird off the list, then come back down to M-48 and try again for a lek before it got too late. So we continued east down the highway but I picked up the pace. </p><p style="text-align: left;">A mile or two later there was a flash of something flying across the road, something gray and white and round with fast wingbeats. I hit the brakes and pointed. </p><p style="text-align: left;">"There!!" I shouted as the bird flew into a small copse of trees in the middle of a field and alighted on a branch. "That's it!"</p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">I pulled the truck off the road as Lisa called out that a second one was coming in. By the time I got my camera set up there was a third. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBG67qIDifYTPJm4nxBjt7aC5x08xpJVqmz0zSKk9hQ0uoYhyphenhyphenWiYGphz4y5Zu4K1yk6oxG5-J2LeCCM6ZXoJBfwI-WsgzVvPLQCaJmf6yVgPN5w0Bcn6zHj39TV8Twewr1z5ngIC5eBriJ/s2048/IMG_E1526.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBG67qIDifYTPJm4nxBjt7aC5x08xpJVqmz0zSKk9hQ0uoYhyphenhyphenWiYGphz4y5Zu4K1yk6oxG5-J2LeCCM6ZXoJBfwI-WsgzVvPLQCaJmf6yVgPN5w0Bcn6zHj39TV8Twewr1z5ngIC5eBriJ/w640-h426/IMG_E1526.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sharp-tailed Grouse, looking for all the world like chickens in a tree.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>While I messed with my camera settings (it was still fairly dark and I was trying to get a decent exposure) four more birds flew in, for a total of seven.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4pqY3-ZZ6_wUlCoUMSz_yKVtaaYItPI6AmqOloeor5FM9l4Z1i018rlc9Q6kpae1zmm44d0weSYqrOmBR0Teu6pSRftGkgPXGnnpF4lHU0T2M1vU41V-IHHNWMRB7bTT15ag1D6OPk05J/s2048/IMG_E1528.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4pqY3-ZZ6_wUlCoUMSz_yKVtaaYItPI6AmqOloeor5FM9l4Z1i018rlc9Q6kpae1zmm44d0weSYqrOmBR0Teu6pSRftGkgPXGnnpF4lHU0T2M1vU41V-IHHNWMRB7bTT15ag1D6OPk05J/w640-h426/IMG_E1528.JPG" width="640" /></a></p><p><br /></p><p>Then one by one they fluttered to the ground and started, well, <i>grousing</i>.</p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf0eoUBYeK9wCSdQGYfMvjHdtsBbu-t8vUi1e54HmRb5fPifXE1xbGdj1rW04KY1dX3FFj80TRw9zYx_yzduE0uA9zdiW_x2hm6hxOMEFjXcD5Tc3XIL819GSnf0mt9SBcZtL0Hbxpew9X/s1771/IMG_E1566.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1181" data-original-width="1771" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf0eoUBYeK9wCSdQGYfMvjHdtsBbu-t8vUi1e54HmRb5fPifXE1xbGdj1rW04KY1dX3FFj80TRw9zYx_yzduE0uA9zdiW_x2hm6hxOMEFjXcD5Tc3XIL819GSnf0mt9SBcZtL0Hbxpew9X/w640-h426/IMG_E1566.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>I began shooting and hoped for the best. The lek was perhaps 50-70 yards from the road, so my 400mm didn't have quite enough reach, and it was still pretty dark, but I didn't care. Watching these birds zip back and forth, tails high, wings low and scraping the snow, was such an amazing experience I would have been OK with no photos at all.</p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGIsPohNplQjiC_Z6fkaRGDzDfcZ_a8aAP1P3Mump8efUVMGKvFb75MJTCFZlroDrBDwxIR92xKXRL-PEipWj5B2Q3Lx4K03uAmkxyj0raS-rgxiYif_ZfSef5QodoEqd0mTicoN11h_vG/s1245/IMG_E1567.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="830" data-original-width="1245" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGIsPohNplQjiC_Z6fkaRGDzDfcZ_a8aAP1P3Mump8efUVMGKvFb75MJTCFZlroDrBDwxIR92xKXRL-PEipWj5B2Q3Lx4K03uAmkxyj0raS-rgxiYif_ZfSef5QodoEqd0mTicoN11h_vG/w640-h426/IMG_E1567.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>It's hard to know for sure but I think there were perhaps two females among them. The males would charge each other and face off, then more often than not lie down on the ground, facing each other. I did the best I could to capture the action, but it seemed like they were almost always behind something--a log, a branch, a snow drift. Still, I didn't care. What a privilege to see this in person.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNzZ0TEPYn5Na6BQWjSNJRBzb9QlfNYCY-A9qCh7iaEBj_tFqj__SuQ0cAS38NC9Opq3D_Qb0s95p-0_N3ItShrnt595537XdvLZ_K1AuPWThFnZOXeNaIvk71mleBzgOPuC93iUu0A1g-/s1324/IMG_E1572.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="883" data-original-width="1324" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNzZ0TEPYn5Na6BQWjSNJRBzb9QlfNYCY-A9qCh7iaEBj_tFqj__SuQ0cAS38NC9Opq3D_Qb0s95p-0_N3ItShrnt595537XdvLZ_K1AuPWThFnZOXeNaIvk71mleBzgOPuC93iUu0A1g-/w640-h426/IMG_E1572.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijMYhAV3Jkg-yQtkWbNETv-rtWKcPDfe3M7nCIkZC6fZCdZo9CIX6O3qnb_fZU0LfinkFvgnBrgUw6gIjjCgeXuyR25UPfuDdNMPzCULVaAOYXC3XdczQFeAEuScIXasFMVFjCtAuX7KOk/s1511/IMG_E1581.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1007" data-original-width="1511" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijMYhAV3Jkg-yQtkWbNETv-rtWKcPDfe3M7nCIkZC6fZCdZo9CIX6O3qnb_fZU0LfinkFvgnBrgUw6gIjjCgeXuyR25UPfuDdNMPzCULVaAOYXC3XdczQFeAEuScIXasFMVFjCtAuX7KOk/w640-h426/IMG_E1581.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJaDhRJoMP6UX0x_OdCc9l_RlBz-p0zEaXSEDwAb7Rxi8N-7V0ARTEHo3w5c3I2hgJLQ116voCw-qSVsLeaIJIu63-esIk5f5ZgV3QW3NM5yMFHWLSOlitM1kfv9DxqI02aBWnYVNbHeNo/s1592/IMG_E1584.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1061" data-original-width="1592" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJaDhRJoMP6UX0x_OdCc9l_RlBz-p0zEaXSEDwAb7Rxi8N-7V0ARTEHo3w5c3I2hgJLQ116voCw-qSVsLeaIJIu63-esIk5f5ZgV3QW3NM5yMFHWLSOlitM1kfv9DxqI02aBWnYVNbHeNo/w640-h426/IMG_E1584.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOUhaCbw9OlzzxZlE98ZkTNEs0lT533Q39IV-gYOM_6kHf-mVxpxaYuJApNwhhnxnL3WEzd2QEGfpoTCtiszL0VK_JZ_40shvbBD-49KgIWMu0RE-_j3IEkrl0H_66wElpGrNbOh68WegO/s1913/IMG_E1579.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1275" data-original-width="1913" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOUhaCbw9OlzzxZlE98ZkTNEs0lT533Q39IV-gYOM_6kHf-mVxpxaYuJApNwhhnxnL3WEzd2QEGfpoTCtiszL0VK_JZ_40shvbBD-49KgIWMu0RE-_j3IEkrl0H_66wElpGrNbOh68WegO/w640-h426/IMG_E1579.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;">I could hear their grunts and squeaks so decided to try some video. I don't have an external microphone so the truck that drove by while I was filming is quite loud, but the video is so much better at capturing these birds than a photo could. We've messed with the audio a bit so it's a little inconsistent (a truck drove by early on) but I am totally an amateur videographer (hell, I'm not even at that level). You can, however, hear the grouse, which I think is totally cool. You can also see, if you watch carefully, the males shaking their name-sake sharp tail. I've uploaded the video to Lisa's YouTube channel and linked to it here (while you're there you should totally check out some of her woodturning videos): <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lokIK980cb0" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lokIK980cb0</a></p><p style="text-align: left;">I may get myself some video gear (starting with a directional microphone) and play around with videography. Might even set up my own YouTube channel!</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p><u>Montague, February 25</u></p><p>#88) Greater White-fronted Goose</p><p><u>Kalamazoo River at Custer Rd, February 27</u></p><p>#89 Belted Kingfisher</p><p>#90 Barrow's Goldeneye</p><p>#91) Wood Duck</p><p>#92) American Robin</p><p><u>Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery, February 27</u></p><p>#93) American Coot</p><p>#94) Ring-necked Duck</p><p>#95) Northern Pintail</p><p><u>Riverwalk, Big Rapids March 3</u></p><p>#96) Cedar Waxwing</p><p><u>Home, March 5</u></p><p>#97) Red-winged Blackbird</p><p><u>Muskegon Wastewater, March 3</u></p><p>#98) Green-winged Teal</p><p>#99) Northern Shoveler</p><p>#100) Glaucous Gull</p><p><u>Home, March 5</u></p><p>#101) Barred Owl</p><p><u>Pickford Township, March 5</u></p><p>#102) Sharp-tailed Grouse</p>Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12736098600288028338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558377963798102771.post-82493405748936153072021-03-12T20:12:00.003-05:002021-03-12T20:12:35.163-05:00Canada Jays in Michigan's U.P.--MBY Vol 10<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><u>February 22 continued</u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As we headed toward M-41, our birding trip saved by the sighting of the Black-backed Woodpecker, my phone rang. It was Mark.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"Did you get my voicemail?" he asked.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"No, I think we just got cell service."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"Did you get the Canada Jays yet?" I slammed on the brakes again.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"No, we'd kind of given up on them. Did you see them?!"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">They had indeed. He told us to head back and look for a cabin on the river side of the road that had a Remax sign and "For Rent" sign out front. He said that about 200 feet before the cabin there was a deer carcass hanging on a tree about 8 feet off the road (put there for the purpose of feeding the birds, if you're wondering). We turned around and headed back down the road. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It wasn't too long before we found the cabin, so I stopped and backed up and saw the carcass, now just a backbone and ribs, hanging from a tree. There were several woodpeckers picking bits of meat off the bones. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9mElzc_7vY9DZz-Q9JXgSRJEIoyzdB1xgqeBPagHLeSRSkd5J59-CMTwLLxhH80Y-CV89F94TTuNUcqA6weWqr3gQPQMcj5BhyaOPiKvmyOtq5Pwc5Z8PP-FFI2mH8cuCwW2wjv5iUyRL/s2048/IMG_E1509.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1366" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9mElzc_7vY9DZz-Q9JXgSRJEIoyzdB1xgqeBPagHLeSRSkd5J59-CMTwLLxhH80Y-CV89F94TTuNUcqA6weWqr3gQPQMcj5BhyaOPiKvmyOtq5Pwc5Z8PP-FFI2mH8cuCwW2wjv5iUyRL/w426-h640/IMG_E1509.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Hairy Woodpecker getting some much needed late winter protein.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We waited a few minutes to see if the jays would appear, then I decided to play their calls on my phone. Within seconds a Canada Jay appeared in front of the truck and perched in a small tree, as if it had simply materialized out of the snow. Lori smashed up some almonds she'd brought and I stepped out of the truck, stood in the road, and held out my hand. Mark had said he'd offered peanut butter on a bit of bread, so I thought I'd try it. To my utter astonishment the bird flew right at me. Maybe I flinched but at the last moment it veered and landed right next to the passenger side window. Lori extended her hand and the jay came down and plucked a bit of almond from her palm.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Q4YhZaBT0lldjKzoZfLp1Qo6VMz9lHUYVtLcVSvvehT9rrAv_wbdXcawVMHdb3pChxppk8Tid9W6SrmgCSnSJzuWir3ITii2aK1dJY5cenHU0dH2tcY5hjD4I_Bp6KcA2uogL2RjR82J/s2048/IMG_E1492.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Q4YhZaBT0lldjKzoZfLp1Qo6VMz9lHUYVtLcVSvvehT9rrAv_wbdXcawVMHdb3pChxppk8Tid9W6SrmgCSnSJzuWir3ITii2aK1dJY5cenHU0dH2tcY5hjD4I_Bp6KcA2uogL2RjR82J/w640-h426/IMG_E1492.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Young Canada Jay taking a nut from Lori (that's the truck's mirror in the foreground).</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>The bird flew off to a branch to pick apart its treat but promptly dropped the nut into the snow. It flew down to retrieve it but seemed unable. When it returned to the tree we realized it had a bum leg, making it nearly impossible to perch and hold the nut at the same time. You can see its useless foot sticking back under its tail.</p><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX4DijoLATnnmdEgJ6Ml6DvDIcrV10mahrdRC74UcP6YlMMuYJ9MeOQDEN79zPxnPHr_R2cR9sm1FkP52mFKVgxju0kFr652fhANLNOc5xtMBes1Wmd9hUktwVjD_5rhQlTMm2YR60JyOh/s2048/IMG_E1494.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX4DijoLATnnmdEgJ6Ml6DvDIcrV10mahrdRC74UcP6YlMMuYJ9MeOQDEN79zPxnPHr_R2cR9sm1FkP52mFKVgxju0kFr652fhANLNOc5xtMBes1Wmd9hUktwVjD_5rhQlTMm2YR60JyOh/w640-h426/IMG_E1494.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBrL8bOcP-SJjURj2YWVC7WR9952vXAmJPZ_qtSmOXQtoXPfi6nDy42_B3T_q-P85msNgUEDFBbYg6SIf3jMwO8W1rfrqCvvXQaEtCX41sx6Ecrm9xVGL3uyX9A0epDioF0X_cg0T7SRPf/s2048/IMG_E1496.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBrL8bOcP-SJjURj2YWVC7WR9952vXAmJPZ_qtSmOXQtoXPfi6nDy42_B3T_q-P85msNgUEDFBbYg6SIf3jMwO8W1rfrqCvvXQaEtCX41sx6Ecrm9xVGL3uyX9A0epDioF0X_cg0T7SRPf/w640-h426/IMG_E1496.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ6W0dg7rf5FnnmBCrYqdaSTCiFIErCi2vzWv5DEGMKWsLzeSkKe1r-nPTprlxJ_gGY0UVu6jSrdPnNbKsd6DkbNR6mXPqNYxoXeXps0nKhuZI3I3L7PoTTjrRrNd9Umxphu17PNvSMcSF/s2048/IMG_E1498.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ6W0dg7rf5FnnmBCrYqdaSTCiFIErCi2vzWv5DEGMKWsLzeSkKe1r-nPTprlxJ_gGY0UVu6jSrdPnNbKsd6DkbNR6mXPqNYxoXeXps0nKhuZI3I3L7PoTTjrRrNd9Umxphu17PNvSMcSF/w426-h640/IMG_E1498.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>We got the impression that this was a young bird, especially after two others showed up. It could just be that this bird is less robust because of its injury. The other two birds would not come to our outstretched hands so we threw the nut bits on the ground for them to gather up.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIH197Zp8ejf9hz-CAFAd2_1esTF2NaFNTBfA8hUZLOSFyKurDkraJMMVziDXpESMi5OXB7kwvhuY_WLJvaG2c2yOp1SdEgnVEwpxRHtQlcFUW8DivU12Nt5cbYA3XAKvMGuHl3t6D_hsa/s2048/IMG_E1503.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIH197Zp8ejf9hz-CAFAd2_1esTF2NaFNTBfA8hUZLOSFyKurDkraJMMVziDXpESMi5OXB7kwvhuY_WLJvaG2c2yOp1SdEgnVEwpxRHtQlcFUW8DivU12Nt5cbYA3XAKvMGuHl3t6D_hsa/w426-h640/IMG_E1503.JPG" width="426" /></a></p><p><br /></p><p>I'd seen this species before but never this close or for this long. Canada Jays have a history of being very bold and tolerant of people, and can be pests at campsites as they will hop right across the table and steal your Cheetos. A small price to pay to have something so precious so close. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieQLGU2hyphenhyphenQhvtDuq423XjmwZyOwfYq3Je_kLLcedzjhyphenhyphenmngDv4QxspTvW0rl4VjmGrKCzH7kRtskSUSk3NrZagEd493-FMkEOqWcFiOiotXcnDuc_629iR0P6VkJfShEHP9KFUHmvF1nDq/s2048/IMG_E1501.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1366" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieQLGU2hyphenhyphenQhvtDuq423XjmwZyOwfYq3Je_kLLcedzjhyphenhyphenmngDv4QxspTvW0rl4VjmGrKCzH7kRtskSUSk3NrZagEd493-FMkEOqWcFiOiotXcnDuc_629iR0P6VkJfShEHP9KFUHmvF1nDq/w426-h640/IMG_E1501.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One of the other birds grabbed a nut and picked it apart. You can see why the injured bird is really gonna have a tough go of it, only having one functioning leg.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHAaO_APT51wDEUOf5emjZwlesy_FxYldJYsOM8nr-u5UFkGplZB3sVa0TaIzQdzfpuJbdTL71qjGdKfqxIlcTxLamEhF3znnzs6lxwq2v_m9iZSqeaxBsfSLRt4_HJnhZoqjQckjRnS9k/s2048/IMG_E1505.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHAaO_APT51wDEUOf5emjZwlesy_FxYldJYsOM8nr-u5UFkGplZB3sVa0TaIzQdzfpuJbdTL71qjGdKfqxIlcTxLamEhF3znnzs6lxwq2v_m9iZSqeaxBsfSLRt4_HJnhZoqjQckjRnS9k/w640-h426/IMG_E1505.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Cute little devils, they are.</p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWyQ_3NmPMMXWVzJlbhSe3t6AQJADP0C1-Ya91jFkuKY2UDwjo-3PmY2eo5A0xDfVf5iSgIb7BhAjTdrknPo8IDEly_IeCEZF0rHhIjZzhC4BpW5VR8S4fQoDPzMZjQaCyPkxHslL7jpQK/s2048/IMG_E1506.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWyQ_3NmPMMXWVzJlbhSe3t6AQJADP0C1-Ya91jFkuKY2UDwjo-3PmY2eo5A0xDfVf5iSgIb7BhAjTdrknPo8IDEly_IeCEZF0rHhIjZzhC4BpW5VR8S4fQoDPzMZjQaCyPkxHslL7jpQK/w640-h426/IMG_E1506.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7VMau6Zv5jZ6fiFXLORsej_mZIQyja2vhSy9NbC5G_a41RyroPFfhiole18lTUQ9MjNHAS1a0F4gwXdGLVqTPhrtMQhGDtaMTXRhyphenhyphen4ak1SDejKFrCaOL5-Fk0pD1g8bXYsJdWp2d7vGRp/s2048/IMG_E1511.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1639" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7VMau6Zv5jZ6fiFXLORsej_mZIQyja2vhSy9NbC5G_a41RyroPFfhiole18lTUQ9MjNHAS1a0F4gwXdGLVqTPhrtMQhGDtaMTXRhyphenhyphen4ak1SDejKFrCaOL5-Fk0pD1g8bXYsJdWp2d7vGRp/w512-h640/IMG_E1511.JPG" width="512" /></a></div><p><br /></p>I took lots of photos, taking advantage of having them so near at hand, and not knowing when I might see them again. Like the other two species from the last post, these boreal birds are becoming harder and harder to find in the U.P., likely due to a warming climate.<p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhty9-JcoAjpF8iCIBzDh3a5RrY8xJRfCLAI_ZgvM8MIbxhnvQh1k2i9j3ozigkB1f5sZ_pLMhXInrs0opCTYCOyPeAWVBDXODaMyhhwGmEdWuVVNb1e7sM2_Y-NE2MN2HqEMRtUBbbsnNp/s2048/IMG_E1449.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhty9-JcoAjpF8iCIBzDh3a5RrY8xJRfCLAI_ZgvM8MIbxhnvQh1k2i9j3ozigkB1f5sZ_pLMhXInrs0opCTYCOyPeAWVBDXODaMyhhwGmEdWuVVNb1e7sM2_Y-NE2MN2HqEMRtUBbbsnNp/w426-h640/IMG_E1449.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p>After about 20 minutes we turned the truck around and started the two hour drive back to the motel and a late supper. We were thrilled that we'd pulled off--with a bit of help--the "boreal trifecta" of Black-backed Woodpecker, Canada Jay, and Boreal Chickadee. We are grateful to all the help we received from Facebook groups (Upper Peninsula Birding) and especially from Mark and Joanie. Without their help we would have missed the gregarious Canada Jay. </p><p><u>Peshekee Grade, McCormick Wilderness, February 22 </u></p><p>#87) Canada Jay</p>Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12736098600288028338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558377963798102771.post-35452983824785485022021-03-06T21:35:00.004-05:002021-03-06T21:35:58.697-05:00Boreal Vacation--MBY Vol 9<p>About a week into my Michigan Big Year I started to think about places I would want to visit around the state during certain seasons to get the best chance at seeing specific species. Tawas Point would be on the list as a magnet for migrating warblers, with an added trip into nearby jack pine country to look for the Kirtland's, a Michigan specialty. The Straits of Mackinac in April for migrating raptors would be another. And for sure a few trips into the Upper Peninsula would be in order for those northern/boreal birds that don't come below the bridge. Here's part of that story:</p><p><u>February 22</u></p><p>I'd been seeing eBird reports of three of the notoriously hard-to-find boreal species along a road in the McCormick Wilderness west of Marquette--Black-backed Woodpecker, Canada Jay, and the appropriately named Boreal Chickadee. I asked for some advice in a U.P. birding group on Facebook about the road and how accessible it was in winter. Turns out Marquette County maintains it in winter but to be mindful of the logging trucks (!!). I checked the weather, found a motel with a kitchenette so we could eat in (because COVID and Lisa's Celiac), and we headed north.</p><p>We stopped in Mackinaw City to see the famous blue ice near the bridge, but there were so many people there (it being a Sunday) that we didn't even bother parking. We admired it from afar as we crossed the Mighty Mac. Driving north on I-75 we birded the "Rudyard Loop", a rectangle made up of country roads where past years had yielded a bounty of Snowy Owls, although our quarry was Sharp-tailed Grouse. We didn't see a single raptor of any kind, and at 1:30 in the afternoon it was kind of late for grouse. We did find a flock of at least 100 Snow Buntings, but did not find any new species for the year.</p><p>Driving west on U.S 2 along Lake Michigan's northern shore we could see more blue ice, but there was by and large very little ice of any kind on the lake. In Naubinway we stopped for an early dinner (or late lunch) at MooFinFries, a little restaurant that has glute-free fries, burgers and whitefish, then made our way to the Hillcrest Inn and Motel in Rapid River. A charming little "mom and pop" establishment, it was clean and didn't smell bad (a big worry of mine with these old motels). We had two rooms (connected) with three beds. One room had two beds and a bathroom, standard issue motel room, but in the other the bathroom had been converted into a kitchen and had a dining table and queen bed. Plus they allowed pets!</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPfB2WL5v_yAuA9LGtbdPFe4w2eANdowTGGMs7gHlgLtSEu5xXOkFe56rXTFpjDd9GYZr6n3el4ZP_pSXMEft94RlcVZx6KWDWDWrbxxO_EdI5riDOHhsMDP4j5UnNBJx8jIB1y62nlo04/s2048/IMG_1609.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPfB2WL5v_yAuA9LGtbdPFe4w2eANdowTGGMs7gHlgLtSEu5xXOkFe56rXTFpjDd9GYZr6n3el4ZP_pSXMEft94RlcVZx6KWDWDWrbxxO_EdI5riDOHhsMDP4j5UnNBJx8jIB1y62nlo04/w640-h480/IMG_1609.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzNv-YeIfNh6w4qbq73FiMcypbGX898q95OQNE6egaM6x3jJn2JEJrx1aFIJz68RpHGBO4GzlqRu69O43DdBuvqtE8w7ePX6ZJDDb4qROR36Xaw_HEk1j1sReFAgHk3AqF4sci2thG2qXM/s2048/IMG_1610.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzNv-YeIfNh6w4qbq73FiMcypbGX898q95OQNE6egaM6x3jJn2JEJrx1aFIJz68RpHGBO4GzlqRu69O43DdBuvqtE8w7ePX6ZJDDb4qROR36Xaw_HEk1j1sReFAgHk3AqF4sci2thG2qXM/w640-h480/IMG_1610.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;">It snowed overnight but had also warmed up to above freezing. Everything was melty and we encountered some fog on the way to the McCormick Wilderness. I had only a general idea of where we were going, knowing that we were looking for the White Deer Lake Trail parking lot. The road was a bit rough but not too bad since the potholes were filled with snow. We did pass several logging trucks but there was plenty of room on the road for us to move over and let them pass.</p><p style="text-align: left;">We eventually came to a parking lot with a sign that said simply "McCormick Wilderness." We had not yet reached the spot where I had dropped a pin in Google maps that I thought was the trailhead, but we stopped to have a look around. It certainly fit the bill, right down to the bird seed that I was told people leave at the edge of the lot.</p><p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxvud3aTJwV6il5Qk7snJiO63CMQJYahPqVhlNcj155s972tdKfEBD-qmfOH_tHWBpQk17bklrpVzl2XknRAd7p_s7s3J-BYIVIXNsPXZ_8tHcGz2VCbsl1GC3RVqb2sGkp8LF-V58vWvo/s2048/IMG_E1476.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxvud3aTJwV6il5Qk7snJiO63CMQJYahPqVhlNcj155s972tdKfEBD-qmfOH_tHWBpQk17bklrpVzl2XknRAd7p_s7s3J-BYIVIXNsPXZ_8tHcGz2VCbsl1GC3RVqb2sGkp8LF-V58vWvo/w640-h426/IMG_E1476.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Fog beginning to clear.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I could see a Boreal Chickadee on the pine by the road before I'd even gotten out of the truck (it's a Chevy Suburban but truck is much easier to say and type!). I had seen these guys in Alaska in 2014 but was so happy to get one in my own back yard. It was eating peanut butter someone had smeared on the trunk of the tree.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCTdn2VcCDwQNN1f7rsXiEH_57xMKGXPEL3slmXYPpaGWiNnb6Y-MzGVuxHIuZvMgZMaj32u5fd5xM1Q78W9-Kqexu8_CVPgYjSt13Uun4ztrEf0dyNb9kvvzxy6ev10rALyXbHs5b-__O/s2048/IMG_E1479.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCTdn2VcCDwQNN1f7rsXiEH_57xMKGXPEL3slmXYPpaGWiNnb6Y-MzGVuxHIuZvMgZMaj32u5fd5xM1Q78W9-Kqexu8_CVPgYjSt13Uun4ztrEf0dyNb9kvvzxy6ev10rALyXbHs5b-__O/w640-h426/IMG_E1479.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Boreal Chickadee. Note the brown cap and brownish back, and rufous sides.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKe_SCVkh8muCHfz8LiEUAMzvjrwzT-AVsc8pKceqcUmsdYPUTbEUafirBvN5AB3wXgg9E4TM7q0SL6L9NmaJKtQwk4jM_i9SznJRBtopDuQDUh-asDM-CsKvCdtn6q1jnz4Yp0aR8mzdC/s1629/IMG_E1477.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1629" data-original-width="1086" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKe_SCVkh8muCHfz8LiEUAMzvjrwzT-AVsc8pKceqcUmsdYPUTbEUafirBvN5AB3wXgg9E4TM7q0SL6L9NmaJKtQwk4jM_i9SznJRBtopDuQDUh-asDM-CsKvCdtn6q1jnz4Yp0aR8mzdC/w426-h640/IMG_E1477.JPG" width="426" /></a></p><p><br /></p><p>There were, I think, three of them, plus a number of Black-capped Chickadees. The woods rang out with their calls, the boreal's a bit harsher than the black-capped.</p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyuZwH-QhpG1cA3-N_ZTU4v4yiXsGGuEbfe_Tz3LPFsN6AAhdHkAB3iGfgIiZ8txNzEH3IC1k4AgkQEvLHXQYAT6mbPpZpE_SqAOjBe8cblhiVUbzTEx7tAqRXBrccN8l3xGcHtuPmyZVk/s2048/IMG_E1484.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyuZwH-QhpG1cA3-N_ZTU4v4yiXsGGuEbfe_Tz3LPFsN6AAhdHkAB3iGfgIiZ8txNzEH3IC1k4AgkQEvLHXQYAT6mbPpZpE_SqAOjBe8cblhiVUbzTEx7tAqRXBrccN8l3xGcHtuPmyZVk/w640-h426/IMG_E1484.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIkqmqvthOsT6P1pD7Kwa7yjWYIQbMqZtXRNKE6CpAT3SQy0V7_b3pa0r8qZNVVJ_aqyNXFjLwb5iTiJQPm0V6vwNHdcXUm98IpTLtQsy_FqbtYNPlbPKuGaeVvLyeWtUyv9-o-s07AbHd/s2048/IMG_E1482.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIkqmqvthOsT6P1pD7Kwa7yjWYIQbMqZtXRNKE6CpAT3SQy0V7_b3pa0r8qZNVVJ_aqyNXFjLwb5iTiJQPm0V6vwNHdcXUm98IpTLtQsy_FqbtYNPlbPKuGaeVvLyeWtUyv9-o-s07AbHd/w640-h426/IMG_E1482.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGBvbb_V3qUA2eKTtBYHfScr1SBP2vA-6OtDFNwbns03rqfKiNk-UonQntWnLGdvxm6SmfKCuk27xthxFpZmZ1VyxKHKZVQp-J39blAzj8BHRvLHQTEbDK-mVjdbx_WJE-JooXMqZCINRL/s2048/IMG_E1480.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGBvbb_V3qUA2eKTtBYHfScr1SBP2vA-6OtDFNwbns03rqfKiNk-UonQntWnLGdvxm6SmfKCuk27xthxFpZmZ1VyxKHKZVQp-J39blAzj8BHRvLHQTEbDK-mVjdbx_WJE-JooXMqZCINRL/w640-h426/IMG_E1480.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>They're just the cutest damn things. I mean, really.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzgziKFaH3_GQzFplf-DadVaEoS5PZJs3BU2QPtvmqwZO9DdtSQKJNGxwg1LCJuOF-wDQluVXvtW6XTMAH7YZWd-r5lDloz4NGga5_JBbo0WuPCHzdAnKfUIDm1YA6WAOeA0jc9ngnB1Mc/s2048/IMG_E1457.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzgziKFaH3_GQzFplf-DadVaEoS5PZJs3BU2QPtvmqwZO9DdtSQKJNGxwg1LCJuOF-wDQluVXvtW6XTMAH7YZWd-r5lDloz4NGga5_JBbo0WuPCHzdAnKfUIDm1YA6WAOeA0jc9ngnB1Mc/w640-h426/IMG_E1457.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">While we watched the birds another truck pulled up between us and the tree, and the man put his window down and asked if we'd seen any chickadees. Oblivious of the fact that I'd been taking pictures of them and that he'd just pulled between us, I was a bit short in my reply, but I immediately felt bad for my gruff attitude. They got out and he took a bag of seed over to the tree to add to the pile that was already there. Turns out Mark and Joanie are long-time birders (46 years!) and live in Au Train, a little town east of Marquette. They are usually in Texas this time of year, leading tours at the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, but the pandemic had caused all tours to be canceled, so they were making the best of being stuck in the U.P. all winter. It also turns out that we were at the trailhead and hadn't realized it!</div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We drove further down Peshekee Grade but didn't see anything. They then took us to a cabin nearby where there are feeders that the black-back sometimes comes to, but aside from a small flock of Evening Grosbeak we didn't see anything of interest. We parted ways then, promising to keep in touch if we saw anything "good," and we drove back to the trailhead to eat lunch out of the back of the truck and take a quick hike down the trail.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPiQuF5QQifpwNNmjkAyB9GU9k3-PzsPR6mz-8-VpjniAyp2wtMmoc8N-eiyNSY8OiF9aYi4NF08GPve6bBGGV8Plc1e5wo00ZHk1Q5ABMzHwU4Z_r6tVR4OrxMBJdeCjDKZuC3EuBcKCV/s2048/IMG_1621.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPiQuF5QQifpwNNmjkAyB9GU9k3-PzsPR6mz-8-VpjniAyp2wtMmoc8N-eiyNSY8OiF9aYi4NF08GPve6bBGGV8Plc1e5wo00ZHk1Q5ABMzHwU4Z_r6tVR4OrxMBJdeCjDKZuC3EuBcKCV/w640-h480/IMG_1621.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>White Deer Lake trailhead, which, in our defense, was not visible from the parking lot.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p>It was a splendid afternoon, sunny, light breeze. Lisa and I donned our snowshoes (Lori is recovering from knee surgery) as the snow was quite deep, but it was too warm and we kept getting balls of snow accumulating under our shoes. It was like walking on softballs. Lisa managed to develop a stride where she kicked the snow off with every stride but I couldn't manage it, and ended up taking them off on the way back. The trail was packed enough to keep me post-holing, thankfully. I tried really hard to enjoy the afternoon but I was pretty frustrated.<p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitpEhwMYDfIsn_CM0XWHmi2Ceq_ymY-Lnukxhy-o851AsqMHzTjTFy5kiEYTW8siYhi1Qsc7YUFo32KxYgvLrIk0gpkmSql_GVGkgWRWS6lvTDCNE8yRLF5S08f9Shh2U1b6hHgBMKKPPS/s2048/IMG_1622.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitpEhwMYDfIsn_CM0XWHmi2Ceq_ymY-Lnukxhy-o851AsqMHzTjTFy5kiEYTW8siYhi1Qsc7YUFo32KxYgvLrIk0gpkmSql_GVGkgWRWS6lvTDCNE8yRLF5S08f9Shh2U1b6hHgBMKKPPS/w640-h480/IMG_1622.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>From the bridge over Baraga Creek</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNmzR7NS5lKU3ndYlsHdeorQLkkjQ-TcMWrCR2heOQQjlOwC613O4YlSduVbxmBdlVTYJuFVvkBkYpq6sDixopNeZU-h1QExVx0hIPc6jfORvk0VWc7wfZbYdGLB_T6-yro3TN3MZ1rpEi/s2048/IMG_1624.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNmzR7NS5lKU3ndYlsHdeorQLkkjQ-TcMWrCR2heOQQjlOwC613O4YlSduVbxmBdlVTYJuFVvkBkYpq6sDixopNeZU-h1QExVx0hIPc6jfORvk0VWc7wfZbYdGLB_T6-yro3TN3MZ1rpEi/w480-h640/IMG_1624.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Lisa toughing it out with Bailey in tow.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0el0Kr-AjSxwhSr0oxVhOmJDt48my1Xjz_s6uPrBOsuoysQYfWyvZ-CJvVnlnGz7475f7Qz9R9xzyx3YpZnYMmXNnUeLg3_iEm77W5XWijnaEyuevPJUbV994qcLzJAL8ZQPMyjw-UZHF/s2048/IMG_1626.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0el0Kr-AjSxwhSr0oxVhOmJDt48my1Xjz_s6uPrBOsuoysQYfWyvZ-CJvVnlnGz7475f7Qz9R9xzyx3YpZnYMmXNnUeLg3_iEm77W5XWijnaEyuevPJUbV994qcLzJAL8ZQPMyjw-UZHF/w640-h480/IMG_1626.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I LOVE black spruce and their pointy heads.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Back at the truck we decided to drive Peshekee Grade past the trailhead again, slowly with the windows down. Over two miles out, and two miles back, we did not see or hear a single bird. I was pretty bummed. It was after 4:00 and the sun was starting to settle, and we'd only seen one of our target birds. It was two hours back to the motel (and dinner) so we decided to pack it in. <p></p><p>My doubts about the whole Big Year thing started creeping in. I tried to tell myself to enjoy the journey, that it wasn't about the numbers, that missing birds that others saw did not mean I was a lousy birder.... But we'd spent a good bit of money coming up (motel, gas, dinner the day before) and I was just--ugh. </p><p>As I'm dumping all this on the girls and feeling really pitifully sorry for myself, a bird flew across the road right in front of us, and landed in a pine not 10 feet from the road. Lori cried "Canada Jay!" but I knew that wasn't right. While the light wasn't great I could see that this bird was almost entirely black.</p><p>I slammed on the brakes, setting off the ABS, which made a horrific noise. Thankfully the bird seemed not to care, because there on the trunk of a dead pine was a Black-backed Woodpecker.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghOFS2Ai48bMtyyqNmDVrhgkqnO17eFd6tWt1dEPZ5H5jbau8yDcXWP4nvpnMg0maPLZAQ3zXqX0MLsSgkdYwV1voYDr4GPxs6hjNh9R0lRtpDThR_G98phohXeVdRHVI2ls1w2ifPZLGJ/s2048/IMG_E1487.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1366" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghOFS2Ai48bMtyyqNmDVrhgkqnO17eFd6tWt1dEPZ5H5jbau8yDcXWP4nvpnMg0maPLZAQ3zXqX0MLsSgkdYwV1voYDr4GPxs6hjNh9R0lRtpDThR_G98phohXeVdRHVI2ls1w2ifPZLGJ/w426-h640/IMG_E1487.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Male Black-backed Woodpecker (note golden crown). <br />Oh happy day!</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">I got a look at it with my binoculars to get a positive ID, practically laying in Lori's lap and twisting myself into a pretzel to see out the passenger window. Having already put my camera away I exited slowly and crept around the back of the truck and popped the rear gate. The chime dinged but still the bird was non-plussed. I snuck back around the truck as the girls gave me updates of his location. I finally spied him through the branches, working his way up the trunk. I did the best I could with the light I had to work with. </p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIwiCqh5Ix7dHcT8tX4kYGL9bdjT5gZa0h6bThyphenhyphenKCzMUmBPzTt5vgfPqNbDBWNBzRvW1KFHmKoOuxjanBGSu5iKleraIhDHkWlIZakZn08kQAAM8DwCm1t7FRn-ggm9SOnEZoVBZw4CqZ2/s2048/IMG_E1488.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1366" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIwiCqh5Ix7dHcT8tX4kYGL9bdjT5gZa0h6bThyphenhyphenKCzMUmBPzTt5vgfPqNbDBWNBzRvW1KFHmKoOuxjanBGSu5iKleraIhDHkWlIZakZn08kQAAM8DwCm1t7FRn-ggm9SOnEZoVBZw4CqZ2/w426-h640/IMG_E1488.JPG" width="426" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">Oh such a stunning bird! Not only was this a great find for my big year but it was also life bird #511.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhhMV9jvrSR3IlgDjxM6cbfyymAe__Q10DaSk-ubOlKDUOuLC08K-Wdnf1HfyOeUYb9E9-DjLAOfMIZydIxKDYAElYvGHDwb3Map84Khyphenhyphenq1pSh1Mcip4-i6YNEs5yHfHvQuh0iUhIkbf0l/s2048/IMG_E1450.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhhMV9jvrSR3IlgDjxM6cbfyymAe__Q10DaSk-ubOlKDUOuLC08K-Wdnf1HfyOeUYb9E9-DjLAOfMIZydIxKDYAElYvGHDwb3Map84Khyphenhyphenq1pSh1Mcip4-i6YNEs5yHfHvQuh0iUhIkbf0l/w426-h640/IMG_E1450.JPG" width="426" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">I had left the truck kind of in the middle of the road so I hopped in to move it to a pull off just ahead and the bird flew off, but we'd all gotten great looks at it. I put my camera away and climbed in. The girls said while I was out taking photos they had thanked the birding gods for sending us the black-backed, adjusting my attitude, and saving our trip. </p><p style="text-align: left;">We continued on towards M-41, content to miss the Canada Jay this trip, but just as the main road came into view my phone rang. It was Mark. </p><p style="text-align: left;">"Did you get my voicemail?!" </p><p style="text-align: left;">No, we'd just gotten cell service. </p><p style="text-align: left;">"Did you see Canada Jays yet?!" </p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><u>Peshekee Grade, February 22</u></p><p style="text-align: left;">#85) Boreal Chickadee</p><p style="text-align: left;">#86) Black-backed Woodpecker (Life bird #511)</p>Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12736098600288028338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558377963798102771.post-89592335331250693842021-02-25T18:58:00.002-05:002021-02-25T18:58:23.583-05:00By Land Or By Sea (MBY Vol 8)<p>For the sake of getting caught up a bit I'm going to make a quick run-through of February 3rd to the 19th. Those dates saw relatively little birding beyond watching my feeders thanks in large part to the terrible cold, wind and heavy snow that plagued us as well as 2/3 of the country. I've been doing these posts as journal entries (and yes, I'm keeping a written journal cuz that's how I roll) and will get back to that format starting on February 20th, farther down the page.</p><p><br /></p><p>Lisa and I drove down to Ottawa County on February 3rd to a hotspot where several grassland birds that I needed for this year had been reported. It was forecast to become frigid for at least the next 10 days starting the 4th, so we decided to make a day of it and get in as much birding as we could. We stopped at Muskegon Wastewater on the way down and while we didn't see anything new we did get great looks at a male Northern Harrier. He was flying towards us as we drove down the lagoon road, and I slammed on the brakes when I realized what it was. Trying to get out of the car in a hurry to get some photos I jammed the car into park, got tangled up in my seatbelt, and just about took my head off on the visor that was across the driver's side window, blocking the sun. I scurried around the back of the car, camera ready, but the bird had vanished. I looked around, perplexed, then saw him rise up out of the ditch like a pale Phoenix. He must have whiffed on lunch as his talons were empty. He continued past us and I did manage a few decent photos, way better than anything I had before. I'll keep trying!</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzUtLpc42n5gWwDDCTf-jYlTzUzNWgeZhy5GLWtqQAuPOYp9S4uB1PGziOHVy1ZIUXYgfapS9GEssKhe48zznPM9YHA_JZ-5jJAOp7cx3zTtnehUL9TYTkYm1Ty_w3SsRif5RXLIzHt5OC/s1994/IMG_E1348.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1329" data-original-width="1994" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzUtLpc42n5gWwDDCTf-jYlTzUzNWgeZhy5GLWtqQAuPOYp9S4uB1PGziOHVy1ZIUXYgfapS9GEssKhe48zznPM9YHA_JZ-5jJAOp7cx3zTtnehUL9TYTkYm1Ty_w3SsRif5RXLIzHt5OC/w640-h426/IMG_E1348.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Male Northern Harrier, the "Gray Ghost"</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: left;">We drove from there to the hotspot at 128th Ave and Bingham Street in Ottawa County. It did not look remarkable in the least--mostly empty fields and a farm with maybe 50 head of cattle. As we neared the intersection Lisa asked what exactly we were looking for. I told her grassland birds so to watch the fields. She immediately pointed out her window and said, "Like those?" I slammed on the brakes again--there's a lot of that when birding--and backed the car up. Right there by the side of the road was a pair of Horned Larks (MBY bird #76). I was able to get some shots off before they began chasing each other around. We looked for Snow Bunting and Lapland Longspur but came up empty. We did find a flock of over 40 larks but they were out in a field and I could not pick out any other species. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvj2WCOQkksKmSFGRuMDp6saIWezrUWt9P9ljFCEjHYAPXVAOQQhRRbbq3mlwdQcBK2jIXgzvP53vSZn9WdWALmpmnALokfbms0-LYuicZK4bkRaDMEF5tB0aDK-ScACj9qRJe45K1-YDy/s2029/IMG_E1345.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1353" data-original-width="2029" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvj2WCOQkksKmSFGRuMDp6saIWezrUWt9P9ljFCEjHYAPXVAOQQhRRbbq3mlwdQcBK2jIXgzvP53vSZn9WdWALmpmnALokfbms0-LYuicZK4bkRaDMEF5tB0aDK-ScACj9qRJe45K1-YDy/w640-h426/IMG_E1345.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Horned Lark floofed by the wind</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglvAOTWBlIwhOT-Qm2DObd2csJhyphenhyphenInK7BDsLHgyisen5iLmQ2SSUEscnqSA-gbQNsa8N3_EN_ZHX96RVTGIZDGL78ZYrNKRVRNJhijMyJzVy9qFB2Hb4gkZfJGaEit9gcw3wLxDqr26GON/s1800/IMG_E1343.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglvAOTWBlIwhOT-Qm2DObd2csJhyphenhyphenInK7BDsLHgyisen5iLmQ2SSUEscnqSA-gbQNsa8N3_EN_ZHX96RVTGIZDGL78ZYrNKRVRNJhijMyJzVy9qFB2Hb4gkZfJGaEit9gcw3wLxDqr26GON/w640-h426/IMG_E1343.JPG" width="640" /></a></p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">On February 10th we took a few hours in the morning to drive some of the backroads near home to see what might be in our own back yard. We'd gotten 8+ inches of snow on the 5th, so now there was easily a foot and a half on the ground. While we saw three pairs of Red-tailed Hawks (getting ready for mating season?) we didn't find anything to add to the list until we were getting ready to head home, when we found a house with feeders and I picked up MBY birds #77 (House Finch) and #78 (Pine Siskin).</p><p style="text-align: left;">On the 11th we dipped on a Barrow's Goldeneye in Manistee. This bird was at a marina that had bubblers, keeping the water open around the docks. As the temperatures have plunged, with some nights falling below zero, the waterfowl that have stayed are forced to seek refuge in places they might not normally be. When we arrived there were plenty of Common Goldeneye and several other species of ducks but we didn't see the Barrow's. All hope was lost when a couple drove in, parked, and proceeded to drag their ice fishing gear right past the marina, flushing all the birds to who knows where. The bird has been seen since but I've not yet made it back to look for it. </p><p style="text-align: left;">By the 15th we were 11 days into the frigid weather, and Texas was getting slammed with crazy cold, ice, and snow. I was starting to go bonkers from being cooped up in the house. We had more snow forecast for the coming night, and the weather wasn't too bad (relatively speaking) so we went back to 128th Ave to look for the birds we'd missed. The snow that had fallen since we'd last been there had forced the birds out of the fields and into the roads to scrounge whatever they could find--wind-blown seeds and bits of hay, as far as I could tell. We found plenty of larks before finally finding a flock with a couple Lapland Longspurs, MBY bird #79.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin_bsCpPVC6t52E4XLyru0hAhump1mETBFEn5ucOBBeGbe2z88SHfJ2lNnTl6Bx0pI4oZ7S_HdpcSPQBd3ZbNqDu5iLuno0FODaKYwAMisYkmYEJMDtGWQZiy2ylCfGn-jaNo-PJ_9vqPR/s1467/IMG_E1397.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="978" data-original-width="1467" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin_bsCpPVC6t52E4XLyru0hAhump1mETBFEn5ucOBBeGbe2z88SHfJ2lNnTl6Bx0pI4oZ7S_HdpcSPQBd3ZbNqDu5iLuno0FODaKYwAMisYkmYEJMDtGWQZiy2ylCfGn-jaNo-PJ_9vqPR/w640-h426/IMG_E1397.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Lapland Longspur</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>Named for it's exceptionally long hind toenail, or spur, this is an Arctic tundra breeder, here only in the winter. The male is gorgeous in breeding plumage with a black face and neck and rufous nape (back of neck). I saw a couple in breeding plumage in Alaska in 2014, and had first seen at <a href="https://marierust.blogspot.com/search/label/Lapland%20longspur" target="_blank">Sleeping Bear Dunes in 2012</a>. Before heading home we also found one Snow Bunting for MBY bird #80.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoZW1Gn2mGQn4EENnk4v4HQoKXJgZlvORWptHWjwyGLB-ViZlLx7Hv-9buae_heTryYtPTQP_Lytt9JnNTGdjcL4frU3pE7nzB1UVuUMpqvswnERoC1cSGnSDvwb61GXvkg_BCZSFP64na/s1612/IMG_E1404.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1075" data-original-width="1612" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoZW1Gn2mGQn4EENnk4v4HQoKXJgZlvORWptHWjwyGLB-ViZlLx7Hv-9buae_heTryYtPTQP_Lytt9JnNTGdjcL4frU3pE7nzB1UVuUMpqvswnERoC1cSGnSDvwb61GXvkg_BCZSFP64na/w640-h426/IMG_E1404.JPG" width="640" /></a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE6xp3rbWZ3gx-98weoGlFIj2r5DOcmQxKbFpFk_mbYSSnI7EmdNRxMBAIHnLdicROzA-KydDQo87v1lKTOGIRMKg_amKaTcPE1dljbrnbEKEWhnNott-mnRsxW7Kv8nm05tyu1XKFBp9y/s2048/IMG_E1407.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE6xp3rbWZ3gx-98weoGlFIj2r5DOcmQxKbFpFk_mbYSSnI7EmdNRxMBAIHnLdicROzA-KydDQo87v1lKTOGIRMKg_amKaTcPE1dljbrnbEKEWhnNott-mnRsxW7Kv8nm05tyu1XKFBp9y/w640-h426/IMG_E1407.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Probably the best photo showing that extra long spur. Click image for a better look, <br />or follow the link above to see pics from Sleeping Bear. </i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">OK, back to the journal entry:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;"><u>February 20th</u></p><p>A message came through late yesterday that a King Eider had been seen in Saint Joseph at Tiscornia Park, about a 2 1/2 drive from here. I moaned. We are preparing for a trip to the U.P. and we're leaving tomorrow, but a King Eider would be a life bird and a great addition to my Michigan Big Year, so I sent a message to our What's App group asking if the bird was still present this morning.</p><p>It was.</p><p>I considered timing and what we still needed to do to get ready to go north (pretty much everything) and decided to go. As I was running out the door Lisa stumbled out of bed and came along for the adventure.</p><p>We arrived before noon, gathered up our gear and donned our ice cleats. A message came through a half hour before we arrived detailing the rough conditions out on the pier. I had wondered about that since the piers and lighthouses are usually blanketed with ice this time of year. We had been lucky, up until February 4th, that the winter had been mild enough to keep the piers fairly open and walkable. The eider was feeding directly off the end of the north pier, so there was little choice but to give it a go.</p><p>Most of the channel was frozen, with just a patch here and there of open water, but a lead of open water could be seen off the end of the pier that extended north for several hundred yards. About halfway down the pier there's a gate, and I recall from earlier this year there are signs on it warning of the conditions and lack of life saving flotation devices. Now, however, the gate was encased in ice 1-2 feet thick and hip high. Beyond it the pier was a wasteland of jumbled shards of ice, frozen into crags of snow-covered misery. But there were people out there so I knew it was doable.</p><p>At a low and slightly narrow spot in the ice wall I was able to get my left leg partway over, like mounting a horse. But it was too high for me--I was on my tip-toe of my right foot with no way to get my body up onto the ice horse. I pulled my foot back over and contemplated my options, discussing it with Lisa and another person who had joined us.</p><p>Looking around I realized that quite a crowd had gathered and everyone was looking at me, like they were waiting for me to lead them to the promised land. The pressure was on. A young woman came sliding up in winter boots that had hard soles, and we urged her to go get ice cleats. She had come for the eider too, and if she were slipping here, there's no way she'd make it down the second half of the pier. After actually falling to her knees she retreated back to the parking lot.</p><p>With the help of a kind stranger and a boost from Lisa I was able to get my leg over and my body upright, then slid over sideways to the other side. In doing so I bashed the inside of my right knee and scraped the inside of my left thigh on an ice ridge on the other side of the gate. My God the bruises (and how I wish I'd taken some pictures of this)!</p><p>We got Lisa up and over and we picked our way along the lumpy, bumpy, hilly landscape until we came to the end of the pier. Lisa took shelter from the wind in the lee of the lighthouse while I pulled gear out of my bag. I turned around and there it was--an immature King Eider, diving and surfacing not 15 feet from the end of the pier.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglxxgoHVw78L_G9bEaXo_LSFqA-YVeQLst8y-W0yB4BIthWnQc9iydGhwEpcOlL3UDg9jsvHOXyKQmIMmMbTuDyR3_QPefzcqRmmRgSRo1wrphyqRdZ5V5elkfsun3z5o2H9it2ZBfofRO/s2048/IMG_E1419.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglxxgoHVw78L_G9bEaXo_LSFqA-YVeQLst8y-W0yB4BIthWnQc9iydGhwEpcOlL3UDg9jsvHOXyKQmIMmMbTuDyR3_QPefzcqRmmRgSRo1wrphyqRdZ5V5elkfsun3z5o2H9it2ZBfofRO/w640-h426/IMG_E1419.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>King Eider (immature male) Life bird #511, MBY bird #82</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">He stood out from the rest of the waterfowl with that large white breast. There were Long-tailed Ducks, goldeneye, scaups, Redhead, mergansers, and all three scoters there as well, and all were diving down to the base of the pier, presumably picking at crustaceans and other juicy bits on the submerged rocks.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil4mnUzu7ixv9NECDbE4Qjz0DaCAhJyYhh-kAdh2fSj4zByuDrnIbOOzKapnmZJ_kniuGcSniY_bK6hNKkglsf0rSEcWDnkBc2GADklxJPZ81HwR6Tg58ILsUKyZhI4nGFaptU8CB-_eka/s2048/IMG_E1432.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil4mnUzu7ixv9NECDbE4Qjz0DaCAhJyYhh-kAdh2fSj4zByuDrnIbOOzKapnmZJ_kniuGcSniY_bK6hNKkglsf0rSEcWDnkBc2GADklxJPZ81HwR6Tg58ILsUKyZhI4nGFaptU8CB-_eka/w640-h426/IMG_E1432.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Eider with Long-tailed Duck</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>Thick, jumbled ice extended far out into the lake, and with most of the channel frozen the birds were within easy viewing off the end of the pier, the reward for those nasty bruises. It was a beautiful day, one of the first "warm" days we'd had in weeks (low 30's) and the sun was popping in and out, but the stiff breeze off the water was finger-numbingly cold. Others had joined us, and two women who had made the trek "for the heck of it" asked what we were looking at. I lent them my binoculars and pointed out the different species.</p><p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaDkin3uPNsss9vBhbOOBNMoIzro6w3O9wmtavT24on47h5xhsjgxyQtU6QESZQCOif3HvXMcs2Dtf7kOXK8byn7HoJMjn-dC1BSdfLFtz-gK2Pw7k-HCCGqhg3WA0csAit4woIEJQcIpT/s2048/IMG_E1442.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaDkin3uPNsss9vBhbOOBNMoIzro6w3O9wmtavT24on47h5xhsjgxyQtU6QESZQCOif3HvXMcs2Dtf7kOXK8byn7HoJMjn-dC1BSdfLFtz-gK2Pw7k-HCCGqhg3WA0csAit4woIEJQcIpT/w426-h640/IMG_E1442.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Surf Scoter (adult male, center), with female SUSC (bottom) <br />and adult male Common Goldeneye (top) </i></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><br /></p><p>I was thrilled to see an adult male Surf Scoter, a bird I'd seen fleetingly in Alaska. Such a clownish bird with that multicolored bill! All adult male scoters have colorful, oddly-shaped bills but none of the other scoters there were adult males.</p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSK56uZiV4bDTxw9sRJZH8wowJqJF_PBjmWdXmS4ueunu7ABmOkcB03Izi9VttRxon2lDHS0qDNXQpvp6Y-iw8NnSqcvP7mKFJ5PxTvgNULkrviHIAhM41epEAy339lR9glxW5Mld0nw8P/s2048/IMG_E1431.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1367" data-original-width="2048" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSK56uZiV4bDTxw9sRJZH8wowJqJF_PBjmWdXmS4ueunu7ABmOkcB03Izi9VttRxon2lDHS0qDNXQpvp6Y-iw8NnSqcvP7mKFJ5PxTvgNULkrviHIAhM41epEAy339lR9glxW5Mld0nw8P/w640-h428/IMG_E1431.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>From top left: Lesser Scaup, immature Surf Scoter, adult male Surf Scoter</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I started chatting with another birder who was there with his scope. Something was familiar so I asked his name. He said Ross, and I thought nah, can't be, but I asked him if he'd been in Frankfort to see the Yellow-throated Warbler. He had indeed! We chatted and counted ducks until Lisa's toes started to go numb.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKJjjhI32z6lTrvT4ioiPYEa84FHrRFcULLMwTskHFjOxDC5kYJ8GoqPOAnwTpn4PM56KiVCaMNY8_PRnXGNHl1hM7EJ6IoP4I5C0Sex0tooxLwNSSwr86A5QX7GT2LP-thtpGmCQO6LQ-/s2048/IMG_E1435.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKJjjhI32z6lTrvT4ioiPYEa84FHrRFcULLMwTskHFjOxDC5kYJ8GoqPOAnwTpn4PM56KiVCaMNY8_PRnXGNHl1hM7EJ6IoP4I5C0Sex0tooxLwNSSwr86A5QX7GT2LP-thtpGmCQO6LQ-/w640-h426/IMG_E1435.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>White-winged Scoter, probably immature male, (bottom) with immature scaup.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh7Kbp3UDMxoexungsF-z3mXZG04CgfuAsYcn_yIruGG2dTDafL6od5JaBesCBrN8D-68xzXNfrIBJsCyIue7LGlYo_MCwkqI7Bckbw030BDcbzNiRob0qS9SDD1c29zYZiOfQVSCU7ggZ/s2048/IMG_E1433.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh7Kbp3UDMxoexungsF-z3mXZG04CgfuAsYcn_yIruGG2dTDafL6od5JaBesCBrN8D-68xzXNfrIBJsCyIue7LGlYo_MCwkqI7Bckbw030BDcbzNiRob0qS9SDD1c29zYZiOfQVSCU7ggZ/w640-h426/IMG_E1433.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Black Scoter, immature. I had seen one of these at quite a distance in January so was happy to <br />get a photo this time around</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqsIHj17RrUfVqV7kwiTWyePds5Lm_zxsKWSbweVZqufW52hlVO41lx1kgU6BySjpcoUiFmux85z7dswgLzXRNEfCX3DXpqs_ECFRrm_tCkC1AiX8VTCNt5cvz-Msm9Pj0ifE7KMICgND2/s2048/IMG_E1425.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqsIHj17RrUfVqV7kwiTWyePds5Lm_zxsKWSbweVZqufW52hlVO41lx1kgU6BySjpcoUiFmux85z7dswgLzXRNEfCX3DXpqs_ECFRrm_tCkC1AiX8VTCNt5cvz-Msm9Pj0ifE7KMICgND2/w640-h426/IMG_E1425.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Male and female Common Goldeneye</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p></p><p>The thing that really stole the show, though, were the ice sculptures the wind and waves had made of the lighthouse and catwalk. Spray from pounding waves had coated everything in thick swirls of wind-shaped iced. I walked around and took a few photos of this oddly beautiful sight before we headed back.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4rLBlfCJP5DKYiErn4_GwKsjVqYhqfwGodWuAV_gYttTfz450YFQ4KmR3fBqNRMLs20DccOt4s8p6b37yZTQc05AhHDSDbddDQgakA_gHFBNjH_quGIKJci5hQJ7ZL8xH9u2EnkUsCnoJ/s2048/IMG_1580.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4rLBlfCJP5DKYiErn4_GwKsjVqYhqfwGodWuAV_gYttTfz450YFQ4KmR3fBqNRMLs20DccOt4s8p6b37yZTQc05AhHDSDbddDQgakA_gHFBNjH_quGIKJci5hQJ7ZL8xH9u2EnkUsCnoJ/w480-h640/IMG_1580.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Saint Joseph lighthouse</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEGyVEVEjUFWqCCXmWa0pg7iBWPEzblTMDkxWQncZkvn8z29ICF6MXsZtEwnHpkPhix8JS6_NN65h2YE49FKMh1tBSEwc8GRcRS_G8hhtcl9I7whp6MlJqkHxILuKwI5P9CoyB28zC1CUD/s2048/IMG_1583.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEGyVEVEjUFWqCCXmWa0pg7iBWPEzblTMDkxWQncZkvn8z29ICF6MXsZtEwnHpkPhix8JS6_NN65h2YE49FKMh1tBSEwc8GRcRS_G8hhtcl9I7whp6MlJqkHxILuKwI5P9CoyB28zC1CUD/w480-h640/IMG_1583.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A good look at the condition of the pier we'd just traversed--and <br />now had to walk back down!</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4eytroYB6Sko3EI9S4w3itfPe_dvR53ZE-AMpcNWXk2dRYpZVOgl9PJ7eT4CEoIQIdqJZ7mihoqJ7jQGC9ImE_gyNPq-0vMVRoRQ2OHoVtZ1F2jgciCUkwp9nCQxSC88eqghWDFV5Ywcs/s2048/IMG_1585.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4eytroYB6Sko3EI9S4w3itfPe_dvR53ZE-AMpcNWXk2dRYpZVOgl9PJ7eT4CEoIQIdqJZ7mihoqJ7jQGC9ImE_gyNPq-0vMVRoRQ2OHoVtZ1F2jgciCUkwp9nCQxSC88eqghWDFV5Ywcs/w640-h480/IMG_1585.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Open lead full of waterfowl.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>On the way back down the pier we crossed paths with the young woman in the slippery boots who had gone downtown and gotten herself some ice cleats. She was practically turning cartwheels as she bounded down the ice, and she thanked us for the advice. We exited the pier much as we entered, mindful of our bruises, then walked down along the channel to the open water at the near end to find the Harlequin Duck (too far for photos) for MBY bird #83. On the way home we had a gorgeous male Cooper's Hawk fly across the road right in front of the car for MBY bird #84.</p><p>Next up: A U.P. birding adventure!</p><p><br /></p><p><u>Ottawa County, February 3</u></p><p>#76) Horned Lark</p><p><u>17 Mile Road, Newaygo County, February 10</u></p><p>#77) House Finch</p><p>#78) Pine Siskin</p><p><u>Ottawa County, February 15</u></p><p>#79) Lapland Longspur</p><p>#80) Snow Bunting</p><p><u>Boardman Lake, Traverse City, February 17</u></p><p>#81) Iceland Gull (Life bird #510)</p><p><u>Tiscornia Park, Saint Joseph, February 20</u></p><p>#82) King Eider (life bird #511)</p><p>#83) Harlequin Duck</p><p>#84) Cooper's Hawk</p><p><u><br /></u></p><p><u><br /></u></p><p><u><br /></u></p>Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12736098600288028338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558377963798102771.post-20673994435069896332021-02-18T16:01:00.004-05:002021-02-25T15:07:11.776-05:00Sleeping Bear Dunes, and a Hawk Visits the Feeders (MBY Vol 7)<p><u>January 30</u></p><p>After getting great looks of the Yellow-throated Warbler in Frankfort (see previous post) I drove up into Michigan's "pinky" and into Sleeping Bear Dunes, hoping to find the pair of Red-necked Grebes that had been hanging out in Sleeping Bear Bay all winter. </p><p>I arrived before Mike and Ross so I scanned the open waters of the bay for birds. All I saw were a couple heads bobbing in the waves to the west, so I struck out that way to get a closer look. It was windier here than I had hoped, with the northeast wind clearing Pyramid Point enough to ruffle the water. I shouldered my scope and started walking.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg-OikX0Pk86D9bpGaHPg_CZqfOiE7FF0KgWsvGHeG-8HY2cUOs-b5ZsXpC2-t4dlnM5Gls1PM-rC8_5WEghysXTSV7VKjzYikEx5eyQFcFpN7wkyMl6ISpe1X48iYfejivWb3RIrH1Iow/s2048/IMG_1382.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg-OikX0Pk86D9bpGaHPg_CZqfOiE7FF0KgWsvGHeG-8HY2cUOs-b5ZsXpC2-t4dlnM5Gls1PM-rC8_5WEghysXTSV7VKjzYikEx5eyQFcFpN7wkyMl6ISpe1X48iYfejivWb3RIrH1Iow/w640-h480/IMG_1382.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Glen Haven beach at Sleeping Bear Bay, looking west. South and North Manitou Islands visible offshore.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p>I got within sight of the waterfowl which turned out to be a handful of Bufflehead. I scanned the bay again but didn't see anything close enough to ID. I was now about halfway to Sleeping Bear Point so I decided to keep walking until I could see around it--after being relatively cooped up all winter it felt good to stretch my legs.</p><p>The lakeshore was without snow and fairly ice-free--the only reason grebes were even possible in the bay. But on shore every log and shrub was coated with frozen spray and run-off, and the beach was a layer cake of ice and sand.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZDd9G5xhnfdR0obt47MjKFUqaBRRIiUo9GbPV_NJBg9mweldVswZmwxbPm8F-23ZTaHJuy6ZTksGoiVGK_oEK5JRzeIxrCc9EwjV9lc-1sTBfpPYdWCOt0Bel0fUGyAS4lo6Zw4orgsPN/s2048/IMG_1385.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZDd9G5xhnfdR0obt47MjKFUqaBRRIiUo9GbPV_NJBg9mweldVswZmwxbPm8F-23ZTaHJuy6ZTksGoiVGK_oEK5JRzeIxrCc9EwjV9lc-1sTBfpPYdWCOt0Bel0fUGyAS4lo6Zw4orgsPN/w480-h640/IMG_1385.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEief7yNMeT6MmIOkU1_RT7twAzRiKlOC7dzHcyuxzWLumkI5D8eCnqJ9puF3H3MHUDLU7o_cpAFEaPP1Ag3Nyyi_WW4lfFUHJYbPLnhnXiI_YV01TqaSiyoMJoXuOe7bNQX94qH7SomONiC/s2048/IMG_1383.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEief7yNMeT6MmIOkU1_RT7twAzRiKlOC7dzHcyuxzWLumkI5D8eCnqJ9puF3H3MHUDLU7o_cpAFEaPP1Ag3Nyyi_WW4lfFUHJYbPLnhnXiI_YV01TqaSiyoMJoXuOe7bNQX94qH7SomONiC/w480-h640/IMG_1383.JPG" width="480" /></a></p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">The beach here is still substantial but much less that it's been in years past. The Great Lakes are still very high and erosion has been an issue all around the lakes. A few spots along the beach had steep sand cliffs a couple feet tall with just a foot or two of flat sand and ice upon which to walk along the shore. The stark beauty of the winter beach was captivating.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPe6wMX_AHpICpcFORSt-LVFzmmptkTZmJJFaEeTWMYf7d0FnCT3S9GN8LADCAYbroPU8I5YWmLc49tEjCALPE3jQ0YR_vFKFa1Axr75jSU7SfL-jwRioh8g7PEMcMYAvP4qb-LPZBmILW/s2048/IMG_1384.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPe6wMX_AHpICpcFORSt-LVFzmmptkTZmJJFaEeTWMYf7d0FnCT3S9GN8LADCAYbroPU8I5YWmLc49tEjCALPE3jQ0YR_vFKFa1Axr75jSU7SfL-jwRioh8g7PEMcMYAvP4qb-LPZBmILW/w480-h640/IMG_1384.JPG" width="480" /></a></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKrBn_U3jTor2q1UguQhMcJdz_LL4gNATJCgr0YrHI84yQfV72YaiFZOfvqA8lsqUtOG3ejyF0dupDWKM8nioIO3Bo32qj4jd74VCAUMebriMeCdKpSrirwiShhKDXf3lss1EON4Q0yAF-/s2048/IMG_E1389.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKrBn_U3jTor2q1UguQhMcJdz_LL4gNATJCgr0YrHI84yQfV72YaiFZOfvqA8lsqUtOG3ejyF0dupDWKM8nioIO3Bo32qj4jd74VCAUMebriMeCdKpSrirwiShhKDXf3lss1EON4Q0yAF-/w640-h360/IMG_E1389.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Buried tree with South Manitou in the background</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>The sun tried to poke through the clouds, but it gave no warmth. Snow was pushing up from the south and the edges of the storm blurred the sun.</p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZBQ7wS5ThfjuQUIf_-1NqZTvcY0gfywqRBx0QScdlW8QONGlhlPoQHI9k2UVW6q8dsYeM5uM9se69ahSYD3nk8_1b1daCRpf0H0oX2J2lIz5Z4SVJWeR7EKoKpJuvju1zuQd5tQGJNKt4/s2048/IMG_E1387.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZBQ7wS5ThfjuQUIf_-1NqZTvcY0gfywqRBx0QScdlW8QONGlhlPoQHI9k2UVW6q8dsYeM5uM9se69ahSYD3nk8_1b1daCRpf0H0oX2J2lIz5Z4SVJWeR7EKoKpJuvju1zuQd5tQGJNKt4/w640-h360/IMG_E1387.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">On my way back from the point I saw a couple birders with scopes looking out over the water. As I neared I could see it was Mike and Ross along with another couple. They had not found our grebes either but had seen me down the beach. We decided to move east to Glen Arbor to see what we could from there. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Being around the curve of the bay gave the beach in Glen Arbor just enough shelter to keep the wind down. We found lots of mergansers, and Mike saw Long-tailed Ducks far out in the bay, but still no grebes. It was starting to get late but I decided to move east around the bay to get a better look at the waterfowl we could see but not ID. </p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsKmh_7wCKQTbCjLQoT6qRQRw6MqK1AEVUX_kNSFWBKOyFbjCcFih2WLrNUxr4H8Yec6bO3xqppbWAbCsE-CUebrOr58lSDoUT4avq6tvp3Ck1MnUcn47soWyBBWHTiz9eIvqGRMq5WfRr/s2048/IMG_E1393.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsKmh_7wCKQTbCjLQoT6qRQRw6MqK1AEVUX_kNSFWBKOyFbjCcFih2WLrNUxr4H8Yec6bO3xqppbWAbCsE-CUebrOr58lSDoUT4avq6tvp3Ck1MnUcn47soWyBBWHTiz9eIvqGRMq5WfRr/w640-h360/IMG_E1393.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sleeping Bear Point (L) and the Manitous from Glen Arbor</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>Around the bay towards Pyramid Point there was even less wind. I scanned the waters but saw nothing but goldeneye and mergansers. There were hundreds of birds in the bay but I did not see any grebes. It was a disappointment after the success of seeing the warbler earlier that day. Checking the eBird reports for bay tonight I saw someone had seen the grebes around 1:30 this afternoon, a couple hours before I arrived, hanging out with Long-tailed Ducks.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihTeml2XzvUHnlN1E3hrsmfRYQyNyvnSDddJ13JHLx12-VA2huaycDLbpygWw73ZIMufqssWrrnRWQrb9YWeov6Wcz3pxiFk9_TaFbxfL_O4WX8NfHc5K1sT3lMUNKbM0D0KmKGsx0OVyv/s2048/IMG_1398.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihTeml2XzvUHnlN1E3hrsmfRYQyNyvnSDddJ13JHLx12-VA2huaycDLbpygWw73ZIMufqssWrrnRWQrb9YWeov6Wcz3pxiFk9_TaFbxfL_O4WX8NfHc5K1sT3lMUNKbM0D0KmKGsx0OVyv/w640-h480/IMG_1398.JPG" width="640" /></a></p><p><br /></p><p><u>January 31</u></p><p>This morning I was working on my journal, sitting at the dining table, when all of a sudden the couple dozen Blue Jays at the feeders let a whoop and took to the air in unison, along with all the other birds. The jays are often playing pranks and sending out false alarm calls, but this sounded different--more urgent. I assumed there was a hawk and got up to take a look. Sure enough, a young Sharp-shinned Hawk sat in the willow between the driveway and the feeders. I managed to get some photos of it in the willow, then it flew up into an oak. I ran upstairs and got a few more shots before it flew off. This was quite a treat as this bird is not common here this time of year, and to get such good looks at it made it even better. They can be hard to tell apart from Cooper's Hawks, so to get good identifying shots was nice. I think these are also my first "sharpie" photos, period.</p><p>Earlier in the morning I had finally seen a Red-breasted Nuthatch, who clearly favors the feeders at Lori's house over ours, as I have yet to see it here this year--and we're only a couple hundred feet apart!</p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn9rhVAwjBApsBc2h31ajjshJTMfX5Qvragz8JJujOTiwapAnOYmmPVCoriMd7_IQVC-5xlw3LV58TZv08ZA_MVZydosqpAE_K_AIw_QfIwzGJdEEm1xjnZHX1sQ5xLLV3shtv_QAQOnzt/s2048/IMG_E1321.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1366" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn9rhVAwjBApsBc2h31ajjshJTMfX5Qvragz8JJujOTiwapAnOYmmPVCoriMd7_IQVC-5xlw3LV58TZv08ZA_MVZydosqpAE_K_AIw_QfIwzGJdEEm1xjnZHX1sQ5xLLV3shtv_QAQOnzt/w426-h640/IMG_E1321.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sharp-shinned Hawk, immature, looking a bit baffled.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhecT8L6BW6sFaALQkn9VVKoaL5Y0At8nSrWuXkSwks3ivo5nwXsamUbqHtZAXvimegl8M8odZEzrXw_AXk_UNFWwCdqQg4d7abdgQQ1XKHzGp3mDR03xP_owfGJQKBWOf-jR-tIL5JUCQa/s2048/IMG_E1319.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhecT8L6BW6sFaALQkn9VVKoaL5Y0At8nSrWuXkSwks3ivo5nwXsamUbqHtZAXvimegl8M8odZEzrXw_AXk_UNFWwCdqQg4d7abdgQQ1XKHzGp3mDR03xP_owfGJQKBWOf-jR-tIL5JUCQa/w426-h640/IMG_E1319.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-SKntVxkF3oR7UozofR4xCheCcDgINkZMbwGSRkbC528dDsSWhNucOn62GF9waXIrmMdCnGQLSHJUVaBSG9nSY_5yYgnxSN8Tab3sXPo0Y-PWHac4qE9Dnou2k0XLjEiFGxMZnY3EpaNJ/s2048/IMG_E1320.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1366" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-SKntVxkF3oR7UozofR4xCheCcDgINkZMbwGSRkbC528dDsSWhNucOn62GF9waXIrmMdCnGQLSHJUVaBSG9nSY_5yYgnxSN8Tab3sXPo0Y-PWHac4qE9Dnou2k0XLjEiFGxMZnY3EpaNJ/w426-h640/IMG_E1320.JPG" width="426" /></a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSy16F0BiorfDLyeae95Dpk79seV_0TX6B-Yo4SUEiExnwWGmFyynJncUrektj5itgYre62z6HYAD3SDSUOxUVOsXkqBqq9aKTp2KcBWLxCbyAMASFfUqlbV5M7SrhMauMc2Fh4PLnUp0t/s2024/IMG_E1318.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2024" data-original-width="1349" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSy16F0BiorfDLyeae95Dpk79seV_0TX6B-Yo4SUEiExnwWGmFyynJncUrektj5itgYre62z6HYAD3SDSUOxUVOsXkqBqq9aKTp2KcBWLxCbyAMASFfUqlbV5M7SrhMauMc2Fh4PLnUp0t/w426-h640/IMG_E1318.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><u>Home, January 31</u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">#74) Red-breasted Nuthatch</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">#75) Sharp-shinned Hawk</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12736098600288028338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558377963798102771.post-24014260085389831152021-02-14T17:33:00.004-05:002021-02-14T17:33:27.642-05:00Scoters and Warblers, Michigan Big Year Vol 6<p><u> January 29</u></p><p>I got a text from fellow Michigan Big Year birder Terry Grabill around 11:00 am that he'd seen all three scoters (surf, white-winged, and black) at the pier in Muskegon. I wasn't planning on birding today, but after letting it stew for a couple hours I couldn't resist going. I already had black, but needed the other two.</p><p>I walked the channel from the harbor mouth to the submarine museum, as Lisa and I had done a few days prior. I saw the White-winged Scoters right away, drifting and diving not far from shore, but a search for the Surf Scoter came up empty. <br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-SBpIPQHJIq-Ffp1LkSB3qXBGCmw_eUP2nOciI_vw3HNEo1uxG6kcvFXLzfxapvjc0VqZErc6saVytAsSwAQRxXBXmR_EGqORYvHaVqLSiobTHcSJb93jZ2ghlG2M-bvN-SIaezAReuFG/s1828/IMG_E1308.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1219" data-original-width="1828" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-SBpIPQHJIq-Ffp1LkSB3qXBGCmw_eUP2nOciI_vw3HNEo1uxG6kcvFXLzfxapvjc0VqZErc6saVytAsSwAQRxXBXmR_EGqORYvHaVqLSiobTHcSJb93jZ2ghlG2M-bvN-SIaezAReuFG/w640-h426/IMG_E1308.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>White-winged Scoter, Muskegon Lake Channel</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkNPLvfZUsYJA1XpNYgSMVyz2g43gYk9ydhkKC5VPSSLqyOmc6wzc4I9KyPmV3q651ffBoq2fqwjan_iC3vlMceLZx8RtqWZl6zO07Vkk3teQCd6IynQBjrs7qLJRMRcEnhA7K8sZ7IQJa/s1651/IMG_E1310.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1101" data-original-width="1651" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkNPLvfZUsYJA1XpNYgSMVyz2g43gYk9ydhkKC5VPSSLqyOmc6wzc4I9KyPmV3q651ffBoq2fqwjan_iC3vlMceLZx8RtqWZl6zO07Vkk3teQCd6IynQBjrs7qLJRMRcEnhA7K8sZ7IQJa/w640-h426/IMG_E1310.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>White-winged Scoter laughing at the silly birders.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I took advantage of the nice light to admire a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers and, of course, a Long-tailed Duck.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM0eoM_i124kloes1ozVY9_jhLiISl1MlZTCL6sVVAfogVrAcPHSYRYs2CZi9OXRS7EvC3dcSZoEOazZ3_dsP_CnyIg50fgOVxrnUc4Z8-tNtSta4igNELjPvalz0q34Pid6CbJhZ8Ki6H/s2048/IMG_E1302.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM0eoM_i124kloes1ozVY9_jhLiISl1MlZTCL6sVVAfogVrAcPHSYRYs2CZi9OXRS7EvC3dcSZoEOazZ3_dsP_CnyIg50fgOVxrnUc4Z8-tNtSta4igNELjPvalz0q34Pid6CbJhZ8Ki6H/w640-h426/IMG_E1302.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Red-breasted Mergansers, Muskegon Lake Channel</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiw0gfX1CsvRM6Q_s9e0JBf1u8CSYn-rBcDWZsjGhjSCoVj9T4KneRocD73T8G527I_IAdv3kBRpduXFV29TepjPdEWaHJus7g-_ay1PfrMQUFrvroicwzzQLj3J0Q_wbGDorz9MIMHQBw/s2048/IMG_E1303.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiw0gfX1CsvRM6Q_s9e0JBf1u8CSYn-rBcDWZsjGhjSCoVj9T4KneRocD73T8G527I_IAdv3kBRpduXFV29TepjPdEWaHJus7g-_ay1PfrMQUFrvroicwzzQLj3J0Q_wbGDorz9MIMHQBw/w640-h426/IMG_E1303.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Love that red eye!</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1223" data-original-width="1834" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgozSOlgCScLAFw7wTNExGB1p4YACj04okd0qHziOaGIgHfDNyq3-O-iSlLcJEJG11BuHv3hrnf3VgOi9YG7yckxrbOS4pVaClETvYN35jz61SOmOfMzR4qFyL_m7n_kpYb7WBGFaJ5_ALW/w640-h426/IMG_E1298.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Long-tailed Duck. I just wanna pinch his cheeks.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The weather was pleasant with little wind so I walked out the short middle pier to check out the harbor but it was all mergansers, Mallards, and a ton of gulls on the ice that has built up on the south side of the north pier. I set up the scope and scanned for anything that looked unusual. My gull identification, beyond our normally occurring gulls, begins and ends with looking at their primary feathers (the flight feathers that you see extending over the tail when a bird's wings are folded) and looking to see if any of them were white or gray (most gulls have black primaries). White primaries would indicate an Iceland, Glaucous, or Glaucous-winged Gull, rare but not unheard of winter visitors. I didn't see anything odd among the 200 or so birds, so I went back to the car and drove over to the south pier parking area. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT8sXN4OcgV0C0QWlXYcl4psGpgJE1E8qPJKapHPjKVN3tHjpXT5dk8DOwYoJWWUUUzYSYn0RpZK7eZOy12W554moL7ZP8lvAEvJ9fSaaTwvOpLd7mK_SUugyZcMZF1ofEfayXSsSoQOIC/s2048/IMG_E1300.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT8sXN4OcgV0C0QWlXYcl4psGpgJE1E8qPJKapHPjKVN3tHjpXT5dk8DOwYoJWWUUUzYSYn0RpZK7eZOy12W554moL7ZP8lvAEvJ9fSaaTwvOpLd7mK_SUugyZcMZF1ofEfayXSsSoQOIC/w426-h640/IMG_E1300.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Inner light at Muskegon Lake harbor, from shore.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPmC9oW8-eQEOlROxWubQoywk1iPzToQVb2SF2llJm4JMQ2OtLy3UO-vieTpbnN_QguV9aKOBO9Sk8pUWmOa7h_J3LHBmW4Kf2hXeavQU7ipooiKL-07ngb2JMjH0rrLwqQsOfXbU5l__k/s2048/IMG_1370.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPmC9oW8-eQEOlROxWubQoywk1iPzToQVb2SF2llJm4JMQ2OtLy3UO-vieTpbnN_QguV9aKOBO9Sk8pUWmOa7h_J3LHBmW4Kf2hXeavQU7ipooiKL-07ngb2JMjH0rrLwqQsOfXbU5l__k/w480-h640/IMG_1370.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Harbor at Pere Marquette Park, Muskegon</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I walked out the south pier as far as was safe. There were ducks off the end of the pier, and another birder was set up ahead of me with her scope. After about 20 minutes she packed up and I asked her if she'd seen a Surf Scoter, but she had not. I moved up to take her place. As clouds pushed in the temperature dropped, and I was starting to feel the cold come up through the soles of my hiking boots. I had watched as flocks of Redhead flew in down the channel to join the multitudes, continuing to scan for scoters. Just as I was about to give up I finally found the Surf Scoter, hanging out with a White-winged Scoter. Having the two together was helpful in identifying them both. They were too far to bother with trying to even get photos with my scope, so I packed up and headed home, not getting back until after 7:00 pm.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOsPNJE3Fkc3uaFVuuCxt9zONIJ4DEmI4ul5Sa8GKrVhDzuqz0zDTgxkGRpc8eDvQoqPcLJF_umbyyVtpLsu_TCIkHU7rlWVBE6IK5rgxCYInNJvFjKXTsIwdAvmOHs-WfQ2QHp-b9Z3zu/s2048/IMG_1372.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOsPNJE3Fkc3uaFVuuCxt9zONIJ4DEmI4ul5Sa8GKrVhDzuqz0zDTgxkGRpc8eDvQoqPcLJF_umbyyVtpLsu_TCIkHU7rlWVBE6IK5rgxCYInNJvFjKXTsIwdAvmOHs-WfQ2QHp-b9Z3zu/w640-h480/IMG_1372.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Lake Michigan sunset from the south pier, rocks coated with ice.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><u>January 30</u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><u><br /></u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was minding my own business, eating lunch and checking emails, when I read that the Yellow-throated Warbler that had been seen in December was still hanging around the feeders at a home up in Frankfort. A rare bird any time and anywhere in Michigan, it is a super rare bird this far north in January. Looking at other birds on my eBird needs email I saw that the pair of Red-necked Grebes were still being seen at Sleeping Bear Harbor in Glen Haven, about 1/2 hour north of Frankfort. The weather was still mild (relatively speaking) so I decided to make a day of it. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I pulled up at the address to find one birder already there, a fellow named Roberto with whom I've chatted with online. He said the bird had been coming and going for about an hour. We stood only 10 feet or so from the feeders but he assured me the bird did not seem to mind. I left the suet cakes I'd brought for the homeowner, who was not home, on the stoop and waited. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Within about 10-15 minutes another car pulled up and two guys, Ross and Mike, walked up the drive. They'd come all the way from the Ann Arbor area to see this bird, and were also planning on making the drive up to Glen Haven. The guys got to talking while I watched the feeders. Not five minutes later I heard a bird call that I was not familiar with, almost directly in front of us. I looked and there was the warbler, perched in a shrub next to the driveway. I pointed it out to the others, then it flew over to the suet feeder. We all got great looks at the bird before it flew around to the front of the house and into a large tree, then off down the road.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbVhrBMmoq8eMMkwUGTsTGzn7drCP2XVOslfwWZllYJcUucAAkbdpn1eWgvFnn6QnD1w7eU__g6IpJElnHqzSxdcsj7zCp3_ndFooiff6YUyBs-58RAnKmVgnSZ9ZiVl4IVDn6eY03pRY8/s2009/IMG_E1314.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1339" data-original-width="2009" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbVhrBMmoq8eMMkwUGTsTGzn7drCP2XVOslfwWZllYJcUucAAkbdpn1eWgvFnn6QnD1w7eU__g6IpJElnHqzSxdcsj7zCp3_ndFooiff6YUyBs-58RAnKmVgnSZ9ZiVl4IVDn6eY03pRY8/w640-h426/IMG_E1314.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Yellow-throated Warbler, Frankfort</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilfMnGDCODkFz1fBw3Gmg2_D5PWU4JmJE0SRix1nH2G8uqw5-HDJlKf2SSSDCwu1mpwXfjP_B0038X-mQRiefuhnpwAmwjMQQx1gKT4nkdYyxYAwhL0hd1Ngir1bLJG_5kmBq1xoIYv5-e/s1683/IMG_E1313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1122" data-original-width="1683" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilfMnGDCODkFz1fBw3Gmg2_D5PWU4JmJE0SRix1nH2G8uqw5-HDJlKf2SSSDCwu1mpwXfjP_B0038X-mQRiefuhnpwAmwjMQQx1gKT4nkdYyxYAwhL0hd1Ngir1bLJG_5kmBq1xoIYv5-e/w640-h426/IMG_E1313.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>One of my favorite warblers with such bright, sharp markings.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Having already seen this bird down south, and since I'd gotten some decent shots of it, I decided not to hang around and wait for it to return. I told Ross and Mike I'd see them in Glen Haven and drove up to Sleeping Bear Dunes. I wanted to get the grebes and get home before dark. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Well, you know what they say about the best laid plans--but we'll save that for next time.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p><u>Pere Marquette Park, Muskegon River Channel, January 29</u></p><p>#71) White-winged Scoter</p><p>#72) Surf Scoter</p><p><u>Elm Street, Frankfort, January 30</u></p><p>#73) Yellow-throated Warbler</p>Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12736098600288028338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558377963798102771.post-448334669791088832021-02-10T19:12:00.003-05:002021-02-10T19:12:33.670-05:00Seven Grebes of North America<p>In my last post, Michigan Big Year Vol 5, I write about seeing a Horned Grebe in Muskegon. I mentioned that this was life bird #508 and the final species of the seven North American grebes that I needed to see. It occurred to me today that I should have talked more about the other six species, but rather than edit that post I figured I'd just do a separate post.</p><p>To recap, the Horned Grebe (HOGR) is a small grebe at 13.8", slightly bigger than the pied-billed. It's a wide-ranging species, breeding across Canada to Alaska and wintering along the Pacific coast and in the southeast. It's typically only seen in Michigan during migration. This bird is in non-breeding adult plumage. I hope to one day see one in breeding plumage.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDWg8ET8aVbzHdfY4l93IsrB0Tq5lyqsSSvE0Y6zhk5SKyA-iY9e26VlPTR7oSdBK1bDfzxSI7W_m6cvhz8jpm3glrj3R8Zj7QGYvbe9xe3hQwTFD9hp3WJNOgL6ztsm6pvELwyaDZXj8C/s2048/IMG_E1279.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDWg8ET8aVbzHdfY4l93IsrB0Tq5lyqsSSvE0Y6zhk5SKyA-iY9e26VlPTR7oSdBK1bDfzxSI7W_m6cvhz8jpm3glrj3R8Zj7QGYvbe9xe3hQwTFD9hp3WJNOgL6ztsm6pvELwyaDZXj8C/w640-h426/IMG_E1279.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Horned Grebe, Jan 25, 2021, to round out the N American grebe species. </i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>I could not tell you when I first saw a Pied-billed Grebe, but it was almost certainly in Florida in winter. This was my first grebe species and I think they are darned cute. Slightly smaller than the horned at 13", it is the most widespread of the North American grebe species, breeding north from approximately the middle of the country north into Canada, winters in the southern half of the U.S.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisD9nPP7I-pOcNjbJ8kl1BBhr92aOej-ypRiA9ZPkSenM-oCL1Ki79igyazuekn0px-pfiwWyBuc_Yuk2Ss4p_xl7nxusCr-din7p55I0q1Ec0MyabiqbY54-BYKEPGch7gzfOn19rCboT/s2048/IMG_6320+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisD9nPP7I-pOcNjbJ8kl1BBhr92aOej-ypRiA9ZPkSenM-oCL1Ki79igyazuekn0px-pfiwWyBuc_Yuk2Ss4p_xl7nxusCr-din7p55I0q1Ec0MyabiqbY54-BYKEPGch7gzfOn19rCboT/w640-h426/IMG_6320+%25282%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Pied-billed Grebe in breeding plumage (note the blue bill). <br />Photographed at Howard Marsh, Ohio, May 2019</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxF0O8d9QPYOw67bUpkHfuHpK_REMoTWdNQs3OH2Ouj0uNQ8Jlh62O-KqyNXb4dqkmZaXxuhyphenhyphenSnzAcGnPs2yGbxV7jx7-2jqiXnAq6h7chKjWE0HgxNeXpGsT9EzrXfHYxHB7-FcmjSEZ9/s2048/IMG_8948+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxF0O8d9QPYOw67bUpkHfuHpK_REMoTWdNQs3OH2Ouj0uNQ8Jlh62O-KqyNXb4dqkmZaXxuhyphenhyphenSnzAcGnPs2yGbxV7jx7-2jqiXnAq6h7chKjWE0HgxNeXpGsT9EzrXfHYxHB7-FcmjSEZ9/w640-h426/IMG_8948+%25282%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Pied-billed Grebe, immature. Photographed in some National Wildlife Refuge somewhere in North Dakota, August 2013</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga_7okRdVOKf2aPUeMojfmm7oai8uRrlm1Kr-ylJqE-AIuYpnerb1oEDLCkf-aCiprEt8Jd7NU7nghZAvYLtbF56i1HtC0zpeFWxVolOC4PeQegA8INcNc74oLzajc51prnFgKmN9kK5Ai/s2048/6N0A6376+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga_7okRdVOKf2aPUeMojfmm7oai8uRrlm1Kr-ylJqE-AIuYpnerb1oEDLCkf-aCiprEt8Jd7NU7nghZAvYLtbF56i1HtC0zpeFWxVolOC4PeQegA8INcNc74oLzajc51prnFgKmN9kK5Ai/w640-h426/6N0A6376+%25282%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Pied-billed Grebe yawning, Merritt Island NWR, January 2020</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigyIUFobBtarmVAFgpjG2QFsTweQpqV_J1_KVxqQMBVyXYhqyLHNj5bXUlhOuelAFn5HLAL1k8bU9gpYZUWwWtgtlgt8MsX2PcpEXieIqCOHrD6kei_6N0CKG3N6kqNQEMeXFcfbKUwMPw/s2048/6N0A5940+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1366" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigyIUFobBtarmVAFgpjG2QFsTweQpqV_J1_KVxqQMBVyXYhqyLHNj5bXUlhOuelAFn5HLAL1k8bU9gpYZUWwWtgtlgt8MsX2PcpEXieIqCOHrD6kei_6N0CKG3N6kqNQEMeXFcfbKUwMPw/w426-h640/6N0A5940+%25282%2529.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Pied-billed Grebe showing off it's classic grebe-shaped head. <br />South Padre Island, Texas, November 2019</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Red-necked Grebe was my second grebe species. I first saw a pair of them on Duck Lake in Interlochen, Michigan in November 2012. I was a fledgling birder, and had stopped at the state park and walked to the lake for a look. I could see the birds at least 100 yards out on the lake and knew they were a new bird but didn't know what they were. I ran back to my car, grabbed my camera, and ran back, tripping over a branch on the way (I think there was snow on the ground) and falling flat on my face. I got some craptastic photos but was able to identify them when I got home.</p><p>A few years later I got better looks of this species on Wasilla Lake in Alaska, where a female was on a nest near the dock for our hotel. This species breeds across Canada to Alaska, winters off the Pacific and North Atlantic coasts and in Lake Huron, preferring open water to lakes and ponds. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpIkViMR-QT-ote15pLo8ACKFVkXATVgKuEllpa2BmbiWEHmjnHRo0r9eP70UmPusQgNrvAmGXARsD69fhera817nqsra_5ofPBz6lkgCSblIGHfY-rwqA92AvGoB8k9_T2BZgpghHR67A/s2048/IMG_5056+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpIkViMR-QT-ote15pLo8ACKFVkXATVgKuEllpa2BmbiWEHmjnHRo0r9eP70UmPusQgNrvAmGXARsD69fhera817nqsra_5ofPBz6lkgCSblIGHfY-rwqA92AvGoB8k9_T2BZgpghHR67A/w640-h426/IMG_5056+%25282%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Red-necked Grebe</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>In 2019 I had several shows out west and spent days researching birding locations along our route and near where we'd be staying. After my first show in Colorado we headed north to Idaho, stopping for two nights to camp on Utah Lake and bird the area. We were treated to several Clark's Grebes near the boat launch of the campground. This is a large grebe, about 25", with a bright red eye and long orange bill. This is a Western species, rarely seen east of the high plains. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuJ8Oank5SNAg2_CbduEjelqhUQTmVt2rT-A6Yh2BExTl_RfqGCh0DBdpSLBPbZmgGc62FjUWMNED6fz8PI1ZBjlvrYC6U_owwQyqhoqkJewzh2efbgUKsaxqF38-AwPYHcKIdqOz9MUJy/s3378/P1040216+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2533" data-original-width="3378" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuJ8Oank5SNAg2_CbduEjelqhUQTmVt2rT-A6Yh2BExTl_RfqGCh0DBdpSLBPbZmgGc62FjUWMNED6fz8PI1ZBjlvrYC6U_owwQyqhoqkJewzh2efbgUKsaxqF38-AwPYHcKIdqOz9MUJy/w640-h480/P1040216+%25282%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Clarke's Grebe, Utah Lake, August 2019. </i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYoSNkX6O6SjtkPZ_2YDB4P9jUDoevQfFPepdi3ogAPov_KSqmFINPCAmJ5702o5H3qY-vXxXWD6b7B0KbBEZBWe2wBWYFLfInXTO4ZZYKKu4ysI5XGp9_akdnjtOEwgbtiaTgxnvGnbR8/s2873/P1040218+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2155" data-original-width="2873" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYoSNkX6O6SjtkPZ_2YDB4P9jUDoevQfFPepdi3ogAPov_KSqmFINPCAmJ5702o5H3qY-vXxXWD6b7B0KbBEZBWe2wBWYFLfInXTO4ZZYKKu4ysI5XGp9_akdnjtOEwgbtiaTgxnvGnbR8/w640-h480/P1040218+%25282%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Clark's Grebe showing off that classic grebe head shape.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyZwNkVuXDWCUI8jpLZkpmJIEF9tt6xPgH_KxWDLMVc1_UhRWK-IAMAxKBG9IO2nRe1fpX99n4cZ_fy4b5a6b0qO4vDa3j7TJJxk2kBf05oXsrdd0bmLVvbMgFe-1TcUI_fB5g7ErYD6bN/s3162/P1040127+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3162" data-original-width="2372" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyZwNkVuXDWCUI8jpLZkpmJIEF9tt6xPgH_KxWDLMVc1_UhRWK-IAMAxKBG9IO2nRe1fpX99n4cZ_fy4b5a6b0qO4vDa3j7TJJxk2kBf05oXsrdd0bmLVvbMgFe-1TcUI_fB5g7ErYD6bN/w480-h640/P1040127+%25282%2529.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Clark's Grebe. Note how the eye is surrounded by white.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: left;">On our way home from Idaho we stopped at several locations along I-94, including McKenzie Slough, just south of the highway in North Dakota. There I picked up two new grebes, including Eared Grebe. There were several birds in the wetland, but one adult with it's growing chick was fairly close to the road. This is a small species at just over a foot long, and tends to remain west of the Great Plains (though as I write this there's one in Wyandotte, MI). They are known by their frilly "ear" patch and short, black bill. </p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG-czRLwZG8ojF2v1act37vVdPpSurUnHOYC-ihZYErnUgPNIYLHsLgCUuTYUvJ5rNTXh2ZErPa13UW2eQgn7jB-hQ0yPMI_BmvWfHAnps7Uu-BjhmVnj2_FS2CqFjti4cj8J41am3OJkT/s3178/P1040366+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2384" data-original-width="3178" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG-czRLwZG8ojF2v1act37vVdPpSurUnHOYC-ihZYErnUgPNIYLHsLgCUuTYUvJ5rNTXh2ZErPa13UW2eQgn7jB-hQ0yPMI_BmvWfHAnps7Uu-BjhmVnj2_FS2CqFjti4cj8J41am3OJkT/w640-h480/P1040366+%25282%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Eared Grebe, McKenzie Slough, North Dakota, August 2019</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb4Cg1uGnoYzsOKzCYZym8n-x7YPOiTIl6Hr09_Lnv9AHVzWSZLBY4_mYPx_Pt25Hj-PegwRcst_e3R8WUdHLjSpf8e1z16MBUrHOqWs3_KFqIx-Mlw0vqqPIxCW1Zh_OTuV2WzOgfmp3P/s2716/P1040351+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2037" data-original-width="2716" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb4Cg1uGnoYzsOKzCYZym8n-x7YPOiTIl6Hr09_Lnv9AHVzWSZLBY4_mYPx_Pt25Hj-PegwRcst_e3R8WUdHLjSpf8e1z16MBUrHOqWs3_KFqIx-Mlw0vqqPIxCW1Zh_OTuV2WzOgfmp3P/w640-h480/P1040351+%25282%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Eared Grebe</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguRAaFsBV_vGIXzTbZe0D8widOb4-G-a5xyGvN-loQlfIEyi4WTMtkNC4TGrgBvS1FizAkyuv5vyNK0t6LRzq5Ji0v6DAcLEjcqdAC8FwR5y8HzvzbiLcq5a-lIZZCJujmy3727VFA_OeE/s2469/P1040324+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1852" data-original-width="2469" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguRAaFsBV_vGIXzTbZe0D8widOb4-G-a5xyGvN-loQlfIEyi4WTMtkNC4TGrgBvS1FizAkyuv5vyNK0t6LRzq5Ji0v6DAcLEjcqdAC8FwR5y8HzvzbiLcq5a-lIZZCJujmy3727VFA_OeE/w640-h480/P1040324+%25282%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>The second grebe we found at McKenzie was Western Grebe. Very similar to Clark's with a similar but slightly wider range, they were considered the same species until 1985. The easiest way to distinguish this bird from Clark's is the black hood extends below the eye, encompassing it. The bill is also more yellow than orange.</p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Uu_9ryPp8D5xocXb3Mz6xUDru4PMD7MJHP7HFxKwhUmswEgGxNOUNTjp387uaQOMYRWqGk8fIR8l1PzzoszX8mYxKusyirQNovjpJG-pn_aoQRBZ8xrXotxmIbiRlq3eV5UdSsfWf_Z4/s2780/P1040319+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2085" data-original-width="2780" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Uu_9ryPp8D5xocXb3Mz6xUDru4PMD7MJHP7HFxKwhUmswEgGxNOUNTjp387uaQOMYRWqGk8fIR8l1PzzoszX8mYxKusyirQNovjpJG-pn_aoQRBZ8xrXotxmIbiRlq3eV5UdSsfWf_Z4/w640-h480/P1040319+%25282%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Western Grebe, McKenzie Slough, August 2019. Note the little one on it's back.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2185" data-original-width="2913" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiewE_ncDKps2jtEY88Tqj1CG9ctzs1vmnLrgC85FFruF6Sbgu22LiK7-Z7-1KKpl68n53yfNA36iVDpBrN81CXKXQhWWCmuC2TkZm8aDl6FdKts13kwgKf_vSsTaV1CAgfDaQ9emnnDNaz/w640-h480/P1040433+%25282%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Western Grebe with chick</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiewE_ncDKps2jtEY88Tqj1CG9ctzs1vmnLrgC85FFruF6Sbgu22LiK7-Z7-1KKpl68n53yfNA36iVDpBrN81CXKXQhWWCmuC2TkZm8aDl6FdKts13kwgKf_vSsTaV1CAgfDaQ9emnnDNaz/s2913/P1040433+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><i></i></a></p>Last on the list, my sixth of seven grebes, is the Least Grebe. As its name suggests, this is the smallest of the North American Grebes--at nine inches, four inches shorter than the pied-billed. This species is darker than the pied-billed, and sports a yellow eye. In the U.S. it's only found in southern Texas.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfBhug7n5jhn9NoaVWbavlBneZ89fYoQhGq67RpNjxxZPLIIyaaQ3cPqQarxlvQZjQVhRej1X5gm2rE6xU_dOJTAQrpmZdwWmbdm39OzRllgr7unUwgJnTbQfrU-zANj3bQf00A-Nhf7gc/s2048/6N0A4608+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfBhug7n5jhn9NoaVWbavlBneZ89fYoQhGq67RpNjxxZPLIIyaaQ3cPqQarxlvQZjQVhRej1X5gm2rE6xU_dOJTAQrpmZdwWmbdm39OzRllgr7unUwgJnTbQfrU-zANj3bQf00A-Nhf7gc/w640-h426/6N0A4608+%25282%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Least Grebe. Santa Ana NWR, Texas, November 2019</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>I love this family of birds. I find them striking and entertaining. I love their bright eyes, the fluffy buts of the littler ones, the stark black and white of the larger birds. Their courtship rituals are legendary with head bobs and sprints across the water, diving in unison. There are 22 species world-wide, so I hope one day to add a few more of this family to my list.<p></p>Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12736098600288028338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558377963798102771.post-32891808045717522632021-02-09T18:09:00.000-05:002021-02-09T18:09:51.134-05:00Michigan Big Year Vol 5: A "Lifer," and an Unexpected Visitor at Home<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">A good friend of mine, Artist Christina Baal, (</span><a href="https://www.drawingtenthousandbirds.com/" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">https://www.drawingtenthousandbirds.com/</a><span style="text-align: left;">), gave me a book for Christmas called Zen Birding, and it's been most helpful for me in taking a different perspective on this listing thing. In it the authors David M. White and Susan M. Guyette talk about the usual Zen stuff--ego, expectation, beginner mind vs. expert mind. They talk about listing in the first chapter, its pitfalls as well as the joys it can bring. They warn that listing can sometimes become all about the list--simply checking off species names on a list and running to see the next. But they acknowledge that making lists is a common human trait, and that listing can actually increase one's enjoyment of birds, especially if we take time to observe and enjoy both them and the act of birding. That is, as long as we don't get angry or frustrated when we dip, and don't get jealous when someone else sees a bird and we didn't, or we get mad because we can't go birding because of work, (all about ego). This was a relief to me but also a lesson--I feel like I've been released to go make those lists, and warned that if I'm not enjoying it or if I'm having expectations or jealousy that I need to reexamine my priorities. And so, we move onward!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><u>January 25</u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Lori had her knee replacement surgery last week so we have been sticking close to home and caring for her while she convalesces. That meant no chasing for a while, but today she was doing much better and there was a person coming for physical therapy in the afternoon, so Lisa and I decided to head to the pier in Muskegon to look for some of the rare waterbirds that had been reported over the previous days.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It had been sunny but by the time we arrived it had clouded up and the wind had increased, coming from the northeast. This meant off-shore, but it was still biting, even at 33°. We walked east into the wind along the channel as far as we could go, mostly with our heads down, then worked our way back slowly with the wind at our backs. Many birds drifted west on the current and we looked at each one carefully. A small flock of Long-tailed Ducks was drifting and feeding. Suddenly, as ducks do, they simultaneously started running and flapping across the water. They'd go several feet, stop, then start again. The goofy things never actually went anywhere but a little farther down the channel.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjukfWZYEJrAvlh1i8NFwJuMC9hIv4lGgMtBcK8KyYgnOmBe2-A_pGRegrb9TkPIKlfxEWrjdUKBH3spNYIpLoXB4fpnj3XWKVIN_KORxeG27YHWwyAxVaoNELrt0ZfKo-RhKxxHQ0ezqlL/s3436/IMG_E1285.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="915" data-original-width="3436" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjukfWZYEJrAvlh1i8NFwJuMC9hIv4lGgMtBcK8KyYgnOmBe2-A_pGRegrb9TkPIKlfxEWrjdUKBH3spNYIpLoXB4fpnj3XWKVIN_KORxeG27YHWwyAxVaoNELrt0ZfKo-RhKxxHQ0ezqlL/w640-h170/IMG_E1285.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Long-tailed Ducks doing Long-tailed Duck things</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: both; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: both; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">It was not long before I saw a Horned Grebe appear in the middle of the channel. Yay! This was a new life bird for me and the last of the seven North American grebe species I needed. I've seen Pied-billed Grebe just about everywhere, and Red-necked Grebe in Alaska in 2014, but then got the next four all in 2019--Clark's, Western, and Eared all out west over the summer, and Least down in Texas that fall. This Horned Grebe (MBY #68 and life bird #508) was the icing on the grebe cake, which by the way is probably my favorite family of birds.</div><div class="separator" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: both; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: both; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3BiBzrbytTmpvdQ3swfRYn3O8Tcq4IWGd7IpA4K-4hQmkq1Jfc30q5UnLatcltKBNol_T3GcQRe87EB3ZIcqe-TOa72uFfcLHwTRdN5hOVg4Tg2fAfyk4i6l2ZFtyqARdM1iZuhfxqJb8/s2048/IMG_E1279.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3BiBzrbytTmpvdQ3swfRYn3O8Tcq4IWGd7IpA4K-4hQmkq1Jfc30q5UnLatcltKBNol_T3GcQRe87EB3ZIcqe-TOa72uFfcLHwTRdN5hOVg4Tg2fAfyk4i6l2ZFtyqARdM1iZuhfxqJb8/w640-h426/IMG_E1279.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Horned Grebe, non-breeding. I hope to see them in breeding plumage one day. Also, I realized when I was editing the photos that this poor thing is missing a foot <br />(that's it's footless leg sticking out behind it.)</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>After that we didn't see any new species in the canal, though we searched for some time. I knew some scoters and a Harlequin Duck had been seen the day before, and I hoped they had moved out into more open water. We watched the mergansers for a bit, hoping someone new might float by, then headed to the car and over to the south pier parking lot. On the way I stopped to check the harbor and had a small flock of Tundra Swans fly by, for MBY #69.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYPIEzVAYfno045eNmA8EfwPWX3_wtOVvIoI-tarn0YRTEHThi6hctmiCz_5n1WZ-3KMe2OUaPcm3fg3Y66etmZXQioYJ_SdvrbeeH4AillFkWY7AO8QydEEqKpevtI3VdY2uLMTHHx1l7/s2048/IMG_E1272.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYPIEzVAYfno045eNmA8EfwPWX3_wtOVvIoI-tarn0YRTEHThi6hctmiCz_5n1WZ-3KMe2OUaPcm3fg3Y66etmZXQioYJ_SdvrbeeH4AillFkWY7AO8QydEEqKpevtI3VdY2uLMTHHx1l7/w640-h426/IMG_E1272.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Female Red-breasted Merganser</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5rlscRd6OjmgMQVf54L2C9FR9IfeGBSQ6wpGrJi_1YEJeGax61aXJsRSjRn7tz5PckeCZqzi_JU9cL989L_GM4wPwOVyXB9RZ9lL44vXjkrYAp9_0vPtee57q_GJB8koKzKcS3evP-yVJ/s2048/IMG_E1271.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5rlscRd6OjmgMQVf54L2C9FR9IfeGBSQ6wpGrJi_1YEJeGax61aXJsRSjRn7tz5PckeCZqzi_JU9cL989L_GM4wPwOVyXB9RZ9lL44vXjkrYAp9_0vPtee57q_GJB8koKzKcS3evP-yVJ/w640-h426/IMG_E1271.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Male Red-breasted Merganser taking off</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV6vGjnkqxpS1_wZkkqNNTuGQsamjvXoax5egRobVceJRiuw-3v1fiyTEZzq9FDkBBtbADMJV4E-xjYrZjlFQkjtPY132OjuVaivhcwmTvPevinULuxVg5pxY_3zAIEOv5_5C9NhP_CZRZ/s1815/IMG_E1270.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1210" data-original-width="1815" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV6vGjnkqxpS1_wZkkqNNTuGQsamjvXoax5egRobVceJRiuw-3v1fiyTEZzq9FDkBBtbADMJV4E-xjYrZjlFQkjtPY132OjuVaivhcwmTvPevinULuxVg5pxY_3zAIEOv5_5C9NhP_CZRZ/w640-h426/IMG_E1270.JPG" width="640" /></a></p><p><br /></p><p>We donned our spikes and walked out onto the icy pier. The big lake was fairly calm thanks to the off-shore winds but the pier was crusted with ice from waves pushed into the harbor from the northwest the previous day. We picked our way carefully along, checking the ducks as they dove and popped up here and there. The ducks we were looking for had frequently been seen with the long-tails, so we checked each and every one. Lisa spotted a lone Purple Sandpiper feeding on the water's edge among the boulders. Most of the surfaces were frozen, some with tick, opaque, gray ice and some with clear and smooth, but apparently there was enough exposed algae for this bird to pick through to find enough to eat.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaW6cAMQ5zIdBVG-pJJVls8hXtDOFHikdvaY9yAK0gqsBR4bbS0_pwAEtfgtdxXUvRtw4Sl1gu8ZOrW3gLpVxOlaZoSHC3KLfcbO0Ywim1PfwTLLL1dB6V5SNweU85gkBfqS_EQQAneTf7/s2048/IMG_E1267.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaW6cAMQ5zIdBVG-pJJVls8hXtDOFHikdvaY9yAK0gqsBR4bbS0_pwAEtfgtdxXUvRtw4Sl1gu8ZOrW3gLpVxOlaZoSHC3KLfcbO0Ywim1PfwTLLL1dB6V5SNweU85gkBfqS_EQQAneTf7/w640-h426/IMG_E1267.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Purple Sandpiper toughing it out on the ice along the pier.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>We walked out as far as the bend in the pier, at which point the ice was so gnarly and bumpy that we didn't dare go farther, even with spikes. I looked longingly at the ducks at the end of the pier and scanned them with the scope, but couldn't pick out any oddities. We did see a lone Snowy Owl way out on the end of the north pier, which helped explain the blood and body parts we'd seen strewn along the pier.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij-5Wr6Ecfu_Y_8tv5KSzYkyvQM-25QHno5EzAqk36fiEOxvDv2DnbwuG-hhomGVfsy4qZ5jFRtHiExLrm6Gvd4wlX8QfH6B9-VmdMLcHBr15c-oF7db-DLsqx7bjvAprK70IagIubId8h/s1951/IMG_E1265.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1301" data-original-width="1951" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij-5Wr6Ecfu_Y_8tv5KSzYkyvQM-25QHno5EzAqk36fiEOxvDv2DnbwuG-hhomGVfsy4qZ5jFRtHiExLrm6Gvd4wlX8QfH6B9-VmdMLcHBr15c-oF7db-DLsqx7bjvAprK70IagIubId8h/w640-h426/IMG_E1265.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Long-tailed Duck, becuase you can't ever have enough Long-tailed Duck photos.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p><u>January 26</u></p><p>At this point in the season I have seen most of the species that regularly occur at home, with the exception of Red-breasted Nuthatch. There is always the chance for a less-common bird to appear, but I wasn't holding my breath. We have hoards of Blue Jays who dominate the feeders, scooping up pounds of seed a day to cache in some secret location, and I think they are keeping some of the less-aggressive birds away. So imagine my surprise this morning as I was walking to the office and heard an unfamiliar call from the oak above my head. I paused and listened, then continued on to the office. As I started up my computer I looked out the window to see a juvenile Evening Grosbeak (MBY #70) at the feeder! I was hoping we'd have another shot at seeing one in spring as the flocks moved north, but apparently there's at least one still hanging around. These birds are very rare winter visitors here. Despite their name they are members of the finch family, and every 7-10 years they and other finches "irrupt" and flow south in huge numbers in search of food when the pine/spruce/larch cone crop is poor in the forests to our north. I was able to get back to the house and get a few photos for record. </p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6TsThGDZVfBjo3eCpvBmrl9hp7F9oHrU3JTL7D3REZxJ5p_1FVFzE1rn0jH3yVeYe0oOiel43PLKwL9czIWNZaoSI4H0WejhH8yXO1ObBoKBqTV-F-6oRPqKkMc-vSjKW7eJPeoHBEeiJ/s1879/IMG_E1293.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1253" data-original-width="1879" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6TsThGDZVfBjo3eCpvBmrl9hp7F9oHrU3JTL7D3REZxJ5p_1FVFzE1rn0jH3yVeYe0oOiel43PLKwL9czIWNZaoSI4H0WejhH8yXO1ObBoKBqTV-F-6oRPqKkMc-vSjKW7eJPeoHBEeiJ/w640-h426/IMG_E1293.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Evening Grosbeak</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <p></p><p><u>Lake Muskegon Channel, January 25</u></p><p>#68) Horned Grebe (also lifer)</p><p>#69) Tundra Swan</p><p><u>Home, January 26</u></p><p>#70) Evening Grosbeak</p>Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12736098600288028338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558377963798102771.post-43337517633323015472021-02-04T20:10:00.003-05:002021-02-04T20:10:41.332-05:00Michigan Big Year Vol 4: Success at Muskegon Wastewater<p>One of the best birding locations in west Michigan in the 11,000 acre Muskegon Wastewater Treatment Facility. Here's what it says on their website on the page dedicated to birding: </p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #124a6d; font-family: montserrat-light; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.35; margin: 0px 0px 1.3em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">"The variety of habitat at the Wastewater System includes over 1,000 acres of even-aged conifer and dryland white and black oak woodlots; over 5,000 acres of alfalfa, corn, and soybean cropland; 20 miles of drainage ditches, 60 acres of treatment ponds, 11 miles of shoreline around 1,700 acres of storage lagoons; a few hundred acres of natural upland grasslands; and assorted wetland marshes and potholes. Because of this, the 11,000-acre treatment plant is considered one of the best birding sites in Michigan. At least 256 species of birds have been documented at the facility (two-thirds of all species ever recorded in Michigan). Possibly the rarest bird ever documented in the state was seen here in April of 1985, a White Wagtail.</strong></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #124a6d; font-family: montserrat-light; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.35; margin: 0px 0px 1.3em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">Tens of thousands of geese and ducks spend part of the winter at the site, sharing the area with Bald Eagles, Peregrine Falcons, Snowy Owls, Snow Buntings, plovers, sandpipers, and dozens of other bird species. At other times of the year, birders might see Red Phalarope, Greater White-fronted Goose, Eurasian Wigeon, Gyrfalcon, Eared Grebe, or American White Pelican."</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #124a6d; font-family: montserrat-light; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.35; margin: 0px 0px 1.3em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">Now that I live in west-central Michigan, this hotspot is only an hour away, and the piers of Muskegon another half-hour from there, making a nice one-two punch for excellent birding. </p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #124a6d; font-family: montserrat-light; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.35; margin: 0px 0px 1.3em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">After a couple of trips dipping on my target birds, (see Vol. 3) I had picked up MBY (Michigan Big Year) bird #62 at home on January 16th--a Golden-crowned Kinglet foraging in the back yard with a mixed flock of chickadees and titmice. </p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #124a6d; font-family: montserrat-light; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.35; margin: 0px 0px 1.3em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><u>January 19</u></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #124a6d; font-family: montserrat-light; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.35; margin: 0px 0px 1.3em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">Lisa and I drove down to MWTF for a day of birding before Lori's second knee replacement surgery on the 20th, which would keep all of us house bound for several days. The day was chilly and windy but the sun was out and I needed a boost to my birding confidence.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #124a6d; font-family: montserrat-light; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.35; margin: 0px 0px 1.3em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM0EJfJ7mHNMVAxU__hAxAOqEfb3tuhhzyWyifJqtsEtEMRf88IwTa21H12lepMuc4YKwAlOvbNSu3X5UYp7aqVfaT9_NliF-MqUQIWQhKBQKm231hZvFA17bZqMrpOHgY9ix8Ml44r3C8/s450/MWTF.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="358" data-original-width="450" height="510" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM0EJfJ7mHNMVAxU__hAxAOqEfb3tuhhzyWyifJqtsEtEMRf88IwTa21H12lepMuc4YKwAlOvbNSu3X5UYp7aqVfaT9_NliF-MqUQIWQhKBQKm231hZvFA17bZqMrpOHgY9ix8Ml44r3C8/w640-h510/MWTF.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Unable to find a map of the facility that isn't a pdf, this aerial with have to do. The sewage lagoons are the large bodies of water, the aerating pools are on the near edge of the lagoon on the right. The green rectangles are the filtration ponds with canals in between. </i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #124a6d; font-family: montserrat-light; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.35; margin: 0px 0px 1.3em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">As mentioned above the facility has a lot of water, but in winter there is little of it open. The two large storage lagoons freeze over, and only two of the aeration pools are open, one being the pool where septic trucks come and dump their goods (no birds there!). Several of the earthen pools where treated wastewater is pumped as well as the canals are also open, and waterfowl often gather in the pools in great numbers. The fields are good for raptors and grassland birds, and the woods harbor lots of sparrows in winter.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #124a6d; font-family: montserrat-light; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.35; margin: 0px 0px 1.3em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">We started by driving up to the aeration pool to look for ducks. We saw mostly Gadwall, Canada Geese, and Mallard, but there were a handful of Ruddy Duck floating by the near side, for MBY bird #63. We scanned the geese on the pool and those bunched up on the ice for a Snow or Cackling Goose but found neither.</p><p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp1f9wDlVarmPxvkqWcIob9MnfJ_uRdC1h9MrCQ1NrI17ddpq3pgO1Ii2dq9tNHCIOHURchE_L1kP3PU5cZjDIoYp8Vbg8xt4c3wzEKyoiGM4qQVPX_NUIk2-Rr4oYmsQH9bLdgWb202VZ/s2019/IMG_1253.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1346" data-original-width="2019" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp1f9wDlVarmPxvkqWcIob9MnfJ_uRdC1h9MrCQ1NrI17ddpq3pgO1Ii2dq9tNHCIOHURchE_L1kP3PU5cZjDIoYp8Vbg8xt4c3wzEKyoiGM4qQVPX_NUIk2-Rr4oYmsQH9bLdgWb202VZ/w640-h426/IMG_1253.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Ruddy Duck, #63</i></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><br /></p><p>Driving down the center causeway between the storage lagoons we could see a large flock of geese out on the ice. We then found the large flock of Common Redpoll that have been there all winter. It's amazing that they haven't yet exhausted the supply of seeds there. The flock is a bit spooky, and if you drive too close they leap into the air en masse, twittering and wheeling, before coming to rest 10-20 feet down the road. Getting close enough for a photo can be a real challenge, but patience usually pays off. This center causeway is a great location to find all sorts of species. Snowy Owl often hang out there when the lagoons are open, picking off unwary ducks. I saw a very rare Buff-breasted Sandpiper there and had Snow Buntings last fall (but none yet this year).</p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXxj929egoWMhLP9TsOE4eKdgtP8UcfjxkHGmtAC2XUTR3jypqqPX2AsLPZ1pD-HvEPmgB-_QjwF1YVR6qt8QXYM5vGOpnUE_-SQreRqgX2n6TtdlvXSCEx8FRc57aCYu62an8Jpvk7FCU/s2048/IMG_1251.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXxj929egoWMhLP9TsOE4eKdgtP8UcfjxkHGmtAC2XUTR3jypqqPX2AsLPZ1pD-HvEPmgB-_QjwF1YVR6qt8QXYM5vGOpnUE_-SQreRqgX2n6TtdlvXSCEx8FRc57aCYu62an8Jpvk7FCU/w640-h426/IMG_1251.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Common Redpoll</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>Heading down from the west side of the lagoons Lisa spotted some Eastern Bluebirds feasting on sumac berries for MBY bird #64. They were on her side of the car so I didn't try for photos. We drove over to the ponds and while we debated which two-track to take, the geese that had been on the ice lifted off and made their way to one of the flooded ponds. Hundreds of birds poured in, disappearing behind the earthen dike. We made our way over, driving the car as close as we dared to the huge flock that was feasting on the vegetation. After a couple minutes we simultaneously saw the immature Snow Goose foraging among the Canadas. I was thrilled to finally add a rarity to my year list and to be as close to a Snow Goose as I'd ever been.</p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgysQ8FdABseladxFSOVegIh3t_GgQ4xJVVunIe7uGBxDiooG7-QdjaHbQJ9vAhooji8j_XpMH4rXHnZXkqbYa87X8UwaA9xoHzActyH1j9quKqYAXZ4bNXqE1Ek_uY4ZI3t3dbzZxEx-fk/s1694/IMG_1246.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1129" data-original-width="1694" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgysQ8FdABseladxFSOVegIh3t_GgQ4xJVVunIe7uGBxDiooG7-QdjaHbQJ9vAhooji8j_XpMH4rXHnZXkqbYa87X8UwaA9xoHzActyH1j9quKqYAXZ4bNXqE1Ek_uY4ZI3t3dbzZxEx-fk/w640-h426/IMG_1246.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Immature Snow Goose, #65. This species has two color morphs--this bird will eventually be all white.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>We scanned the flock of about 500 geese for a Cackling Goose (a nearly identical species to Canada but about half the size, with a squat head and short bill) and watched as many of the Mallards flew off to a neighboring pond. We drove around to check them out, and found about 70 Mallard and a handful of Gadwall. Then, for no reason we could discern, the ducks in the corner of the pool took off. The sun was behind me and the birds fairly close, so I hopped out and started shooting. Mallard is one of those ultra-common species here that tend to get overlooked. I think they are strikingly beautiful birds.</p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8d-xpIbANn3-r51ro53SIv_hh0rSeeIhxDUYMjMqC6F5bhZ0ave-UxI3Bzb70niJ7HttEyCjzapczBatg8cITrCafQBkJZMW2M6-CPiF9iVd8v5pt4Ch5cU2SvGK7lm3ll_vo6naQY2YN/s2702/IMG_1237.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1164" data-original-width="2702" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8d-xpIbANn3-r51ro53SIv_hh0rSeeIhxDUYMjMqC6F5bhZ0ave-UxI3Bzb70niJ7HttEyCjzapczBatg8cITrCafQBkJZMW2M6-CPiF9iVd8v5pt4Ch5cU2SvGK7lm3ll_vo6naQY2YN/w640-h276/IMG_1237.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Mallard, common and underappreciated.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNLc_xmLY30FKgiYgh8chORfpkjk1HiDe4hYrh8BxTnuPcBUTS29afg4zBVnvTgUY7EMjg6JAw0DAO1fq_P5nOOMe29Hb2_u9wSAYREehuTCUcgtoC7s2EOMAtQswUgteGM4xPaFW-ds0X/s2048/IMG_1234.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNLc_xmLY30FKgiYgh8chORfpkjk1HiDe4hYrh8BxTnuPcBUTS29afg4zBVnvTgUY7EMjg6JAw0DAO1fq_P5nOOMe29Hb2_u9wSAYREehuTCUcgtoC7s2EOMAtQswUgteGM4xPaFW-ds0X/w640-h426/IMG_1234.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>As I was shooting the ducks, the geese from the next pool over--who I'm pretty sure couldn't even see me--took wing and headed back toward the storage lagoons. The sound these birds made--both with wing and voice--is indescribable. We watched in awe as the sky eventually emptied and quiet returned to the day. </p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTsutiMNUHm0TuL85cAAcJpz3OsSM66KGFaPr19fRgc_yd2rUnb0vLTfeICZ0wVF-kqzSn5ozABrxdbVXw07S5evbI_4Jhk9gTnz8Q-oRaiFv3s_fHwOyb1Qs_h6dMf3Ylic_PPRCQG9g8/s2665/IMG_1232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1180" data-original-width="2665" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTsutiMNUHm0TuL85cAAcJpz3OsSM66KGFaPr19fRgc_yd2rUnb0vLTfeICZ0wVF-kqzSn5ozABrxdbVXw07S5evbI_4Jhk9gTnz8Q-oRaiFv3s_fHwOyb1Qs_h6dMf3Ylic_PPRCQG9g8/w640-h284/IMG_1232.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>We saw a female Northern Harrier patrolling the ponds--apparently this is her turf, as she is there almost every time I've been to the facility--then we drove to the agricultural fields to look for larks, buntings, and anyone else that might be there. About halfway through Lisa saw a large raptor sitting in a tree near the edge of a field a hundred yards away, and getting it in my binoculars I could see it was a Golden Eagle. This is another Michigan rarity, and I had known that one was hanging out here, but without an extra pair of eyes I don't think I would have seen it. Birding is not only more fun with a friend, it's also more productive! The eagle eventually took to the sky and I got some shots as it flew past the car.</p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLrwn3RWA3qzy_yg6KSOPpKCpL8QPDQ1bjS5dDmJJNGbXV85OkSSuVWCODIbCgND1d4j01FSObeKg0famu8lT54X9zJCIV7xPQf8IWrbaTP9GI7NrWRzAEehBfcqAQAwPJLoMI0IQlEolv/s2048/IMG_1230.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLrwn3RWA3qzy_yg6KSOPpKCpL8QPDQ1bjS5dDmJJNGbXV85OkSSuVWCODIbCgND1d4j01FSObeKg0famu8lT54X9zJCIV7xPQf8IWrbaTP9GI7NrWRzAEehBfcqAQAwPJLoMI0IQlEolv/w640-h426/IMG_1230.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Golden Eagle fly-by</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>As we were making our way towards the main road and thinking of heading to the pier, I got a text that a Varied Thrush had been seen at some feeders at a house up in Manistee. It was just early enough that if we left right away we could get there with enough daylight to see the bird. It was a1 1/2 hour drive, and while it was likely to stick around for days (having found a food source) we decided to drive up that afternoon rather than head home and hope to see it the next day. Because the highway was fairly close travel time was going to be about the same from Muskegon or home, so off we went. But on the way out of the facility we were waylaid by a male Northern Harrier cruising the fields. Known colloquially as the "Gray Ghost" I couldn't resist a few distant shots.</p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgTX5hbtL_eIjvupLmffMU_PbqI1fYHRezcdwaWiqoP8gY9i9fO-zkkkjvy1U0-S2FpRov1KHQxjTz47u88j9Jpni5L-Q0HHnJgCKUvoHZMtq2d-QtMH5l8TSYQHvLTY7dDEkZN_24pXD6/s1446/IMG_1222.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="964" data-original-width="1446" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgTX5hbtL_eIjvupLmffMU_PbqI1fYHRezcdwaWiqoP8gY9i9fO-zkkkjvy1U0-S2FpRov1KHQxjTz47u88j9Jpni5L-Q0HHnJgCKUvoHZMtq2d-QtMH5l8TSYQHvLTY7dDEkZN_24pXD6/w640-h426/IMG_1222.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Male Northern Harrier, the "Gray Ghost"</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>After a snack and potty stop along the way we made it to Manistee by 4:15. Another couple was already there, standing at the ready in the driveway. The homeowner had graciously given us bird-crazy folks permission to come see the bird. The couple turned out to be Linda and Chuck, who used to run the art show in Manistee and who knew me and my work. Small world! After about 15 minutes the thrush appeared in a tree in the back yard--spotted yet again by Lisa's sharp eye. It seemed reluctant to come to the feeders so Chuck and I crept to the back and got a few photos for proof of this rare visitor from the West. It was a great way to cap off a good day of birding.</p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpZiyEdtuJ3R4W89RCk81iG_BclP2PupXR1nlGWkK3ljpSUMvlhp-s1k8kgI2QkzADATMUSwFACbaBzDB29ahs-YMCehCAfywWif5lq8wJhadAiDR_9Xj368sjW6Q-32lZWzbeUi1GDcjE/s1386/IMG_1218.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="1386" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpZiyEdtuJ3R4W89RCk81iG_BclP2PupXR1nlGWkK3ljpSUMvlhp-s1k8kgI2QkzADATMUSwFACbaBzDB29ahs-YMCehCAfywWif5lq8wJhadAiDR_9Xj368sjW6Q-32lZWzbeUi1GDcjE/w640-h426/IMG_1218.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Varied Thrush playing peek-a-boo</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><u>Home, Jan. 16</u></p><p>#62) Golden-crowned Kinglet</p><p><u>Muskegon Wastewater, Jan. 19</u></p><p>#63) Ruddy Duck</p><p>#64) Eastern Bluebird</p><p>#65) Snow Goose</p><p>#66) Golden Eagle</p><p><u>Manistee, Jan. 19</u></p><p>#67) Varied Thrush</p>Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12736098600288028338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558377963798102771.post-26011925273953576952021-02-02T12:00:00.007-05:002021-02-02T12:00:01.728-05:00Michigan Big Year Vol. 3: Dipping on Rarities<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Birding is a fickle thing, and is all about timing. You might get word within minutes of a rarity showing up at someone's feeder, only to get there and miss it by 30 seconds. You might drive hundreds of miles to see a bird that's been at a location for weeks, only to be unable to locate it. Then, you'll be walking to your home office and hear one calling in the trees above your feeder. It's a bit like poker--while there is certainly skill and planning involved, a lot depends on dumb luck.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><u>January 13</u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I spent yesterday planning a route that would take me to six different locations in southwest Michigan. Each location had been reporting rarities, and I hoped to pick up a couple of them. This would be my first day devoted specifically to birding, without other errands attached to it, and would involved hundreds of miles and hours of driving. My route and available time allowed for a half hour in each location, starting at Gull Lake in Kalamazoo.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The lake was remarkably unfrozen, as so many are this winter, and seemed to be opening up more in the 42° "heat." Right off I picked up Hooded Merganser and Trumpeter Swan, but these are species I'll likely see here at home this spring. I searched the lake for scoters, cackling geese, and especially the Barrow's Goldeneye and Greater White-fronted Goose that had been seen there. Nothing. There were plenty of ducks I <i>could</i> see, but many more out too far to identify. After over a half hour staring intently at every duck, I decided to head out but then spotted a pair of Canvasback ducks, a good find as it's not a species we would see at home, but not the rarity I'd hoped for. On the way back to my car I heard Sandhill Cranes in the field across the road.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">From there I went to the Wolf Lake Fish Hatchery, about a half hour away, but didn't find any rarities there either. I did see a Song Sparrow but they are nesters on our lake and certainly not what I was hoping for. I did manage to get a few digiscoped shots of Trumpeter Swan, but that was it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKQappFVZQvDmO1oXv6ny8_PDBfqJINNTiUF9PCVH5HThAiP4rjSF4APvB4msLa4h6SHRQBGRTvT1bQONgVoaCFgCfPaCPpge669dNjIxe-X6irbTjuhnEveHStgB4C693QaUyOykQc4HT/s2048/IMG_0707.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKQappFVZQvDmO1oXv6ny8_PDBfqJINNTiUF9PCVH5HThAiP4rjSF4APvB4msLa4h6SHRQBGRTvT1bQONgVoaCFgCfPaCPpge669dNjIxe-X6irbTjuhnEveHStgB4C693QaUyOykQc4HT/w640-h480/IMG_0707.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A short drive south brought me to Maple Lake in PawPaw, which was filled with Canada Geese. There had to be a couple thousand of them. I walked out to the island and scanned those geese twice, looking for cackling or g. white-fronted. Nope. Nada. There were lots of Common Goldeneye and I got to watch some of the males practicing their courtship dances, but I saw nothing new and nothing certainly nothing rare.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN9oIS9e5jiM82aQ9sjzL-lqArQaSNLyLYdrVkGjQXZy6gPlM01mZZKUl4s9asi7umlU2cZ2PpDDJ9BQzkHgEebZa5kyu1zrSmQBH8U9zz2o3EJ7qT5hrW7wv0uwlRxXU11-vGzd9NeqRK/s2048/IMG_0693.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN9oIS9e5jiM82aQ9sjzL-lqArQaSNLyLYdrVkGjQXZy6gPlM01mZZKUl4s9asi7umlU2cZ2PpDDJ9BQzkHgEebZa5kyu1zrSmQBH8U9zz2o3EJ7qT5hrW7wv0uwlRxXU11-vGzd9NeqRK/w480-h640/IMG_0693.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common Goldeneye</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyBa9MGkpUQN7I95OyMBTcVZsxsfSK870Suc7z2BsEB4FMli8wEa_t6zdLSpQBPE0YQZ7Rk409Eoi6ZDUV-jQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">At this point it was 2:00 pm and I had to decid if I was going to continue with my plan and head to the coast, or change it up and go back to Gull Lake. My gut was telling me to return to Gull Lake because of the number of birds there that I couldn't identify the first time around. My head said stick to the plan, and that's what I did. It was a lovely day on Lake Michigan, and I did find a Lesser Scaup in St. Joseph, but that was it. However, back at Gull Lake, at least one of my target birds was seen by another birder that afternoon. Ah, hindsight--and listening to your gut.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><u>January 14th</u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I decided to stay home, even though it's another mild day. I should have planned an outing, but after dipping on four species yesterday, my heart isn't in it. I took Bailey for a walk around the lake and managed to find a Brown Creeper for bird #60 on the year.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><u>January 15</u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was not planning on birding today as it was windy and wet, but after lunch I decided to chase a Ross's Goose that had been reported at the Hart Wastewater Facility, about 45 minutes away. Basically a smaller version of a Snow Goose, the Ross's a rarity in Michigan, and had been seen there multiple times.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The dirt road the facility is on was a quagmire, thanks to the rain and the warmer temperatures that had allowed the road to begin to thaw. I was afraid I was going to slide right into a ditch. As I neared the facility I saw an American Kestrel on a wire, and managed a few shots before he flew off.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI6gaffVMkLmTH7NfHPhROzPYAf8ODltTH2aFSms5TBrpMkR-L9Rel7NbTn8FOYb9j-1wG0w5Au8mp7siQqzGxeS_Go4EftJ_D5oXiipVUWzklmOcPoHF0mhRZICNynclMh1r2yuv9TbsY/s1550/IMG_1214.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1033" data-original-width="1550" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI6gaffVMkLmTH7NfHPhROzPYAf8ODltTH2aFSms5TBrpMkR-L9Rel7NbTn8FOYb9j-1wG0w5Au8mp7siQqzGxeS_Go4EftJ_D5oXiipVUWzklmOcPoHF0mhRZICNynclMh1r2yuv9TbsY/w640-h426/IMG_1214.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>At the gate I saw a sign directing birders to a specific parking area, stating that all birding had to be done on foot. It also said they wanted us out by 2:00 pm--and it was already 1:40. I parked, grabbed my binoculars, and started to walk towards one of the nearby pools that I could see had some open water. As I neared I could see waterfowl, but because of the high berm I couldn't see who was there. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I got close enough to see over the edge and stopped, probably 40 feet away, but I had also been seen by the hoards of Mallards that were perched on the edge of the ice. A few heartbeats passed as we had a stare down, then on some undetectable (by me) cue they took to the air in unison. NO!!! I frantically scanned the ducks as they flew every which way, and did manage to identify a handful of American Black Ducks as they flew overhead, but that was it. That is not a bird we get on our lake so it was a good find, but not rare.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I continued to the far side and looked out over the stubbled cornfield that lie between the facility and an orchard and saw that it was stuffed with Canada Geese. It's hard to believe these birds were nearly hunted to extinction because they are freaking <i>everywhere</i>. At least a thousand were scattered across acres of stubble. I felt utterly defeated. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I hurried back to the car and exited the facility, but realized I had a good view of the fields from outside the gate, so I pulled over and set up my scope, and spent the next 30 minutes scanning the fields, looking for a little white blob amid the browner, larger blobs and the corn stubble. Tucked up under my car's open rear hatch I was mostly out of the light rain that had begun to fall. I scanned that field over and over, but did not find a Ross's Goose. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So that's five rarities I've chased in three days and dipped on. I know it's never a given when chasing birds but this was a very disappointing streak, and makes me start to question my decision to do a Big Year. Sure, I picked up other species, but missing so many after spending so much time might make me more reluctant to chase the next rarity. I will need a few days to rebuild my enthusiasm.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><u>Gull Lake, Jan. 13</u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">54) Hooded Merganser</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">55) Trumpeter Swan</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">56) Canvasback</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">57) Sandhill Crane</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><u>Wolf Lake Fish Hatchery, Jan 13</u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">58) Song Sparrow</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><u>Saint Joseph Pier, Jan 13</u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">59) Lesser Scaup</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><u>Home Jan. 14</u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">60) Brown Creeper</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><u>Hart Sewage Treatment Facility, Jan. 15</u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">61) American Black Duck </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12736098600288028338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558377963798102771.post-580783052892070202021-01-31T14:44:00.001-05:002021-02-01T20:49:30.741-05:00Michigan Big Year: Bohemian Waxwing Bonanza<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The first several trips I took in search of birds for my Big Year were forays into the field tied to other errands, which helped ease my guilt over driving all over the place to look for birds. My trip to Reeds Lake was done as a side trip to Lori's doctor's visit, at a facility a half mile from the lake. On January 8th, we combined a trip to Costco on the west side of Grand Rapids to a hunt for a Smew, a Eurasian merganser that had been reported on Allegan Lake, about 20 minutes farther south. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As with so many rarities, we found the Smew thanks to the group of birders already there with scopes and binoculars. At first it was hidden behind a dock, but came out within minutes, and I took some photos with my iPhone and scope (digiscoping). It is a species that is often purchased and bred by bird fanciers, and it is likely this is a bird that escaped from a collector rather than one that got here of it's own accord. If I was doing some sort of a formal list that would matter, but in this case I'm not going to sweat it too much. I also added Bonaparte's Gull at the lake, and an American Kestrel on a wire along Fruit Ridge Ave on the way home.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikOpw_VuxtKWbGTMechTHM61jfmQj4VgJJY2hL-g8eYWy-xUdbMtX-341E2NQGYIT06SbqJodErZkLR5M-EgD-BS99uMyriuGUtgtHtZU2yPYTY7EX3fxCjXtPai83Q8HeXAJkZY9pqezX/s2048/IMG_0652.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikOpw_VuxtKWbGTMechTHM61jfmQj4VgJJY2hL-g8eYWy-xUdbMtX-341E2NQGYIT06SbqJodErZkLR5M-EgD-BS99uMyriuGUtgtHtZU2yPYTY7EX3fxCjXtPai83Q8HeXAJkZY9pqezX/w480-h640/IMG_0652.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smew, Allegan Lake, January 8</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">January 9th was the coldest day of the season (9°!), so we stayed home with fires blazing in the wood stoves. I wondered how the cold temps would affect the lakes in the area--one of the reasons we were able to see birds like the Smew is because it's been relatively warm here so far this winter. While highs in the 30's and lows in the 20's don't sound all that warm, it's still 5° to 10° above average for January, and it's been enough to keep lakes, most rivers, and even the shoreline and bays of Lake Michigan mostly ice free.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">By January 10th the weather had warmed, and I had been alerted by a friend of a flock of Bohemian Waxwings--a totally new bird for me, one I'd been wanting to see for years--in the Pigeon River Country of Northeast Michigan. I think she was out looking for one of the elk herds the Vanderbilt area is famous for but found birds instead. Upon checking eBird I saw that this was near Inspiration Point, a known spot for waxwings as well as Pine Grosbeak, another not-so-easy-to-find Michigan bird. It was a three hour drive, but Grayling was right on the way, and I needed to restock prints at the AuSable Artisan Village, a gallery I had just rejoined in the fall. It was the perfect excuse to go look for birds.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After many detours and the GPS taking us down Forest Service two-tracks, or trying to take us down roads that literally no longer existed, we finally found the spot. I slowed as we neared the road for Inspiration Point because I could see birds flying all over the place. Across the road was a pullout, and I stopped before we reached it to get my gear and put some spikes on my boots, and there by the side of the road was a Pine Grosbeak, calling from a tree right next to the car. I pulled up into the turnout and saw the area lined with crabapple trees, still with fruit, and they were FULL of birds.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I parked the car near one tree and got out and stood in the open with my camera. The birds could not have cared less. They moved from tree to tree, eventually landing right next to the car where Lori had a clear view. They flew overhead and I could hear the sound of their wings. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This was only my second time seeing Pine Grosbeak, and I was able to get much better photos this time around (though I'd still like better). They are such gorgeous finches in raspberry and terra cotta, with those bold wingbars and blue-gray backs. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguBP7upmytn_IrBjD5K9DH6hDGA2HP17u8Hr85QuYmCcuxe9qJhog_WeHcAs4gMKe52kXS3LE2z-DnFBlr7hMldiRg5VG4JFL83twaeJwGuwx4IpiX0wFBK9gpK_fsQnlxnA9jc2lx6o6r/s2048/IMG_1208.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguBP7upmytn_IrBjD5K9DH6hDGA2HP17u8Hr85QuYmCcuxe9qJhog_WeHcAs4gMKe52kXS3LE2z-DnFBlr7hMldiRg5VG4JFL83twaeJwGuwx4IpiX0wFBK9gpK_fsQnlxnA9jc2lx6o6r/w640-h426/IMG_1208.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male Pine Grosbeak, a Northern Michigan specialty</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5HaRUIL5997UeSJLIV_ng_xDmip3fIIa-NVqHN-9WCA7DpAKHWZqbItFYSPgWy4IHdzWAX5_tNTxGNLCxRvqL904xtBJDBVby4naLGn83ImCmsMtSsyNet-UoNGzZLaiDvOVv3iT3cVeo/s2048/IMG_1193.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5HaRUIL5997UeSJLIV_ng_xDmip3fIIa-NVqHN-9WCA7DpAKHWZqbItFYSPgWy4IHdzWAX5_tNTxGNLCxRvqL904xtBJDBVby4naLGn83ImCmsMtSsyNet-UoNGzZLaiDvOVv3iT3cVeo/w640-h426/IMG_1193.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female Pine Grosbeak picking at crabapples. </td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>But the show stopper for me was the big flock of Bohemian Waxwings. In most places in Lower Michigan one sees Bohemian Waxwing as an individual or two mixed in with a flock of Cedar Waxwing. To find a flock of nothing but Bohemians was a bit overwhelming. I didn't know where to look, but settled on birds that were next to the car as the lighting was better for photos. </p><p>Oh my.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWzn56izXc-lzpfqsiplrEtO7rX1iSapkNzOeAwAWHJ57gLMmZQ7uw73eDOiovbKxeFg091Bl7u1xxRjTxgxt6p5ynpZf3CagDYyVPLoPes3SCnpv3aO45aM2D6IS5pdOyknmmGb2QmEx7/s1702/IMG_1189.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1135" data-original-width="1702" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWzn56izXc-lzpfqsiplrEtO7rX1iSapkNzOeAwAWHJ57gLMmZQ7uw73eDOiovbKxeFg091Bl7u1xxRjTxgxt6p5ynpZf3CagDYyVPLoPes3SCnpv3aO45aM2D6IS5pdOyknmmGb2QmEx7/w640-h426/IMG_1189.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4y1cul3LCx2UuXAgEmA8Hdlq6KibaWSouF2lE8EFy5VDy53SoqgTmy7q-d57emcNeJY2m_qaPGW-QbfrvL146zniEy3tyQKS72ZpUni1mnEz3b8fKLxNR-14waFspeNXzT-26vWLIMiz4/s2048/IMG_1190.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4y1cul3LCx2UuXAgEmA8Hdlq6KibaWSouF2lE8EFy5VDy53SoqgTmy7q-d57emcNeJY2m_qaPGW-QbfrvL146zniEy3tyQKS72ZpUni1mnEz3b8fKLxNR-14waFspeNXzT-26vWLIMiz4/w640-h426/IMG_1190.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>These birds are distinguished from the Cedars by their overall gray appearance (Cedars are more yellow and brown), the rufous on the undertail coverts (Cedars are white), and the yellow and white tips on the flight feathers which make the zig-zag stripe down the wing.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2gO5B1uksJ4et4VhoT1IhqfwzUzhZMODB26rO25YZdi56uuDsuEknGj1XZhlOtM7E2S4fE6DjpHSvLw-e2HlrIsgBpph4rOfRdKkdxKNsTOH3CoPFyYpPONqZERNui-w-6rzZHulsYkyZ/s2048/IMG_1194.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2gO5B1uksJ4et4VhoT1IhqfwzUzhZMODB26rO25YZdi56uuDsuEknGj1XZhlOtM7E2S4fE6DjpHSvLw-e2HlrIsgBpph4rOfRdKkdxKNsTOH3CoPFyYpPONqZERNui-w-6rzZHulsYkyZ/w640-h426/IMG_1194.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAE6Ljtbu9XZvzZLDQa0INNG4kIjwgM8yEV2hkY2E3NtmPl68k8RaY62qZ-MG6nJBu90dmo-mWOzDRDEUdLC8NGNdWZARmbyXVPNWil_N4jS-KoT_3FS95Ch9mXoiEc67AuYkGDkyJbWfX/s2048/IMG_1195.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAE6Ljtbu9XZvzZLDQa0INNG4kIjwgM8yEV2hkY2E3NtmPl68k8RaY62qZ-MG6nJBu90dmo-mWOzDRDEUdLC8NGNdWZARmbyXVPNWil_N4jS-KoT_3FS95Ch9mXoiEc67AuYkGDkyJbWfX/w426-h640/IMG_1195.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><p><br /></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvXPpZuMk5uV-QwaATOI6w22mFQPz9Ea-oiUL6UVwib_ZX2GAG-ndLs-olE4Db_07IFOCWPqDYvCdO0hQEMKxWPF2SPLGJdobgR2aiGRSyWdX_Q4FXXXAtcptCcUBzn7rUT-36jpHxCpt5/s1842/IMG_1196.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1842" data-original-width="1228" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvXPpZuMk5uV-QwaATOI6w22mFQPz9Ea-oiUL6UVwib_ZX2GAG-ndLs-olE4Db_07IFOCWPqDYvCdO0hQEMKxWPF2SPLGJdobgR2aiGRSyWdX_Q4FXXXAtcptCcUBzn7rUT-36jpHxCpt5/w426-h640/IMG_1196.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><p><br /></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ84EabagwmxWWFu2rlIT6XktnDIZo69og_1iD_j8HUWFEVDbfk-m0vWSVQyELK3x9FcGQGR0aURoZ03LP2Q40xOwI9lWC1E0vSkZMSBFWhxU2TZt95ybxTDyliBuGrrwmjOQ3hq_zef1V/s2048/IMG_1199.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ84EabagwmxWWFu2rlIT6XktnDIZo69og_1iD_j8HUWFEVDbfk-m0vWSVQyELK3x9FcGQGR0aURoZ03LP2Q40xOwI9lWC1E0vSkZMSBFWhxU2TZt95ybxTDyliBuGrrwmjOQ3hq_zef1V/w426-h640/IMG_1199.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><p><br /></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_4wbB0VYLrRDS8YS-ADD3lFtYZIVdhDStco8atyBBWiVYvUKpRBhwR5Do3w6qvTfebBVQBZs9QDiJYqN3dykoUUE5yI7mn8eUQduNAsScau9FuiKc74Eskp0n-MCbST_SyA2Ls-XlBBqL/s1980/IMG_1202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1320" data-original-width="1980" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_4wbB0VYLrRDS8YS-ADD3lFtYZIVdhDStco8atyBBWiVYvUKpRBhwR5Do3w6qvTfebBVQBZs9QDiJYqN3dykoUUE5yI7mn8eUQduNAsScau9FuiKc74Eskp0n-MCbST_SyA2Ls-XlBBqL/w640-h426/IMG_1202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>I was gobsmaked watching these stunning birds, and if they hadn't flown off after about 15 minutes I might not have ever left. Last word I had (January 30th) is that the trees are now bare and birds have moved on.<p></p><p>As we turned and headed for home (this time on actual, plowed roads!) we saw a Ruffed Grouse fly across the road. A moment later I realized there were several birds along the road near a little wetland where there were also crabapples. I tried stopping quickly and the anti-lock brakes kicked in, grinding and crunching and not really stopping us, even though I was only going about 10 miles an hour. We finally came to rest about 40 feet away, and I managed a few photos before the birds spooked and flew into the woods.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3asTYAGvvvQPNevN9skWqR2EHCEgzSF6O3ULNhkpw3CeJ5h6Vj7mnCgM8AkoaXkKO7X5AmPkBiAIwoQrhuL7fS8YX8Klb1m38cO0C5j_rPcCpCwiKT9PuwODRxbYmsiKUEL60rpekDrTR/s1310/IMG_1183.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="873" data-original-width="1310" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3asTYAGvvvQPNevN9skWqR2EHCEgzSF6O3ULNhkpw3CeJ5h6Vj7mnCgM8AkoaXkKO7X5AmPkBiAIwoQrhuL7fS8YX8Klb1m38cO0C5j_rPcCpCwiKT9PuwODRxbYmsiKUEL60rpekDrTR/w640-h426/IMG_1183.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ruffed Grouse heinie.</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKKUXJ9yV8b2cbwiu8bOu4mcreDLQ8EMxLShyphenhyphenVQJI7-05NQt3yWc0q77kkqJ9VGnycQoBt6KtpC87ZO6ctWoFX09zQB4JHKS8eT_eEfP1S65fF-zNd-UQB6G4yUoIUYlryo8TMkXA4V5rZ/s1305/IMG_1180.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="870" data-original-width="1305" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKKUXJ9yV8b2cbwiu8bOu4mcreDLQ8EMxLShyphenhyphenVQJI7-05NQt3yWc0q77kkqJ9VGnycQoBt6KtpC87ZO6ctWoFX09zQB4JHKS8eT_eEfP1S65fF-zNd-UQB6G4yUoIUYlryo8TMkXA4V5rZ/w640-h426/IMG_1180.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We ended the day with three new species for the year, one lifer, and a boat-load of photographs. There were at least 50 waxwings in the flock and another 20 grosbeaks, and we counted seven grouse in the covey. Well worth the three hour drive!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><u>Allegan Lake, Jan. 8</u></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">48) Smew (lifer)</div><div style="text-align: left;">49) Bonaparte's Gull</div><div style="text-align: left;">50) American Kestrel</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><u>Inspiration Point, Jan. 10</u></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">51) Pine Grosbeak</div><div style="text-align: left;">52) Bohemian Waxwing (lifer)</div><div style="text-align: left;">53) Ruffed Grouse</div><p></p>Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12736098600288028338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558377963798102771.post-47912092971764727342021-01-26T21:16:00.003-05:002021-02-14T17:33:47.962-05:00A Blogging Revival: Following My Michigan Big Year<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's been a while, yes? Almost two years since I last posted, and this feels oddly awkward. There have been many things getting in the way of me blogging, the biggest two being Facebook and the last administration. Facebook because it's so easy to just throw some images up, say a few things, and be done. The prior administration because I felt compelled to spend an inordinate amount of time watching the news, as if being in the know was going to help stave off some catastrophe. I also spent a lot of time playing Candy Crush as a way of dealing with my stress. Writing a blog is time consuming and requires a focus that I just haven't had in years.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Last year was so...weird. I only did three art shows (two art festivals and a birding festival) before COVID shut it all down. I was in Alabama in March, having just arrived for the first of three shows on the Gulf coast, when the middle of the three--and the biggest--cancelled. The third cancelled shortly after. I made the decision to skip the first show, notifying them the day before set up that while I was in town, I was not going to do the show. I had been feeling apprehensive about it, not sure how I was going to deal with customers and cleaning things they'd be touching. I was stocked up with hand sanitizer and wipes and Lysol spray, and there were only two confirmed cases in Alabama at that time, but I still did not feel safe (and this was before we knew how airborne the virus is). I spent a day in an Alabama state park, birding and relaxing, then returned home.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One by one every art festival was cancelled. I found myself with a summer off, something for which I'd been longing for years. I only wish it had not come with such misery and death. My unexpected, extended vacation gave me the opportunity to do more birding around home and in Michigan. I chased a few lifers (birds I had never seen before), and ended the year with 191 species in the state. Because I was home a lot more, we added over 20 new species to our "yard" list (which encompasses our 4.5 acres, the lake, and the immediate area around the lake), something I did not think would have been possible when we were already at 115 total species.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We started 2021 as we start every year, birding at home and getting our yearly yard list going, seeing 16 species on New Year's Day, a pretty good total for any day in winter. January 2nd found Lori and I running to Manistee to hopefully see an Iceland Gull, a would-be lifer for me, but we dipped (did not find it, in birding lingo), although I did see a Great Black-backed and Herring Gulls. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On January 3rd I mentioned to Lisa that I had been thinking about doing a Michigan Big Year (seeing as many birds in the state in a calendar year) but was having a hard time dealing with the frivolity of such a thing. In the past I was willing to chase birds I'd never seen before, but this would mean chasing every bird, rare or not, in the state (or at least as many as I could) whether I'd seen them before or not. But Lisa encouraged me to do it, and now that it's the end of January I've really gotten into it and am having a good time--as long as I don't look at the miles I've put on my car already.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So the focus of my blog for the next 12 months will be my progress in this endeavor. I'm hoping for some good things, and will probably come away with some inspiration for art--as a matter of fact, I already have. I will start out recapping the first few weeks, and will end each post with my current list of birds. The first few posts will be a bit long, so if you just wanna look at the pictures that's totally cool. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">January 3rd, 2021: Let the Big Year Begin!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Lisa and I had already planned a day of birding, but I broached the subject of doing a "Big Year" before we left. My list for the year stood at 18, with 16 of those seen at our own feeders. It sounded like a fun thing to do if I could get over my reluctance at driving all over the state to see birds I'd seen before. But because so much of my life was still on hold thanks to the pandemic, we both thought this would be as good a time as any to do it. My earliest show wouldn't be until May (maybe) so I had many months to build my list. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We stopped at Up North Gifts, a shop in Bitely that carries my work, and I picked up House Sparrows at their feeder (we have yet to see them here at home, thank goodness). From there we drove out to the western edge of Newaygo County, picking up Common Redpolls along the way, and checked the fields along 240th Ave for buntings, larks, and hawks. We noticed a truck on the road, moving slowly, stopping, starting, and it turned out to be Terry Grabill, a local birder who was also doing a Big Michigan Year. We shared stories then parted ways. Stopping at Walkinshaw Wetlands, a Sandhill Crane preserve, we got great looks at a Rough-legged Hawk, a regular winter visitor to Michigan that breeds in the Arctic.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsFPtAkA6dHsmRdhDBGQqPL9fucZFbqmczxDkv4KfsITywZ1Zmjob1Vs9Ft7jZPHhBPdiA3MKXQjcQ4TJAREmVToJIeF0C5t9fBXEPzdUYIY1DOPVRkDd9cvtppWBtce9M4K87lgRHQjFw/s1668/IMG_1070.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1112" data-original-width="1668" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsFPtAkA6dHsmRdhDBGQqPL9fucZFbqmczxDkv4KfsITywZ1Zmjob1Vs9Ft7jZPHhBPdiA3MKXQjcQ4TJAREmVToJIeF0C5t9fBXEPzdUYIY1DOPVRkDd9cvtppWBtce9M4K87lgRHQjFw/w640-h426/IMG_1070.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Rough-legged Hawk launches from a tree at Walkinshaw Wetlands</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisd-Y-CFWrcudQ63qtjirJ-PK2AbP38us-oCoxo8OAV0r-p1QMW_icVd6Oz-KPyBiOvd3RXmT2EBxvHWTpewFscxi9MP_rUkHu7QntQ7xulkXMQ4SOfnplJNQrhu4SO9D-GFFcH6M_qK8u/s2048/IMG_1067.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisd-Y-CFWrcudQ63qtjirJ-PK2AbP38us-oCoxo8OAV0r-p1QMW_icVd6Oz-KPyBiOvd3RXmT2EBxvHWTpewFscxi9MP_rUkHu7QntQ7xulkXMQ4SOfnplJNQrhu4SO9D-GFFcH6M_qK8u/w640-h426/IMG_1067.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Short-eared Owl prowls the fields at dusk.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">From there we drove out to Pentwater, a small town on the shore of Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Pentwater River, to look for waterfowl. I added 10 species there, including Long-tailed Duck, Mute Swan, and Greater Scaup, birds I'd be unlikely to see on our own lake in the spring.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">With just a bit of daylight left we decided to swing back to Walkinshaw to look for Short-eared Owls. Crepuscular hunters, they tend to become active an hour or so before sunset. We were thrilled to see not one but two owls patrolling the fields around the preserve as well as a Northern Harrier, a grassland hawk. The lighting was poor, to say the least, but I managed a couple identifying shots of the owls in flight. The day's birding put me at 37 species--not bad for the third day of the year!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">January 6th, 2021</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Over the previous few days I added an odd assortment of birds to my list. On January 4th I dipped on some new ducks at Reed's Lake in Grand Rapids, only picking up Canada Goose. At home on January 5th I added Carolina Wren, who I heard singing on my way to the office at home. That evening we went back to Walkinshaw so Lori could see the owls, and saw a Northern Shrike for bird #42.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On the 6th Lisa and I planned another birding day. It was to be sunny for the first time in weeks, and a breeze from the east meant off-shore winds on Lake Michigan. Thanks to social media, What's App, and email alerts from eBird, I knew there were some birds on the coast that I needed. We had planned to go to Holland to look for a Purple Sandpiper we'd seen in December, but now needed for 2021, along with hopefully a scoter or some other rarity hanging out along the pier. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On the way we stopped at the Muskegon Wastewater Facility. Yes, birders spend a lot of time at sewage treatment plants--some of the best birding in Florida is at wetlands that serve as filters for treated wastewater. MWW is known for Snowy Owls, a bird I'd seen and photographed in December but needed for 2021. When we arrived she was far out on the ice, but that's all I need for her to count. I also picked up Hoary Redpoll, a very uncommon finch from the north, mixed in with a large flock of slightly less rare Common Redpolls. I also added Gadwall, for bird #45.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Since we were so close, we decided to check out Pere Marquette Park in Muskegon before driving to Holland. I'd seen reports off and on of Purple Sandpiper there, and any river mouth/pier could be good for all kinds of waterfowl. Lake Michigan was placid, a rarity in early January, and because the winter has been mild the big lake was not frozen. Ice coated some of the rocks along the pier but it was walkable all the way to the end.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVO4H4nMLxDGf0RrWirfSMtGmqRgUECvGUqqoFuV-lAsjY4OadSGaf1yqckC_pzzhqy2Cu_YnAOLhg3CkuJhMdkWKe0Ds2uv_m2jHVAqED5iy93pTM5U5b75576_zuEcoop0wi8GubkUaf/s2048/IMG_1123.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1152" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVO4H4nMLxDGf0RrWirfSMtGmqRgUECvGUqqoFuV-lAsjY4OadSGaf1yqckC_pzzhqy2Cu_YnAOLhg3CkuJhMdkWKe0Ds2uv_m2jHVAqED5iy93pTM5U5b75576_zuEcoop0wi8GubkUaf/w360-h640/IMG_1123.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ice on the boulders at Pere Marquette Park, Muskegon</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Long-tailed Ducks, one of the cutest waterfowl, were diving among the rocks along the pier. I studied the ducks in the channel and along the north pier but didn't see anything unusual.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdpQzj34mdggnEV3vksbwjavU0Ex8KOnxUznEM-AUegRCajw_8vHfAKO_vaXyCsP_Rt0hz_hJigp0dCiEtWXrvtJOebVdjuqHOZxPFAYKW_hS32cT0AFpM36l58Im5OrGMYRsNk8TX_o2d/s1728/IMG_1082.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="1728" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdpQzj34mdggnEV3vksbwjavU0Ex8KOnxUznEM-AUegRCajw_8vHfAKO_vaXyCsP_Rt0hz_hJigp0dCiEtWXrvtJOebVdjuqHOZxPFAYKW_hS32cT0AFpM36l58Im5OrGMYRsNk8TX_o2d/w640-h426/IMG_1082.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Long-tailed Ducks. I want to pinch their sweet little cheeks.</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigrJDym4oxiK4mDf-c57ZiwquvzVg_P9uathbNU5JvJjcVif7g_2iCIprkup5PYi9Y8uXxb5A3hiRS-7VBlPz3v4YzzB9UG5yRLLPxZ032SLyacLvq74ucaJpBXp_2dDfJeK_9-ctjRuWz/s2048/IMG_1124.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigrJDym4oxiK4mDf-c57ZiwquvzVg_P9uathbNU5JvJjcVif7g_2iCIprkup5PYi9Y8uXxb5A3hiRS-7VBlPz3v4YzzB9UG5yRLLPxZ032SLyacLvq74ucaJpBXp_2dDfJeK_9-ctjRuWz/w480-h640/IMG_1124.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh sunny day!</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg48fOK1n9h43quau26KCABtf0HB4J6vIqH9lxKDCAWxthSNoBABCLjT3pPa6oguu4Tz4sQ2Y9hql9XCYaBuLJCIF0TgO1JOV7SXcB5G0RuFs3sYQDf5YzlRLs8jYIqan6Jl2I948U0ugD/s2048/IMG_1127.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg48fOK1n9h43quau26KCABtf0HB4J6vIqH9lxKDCAWxthSNoBABCLjT3pPa6oguu4Tz4sQ2Y9hql9XCYaBuLJCIF0TgO1JOV7SXcB5G0RuFs3sYQDf5YzlRLs8jYIqan6Jl2I948U0ugD/w480-h640/IMG_1127.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ice-coated lighthouse.</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p>While I was taking some photos of the lighthouse I saw movement among the boulders, and was delighted to find not one but THREE Purple Sandpipers. What an incredible gift! I had my little Panasonic camera with me and got some decent shots, then decided to go back to the car to get my DSLR. I could not pass up the opportunity to capture these rare vagrants, usually only seen along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwKuHSmB_Z_FwOQZNTmE9R42hxg2dUxBRgk742le1A_HF46U3P1jmdlwSAGfoJRpqLH5_Kz-gq2AoiUKDzjPSOpDfDyuDPbiLdIQCh_DGm_4wO1F36Z16X2OFnP8zVWZMiJtUZwlyswoF5/s2048/IMG_1144.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwKuHSmB_Z_FwOQZNTmE9R42hxg2dUxBRgk742le1A_HF46U3P1jmdlwSAGfoJRpqLH5_Kz-gq2AoiUKDzjPSOpDfDyuDPbiLdIQCh_DGm_4wO1F36Z16X2OFnP8zVWZMiJtUZwlyswoF5/w640-h360/IMG_1144.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A trifecta of Purple Sandpipers!</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>The sun graciously went behind some clouds, giving me good light for some wonderful shots. I just sat down on a boulder and let the birds work around me. They showed little fear of me or others walking past--they nest on the tundra and had probably never seen people before!</p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg66-gP6El-xgxiFsy3ntzPa2bOkNM-Jze-XAaQCopxfqrwpxtun0BZgfwHhwA2oLWgHJmLO8d9NVgjuAOppB7ttAvVqfPKQKmGcRnYcEivmi9npFSFnfcoEH9AXNWBZzaQVPdtdAcFZ2gV/s2048/IMG_1095.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg66-gP6El-xgxiFsy3ntzPa2bOkNM-Jze-XAaQCopxfqrwpxtun0BZgfwHhwA2oLWgHJmLO8d9NVgjuAOppB7ttAvVqfPKQKmGcRnYcEivmi9npFSFnfcoEH9AXNWBZzaQVPdtdAcFZ2gV/w640-h426/IMG_1095.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">They worked the rocks at the waterline, picking bits out of the algae. They did not mind a gentle wave washing around them, so different from so many other shorebirds I've watched who seem to avoid the water as much as possible. At one point a wave engulfed one of the birds, and it seemed totally unfazed. Their behavior reminded me of the American Dipper, a songbird that feeds on the bottom of cold, fast rivers and streams out west (no, really--look it up!).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5QkA3yD2fjBb1LTMm_NmeqdXOLYKco53_lilO2s1FKTCbzj3yon2EGHSYHkQbHecV_8SMs5YALg2SZlelkXRGLhxgHrOcVPN4xFEp3begLMHEKP3C1Yp0lUKrpWX4_E7Upc9JRyY4sIHP/s2048/IMG_1099.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5QkA3yD2fjBb1LTMm_NmeqdXOLYKco53_lilO2s1FKTCbzj3yon2EGHSYHkQbHecV_8SMs5YALg2SZlelkXRGLhxgHrOcVPN4xFEp3begLMHEKP3C1Yp0lUKrpWX4_E7Upc9JRyY4sIHP/w640-h426/IMG_1099.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was so delighted to finally see this species up close that I'm sure I overdid it on the photos, but such is the luxury of digital photography. The light was fantastic, the subject willing, and I had time to spare. When it comes to birders, are critical of photographers, thinking them just out to get a good shot, not caring all that much for the well-being of their subjects. I find that disingenuous. Yes, some do unethical things (like baiting owls with mice) but that is not most photographers. For me, watching a bird through my camera lens is no different than watching through a scope or binoculars, and there's a added sense of excitement when I think I've gotten a great pose or caught the bird doing something interesting. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBmNMKBB_WPgIx-JhwnVi6ZC2tMjKuFD_MGx5XymfZ-61fHlj3btQUSrj103Ha_4QHJQZU2k1niqsytUI75B9ET7OpfRpoq5Yp1SpGFWwQ13sJImMwKmBqn0I6DSpvcrgnFTgQxFpoDi8T/s2048/IMG_1132.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBmNMKBB_WPgIx-JhwnVi6ZC2tMjKuFD_MGx5XymfZ-61fHlj3btQUSrj103Ha_4QHJQZU2k1niqsytUI75B9ET7OpfRpoq5Yp1SpGFWwQ13sJImMwKmBqn0I6DSpvcrgnFTgQxFpoDi8T/w640-h426/IMG_1132.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Scanning the channel I finally found a Black Scoter for bird #47, but it was too distant for any decent photos.</p><p><br /></p><b>Bird list through January 6th 2021:</b><div><br /></div><div><u>Home, Jan 1</u>:</div><div> </div><div>1) Northern Cardinal</div><div>2) Dark-eyed Junco</div><div>3) American Goldfinch</div><div>4) White-breasted Nuthatch</div><div>5) Tufted Titmouse</div><div>6) Black-capped Chickadee</div><div>7) American Crow</div><div>8) Blue Jay</div><div>9) Pileated Woodpecker</div><div>10) Hairy Woodpecker</div><div>11) Downy Woodpecker</div><div>12) Red-bellied Woodpecker</div><div>13) Red-headed Woodpecker</div><div>14) Mourning Dove</div><div>15) Red-shouldered Hawk</div><div>16) American Tree Sparrow</div><div><br /></div><div><u>Manistee First Street Pier, Jan 2</u></div><div><br /></div><div>17) Great Black-backed Gull</div><div>18) Herring Gull</div><div><br /></div><div><u>Up North Gifts, Jan 3</u></div><div><br /></div><div>19) House Sparrow</div><div><br /></div><div><u>11th Street, Newaygo Co., Jan 3</u></div><div><br /></div><div>20) Common Redpoll</div><div>21) European Starling</div><div>22) Bald Eagle</div><div><br /></div><div><u>240th Ave, Newaygo Co., Jan 3</u></div><div><br /></div><div>23) Common Raven</div><div>24) Rough-legged Hawk</div><div>25) Rock Dove</div><div><br /></div><div><u>Pentwater River, Jan 3</u></div><div><br /></div><div>26) Common Goldeneye</div><div>27) Bufflehead</div><div>28) Mallard</div><div>29) Mute Swan</div><div>30) Ring-billed Gull</div><div>31) Red-breasted Merganser</div><div>32) Common Merganser</div><div>33) Greater Scaup</div><div>34) Redhead (duck)</div><div>35) Long-tailed Duck</div><div><br /></div><div><u>Walkinshaw Wetlands, Jan 3</u></div><div><br /></div><div>36) Northern Harrier</div><div>37) Short-eared Owl</div><div><br /></div><div><u>US 131, Kent Co, Jan 4</u></div><div><br /></div><div>38) Red-tailed Hawk</div><div><br /></div><div><u>Reeds Lake, East Grand Rapids, Jan 4</u></div><div><br /></div><div>39) Canada Goose</div><div><br /></div><div><u>Home, Jan 5</u></div><div><br /></div><div>40) Carolina Wren</div><div><br /></div><div><u>M-20, Oceana County?, Jan 5</u></div><div><br /></div><div>41) Wild Turkey</div><div><br /></div><div><u>Walkinshaw Wetlands, Jan 5</u></div><div><br /></div><div>42) Northern Shrike</div><div><br /></div><div><u>Muskegon Wastewater, Jan 6</u></div><div><br /></div><div>43) Snowy Owl</div><div>44) Hoary Redpoll</div><div>45) Gadwall</div><div><br /></div><div><u>Pere Marquette Park, south pier, Jan 6</u></div><div><br /></div><div>46) Purple Sandpiper</div><div>47) Black Scoter</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /> <p></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12736098600288028338noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558377963798102771.post-22946333607517899182019-04-26T20:10:00.000-04:002019-04-26T20:10:46.807-04:00Snack for a Heron<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
If I had pitched a tent at Pinckney Island NWR, (not that it's allowed, mind you), and spent a week there, I would not have run out of things to photograph. So. Many. Birds. Birds nesting. Birds feeding. Birds fighting. Birds dancing. </div>
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As I made my way around the pond I came across a tri-color heron working his way around the shoreline. He didn't seem too bothered by me, and I was able to stand about 10 feet from the edge of the water and watch him as he searched for food.</div>
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The long-legged wading birds always look so odd to me when they're on a branch. I remember the first time I saw a heron land in a tree (not knowing that they nest in trees) and was stunned--it looked like it would topple out. But while they have large, partially-webbed feet for walking along lake bottoms, their long toes allow them to get a strong grip on branches. Green herons especially are known for gripping a vertical branch and holding themselves horizontal over the water, waiting for something to swim by. The larger herons don't have enough strength to pull off that feat, but their longer necks afford them a similar hunting position.<br />
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He spent a few minutes searching along this branch, then flew a few feet to try a new spot.<br />
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Finding nothing, he moved again.<br />
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I had just gotten the camera set when SPLASH, he thrust his head into the water. I prayed it was in focus.<br />
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Pulling his head up, I could see he'd caught himself a snack. I was hoping he'd turn his head so I could get a better look at his fish, but he flipped his head back and swallowed it before I could get a good look. Not sure how many minnows you need to fill the crop of a heron, but I bet it's a lot!<br />
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<br />Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12736098600288028338noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558377963798102771.post-79636135112966873062019-04-19T16:20:00.001-04:002019-04-19T16:20:58.134-04:00Yellow-crowned Night-Herons Build Their Nest<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
During this week in Hilton Head, South Carolina, we've spent time at Pinckney Island NWR, Jekyll Island in Georgia, hiked, gone to the beach, paddled Broad Creek. We saw rescued sea turtles, hundreds of nesting egrets and herons, dolphins with their calves, and one rousing thunderstorm, but the best sights happened right outside our door--the green heron from a few posts ago, whom we watched catch and eat a fish, and a pair of yellow-crowned night herons who are building a nest almost right across the street and canal from us. </div>
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It has become my habit this week to go out several times a day to check on them. A few days ago when I dragged my camera along with me I was treated to a wonderful display of nest building activity. The male, I assume, was flying back and forth along the creek, gathering sticks to take back to his mate at the nest. I was able to photograph him while he labored away, not the least bit concerned with my presence.</div>
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He would hop around in the shrubs tugging at dead sticks until one broke loose.</div>
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Then off to the nest he'd go to deliver the building material.<br />
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I'm sure she was more pleased than she looks.<br />
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He'd hand it off...<br />
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...and she'd work it into the nest.<br />
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Off he'd go again, looking for more sticks. He gave this one a few tugs then moved on.<br />
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He collected another stick...<br />
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...and back to the nest he went.<br />
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And again.<br />
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And again.<br />
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What a good papa he will be!<br />
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<br />Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12736098600288028338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558377963798102771.post-16340664448244510582019-04-17T14:05:00.000-04:002019-04-17T14:26:45.931-04:00Great Egret Takes Flight<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
One of the must-do's on this trip to the Low Country was to spend a day at Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge boasts several ponds with islands of their own that are packed beak to tail with breeding egrets and herons. The rookery is so dense that it's nearly impossible to even count all the birds there. Snowy and Great Egrets, Little Blue, Green, and Tri-colored Herons, Anhinga, Black and Yellow-crowned Night Herons all cram onto these islands and fight for their breeding space. For a photographer it's a little like shooting fish in a barrel--it's hard<i> not</i> to get good images of birds there. Plus, all the birds are in their breeding plumage this time of year, and doing all kinds of courtship dances and territorial displays, and the sound, as you can imagine, is impressive.</div>
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Here's a series of shots of a Great Egret stretching in preparation for take off.</div>
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<br />Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12736098600288028338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558377963798102771.post-13332604141002063262019-04-14T19:06:00.000-04:002019-04-14T19:06:34.975-04:00Green Heron Fishing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Hello, what's this? A blog post? Can it be so??</div>
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I've been struggling these last few years to find the time to write. Sooo much going on since we went to Yellowstone in 2016 and I've been utterly overwhelmed. But we are finally on our first vacation since that trip out west, and I've decided, instead of throwing some photos up on Facebook and calling it good enough, that I would throw some photos up here and then share that on Facebook. Trying to get back in the groove.</div>
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This April finds us in Hilton Head, South Carolina, having rented a week at a condo here. It's a great time for nesting birds and turtles down here, and it's snowing back home, so we are really happy to be in the low country.</div>
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Across the street from our condo is a canal/ditch. I birded the area this morning, and saw the green heron fly by, her bright orange feet flashing, but I didn't see where she landed. Turns out she didn't go far, and I found her hunkered on a branch in the water. I took some shots before she started to walk down the branch, away from me. I followed along.</div>
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Not long after I got my tripod set up and focused on her she spotted something in the water. Stretching her neck out, she paused...<br />
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...then struck with a splash!<br />
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She was nearly completely underwater at one point...<br />
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...but she came back up with a juicy morsel!<br />
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She hopped up on her log...<br />
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...gave the impaled fish a few shakes...<br />
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...and down the hatch it went.<br />
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She gulped and swallowed, working her tongue around the small fish.<br />
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Now with a full crop, she walked back down the branch, turned, and hopped up into the shrubs overhanging the canal.<br />
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Excuse me, madam, but your pantaloons are showing!<br />
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<br />Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12736098600288028338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558377963798102771.post-14898375378705410972018-05-08T11:08:00.002-04:002018-05-08T11:08:24.126-04:00Yellowstone's Final, Magical Gift<i> Final Yellowstone 2016 post--yay!</i><br />
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We pulled up our tent stakes early on the morning of September 26, and headed south towards the Tetons. It was a chilly morning, with frost on the van windshield. The autumn sun was just peeking over the trees as we drove along the Firehole River, and I stopped to get a couple photos of the mist rising off the water.<br />
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We came around a slight bend to a small traffic jam. I couldn't make out what was going on, then saw, down the road, bison crossing. I looked to my left and there were more--lots more--crossing Nez Perce Creek and moving into the flood plain. I found a place to park our rig, grabbed my camera, and made my way back to the bridge.<br />
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I could not have envisioned a more beautiful, or magical, setting. Clouds and mist spread diffuse light across the creek, providing a stunning backdrop. It was so quiet I could hear the huge beasts breathing as they made their way down the bank and into the creek.<br />
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I don't know how big this herd was, but it was sizable. There were bison way up on the rise past the bend in the creek, bison in the floodplain, and more kept coming across the road and into the creek.<br />
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The morning dew frosted their heads and backs, and ice formed on their beards as they paused to take a drink. I stood, mesmerized, letting the moment wash over me. It felt, for a time, like it was just the bison and me. It felt, for a time, just as it should be, as these iconic animals spread across the valley.<br />
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Of all the things we'd experienced, from the wolves in Lamar to the Great Grays at Bay Bridge, this is what stands out the most. This cold, misty morning, surrounded by wild animals, tolerant of my presence, passing through a moment in time, at peace.<br />
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<br />Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12736098600288028338noreply@blogger.com0