Keys to my heart

Let me just preface this post by saying it is going to be long and contradictory of most of the things I've said so far, basically it's a wrap up of the florida experience, and frankly I don't give a shit. 

The idea to run down to Florida was spurred on by a couple of different thoughts: Key West quail doves, bananaquit, black-faced Grassquit etc etc. Let's also not forget that I wanted to get the hell out of as much winter weather as I possibly could. It seemed like a solid plan. Spend two weeks in Florida chasing down all kinds of birds and adding to my year list with all of the crazy birds that are in the Miami area. But then again this is Florida. Every ridiculous, crazy, completely stupid story that you hear on the news come straight out of Florida. Maybe it has something to do with the sun. Maybe it has something to do with all the water. Maybe it just has something to do with the air.  But whatever it is, Florida does something to people. It did it to me when I lived there and it did it to me again on this trip.  

The trip started up just like any other. I hit the ground running, grab a rental car and gun it out to Snake Road in search of smooth-billed ani. I arrived there with about an hour of daylight left which has been the best time for viewing. I searched the half-mile section of road where the bird has been frequently seen with no luck. I would not get back to this location until the following week so I waited until it was completely dark before I left.  No joy. I then drove a couple of hours south to get myself into position for the next morning's chase. Key Largo was as close as I could get because apparently everyone in the world seems to have the same idea: head to the keys because winter blows. Not really an issue, I would be up early and head out to Bahia Honda State Park. 

I took the leisurely drive down to the park because it doesn't open until 8 AM.  Magnificent frigatebirds sailed overhead. White Ibis were on every street corner. Common Myna filled the wires in noisy flocks and groups of parrots flashed by. The hotels and storefronts gave way to mangroves and turquoise water. Pelicans and laughing gulls perched on bridges and dock pilings. The warmth of the sun and the smell of the sea was enough to momentarily forget the real reason I was there. 

Upon arrival Bahia was already crowded with birders. I'll save you the details of the day spent looking for a bananaquit that apparently had had enough of the area the day before and left. And the black-faced grassquit that landed on the ground below my feet as I stood on the deck of a bathroom was less than exhilarating. Almost too easy and not very scenic. As the sun was setting I drove down to Marathon to check into the condo I had rented for the next couple of nights. And there it was again.  That pull from the water or the air that made me feel less stressed and the sense of urgency faded away as the sun sank into the water. 

The hotel bar attached to the condos had happy hour beers and .25 cent shrimp which also helped.  Sounded like as a good a dinner as anything else. The place was packed with sun soaked vacationers with the usual "where Ya from?" and "how long Ya staying" questions for a guy traveling alone.  Pleasantries are exchanged and rounds are bought. A good time is had by all as the crowd begins to thin out and there are just a few of us left. The moon is rising over the water and no one really wants to leave. I should be exhausted and ready for bed after looking for a tiny ass bird all day and looking through every limb of every tree but I'm not ready to let the day go. A conversation starts with myself and the bartenders and eventually the two residents who are still tipping back beers that get warm too fast in the evening heat. In a few minutes were are the best of friends and exchanging life stories of triumph and failure. Not one of them born and raised in Florida, just transplants from an unhappy life elsewhere into paradise. The allure of it all is almost overwhelming. There are moments I'm ready to throw caution to the wind and just stay in Florida and live on the beach and find my own damn bananaquit.  We drink for a few more hours on the pier telling stories surrounded by stars and the moon reflecting on black water. By the time I say good night it's almost 3 am and I don't care. Long Key State Park doesn't open until 8. 

      I don't get there until 11. 

Again the details of the hunt for Key West Quail Dove will be omitted. I basically walked up and down the same trail all day long listening for the scratching of leaves or the slightest movement of a bird in the understory. Barely any birds are seen at all. 

Boring.

  I almost took the time to spell it out with sticks in the dirt but decided I might piss off yet another bird nerd in the process. After 6 hours of looking,  some random guy comes walking up and says "I just had the bird down there" pointing down trail again. 

Son. Of. A. Bitch. 

Within minutes I have one bird and a group of eight or so weary birders join me. Then another bird is located so we know there are at least two. It's one of those moments of relief that is followed by joy, that is followed by "shit, happy hour, gotta go". 

Again there's a night of celebration. My new friends can't seem to grasp this whole idea of looking for birds in far-flung places but they're all happy for me and continue to buy rounds. I finally meet a local and he and I sit and talk about our lives at great length. He's a free spirit, a rolling stone some may say, but his heart is in the right place and his head is on straight. I find myself envious of his life in a way, he has always lived in Florida and loves it. His family is there and he wouldn't have it any other way. I understand that feeling better than most, but I also feel the pull of the tide on my senses. There is one thing I know for sure at that very moment, I will spend the rest of my winters near a white beach of sand, not snow. 

Because I have managed to reach my goals in the keys in record time, which I was not expecting, I decided to drive down to Key West the next morning. It's warm and sunny. It's packed with people. There aren't very many birds around and I don't care. I meet more people and have more fun as I begin to realize that maybe it's time I actually did have a vacation....just to relax and soak up the sun for a few days. Lay by a pool. Walk on the beach without getting a tan line from binoculars.  Maybe I can do this after all. 

Well the next few days are a bit of a blur. I drive around aimlessly. I take more pictures of the water and landscapes than I may have ever done before. I see a few new year birds: brown thrasher. Barn swallow, yellow-breasted chat and prairie warbler which aren't all that unusual.  I make it back for happy hour with my new friends and meet more each night. A family from New Jersey puts a smile on my face as I play Giant Jenga with the oldest son and I have far to many beers.  I decide to extend my stay at the condo an additional three days basically because that's how long the place was available for and I didn't want to leave. A fellow Ohioan in the Keys is ironic and yet comforting and we talk for hours.  And I just can't seem to pull myself away from this place. I explore the Keys by day ticking a few more birds, looking at vacant property and for sale signs and spend the evenings at the resort thinking about them. 

 My last day is almost bittersweet. I don't want to leave this place. My trip isn't over but there's a special place in my heart for this place and these people. 

So on my final day off to the mainland I went. It took a long time to leave the Keys mainly because I didn't want to go. I stopped at each key to again look at places for rent and for sale. I fear there is no way to un-ring that bell. By mid afternoon I was Headed into the Everglades and I drove down to  Flamingo making lots of stops.  

Swallow tailed kites floated above. Herons and spoonbills waded in the ponds and palm warblers were everywhere. I spent a few hours exploring before I decided to head towards Miami for the night. 

I used the Orbitz app on my phone to book a hotel for the night without paying much attention to where it was until I popped the address into the GPS and realized it was in South Beach. 

Shit. 

I rolled in around 8pm to streets crowded with people and cars and music blaring. Not my usual accommodations at all. I struggled to find parking and finally got checked into the Art Deco period resort and was surprised at how relaxed I felt even with all the hustle and bustle and poor customer service around me. 

I walked down the road to an open air bar and had a bucket of beer and a grouper dinner while sitting at the outdoor restaurant people watching. I met a guy from LA who had been traveling abroad and exchanged stories and again tried to explain this "bird thing". There really is no way to make it not sound crazy or to make it sound cool but he humored me and decided that tomorrow he would join me searching for parrots and odd ducks.  

We didn't get the earliest start but we did manage to see some birds. We ended up looking for snail kites and Limpkin in the glades again with success. It's always interesting to bird with someone who doesn't know anything about birds. They always seem to spot the ones you're looking for and it makes for a fun day. We had a good time and I decided to just hang out at the beach and pool the next day. And then the next day. I was finding it harder and harder to think about going home. I didn't want to leave. 

Then I met up with a friend from home to try again for the damn Ani as well as a local couple who bird the area extensively. No luck on ani. But it was worth a shot and it was a fun time. 

The last few days were more of the same. Sun and sand and beaches and drinks. Meeting more people was definitely the highlight.

An amazing woman from New York and a couple of fantastic gals from Georgia that I hope to meet up with again someday. 

So what's the point of blogging about these two weeks when there really weren't many bird sightings, except those couple of code 4 birds? I guess the point is that I learned some things on this trip that I don't want to forget. I met some people on this trip that don't want to forget either. I realized that it is most likely my destiny to end up in Florida someday. I learned that I guess I can just relax and vacation like normal people do but that I could also make a life down there where the air and the water cleanse and refresh the mind and soul. 

To Don, Ben, Nick, Ruani, Paul, Cici, Joelle, Kyle and Craig thanks for an amazing time if you ever read this. I won't soon forget the good times. 

As you can tell it has taken me a fair amount of time to submit this entry. I started and restarted multiple times. Being home has been lackluster to say the least. I have had a hard time putting things into words. And I just haven't felt like it. I haven't even finished adding Florida checklists. 

 I've added a few more birds at home: wood duck, woodcock, rusty blackbird, winter wren and those beautiful BoWax (thanks Andy).

Yet I can't shake the depression, for lack of a better word, of coming back to a gray, cold Ohio. For the first time in a very long time I wish I didn't live here, but for the moment I do and I'll

make the best of it. Migration is on its way and so are the birds. Ohio is a pretty special place for the birds during migration and I wouldn't miss it. But I will be in Texas again before that happens with a trip in mid April. And if a few birds hang around a little I may even make a quick run to the northwest of the country again. Only time will tell....

Hooked

  I'll save the details on the long drive. It was a long drive. Exhausting actually. I don't think I could have picked a worse time to quit smoking but I'm sure the rental car company thanks me for it anyway. I'll also save the details on the next morning where for the first time in a week it was cold (45 degrees) in the morning and gray and overcast. It also was the first day in six days that the hook-billed kites didn't do their daily flyover. I was there from 7 am until 1pm with no luck. Then over to Laguna Atascosa for the rare chance of seeing a blue bunting that had recently been seen in a restricted area. It's a nice place. There are a lot of birds but not the one I had hoped for. We had one more day before we were flying home so that meant one more morning to try for kites. 

Standing on the dike at Bentson at 7 am it was a completely different story from  the day before. Not a cloud in the sky and and much warmer. I again separated from the group after talking with a bunch of people. I find that groups of people do a lot of talking compared to actually birding so I tend to go it alone. But I did meet a nice guy from Arizina who I plan to contact on my next trip out there since he lives in a great area for birds. 

After a little while a fellow Ohian joined us and we chatted a bit about the area and birds. Rick is a great birder and is lucky to spend the winter in such a beautiful place. 

We spent the next hour and a half watching different species of Hawks flying over with both types of vultures. Just after 11 we got on a bird that was a fair bit farther down the dike beginning to kettle with vultures. Without a doubt hook-billed kite. Then a pair of them. A dark male and a light female. We watched them through the scope and then they did the almost unthinkable. They actually flew closer. Overhead. Affording excellent looks. Including the hooked bill. It was a fantastic way to close out the trip. I had decided I was going to leave at noon to head back to Dallas with or without the kite. I left early and very happy. 

The long drive to Dallas was time rehash the birds and the scenery and the laughs. Lots of laughs.  It wa a great trip and I didn't want to go home but duty calls. And it won't be long before I hit the road again. The winter at home is brutal and there aren't any new birds in the state for me so I might as well go somewhere that has new birds. And sunshine. 

Return to the nightmare...dream come true

We again left early, and as a matter of fact I'm not even going to mention that anymore. I always leave early. On the off chance I sleep in I'll let you know. 

We rolled back into Texas welcomed by ferruginous Hawks and  lark buntings to again look for cranes. Finding cranes was easy. Abundantly easy.  We went back to the same spot where we were the other day. Thousands of cranes were these. Mind boggling numbers to sort through and they were a little jumpy. At times the sky was full of them calling and flying and coming and going. It was almost an exercise in futility to even scan through the birds. I would get through part of the flock and they would shuffle again. After about an hour they settled down and began to tuck their heads to rest. Oh hell no.  

I am looking for a single bird that I am only going to find if I can see their heads. I decide to take a few steps closer. The part I got the less I had to deal with heat shimmer and that was also a bonus. Ten to 15 feet at a time I edged closer. I got about 75' closer that I had been when the birds began to get a little nervous. I didn't want to flush them again I just wanted them alert. Well my plan worked. Every bird on the ground stood tall and alert. Every bird was facing left. I scanned through once and on the return pan I saw what I was looking for. The dark face and neck that stood a little taller than the 15000 other birds. It was one of those moment where you're not quite sure if it's real if if you're imagining it after looking for so long at the same type of bird. But there it was. Plain as day. So easy to spot it made me wonder how I could have spent 8 hours the other day looking and not finding and another hour and change this morning looking again. But there it was. Photos weren't easy, but I managed a few. 

Can you find the Common Crane? 

The adrenaline definitely invigorated me and I was ready to bird hard out last few days. 

It was decision time again. It was 12:30pm.  Where to go. What to go for. What To Do. Well it wasn't that hard of a decision to make. Hook-billed kites had been seen with some regularity the last week at Bentson back in the valley. It was an easy decision. A 550 mile decision. A 9 hours drive decision. Easy. Bentson here we come. 

Sandia part II

After driving as far from chicken death land as I could we got up and drive back to Sandia Crest to try again. This was a much better day. The sun was shining and it was going to be 70 degrees that day. We rolled into the crest house parking lot around 11:30 and went in to find 20 other birders awaiting the birds. It's true that there really is no doubt when you see other birders that they can be spotted a mile away. A sea of khaki clothing, big hats, North Face, Patagonia and Marmot wear mixed with Columbia and Under Armor, every size, brand, weight and design of binoculars and loads of camera equipment. And of course we sort of fit in. They had been waiting since the building opened for the stars to show but so far only mountain chickadees, red-breasted nuthatches and Stellar's jays were visable. A red-tailed hawk and a sharp-shinned hawk floated on the updrafts over the feeder area in the cloudless blue sky. 

An interior white-breasted nuthatch put in an appearance while we had lunch from the cafe. After about an hour the leader of the tour group that was monopolizing the cafe says "here they come" like one of the alien attack movies with an urgency in his voice that induced a ripple of panic from the group. They all shifter and jockeyed for a closer section of window which apparently makes the birds uncomfortable and the flock flew in and out almost immediately. They did however make multiple passes at the window. Black rosy-finch was easy to spot but the other two were not as easy. Finally after another 20 minutes of near misses and a lovely young couple taking selfies on the deck the birds came in. Gray-crowned and Brown-capped along with the Black rosy-finches all made an appearance. Gasps, camera shutters galore, muffled cries of jubilation and a lot of shifting and swishing fabric was enough for me. Time to move on. 

We explored the different areas down the mountain but few birds were seen. But many picnicking families enjoyed the day playing in the small areas of remaining snow in the 50 degree weather on the mountain.  

Along a few more residential roads we tracked down pinyon jays, Townsend Solitaite, Cassin's finches, scrub jays, and doves. We spent the remainder of the day just cruising around and making our way east again finally stopping in Santa Rosa for the night. Sleep came easy and morning comes quick on this trip.   

Valentine's Day Love

 We spent the morning birding Santa Rita lodge and Madera Canyon before bidding it farewell for this trip. I always had to leave but I know that I will go back a few times this year.  While enjoying all of the birds at the feeder's we added hepatic Tanager and olive warbler to the year list somewhat unexpectedly. 

We headed north in the midday sun toward Phoenix. We stopped for gas and while the tank was filling I looked up recent sightings nearby. There was one bird in particular that this populated seemed to have quite a few of and it would be a life bird if I could find one. We drive around the city parks and streets listening and looking for signs of the birds. It wasn't long before we saw a small green bird with a bright blue tail fly into a large palm. We parked and checked the tree but could not find a bird  in the 30 foot tall tree. Then the bird dove out of the backside and plummeted down into the adjacent neighborhood and disappeared behind some roofs. I drive down the street in this modest neighborhood and found a house with a feeder out front that was mobbed with our target. Rosy-faced Lovebirds were feeding and calling right in front of the homeowner who was relaxing in a chair on her porch. I asked if I could take a few pictures of her birds and she laughed and said of course.  

For many reasons I hate residential birding. Slowly driving around a neighborhood or God forbid walking around with binoculars in front of people's houses always makes me feel like I'm doing something very wrong but the nice lady here had no problem with it at all. In fact she was happy to share her love of the birds. Definitely fun to find love birds on Valentine's Day and always fun to add a life bird. 

The decision for our next stop was easy at the time. We would go to the intersection of Baseline Road and Salome Highway to look for thrasher. Bendire's, Le Conte's and Crissal thrashers are all found regularly in this general area in the mornings. Well we wouldn't arrive until 4:39 in the afternoon making it more difficult. It's a vast, wide open area of dessert scrub habitat that these birds love. Apparently it is fine to just park and walk around this area wherever you please. For anyone who has never been there a few words of warning, for those of you that have been there shame on you for not warning the rest of us idiots.  First, when walking around watch your step. The ground is riddled with burrows that collapse underfoot if you hit them just right. This could easily lead to a twisted ankle out there in the dust. But the second, and drastically more important thing that everyone should know going in is that this place, if the wind is coming from the southeast, smells like utter, undeniable , complete and total death. Well shit to be more exact.  Chicken shit. There is a chicken "farm" just down the road and the smell of one of these places is enough to endure vomiting without warning, your eyes to water, your lungs to collapse and possibly a total blackout. Not to mention whatever lasting effects it may have. Add that to the broken ankle from tripping in a boobytrap hole while running from the stench and I can imagine this would make many folks not want to return.  It worked for me. I was done and had no desire to return the following morning. Or ever for that matter. But I will most likely try this one more time but never when the wind is from the south. To anyone who goes in the future:  You have been warned.   

Not a great way to end the day for sure. But Bendire's thrasher was new for the year so all wasn't lost. And the lovebirds definitely saved the day anyway. 

From lakes to canyons and everywhere in between

We got an early start and headed to Pena Blanca lake where the sun was shining and the wind had calmed down. It was a beautiful morning to bird this scenic and secluded area. A few fisherman were already at the lake when we arrived and started our hike down to the waters edge. We followed the trial around the lake to the far corner cove and started searching the cattails for our next target. Rufous-capped Warbler. Within a few minutes the bird vocalized and started moving through the reeds. Glimpses were had until the little guy came out into the open in the reeds on the far side of the cove. 

Satisfied with finding this bird so quickly we decided to bird the area a bit and added a few new year birds. Red-naped sapsucker, Brewers sparrow and a few violet-green swallows overhead. We enjoyed the area but knew we still had places to go and birds to see. 

We arrived at the Florida Canyon parking area at the end of the road mid morning after slowly driving up and birding the whole way. Rufous-winged and black-throated sparrows were around and phainopepla were everywhere. As soon as we parked I heard the call of the black-capped gnatcatcher we were looking for. We saw two of them working the scrub and watched them for about 5 minutes before the moved deeper out of sight but were able to get a few other birders on them for great looks by all. 

We then hiked up the trail to see any other birds that were around. It was a beautiful day and birds were calling and some singing from the hillsides but all were making it difficult to see them except a Hutton's vireo and Hammond's flycatcher.  

As we were hiking back down and almost to the parking area we hear the distinctive call of an Elegant Trogon from up the canyon. We hiked back up to ask the other birders if they had heard it or if they had played a call. At the time they were standing next to a cascade of water over the rocks so they couldn't hear much. We walked a little farther up and looked everywhere and listened carefully but did not hear the bird again. Wen though there is no doubt that it was an elegant trogon calling I am not adding it to my year list yet. This is a beautiful bird that I want to see again and I will be back in Arizona for a few more opportunities on future trips. For now I'll let it go. 

Next we birded Madera Canyon, by far one of my favorite birding areas that I have ever visited. The feeding stations at the Santa Rita and Kubo lodges are spectacular for Arizona birds as well as being one of the most relaxing places to see them. Magnificent hummingbirds were using the feeders, Arizona woodpeckers, a Townsend's warbler, bridled titmouse, Mexican jays, lesser goldfinches and pine siskins, wild turkeys, ladder-back woodpeckers and yellow-eyes juncos actively can into the feeders as 20+ birders watched and enjoyed them. I inquired at the gift shop at Santa Rita about staying there and it turned out there was one room available for the evening. With the gem show in Tucson the lodge actually was a cost saving place to stay.

 We ran back down to Green Valley to grab some food and decided to make our way slowly back up the canyon as the sun set. Birds were everywhere and Gambel's quail were new for the year. We reached the end of the road and parked for a few minutes to listen for owls. We barely had stepped out of the car and a whiskered screech owl was calling not far away. On the way back down a northern-Pygmy owl was calling at the amphitheater area. Another reason I love this area.  We got settled in and enjoyed the suite at the lodge for the evening. 

Sandia in the snow

So we decided to head Sandia Crest to try for the rosy-finches next. When we woke up it was 45 degrees and partly cloudy but it looked like a decent day. But the closer we got to the mountains it began to look a bit more bleak.  

At the turn off to head up to the crest snow was lightly falling and the evergreens and bare trees had that beautiful look of freshly fallen snow. By the time we made it up to the ski area 6" of snow covered the road and there was only a single set of tire tracks to follow ahead of us. By the time we reached the 10,009 foot pull offs the world was covered in more than a soft blanket of snow. There was at least a foot of that white shit on the road and the wind was howling and drifting it even higher in some places. By the time we reached the Crest House it was near white out conditions and not another soul in sight. 

I couldn't imagine the building opening up for business in the next 31 minutes so we decided to wait it out at the ski area parking in hopes that the dedicated employees would soon be making their way up. 30 minutes.  60 minutes. 90 minutes passed. No one was coming.  We were on our own. Right about the time I was bitching and saying lets go 3 cars gunned past us up the hill. I decided to wait a little while longer before Following them up in case they decided to come back down. I gave them another 30 minutes before heading back up the road. All was good until we reached the 10,000 foot parking area again. There they were. All three cars. Parked and getting covered in snow while their occupants were off cross country skiing and hiking. Morons. I like a bigger moron thought I'd give the top just one more try. The snow was even deeper now. The tire tracks we had followed before had long been covered and the snow continued to pile up. I got to the top lot, parked and decided to walk out to the overlook to look down at the feeder area just in case any stray birds or finches were waiting for breakfast. Not one. I was the lone idiot standing in 30mph winds and snow looking for any signs of life. The drifts were hip high and with this I knew it was over. No one was coming today. And I was leaving. 

Down we went again. And this time we didn't stop until we reached the gas station at the base. A dusting of snow down here. How pleasant. I punched up directions to Benson, AZ and we left the winter wonderland behind.  Gladly. 

 Six hours and change later we were in Arizona. 54 degree and the sun was setting. We would stop for the night here since I realized that there was a gem and precious rock show in Tucson that meant every hotel for 70 miles was either booked or completely overpriced. 

Somehow this place we had stopped was in a general good location if we were going to go to Fort Huachuca or Sierra Vista, not so great for Madera or Florida canyons but it would do because realistically what is an hours drive at this point? 

We arrived at Patagonia Sonoita Preserve just before it opened. It was warming up but windy and there were supposed to be pretty heavy winds at times this day. Not my favorite birding conditions but there was a mission. We headed to the staked out hackberry trees looking for 2 American Robins and a wayward Rufous-backed Robin that had been feeding in the area for weeks. 

We spent a few hours wandering the area without seeing either bird. When I was beginning to think it was time to move on another birder said he had just seen a few robins up the trail. We headed that direction and watched the 2 Americans feed in the wind sheltered area for a while hoping their friend would stop by to say hello. After about another hour and 30 degrees warmer we were just getting ready to go when there it was. Sitting silently in the tangled branches was the Rufous-backed robin. We called over a few other birders that were within earshot to share this beautiful bird and taking a few photos. It had definitely been worth the wait. A life bird as well as a year bird. 

We then headed to a few other areas but the high winds were making it difficult to find a lot of birds so we decided to head over to Tubac to try the trail for Sinaloa Wren. Again there were not a lot of birds actively moving around but we found the area where te wren has built a nest and has been seen most reliably. After an hour is looking around and seeing Bewick's wrens I heard the fast rattle call of the bird and located it moving through a scrubby brush like area. The bird only came out into the open a few times and for the briefest moments but all of the relevant field marks were observed and the bird did vocalize one additional time. 

We headed to local italian restaurant for dinner where we were disappointed in the subpar food but elated with finding two of our target birds on a windy Arizona day. 

Crane Mania

Out the door before the sun rise again and headed to looks at cranes. How hard could this be right? I mean it's a little larger, paler and has dark facial markings and a yellow bill. It should stick out like a sore thumb. We headed to the lake first just as the sun was rising. Nine scaled quail ran across the road in front of us as we approached the lake with their little white peaked tufts standing straight up. By this time the sky was full of cranes. Thousands of them. The sun was like a laser beam out if the east making every bird appear dark and silhouetted. Great. Well let's just follow them. But which ones? They were cruisin out in every direction. Shit. 

Well let's just follow the largest group. We did.  For miles. Down dusty red dirt roads. Like a hot air balloon chase vehicle except the birds constantly change course. Finally they started to settle down into an agricultural field and as we arrived the reality of this chase began to set in.  

There were other birds around. Flocks of brewers blackbirds and eurasian-collared doves were feeding in a field as a pair of beautiful light ferruginous Hawks perched on poles and circled the fields. A flock of lark buntings perched in a bush for some quick photos before moving on, new year birds as well. 

But sorting through Thousands and thousands of cranes feeding a quarter mile out in a field with blazing sun and morning heat shimmer was not going to be easy and it was still supposed to get warmer. We spent a few hours scoping and jockeying for different positioning to get a look at the entire flock. The warmer it got, the harder it got. The cranes began to concentrate in a shallow wet area in the field at the end of a dirt road. We set up scoped for a few more hours. No luck. 

At this point we needed food and a break so we drove into New Mexico for gas and beverages. On the way we had a gorgeous prairie falcon on a power pole that took flight and soared around us for a few minutes. Check. 

We headed back and met a couple of birders from Mississippi on their way to California also looking for the common crane. They had arrived at the same

location that we had left and spent the last few hours looking through the flock 

We exchanged numbers and continued to search the area ending the day at the lake again watching the cranes come in to roost. As the sun set we were disappointed but had added three new year birds so all wasn't lost. We decided call it a day and crash. My eyes were strained and all I wanted was to sleep. 

Amistad and beyond

Another early start to bird Amistad National Wildlife Refuge. It's a large area where we stopped at a few different areas of scrub habitat to look for new birds. The sun had just come up and birds were singing all around. Rufous Crowned sparrows weren't shy and neither were the flocks of chipping sparrows and black-throated sparrows. I also found a clay-colored sparrow in with the many chipping. We finally heard and had great looks at black-tailed gnatcatcher to count it as new as well. 

We then started the long drive up to Baileyboro Lake to look for one bird. 

Common Crane. We arrived with about an hour of daylight and watched cranes come in by the hundreds to roost for the night but did not see the celebrity. A pair of great-horned Owls perched up on a telephone pole hooting away before we observed their quickie and the male flew

off. Typical. We would spend the night nearby and try again the next day. 

Along the border

Time kind of flies down here. The days are long and it's hard to muster the strength to get caught up on the blog after getting settled in for the night. I usually just pass out after dinner. Again, not most people's idea of a vacation but I have no problem with it. I'll just have to recap the last few days to get caught up:

Sunday:  We birded quite a few areas. We started at Santa Anna NWR on the off chance the blue bunting was still around. We didn't have any luck with it or many other birds for that matter. Mostly quiet so we moved on to Anzalduas park.   There were lots of birds around and we ran into the young couple again that helped with the tropical parula. This time they were looking a black-throated gray warbler that has been spending the winter at the park. We no sooner had parked the car when I spotted the bird in the tree in front of us. I called them over and all of us were able to observe the bird for some time. This was a life bird

for them so I was happy to have been able to help. 

We decided at this point to start making our way north. We stopped at a few places along the way including Bentson, Salineño and most interestingly Roma Bluffs. This is an interesting area. It's tucked back into a neighborhood with a viewing platform that looks out over the river into Mexico. Hundreds of people we're picnicking, fishing and generally hanging out enjoying the day while a half dozen border patrol cars and sheriffs were keeping a watchful eye on a guy that was in a four wheeler going across the river. We watched birds flying around the river and mostly in Mexico adding to my Mexican life list but a few rough-winged swallows were cruising overhead in the US side for a new year bird. 

Next we stopped at Falcon State Park which also had its fair share of people enjoying the nice day. We walked a trail and heard black-tailed gnatcatchers buy could not get a view of them in the thick scrub. I would wait to count this as a new bird. We ended up driving up to Del Rio, Texas and spent the night. 

Rarity cleanup

The day started at first light at Estero. We headed out to the Spoonbill Trail first to try for the gray-crowned yellowthroat since it seemed more reliable in the morning. Within five minutes I heard the bird call a few times and positioned myself as close to the call as I could. Boom. The bird popped up and called from a small branch for excellent looks. Good looking little guy. Thanks for popping up. 

It was then off to the tropical zone again. By the time we got there there were 40 people gathered. They were all peering through the chain link fence into the trees beyond. With all of the rain in the last months the anacua trees have fruit and the thrushes we're loving it. A half dozen clay-colored thrushes and american robins were feeding with mockingbirds and squirrels making every movement worthy of a look. I finally spotted the bird after about an hour in one of the trees. Darker backed than clay-colored and  a definite eye ring stood out as well as the white throat. Everyone in the group except for another woman were looking at a nearby clay-colored at the time and I think we were the only two to see it at that time before it dove into the tree again. Though I would have loved to have gotten a photo it would have been close to impossible as the bird was about 50 feet back in the top of the tree with leaves and branches all around that I'm sure the camera would have auto focused on just to annoy me.   

Satisfied with the look we moved on to Resaca de la Palma to try for the tropical parulas that seems to love the parkinglot. We spent about an hour wandering around after checking in then we met another couple who were looking for the bird as well. This was their third time trying and they were leaving empty handed again. That's always discouraging to hear. But we kept looking. A little while later we ran into a nice couple we had seen over at the thrush spot and they said they had just seen the bird Minutes before. So we headed over to that area and walked around it multiple times before I saw some slight feeding movement in an ebony tree above our heads.  Finally bright yellow was visable, then the blue back and wing bars then just the head with the dark eye line until finally the bird came into the open for 15 seconds before retreating back into the thick canopy. Tropical Parula. Check. 

Next we went over to SPI (South Padre Island ) just because it was a beautiful, warm and sunny afternoon. The gulf was beautiful and many people were out enjoying the day. About a million people were at the convention center for a dance show so we skipped that and just enjoyed the drive and the beach. 

We decided to go back to Estero again to finish off the day there. The thrush had been seen plenty throughout the afternoon but sightings had dropped off by late in the day.  We enjoyed the area and chatted with a few folks before deciding to call it a day. Four new birds in the area was great considering I came down primarily for the gray-crowned yellowthroat. The weather for the next day was predicted to be even better than today so definitely looking forward to more sun and birds. 

That's the "Spirit"

Well we got a slower start than we had hoped. Our cheap Spirit Airlines flight was delayed out of Cleveland which put us down in Texas at around 1 am after yet another interesting group of travelers ( idiots ) prohibiting sleep on the plane. By the time we arranged a rental and figured out where we were going it was almost 2 and we had a decision to make: Just crash and get up early to hit the road or put in some drive time and see how far we could get before stopping. Since we both felt pretty good we decided to drive. And drive some more. At a coffee stop about 3.5 hours in we again faced a choice: stop for the night and sleep a few hours or just push it and get there. Another coffee and 5-hr energy it was. 

We arrived at Estero Llano around 1pm and headed out to the area where the gray-crowned yellowthroat has been seen. A few other people were also looking but had not had much luck. We eventually heard the bird song twice and call for about a minute from the center of the tall grass area near some scrub but we could not get eyes on this bird.  I was prepared to stick it out and then I looked at my phone. White-throated Thrush in the tropical zone. Ok let's go.

We get out there and join the other 10-15 people searching for the bird with little luck. We staked out the same spot where the bird was originally discovered and stayed there for three hours. Clay-colored thrushes started to pop up from the understory and feed in the berry trees. Catbirds, thrashers, robins and doves moved around. Altamira Oriole and green jays flitted about and a northern-beardless tyrannulet put in an appearance. 

At around 4 I could barely keep my eyes open and we decided to go get some sleep.  Of course the thrush would be refound at around 4:30 but at that point it could have been in the parking lot of the hotel and I'm not sure I would have gotten up to see it. We are plannin on going back in the morning and that's enough for me. I passed out around 6:30 and slept until 5 am. 

California recap and back in Ohio for a bit

Everyone always assumes that a vacation  in California means beaches and sunshine, sidewalks of stars and beautiful people; all the while racing down PCH in a convertible with the top down and the Beach Boys blaring on the radio. But yet I don't "vacation" like most people do. 

We spent seven very long days running around California and into Oregon adding new birds for the year... I was passed out before 9 almost every night...The majority of the people we encountered were on a similar mission and not from CA either....Our rental car was littered with coffee cups, take out wrappers, guides and Pringles cans.... Once again I didn't pack the correct clothing and spent almost the entire time in the same sweatshirt and cargos. (keep those comments to yourself-I did remember deodorant). Not a vacation most people would enjoy. 

It was cool, even cold at times, wet with rain and fog and windy as hell. There were only a few occasions where I was bitching about the sun but I was glad I had remembered the new Ray-Bans. No movie stars and no Beach Boys either. Just birds. 

Seeing life birds (birds I'm seeing for the first time for those of you out there who still have no idea what I'm talking about) is always a great way to start off a trip. Tundra Bean-Goose and Rustic Bunting were a perfect kickoff to this one.  Missing out on Falcated Duck and Brambling took a bit of the shine away but plenty of other birds and mammals made up for it. River otters and American badger were very cool to see. 

Even though the weather and luck weren't completely on my side it still was a great expedition. There are groves of redwoods where the road winds through them that momentarily make you realize how very small we are in this world. The trees and forest floor were so thick with moss in some areas that sound barely carries and whether you want to or not, you can't help but to whisper. The endless horizon and clear blue water stretching out for miles while the waves and tides erase our footsteps can almost leave you speechless.  Pelicans, gulls and seabirds rule this coast. I spent a fair amount of time with one eye closed tight while the other peered through the scope to identify everything winging by. 

But the smell of the Pacific is different than the Atlantic to me. Mingled with freshness, evergreen and earthy smells that calm and refresh rather than the more stagnant, salty, humid eastern shores of Florida . It's one of those places that I never want to leave and each time I'm there I wish for more time. This was no exception. 

55 new birds were added on this trip making it well worth it and bringing my year total to 307. 

Upon our return to the frozen landscape of Cleveland I took a few days off to work and generally catch up on things. 

I then decided to run around the northern part of the state just a little bit to pick up some birds that may be tricky to get later on. The Toledo area was hosting a few common redpolls and a Hoary redpoll which took two visits before finding them. The hoary is a good pick up because those birds can be difficult to track down and it saves me some ridiculous chase later on. The obliging northern saw-whet owl at Maumee Bay SP and the northern shrike were also fine additions.  I went to see a snowy owl at Hopkins with my sister and then found another out in Lucas County on a drive-by. That evening the short-eared Owls at Ottawa didn't disappoint.  Four owls put on a nice show over the Stange Road prairie just after sunset. All in all bringing my year up to 315. 

I'll be headed to the southwest shortly to chase a few more rarities via Dallas. How do you pass up a $96.16 round trip flight. It will be my first timing using Spirit Airlines but as long as they get me there and back what the hell, right? I'm in the process of putting together an attack plan that will most likely include 5-6 states. Thank god for unlimited mileage on rental cars. 

I'm going to try to work on putting a running list on the blog so you can see what's been seen....and let me know if something pops up that I should see. Thanks to everyone who has been helpful so far this year with directions and info. I appreciate all the help I can get. 

So long CA....I'll be back

Once again we hit Colusa NWR, this time before sunrise. Great horned owls called in the darkness and the sounds of geese and ducks progressively got louder. Once daylight broke we began scanning and searching all over again. We again met up with more birders and exchanged numbers in case anyone found it.  To get right to the point, three hours later: still no duck. I'd had it and there were still a few birds to track down. 

We headed over to a little park a few miles away where before we got out of the car we could tell there were a lot of birds around. It seemed like there were birds everywhere. Juncos, sparrows and thrushes were everywhere. Nuttall's woodpeckers and red-breasted sapsuckers were abundant. Spotted towhees and California towhees were in every tangle and a mixed flock of chickadees, warblers and oak titmouse were fun to pick through. We spent about an hour wandering around the park checking off 5 new year birds in the process. Not a bad stop.  

Next we headed down to Nimbus Fish Hatchery to look for reported Barrow's goldeneyes. An hour and half later we were standing looking at 5 in the water below us. Peregrine falcon, red-tails, turkey vultures, kestrel and an osprey kept all of the ducks on high alert.

 

I scanned the far hillside and noticed a hole that looked like there may have been something inside. After realigning to get a better look: Barn owl

It's amazing to me how many barn owls are just sitting around in California. 

From the hatchery I decided that since it was our last night to be spent in California I wanted to watch the sunset over the ocean once in this trip. We headed down to Half Moon Bay and had a really nice dinner at the Half Moon Bay Brewing Company watching the sun sink into the water as gulls and Pelicans plunged into the water. It was great ending to a nice day. 

The next morning we had a few hours to kill before boarding the plane home. We went to Pillar Point and walked the beach and the trails. Hundreds of sanderlings scurried along while marbled godwits, Willets and black oystercatchers moved up with the rising tide. Heading to the airport is always a little depressing but the California was a success in my book putting my year total at 308. 

Back to the cold of Ohio for a little while. Maybe a few owls will help pass the time before I run off again. 

Next up: Arizona

F Duck

   Today we had an early start.  Shocking. Winding our way south through dense fog and darkness was again a little unnerving but we pressed on. Driving through the redwoods is always an impressive sight though. These trees are so tall and so immense that they dwarf everything around them including us. We stopped a few times to listen for owls to no avail. We tried to do the "drive through" tree but it was too early and a holiday unfortunately. From the forests we entered into agricultural areas and groves and then orchards until we started seeing rice fields filled with waterfowl.      

       Thousands of ducks, geese and swans dabbled and dove in these vast 'lakes'. Black-necked stilts, Avocets, long-billed curlews and white-faced ibis were plentiful as were long billed dowitchers, egrets and herons. Many red-tailed and red-shouldered Hawks watched these winter visitors waiting for the right moment. Once we finally made it Colusa NWR it was around noon and we set up shop. Scanning, scanning and more scanning. Four hours of scanning. I had a headache and my right eye hurt from scoping for so long and my left eye was damn near swollen shut. It was bright and sunny for once and I wished it wasn't. Every solitary Pintail resting in partial view made my heart skip a beat.  

 

    We drove the one way auto drive through the refuge looking at every bird out there and I shit you not there had to be 200,000 ducks and geese out there. The neat thing about this auto tour is that it is exactly that: an auto tour. Your car is your blind and if you get out of your car you are fined $275. I like this idea. None of the birds flushed and flew away. They didn't mind the traffic and gave us closer views to most species than I have ever had.  I have to wonder why more refuges don't adopt this policy. 

      The proverbial needle in a haystack remained hidden although if I was searching for Eurasian Wigeon I would have been ecstatic in counting 9 throughout our tour and scoping forays.  Even though there were 20 people scouring the refuge, no one could find the Falcated Duck. "F" duck as it shall be known from now on. 

As the sun dipped below the horizon thousands of greater white-fronted, snow and Ross's geese took flight to head out to pastures and parts unknown. Truly an amazing sight. Even the dark morph Ross's goose was a lackluster consolation prize for the "F" duck.  

A great horned owl teed up for us to watch as darkness claimed the refuge. We decided to stay close by for one last shot in the morning.....at the end of the day one thing is certain: I dread doing this again. 

Bramlings are Assholes, Surfers are cool

Again we went back to the neighborhood where the Brambling has been visiting feeders. We decided what the hell since we were close and had a few other places in the area to check out anyway. So we arrived at sunrise. The area is a cul de sac next to a church that the yard backs up to. Of course it was Sunday. We watched the area for about an hour while everyone arrived for services and then decided to get the hell out of there and continued to check the front yard. The backyard where the feeders apparently are cannot be seen but the birds pop up into the trees and sit around a lot. So they say....  We were joined by a group of guys from San Diego, a few people we had seen the other day and a couple others. We scoured the neighbors yards and walked around like we were lost using our binoculars to look high and low. I feel a little bad for the people who live on this street. All of these people walking around for the last two weeks had to be a little unnerving for them.   After a few hours we decided to give up, to hell with this bird, I had wasted enough time on it. 

Next we headed over to the north jetty on Humboldt bay. We arrived just as the tide was beginning to go out and walked along the beach towards the jetty. On our way out we run into a guy who is drinking a beer and just hanging out. He started up a conversation and learned that his name was Chris and that he was a surfer who's family had moved from the Cincinnati area when we was a kid.

He was waiting for others to show up before hitting the water for the day because the day before the "man in the white" had cleared the line at the end of the day. I had to ask him exactly what that meant. It turns out a great white shark had been seen in the area while the guys were surfing the afternoon before and he did not want to be the only person in the water today. He told us a bunch of stories and other places to go look for birds. He said that while he is out there sitting on his board waiting on a wave, Western grebes will swim right up to him and check him out. Close enough to touch. He assured us that it was safe to walk out but to not "turn our backs" on the ocean. We parted ways and headed to the end of the jetty. 

As the tide ebbed, more and more rocks were exposed and birds began to materialize. Black-legged kittiwakes and brown pelicans cruised by, Ancient murrelets and Common murres sheared the waves while booking past us and  Black turnstones, rock sandpipers and surfbirds picked at the newly exposed world below the waterline. Common, Pacific and Red-throated loons, Eared, horned, western and red-necked grebes, Brant's and Pelagic cormorants and all three scoters wave peaking all around as the waves pounded the shore.

That was when we saw Chris on his board waiting on the next curl. We spent the next 20 minutes watching him and his compatriots surf and enjoyed the sunny weather on the jetty. 

Because I am a glutton for punishment I decided to take us back to look for the brambling one last time. We spent about a half hour with Zero results and decided to call it a day. F. U. Brambling. 

I could seawatch all day long here. 

Tundra Bean there, Done that

    We left the hotel at 5 AM in the driving rain. It was a dark, dark road that never seemed to get any brighter. I've driven through a lot of weather situations in my travels but I'm not sure that I've ever driven though rain that was coming at me from five different directions. The first few hours of the trip were through forests of redwoods and along the coast with zero street lights and fewer guardrails in places that needed them. Once the "sun" finally came up I stopped for much needed coffee and to let my hands relax from clenching the steering wheel....we continued on. It took six and a half hours to reach our destination: Nestucca Bay NWR. The rain had eased up as we made the turn into the entrance road and within 14 seconds "there it is" is all I could say. The visiting Tundra Bean-goose that has been overwintering at the refuge stood out like a sore thumb. Well to me it did anyway. We parked and I got out and grabbed the scope at the exact same moment the skies opened up again and the wind almost blew the scope off the deck. Another couple was there and asked if I had seen the bird. I explained where it was, that it was with a dozen Canada geese and put the scope on it and they still couldn't see it. I guess sore thumbs are different for me.... You be the judge:

After viewing the goose and scanning the rest of the geese for ten minutes in the deluge I decided enough was enough. There were plenty of Canada's and Cackling Geese but I was soaked to the bone, exhausted and exhilarated at the same time. Yay! Now let's drive 7 hours south! 

Apparently the Brambling went rambling

  Today we got up early and drove in the rain and dark through the redwoods up to Arcata, California. Our mission was to stake out a Brambling that had been hanging out for about the last three weeks.  The rain stopped when we got there and we spent the next five hours scoping out the entire neighborhood. Large flocks of pine siskins, Oregon juncos, golden-crowned sparrows and stellar's jays kept us entertained but the Brambling never put in an appearance. We were joined by a couple from the Bay Area who are spending the weekend in that area and will let us know if it is seen again for our return trip to the bay. 

Six Band-tailed pigeons were calling and then seen flying out of the forest when we arrived and Anna's Hummingbirds were zipping around relentlessly. 

This part of California in general is actually very pretty. The groves of redwoods are awe inspiring and the drive along the coastline is really something to see. 

Somehow this scene made me think of what California must have been like 40 years ago. 

We passed a lot of places on the way today that I would've liked to have stopped and investigated but I didn't want to "waste" the time this morning. Possibly on the return trip. We're headed up to Oregon tonight to shoot for another rarity tomorrow. I am hoping it is not a wild goose chase..,

Day 1 in Cali

After arriving at midnight we crashed out and got up early to head over to Golden Gate Park. After finally finding the spot we spent five minutes before the celebrity bird made its appearance. The Rustic Bunting that has been hanging out with a group of Juncos stayed true to form and dropped in about 15 feet away from us. We observed the bird for a little while as a herd of Brewer's Blackbirds surrounded us, stumbling around like the walking dead, Varied Thrushes poked around the edges and White-crowned Sparrows owned the brush-pile. Amusing at is was, we had big plans for the day. 

We starting driving north and made the obligatory stop for photos of the Golden Gate Bridge. 

We decided to make a detour to check out Point Reyes National Seashore. Somehow in all my visits to California I had never ventured out there and after today I can say I really love that place. It's vast, beatiful and contains many different habitats from wave crashed shores, rocky cliffs, grassy plateaus, farm lands and pine stands amid coastal scrub. I did not plan to spend the day there, but before we knew it the sun was setting over the Pacific. 

Birds, birds and more birds along with mammals filled the day. Scoping the ocean, hiking trails and glassing basically everything that moved makes for a tired traveller tonight. 33 new birds were added today along with an American Badger for the mammal life list. 

Tomorrow we will continue to head north to Arcata for target #2 since today went a completely different direction than I had planned but I wouldn't change a thing. Even though I love a good chase, I'm a firm believer that spending time outdoors in a beautiful location is never time wasted. It's as much about the journey as it about the trip. Tomorrow is another day...

Back at it: Cali bound

I have been keeping my eye on the rare bird alerts for the last couple of weeks and it seems that the rarities that are hanging out in Northern California are staying put so I am heading out today for a week.   And with the temperature being 2° right now I can't say that I feel bad leaving Ohio at all. Lol. 

It's been about four years since I've been in Northern California so it will be good to experience it all again. I'm taking my sister with me this trip so that I've got some company and so she can also see this beautiful part of the country. My bag was already packed since I didn't use anything I took to Texas because it was so cold there. Hopefully the forecasted 50-60° temps will hold. 

Our chases will take us to Golden Gate Park for Rustic Bunting, Colusa NWR for Falcated Duck, Arcata, Ca for Brambling and then up to Nestucca NWR in Oregon for Tundra Bean-goose. There's the possibility of chasing a tufted duck as well but that is to the south so it will depend how we do up north. Should be an interesting run and should also add close to 80+ new birds for the year if I do well. 

Currently I have 251 birds for the year after adding a few yesterday (Barred owl, Lesser Black-backed Gull and for the 250th bird of the year (on my birthday no less) was the illusive and rare Hairy Woodpecker. Haha. Actually it's an easy bird and a little disappointing as a milestone bird. But what the hell, every bird counts so +1. 

So half of January has flown by and by the time I get back it will be even closer to February. The east coast holds some interesting possibilities as does Arizona right now. I'll be watching the reports to see if any of these birds manage to stick around. Somehow I imagine flying to Tuscon and driving another 5000 miles in the near future. Time will tell.  And let's not forget a certain visiting dove in Florida that deserves my attention...more updates tomorrow. For now it's so long Ohio, hello Pacific Ocean!