Riparian Reserve at Gilbert Water Ranch, Phoenix, AZ, Sept 2013

eBird has unveiled its new feature, the Hotspot Explorer. And what a wonderful feature it is for anyone venturing beyond their own back yard. It shows birding hotspots on a map-based interface and colour-codes the sites to show how productive they can be.

In preparation for a trip to Phoenix, I took a quick look at my normal stomping grounds there. The familiar sites showed as cool blue or tepid yellow flags on the map, but one site was glowing orange, vying for attention. I was shocked to find that the hottest spot in Phoenix was just a step away from where we stay and I was previously unaware of its existence. The Riparian Reserve at Gilbert Water Ranch can be seen at Google Earth ref; 33 21 51.87N 111 44 5.27W. I was not able to paste the name or coordinates into the Hotspot Explorer search box, but once this minor oversight is bested, Google Earth may become dispensable!

The Riparian Reserve shares a large block with the Gilbert’s Southeast Regional Library, a small astronomical observatory and a fishing lake. The gates are probably closed overnight, but were open early this morning. There is enough habitat around the fishing lake and observatory to keep birders busy if the gate-keeper is late.

I arrived by 06.30 and was greeted by a Northern Mockingbird. I slowly worked my way to the gate, noting McGillivray’s Warbler, Black-throated Gray Warbler and Belted Kingfisher near the observatory. What passes for a ploughed field in any other part of the world is called a lake in Phoenix. 

The appearance of the reserve on Google Earth and the map of the site were at odds to my experience in the second week of September. Pond 7 had shrunk to a tiny crescent. A Green Heron watched from the edge and a Neotropical Cormorant roosted a bit further back.

Pond 6 was similarly reduced to a smear of its former self. Greater Yellowlegs, Spotted Sandpiper and Killdeer stalked the margins while a trio of Mallard popped down to the water’s edge for a drink.

 In Pond 5, the water had given way to meadow. It looked as though it might be wet underfoot, but not too squishy to put off a couple of Coyotes that were making their early morning rounds. A small screen hide in the corner overlooked the enduring puddle in the corner where a couple of Pintail and Shoveler shared the water with the omnipresent Mallards.

A small patch of sunflowers near the screen attracted a flock of Lesser Goldfinch which allowed me my closest approach of the week.

I had found myself at the hub of the complex. With a little imagination it might be possible to picture oneself at the centre of a pinwheel with paths heading out in all directions. Ponds 1 and 2 held better concentrations of wading birds with Long-billed Dowitchers, Black-necked Stilts and Least Sandpipers.

The teals were proving a little tricky. I am not very accomplished at separating the Cinnamon Teal and Blue-winged Teal from each other. There were plenty of them around, but they were not sporting their distinctive colours, so I could only be certain about very few. A Green-winged Teal was very obliging.

Bell’s Vireo was seen quite frequently this morning. It shared the shrubs and bushes that line the banks with Abert’s Towhees and plenty of Verdins.

Say’s Phoebes and Black Phoebes shared the flycatching duties with a Gray Flycatcher. Where have they been all my life?

Birds seen;

Canada Goose 22, American Wigeon 2, Mallard 200, Northern Shoveler 8, Northern Pintail 7, Green-winged Teal 30, Pied-billed Grebe 2, Neotropic Cormorant 1, Great Egret 5, Snowy Egret 8, Green Heron 2, White-faced Ibis 4, Turkey Vulture 3, Osprey 1, Cooper’s Hawk 1, Killdeer 70, Black-necked Stilt 40, Spotted Sandpiper 2, Greater Yellowlegs 9, Western Sandpiper 1, Least Sandpiper 130, Long-billed Dowitcher 80, Eurasian Collared Dove 20, Mourning Dove 35, Inca Dove 8, Black-chinned Hummingbird 2, Anna’s Hummingbird 6, Belted Kingfisher 1, Gila Woodpecker 3, Gray Flycatcher 1, Black Phoebe 7, Say’s Phoebe 2, Bell’s Vireo 5, Barn Swallow 4, Verdin 15, Northern Mockingbird 20, Curve-billed Thrasher 12, European Starling 30,MacGillivray’s Warbler 1, Common Yellowthroat 3, Black-throated Gray Warbler 2, Wilson’s Warbler 2, Abert’s Towhee 12, Song Sparrow 2, White-crowned Sparrow 2, Red-winged Blackbird 15, Great-tailed Grackle 12, Brown-headed Cowbird 5, House Finch 6, Lesser Goldfinch 25, House Sparrow 6.

Curve-billed Thrasher 

Visit the dedicated USA and Canada page for more posts from Phoenix, including Phoenix Botanical Garden and Usery Mountain Park.

Madera Canyon, Tucson, AZ. Sept 2013

Madera Canyon is in the Santa Rita Mountains to the southeast of Tucson. The day was warming up and I was heading for the high ground in the hope that it would not prove to be too hot today. I will only make a very brief description of each stop rather than splitting them up into separate posts.

The approach runs through scrubby grasslands and I stopped at the 3 mile marker, shortly after the school on White House Canyon Road (Google Earth ref;31 49 36.48N 110 55 50.22W). A calling sparrow had attracted my attention as I passed and it proved to be the hoped-for Rufous-winged Sparrow.

As I stopped, a pair of Scott’s Orioles crossed the road and a Verdin chacked at me from the bushes.
An Empidonax flycatcher perched on the second wire of the fence and I had to make the call; try to identify the empid, add one bird to my day list and bake my brain into the bargain, or run away, pretend that I hadn’t seen it.

Mad dogs and all that…….actually, the heat had not built up too much yet. There would have been a few choices of empid to work through, but I got lucky and noticed that the little fella was pumping its tail. I am led to believe that this is a characteristic of the Gray Flycatcher, what luck!

Birds seen from mile 3 to mile 5;

Turkey Vulture 1, Mourning Dove 2, Gila Woodpecker 2, Gray Flycatcher 1, Loggerhead Shrike 1, Common Raven 3, Verdin 1, Phainopepla 3, Rufous-winged Sparrow 4, Scott’s Oriole 2

Just after the road takes a sharp right hand turn, a bridge crosses a (usually) dry wash (Google Earth ref;31 47 16.41N 110 53 3.40W). I parked up just before the bridge to explore the wash, heading what would have been upstream noting more Rufous-winged Sparrows and some Blue Grosbeaks.

I nearly passed over a small group of Towhees, assuming that they would be Abert’s Towhees, but I took a quick look to confirm and found that they were Green-tailed Towhees.

Note that this was the first bridge and the more popular Florida (Floh-ree-dah) Wash can be accessed from the third bridge.

Birds seen at Bridge 1 Wash;

Turkey Vulture 1, Mourning Dove 1, Green-tailed Towhee 5, Abert’s Towhee 3, Rufous-winged Sparrow 3. Blue Grosbeak 3.

A little further along the road is the Proctor Parking area (Google Earth ref; 31 44 28.41N 110 53 12.68W). A trail leads through the transition zone as grassland gives way to woodland. A Wilson’s Warbler was picked up almost immediately and was quickly followed by a Bewick’s Wren and a House Finch.

The large trees by the stream (when running) held Lesser Goldfinch, Western Tanager and a Painted Redstart.On the return another tail-pumping Gray Flycatcher sat for a moment just giving me enough time to take a shot.

Birds seen at Proctor Parking trail;

Turkey Vulture 3, Gray Flycatcher 1, Mexican Jay 3, Verdin 2, White-breasted Nuthatch 1, Bewick’s Wren 1, Wilson’s Warbler 1, Painted Redstart 1, Western Tanager 2, House Finch 3, Lesser Goldfinch 8.

Santa Rita Lodge maintains feeders that attract hummingbirds and provides benches and a little shade for punters to watch from (Google Earth ref; 31 43 29.82N 110 52 49.25W). Most of the patrons were Black-chinned Hummingbirds with a few Broad-billed Hummingbirds and a couple of Anna’s Hummingbirds. Seed feeders brought in a few House Finches and Bridled Titmice.

An Acorn Woodpecker added to its winter larder in a telegraph pole.

Despite the high temperatures forecast for Phoenix, the slight elevation of the lodge in the Santa Rita mountains, made it seem quite bearable. The adjacent gift shop sells cold drinks and makes this a very pleasant spot to spend a while.

Birds seen at Santa Rita Lodge;

Wild Turkey 9, Turkey Vulture 1, Black-chinned Hummingbird 5, Anna’s Hummingbird 2, Broad-billed Hummingbird 4, Acorn Woodpecker 1, Red-naped Sapsucker 1, Bridled Titmouse 2, White-breasted Nuthatch 1, House Finch 5.

The road continues up the hill and eventually ends in a parking and picnic area (Google Earth ref; 31 42 44.48N 110 52 28.90W). I followed the path heading straight up. The birding had slowed as midday approached, but the temperature was bearable.

A small party of Yellow-eyed Junco fed from the ground while a Hepatic Tanager stayed high. A group of birds passed through with Wilson’s Warbler, Black-throated Gray Warbler and Brown Creeper all calling softly.

My tired and lazy brain almost settled for a Ruby-crested Kinglet, but a nagging doubt made me look closer to note the Hutton’s Vireo.

Another birder asked about the Elegant Trogons that nest here during the summer. I had assumed that they had already left and was surprised to hear that a few individuals now over-winter at the canyon. I was on my way back down by now and put the trogon down as a miss.

Mexican Jays were noisy and an Arizona Woodpecker gave itself away by pecking for food and dropping bark on the path ahead of me.

Birds seen above picnic area;

Red-tailed Hawk 1, Arizona Woodpecker 2, Northern Flicker 1, Hutton’s Vireo 3, Mexican Jay 7, Bridled Titmouse 4, White-breasted Nuthatch 2, Brown Creeper 1, House Wren 1, Hermit Thrush 1, Black-throated Gray Warbler 1, Wilson’s Warbler 1, Painted Redstart 1, Yellow-eyed Junco 7, Hepatic Tanager.

Visit the dedicated USA and Canada page for more posts from the area.

San Xavier del Bac Mission, Tucson, AZ, Sept 2013

The full moon was sinking in the west as the first glow of dawn appeared over the mountains to the south-east of Tucson. I wanted to take a break from driving and wave my binoculars about in the early light, so I pulled in at San Xavier del Bac Mission. I scrambled up the mound in an unsuccessful attempt to get a nice shot of moon and mission, but my vantage was wrong and I was just a few minutes too late.

Mourning Doves were abundant and clattered as they flushed from the ground at my scrambling. A Curve-billed Thrasher called to greet the day.

There is an area of dry scrub and cactus around the mission and a quick walk here brought Common Raven, Verdin and Abert’s Towhee. Gambel’s Quail ran along the fence-line by what looked like a school.

The telegraph wires and the tops of dead trees provided hawking spots for Western Kingbirds and a Red-tailed Hawk took possession of the utility pole.

The dry course of the Santa Cruz River runs close by and there was a flush of green reeds in what appeared to be an irrigation channel. Perhaps this would explain a small flock of White-faced Ibis and a Yellow-headed Blackbird that flew over.

My failure to achieve a photo of the moon over the mission was disappointing. A House Finch tried its best to cheer me up, but Carpodacus on cactus feels like I am forcing the alliteration too far.

Birds seen; 15

Gambel’s Quail 7, White-faced Ibis 4, Cooper’s Hawk 1, Red-tailed Hawk 2, Mourning Dove 200, Gila Woodpecker 2, Western Kingbird 3, Common Raven 4, Barn Swallow 5, Verdin 1, Curve-billed Thrasher 1, Abert’s Towhee 5, Yellow-headed Blackbird 1, House Finch 25, Lesser Goldfinch 3.

San Xavier del Bac Mission can be seen at Google Earth ref; 32 6 25.84N 111 0 28.32W. It is close to Highway 19 as it runs south from Tucson.

Visit the dedicated USA and Canada page for more posts from Tucson, including Madera Canyon and Patagonia.

Thinking big

I have been searching through heaps and heaps of boxes full of old hard copy photographs and slides, trying to find a particular picture. I came across this old print from a few years back at Bolsa Chica.
This Snowy Egret certainly had ambition, but when the fish turned and came closer, it showed a prudent sense of self-preservation and backed off slightly.

Can anyone tell me what kind of fish this is. I recall searching the nascent internet at the time, but found nothing. Now my conundrum is back to trouble me and I am still none the wiser.
Answers on a postcard please.

Creekside Park, Dubai, September 2013

Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun,

He knew he shouldn’t yet he,

Went out along the jetty,

The local chaps saw his slow collapse,

And smirked as he came undone.

Suited, booted, belted,

He melted.

In old Dubai, ‘neath a clear blue sky,

The natives are apt to sneer,

At a sun-struck fool, who has lost his cool,

At the end of a shadeless pier.

In Creekside Park, the Crested Lark

Looks after number one,

But mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun.

Today didn’t quite go to plan. The plan, such as it was, was to try and describe a route around the prime birding sites of Dubai. But it was fiercely hot and come Thursday lunchtime, traffic was already building for the weekend. I had to change my plans and decided on a short, gentle stroll through Creekside Park.

There are three entrances along the western edge of the park. The most southerly entrance is by the Children’s City at Google Earth ref; 25 14 7.66N 55 19 35.13E. Air conditioned bus stops here are a blessing when the heat hits you like a well aimed brick.

It was noon as I stepped from the cab and ridiculously hot. I was only likely to see the common birds that I have seen many times in Dubai, so what made me do this to myself I wonder. Anyway I persevered for a couple of hours in the midday sun and nearly did myself a mischief into the bargain.

A Striated Heron was sheltering beneath a short jetty and I tried to creep up and take its picture. This meant stepping out from the shade into the full heat of the early afternoon. A very uncomfortable experience. From the end of the jetty, I could see a good number of birds shading themselves on the base of the supports for Garhoud Bridge and my curiosity got the better of me. I couldn’t get close enough to make a good identification, but I suspect that many of them were Red-wattled Lapwings.

There were a few of the lapwings on the shore of the creek as I walked along the beach. There were also a few Common Sandpiper, a Greenshank and some Whimbrel. One of the Whimbrel was trying to find some shade in the childrens' playground where the hot metal apparatus must have been torture for little hands.

High above me the wires of the cable car system made a good perch for European Bee-eaters, Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters, and of course, loads of Eurasian Collared Doves.

Down to earth in the park, Eurasian Hoopoes were as common today as I have seen them before.

Most of the birds had made shade their priority of the day and I felt bad about flushing them and making them exert any energy in the stultifying heat. One moment of excitement came when I passed a treeful of White-eared Bulbuls and Red-vented Bulbuls in full squawk. Something had obviously upset them, but I couldn’t see what it might have been. There are a few feral cats in the park and perhaps one of them was threatening a nest. I gave the area a full look over and found a young Red-vented Bulbul. Perhaps the parent birds were getting very excited as their offspring left the nest.

Birds seen;

Grey Francolin 4, Striated Heron 1, Red-wattled Lapwing 15, Common Ringed Plover 1, Common Sandpiper 6, Common Greenshank 1, Whimbrel 5, Eurasian Collared Dove 60, Laughing Dove 4, European Bee-eater 4, Eurasian Hoopoe 15, House Crow 25, Red-vented Bulbul 5, White-eared Bulbul 20, Common Myna 45, Asian Pied Starling 3, Purple Sunbird 3, House Sparrow 120

For a previous post from Creek Park, follow the link below;

http://redgannet.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/creek-park-dubai-feb-2013.html

Visit the dedicated Middle East Page for more posts from Dubai., including Mushrif Park, Safa Park and Ra’s al-Khor.