Interruption

Christine suggested (we've been married 44 years, so ....) that I interrupt the Bobcat Blog to share a story from yesterday. So, while I am at it there are two other short stories to add. First short story: yesterday Christine and I were sitting outside at the dining table eating lunch when I remarked there were no birds around; no hummingbirds at the feeders, no goldfinches at their feeders, no doves and quail rummaging around on the ground. I wondered why? The answer came quickly. Two Cooper's Hawks had been in the big African Sumac on the other side of the pool. This is a very densely leafed tree so we had not seen them until they flew off -- one towards us and the other perpendicular to that one. I did not have my camera, but here is a photo of a Cooper's Hawk from before:

Cooper's Hawk

photo taken at The Azure Gate

The second story was from last week when we were in the kitchen preparing breakfast and talking with guests. There were at least 20 doves sitting atop the tall (but dead) mesquite tree behind the African Sumac. We remarked that they were waiting for breakfast too. Not five minutes later we noticed three Harris Hawks sitting where the doves were -- guess they were also interested in breakfast. Unlike the bird eating Cooper's Hawk, the Harris Hawk is a small mammal predator, so the hummingbirds and goldfinches were still at their feeders. Again, no camera available but, here a shot from another time:

Harris Hawk

photo taken at The Azure Gate 

Finally, from the day before yesterday: I went to check out Lake Cochise and Waterwater Draw. This time of year it is difficult to guess what might be present. We are between the summer visitors and the winter visitors. But, that doesn't mean no birds. Obviously, those present year round are available. But there are also many migratory birds passing through this time of the year with only very brief stops. However, their migratory routes depend somewhat on the weather, so they could arrive and be gone one week one year, and be two or three weeks later the next. All this to say there wasn't much going on at Lake Cochise: ducks, a few avocets, a few dowitchers, but essentially that was it. However, there is a marshy area called "Twin Lakes" very close to Lake Cochise. Now, "Twin Lakes" is somewhat misleading. They are ponds at best, and not very large ones. Why am I telling you this? Because at one of those "Twin Lakes" was a birder very excited to tell me that a lone Pectoral Sandpiper was there. I don't remember ever seeing a Pectoral Sandpiper before. The Pectoral Sandpiper is a long distance migrant. It summers in the Arctic and winters in South America (New Zealand or Australia). It stops for a couple of days in the Eastern half of the US and Canada. So, it is very rare to Arizona.  But, as you will notice from the photo, rare or not it is (was) in Arizona on October 25, 2010. The tell tale signs are the very densely streaked breast with a relatively abrupt white lower belly and yellowish legs. A very distinctive and unique pattern for sandpipers.