Tanagers

Continuing with Tanagers:

Western Tanager Male

Western Tanager Female

Western Tanager Juvenile Male

Summer Tanager Male

Summer Tanager Female

Hepatic Tanager Male

Hepatic Tanager Female

Birding Fort Huachua

First, let me welcome the 131st Country to visit our blog: Malawi. I must admit that I had to look it up to find out exactly where it was -- and some information about it. It is in East Africa bordered by Zambia, Tanzania, and Mozambique. It is about the size of Ohio but Lake Malawi takes up about a third of its area. And while the population of Ohio is about 11 million, the population of Malawi is about 16 million.

As for birding Fort Huachuca:

The Huachuca Mountains have become arguably the best birding spot in Southern Arizona, which is often said to be the best birding in the United States. Within the Huachucas there is Miller Canyon, Carr Canyon, and Ramsey Canyon all providing wonderful birding. There is also both Huachuca Canyon and Garden Canyon within the boundaries of Fort Huachuca. So it does require a pass to get on the post.

Christine and I went out birding last week early in the morning to try to beat the monsoon rains which can pummel the mountains rendering birding impossible.

The monsoons did finally arrive but not before get some nice photos on the way up Garden Canyon:

Blue Grosbeak

Hepatic Tanager

Loggerhead Shrike

Mexican Jay

Sulphur Bellied Flycatcher

Mount Lemmon

Yesterday, Christine and I went up to Chihuahua picnic site just for a picnic. This was not a birding trip, just a fun picnic.

Of course I did take my camera -- just in case.

Shortly after we started eating a male Hepatic Tanager flew into the tree just above us. My camera was next to me so I picked it up and got one quick photo before he "got away." As luck would have it, the photo turned out nice. 

We were also treated to a Black Throated Gray Warbler who was feeding low in the brush around us. I took several photos -- only one of which was clear.

And, of course, lots of Acorn Woodpeckers. I'll show one of those too.

Hepatic Tanager Male

Black Throated Gray Warbler

Acorn Woodpecker

Birding Madera Canyon

Wednesday and Friday of this past week I got a chance to bird Madera Canyon. Wasn't the best time of day 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. Both days I started at the Whitehouse Picnic area and hiked up the trail to the Amphitheatre (about a mile each way).

Nothing unusual, but some nice photos:

Bridled Titmouse

Dusky Capped Flycatchder

Hepatic Tanager

Plumbeous Vireo

Acorn Woodpecker

Arizona Woodpecker

Black Throated Gray Warbler

Mexican Jay

Western Wood Pewee

White Tailed Deer

Bug Eating Birds: Hepatic Tanager Female

Hepatic Tanager Female

Bug Eating Birds: Hepatic Tanager Male

Hepatic Tanager Male

Madera Canyon: In Short Meditative

Another trip -- this time with Christine -- and this time to Madera Canyon provide very relaxing and even spiritual. We stayed along the creek which had plenty of water and thus plenty of wildlife. 

Here are some of the photos:

Female Hepatic Tanager

Male Hepatic Tanager

The Omni-Present Acorn Woodpecker

Hermit Thrush

Dusky Flycatcher

Canyon Wren

Painted Redstart

White Breasted Nuthatch

Wild Turkey

Rufous Winged Sparrow

Rufous Hummingbird

What Constitutes a Good Day Birding?

So I took a day off to "Bird" in Huachuca Canyon, Huachuca Mountains, Southern Arizona.

Being deaf in one ear, and cochlear implant in the other puts me a a bit of a disadvantage when it comes to birding. I can't identify a bird by its call, nor can I locate it (because only one ear works -- somewhat) by its sound.

So I have to rely on sight. In dense vegetation, that usually means movement. But when moving it's obviously more difficult to photograph.

Nonetheless, I have been reading about the Sinaloa Wren that has been seen in Huachuca Canyon for the last several months. So, off I went.

"Now, a few words on looking for things. When you go looking for something specific, your chances of finding it are very bad. Because of all the things in the world, you're only looking for one of them. When you go looking for anything at all, your chances of finding it are very good. Because of all the things in the world, you're sure to find some of them."

Daryl Zero, The Zero Effect

Did I find the Sinaloa Wren?? NO. I thought for a moment I did, but it was a Bewicks Wren. But, further up the canyon I found a Pacific Wren. The PW is also rare to Southern Arizona, so I was quite please with that find. The only problem was that he moved too quickly in and out of the vegetation and then gone in another minute. So no photo. I also saw but didn't get photos of a male Elegant Trogon. 

So one of the keys to finding AND photographing wildlife is to put yourself in the place with the most potential. That doesn't guarantee success though. You need some luck. I've sat in spots with great potential for hours and didn't see -- or photograph so much as a LLB (little brown bird).

However, toward the end of the day I found a large rock in the middle of the creek on which to sit and contemplate life's mysteries. There was some cover so I was inconspicuous. Within one minute a Swainson's Thrush came to bath; then a Yellow Rumped Warbler; then a Hepatic Tanager; then a Bullocks Oriole; then a Townsend's Warbler. All in the space of about five minutes. Both Potential and Luck.

This all happened no more than 30 feet in front of me. I expected great photos. And, while I did get some great ones I was disappointed that all the Bullock's Oriole photos were slightly out of focus:

Bullock's Oriole

 Here, though, are some of the ones that turned out well:

Hepatic Tanager

Yellow Rumped Warbler

Townsend's Warbler

Swainson's Thrush

So, by and large a GOOD DAY BIRDING!!

Tomorrow, maybe a few more photos from my trip to Huachuca Canyon.

The Hepatic Tanager

Continuing with my "5" Star Photos we come to the Hepatic Tanager. All the Tanagers are beautiful. Even more so because they aren't abundant. When you find one you can't help but be excited. Of the four Tanager species in the US, the Hepatic Tanager has the smallest range essentially just Arizona and New Mexico. The Hepatic is similar to the Summer Tanager but has grey auriculars and flanks as in this photo.

Hepatic Tanager

Bears, Pronghorn, Elk, Oh My .....

It's still just a matter of luck.

The strategy for the Wildlife Photographer is to put yourself in the place with the most potential. If you want to find and photograph a bear, then looking in downtown Tucson probably won't yield a positive result. Neither would looking in the Sonoran Desert. Mountainous areas with trees provide a much higher potential. Bears like leaves, berries, nuts, bugs found on and around trees etc. 

So while I was in Flagstaff the last couple of days, I got up just before dawn and off I went in search of bears. First, the San Francisco Peaks and second Mount Elden. Both of these are areas where I have found and photographed bears before. So I put myself in areas with the most potential. 

Still, it is a matter of luck! I saw one bear charging across the 4x4 mountain road (up Mt. Elden). By the time I got to that spot he was nowhere to be found. I searched the area for a while but without seeing him again.  Had I been there 15 seconds earlier I might have gotten a much better look  .... even a photograph. Had I gotten there 5 seconds later, I wouldn't have seen him at all. Right place, right time ... just not exactly the right moment in time.

"Now, a few words on looking for things. When you go looking for something specific, your chances of finding it are very bad. Because of all the things in the world, you're only looking for one of them. When you go looking for anything at all, your chances of finding it are very good. Because of all the things in the world, you're sure to find some of them." Daryl Zero.

Although I did briefly see the Bear, and I saw and photographed some Pronghorn and Elk, my best photo of the two days was unexpected, a very nice male Hepatic Tanager:

Hepatic Tanager

A Day in the Life of a Photographer Birder

We have some wonderful guests staying with us (Susie and Steve) that have become good friends over the years. Yesterday, after breakfast we headed out together to Huachuca Canyon to do some birding. The scenery was beautiful, the "hike" was welcomed exercise, the company was enjoyable ......... oh, and the birding was better than expected. 

Here's how the day went pictorially: 

Almost immediately there was the barking of an Elegant Trogon. Thanks to Steve we located it very quickly. Getting a good photograph was a little tricky as it moved around frequently and always with lots of tree branches and leaves obstructing the view or making focusing difficult. Of the 15 or so photos only one was in focus with no obstructions. Of course, his head was turned at the time.

Elegant Trogon

Then we were treated to a pair of Hepatic Tanagers. The male quickly flew up the wall of the canyon. I could see him occasionally but he was much too far for a photo. I only got one photo before he flew away. It's a completely out of focus photo that I only -- temporarily -- saved to demonstrate the difficulties in photographing birds.

Hepatic Tanager Male

The female Hepatic Tanager presented a different challenge. She flew about six feet from me, but with my super telephoto lens was too CLOSE to focus on. She also had the habit of sitting directly above me or directly into the sun. After a couple of minutes though she appeared at a distance of about 100 feet and I was able to get some photos. This is the one I like best:

Hepatic Tanager Female

Next comes a treat for me. My first good photo of a Black Throated Gray Warbler. With the photo comes the knowledge of just how beautiful this bird is. The illustrations in Sibley's for example, really don't do this bird justice. So, for me, this was the prize of the day:

Black Throated Gray Warbler

We continued on to an area with a magnificent Sycamore Tree. It just felt like the perfect place to sit for a bit. To our surprise and good fortune, Steve found a couple of Hummingbird nests in the surrounding fir trees. We watched as the hummers flew into and out of their nests. It was delightful. It took some maneuvering to get to a place where a photo was possible. Susie suggested that I climb an adjacent tree.   After we all had a good laugh I continued to search for an answer. A hillside next to one of the nests provided the best angle. Identifying the hummer is a bit tricky, but I am guessing a Black Chinned Hummingbird. Here's one of the photos of her sitting on her nest.

Black Chinned Hummingbird

 Next, a California Sister Butterfly seemed to provide a wonderful photo op:

California Sister

And, in the occasional absence of birds, plants provided a couple of photos:

Columbine

Just some Grasses

Then finally, what would have been a nice treat was a Hermit Warbler. But, once again he moved around so quick a photo was very difficult. This one too will go into the trash bin as soon as the post is done.

Hermit Warbler

So, all in all a wonderful day birding with good friends. Thanks Susie and Steve!