Life Mammal

     This morning I woke up and "my" birds were not singing !!  Maybe they are upset because I woke up late and did not put seed out until after 8 am.  A bit later I was walking to the employee parking area when a Cooper's Hawk zoomed over my head into a Mesquite.  That's why all the little birds went into hiding !!
      Today was my first official day off.  I went birding of course !   I drove south on Hwy 19 to Montosa Canyon, south of Green Valley.  The Smithsonian Institute's astronomy observatory is further up the same road.  When water is running in the creek it is a wonderful magnet for birds.  The little creek has been dry for several weeks but I did find birds.
     Green-tailed Towhees, Cardinals, and a Fox Sparrow scratched in the leaf litter looking for tasty tidbits.  Canyon Wrens serenaded from the hillside, while Rock Wrens squeaked and a Bewick's Wren hopped around in the thicket.  Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Gnatcatchers and an un-seen Woodpecker finished the list.  Red-tailed Hawks were sitting on phone poles along the frontage road.
     After lunch I went north again, to Madera Canyon.  The flock of Mexican Jays greeted me in the parking lot, as did the Acorn Woodpeckers.  Bridled Titmice and Grey-headed Juncos flitted in the trees.  I had a brief look at a Painted Redstart.  At the Santa Rita Lodge feeders several people were watching the Wild Turkeys and Jays.  2 Rufous-crowned Sparrows were found.  Then a 4-legged creature with a very long tail walked out from behind the Turkeys.  A Coatimundi  !!   In all my birding around AZ, this was the first time I have seen a Coatimundi !!
     Madera Canyon's creek still has water trickling thru the rocks.

Bird List

Oh my, all the AZ desert specialties !!   The mornings start with the Curve-billed Thrasher calling  "whit-whit    whit-whit"   and the White-crowned Sparrows answering  "dee dee-dee dee dee."   In front of my window, in the desert landscaping "lawn,"  is a structure that looks like a platform feeder.  So I put some bird seed in it.  The next day House Finches,  House Sparrows, Brewer's Blackbirds, and Brown-headed Cowbirds had found it.  I don't want to encourage Cowbirds in their  "dirty deeds"  so I sprinkled seeds on the ground near the huge agave and Palo Verde trees. That attracted more White-crowns, Pyrrhuloxias, Cardinals, Cactus Wrens, and a Rufous-winged Sparrow.  This morning the Thrasher was on the ground as well.  Phainopeplas are having a good season. I see them often sitting in the trees.  A covey of Quail scurried by yesterday morning.
     I took an early morning walk in a dry wash behind the buildings.  Chipping Sparrows, a Gila Woodpecker, Gnatcatchers, a pair of Red-tailed Hawks on the cross-arm of a phone pole, and a flock of Black-throated Sparrows all showed up.  They are one of my favorite sparrows. A very scruffy hummingbird was sitting up in a mesquite, likely a Broad-tailed.  I need to remember all these hummingbirds, now.
     Last night a guest told me he saw a Roadrunner roosting in the eves of his casita.

An Internet photo, of a Black-throated Sparrow I did not take this one.

photos of TVGR

employee casita

 horse corral with old fence

 office building

 restaurant and saloon

Mountain views are of the east end of the Catalinas merging into the north end of the Rincons

Tucson

I arrived at lunch time on Thursday after a long drive yesterday from Junction, TX all the way to Deming, NM.  Texas Hill Country is pretty, many Live Oak trees and a few rivers. Hwy 10 travels thru some very dry open country after that. El Paso reminded me of Phoenix:  too much traffic, a lot of commercial development, and a great deal of urban sprawl.  Industrial development flows over the border with New Mexico for several miles.
     This photo is of a trail with native Sabal Palms in Texas.
South of Deming is a nice camping area, Rock Hound State Park.  I had time for a short hike before the sun set.  Black-throated Sparrows !!   Rock Wrens, and 2 species of Quail  (Gambels and Scaled).   
     Tanque Verde Guest Ranch is on the very end of Speedway's pavement at the east end of the Catalina Mts.  This place is pretty snazzy:  the buildings look like an old ranch well maintained.  Currently 150 horses live here, more are coming for the winter.  Its a very popular place for meetings, retreats, and weddings.  3 weddings are scheduled for this week.
     My room is in a casita of 4 rooms.  This casita is given for employee housing. And most surprising is all 4 of us are from Grand Tetons Park !!  Each room has its own bathroom, a refrigerator, and a big queen bed.  Kayak and bicycle are still on the roof as their home is yet to be determined. 
   I will take photos tomorrow.

 A Laughing Gull with Brown Pelicans on a
pier in coastal TX. The left most Pelican is stretching its bill pouch.

 Rio Grande River.  This riparian vegetation is a tough dense thicket.
    

Across Texas

Texas is a big state.  I decided to stay away from the big interstate highways as much as possible.  I drove around Houston with the side benefit of visiting a nice county park.  What birder could resist the Gulf coast beaches and the shorebirds ?  I met up with a group who invited me to come along to other birding locations.  It was great fun to be with people who really know Texas birds.  So I have tarried a few days in the Great State of birds.

     The drought has badly affected Texas wetlands.  Many resaca areas are dry, and reservoirs that once served a big ranch have also dried up.  Tough thornscrub and Palm trees are surviving to provide habitat for wildlife and birds.
     This middle photo is of lichen draped trees as the sun is going down.  The Least Grebe is not in perfect focus.  A group of them were foraging closer to shore.