Sweetwater

December 19, 2023

New Bird! Now that definitely calls for a post. First though, a brief aside for some Personal News: Rachael’s been sampling the different flavored coffees we showed you when we arrived, and finally found the one that really excites her: peppermint stick ice cream. Oh it’s so delicious!

But back to the birds. Inspired by the Grampies who got up early and set off in the dark an hour and a half before sunrise to hunt for birds In Cozumel yesterday, I got my own early start this morning - up at five, two cups of Basic Black and a bowl of granola downed, I’m heroically out the door just past dawn at 7:30, on my way to the Saint Mary’s loop access point.

Rachael, that slug, won’t get rolling for a few hours more - but to her credit, the 44 miles she racks up riding out to Pantano Wash and back more than doubles the 19 I’ll end up with, and she does come back with a video that gives the best look at the weather conditions for the day as well as a great look at the long mural along the Rillito Wash that was only half done when we were down here last winter:

Video sound track: Guitka, by Jasmin Williams

Oh, and later she’ll brag that she saw a roadrunner, a bird I’ve got my eye out for all morning but never see. Somehow Rachael always sees more roadrunners than I do.

It’s overcast, grey and quiet when I bike north up the Santa Cruz. Warm enough though, considering the time of day - in the mid-fifties already, and fine with my jacket on. I pass only a few other bikers out this early, and don’t see much in the way of birdlife: mourning doves, a few grackles, a Cooper’s hawk, and a pair of Gila woodpeckers attacking a utility pole too high up for a decent shot in this dim light. And an Abert’s towhee, unusually perched at the top of the snag instead of hiding in the underbrush like I usually spot them.

That all changes when I come to Christopher Columbus Park and spend the next hour slowly circling Silverbell Lake. The lake and its apron are teeming with birds this morning, and its banks are lined with a few dozen early bird fishermen. I’ve never made it out here this early before, but it’s worth the effort. I’m sure I’ll do this again sometime this winter.

The first birds that jump out are the usuals - grackles, red-winged blackbirds, coots and mallards are all present in large numbers.

Silverbell Lake, and a legion of American coots.

Out there with them though are some more interesting finds: some ring-necked ducks and pied-billed grebes, exactly one redhead and one snow goose, but most exciting is a black-crowned night heron, keeping a low profile as he secretively and silently inches his way along the shoreline looking for heron food. This is probably the best look I’ve ever gotten of this bird.

And then, out on the small island in the middle of the lake is one of the species I’ve been hoping to find in town: a neotropic cormorant, a new species for me. In fact I didn’t even know it was a species until recently. It’s a Latin American bird that barely makes it north of the Mexican border - it’s one the Grampies could watch for down in the Yucatan. It’s still listed as just an accidental species in southern Arizona, but maybe climate change is extending the range further north.

There are about ten of them out on the island, all clustered close together slowly flapping their wings. If they’d been closer in I’d have probably shot a video of it.

After about an hour though I come back to the south end of the lake where I started, and it’s time to move on. I’ve been out two hours now and have only covered about eight miles - Rachael could have covered this on foot in the same time! Before going though, let’s have a look at how pretty the lake itself is this morning. This is earlier than we usually make it down to Tucson, and there’s more color in the foliage. I suspect it will all brown out soon, so we’d better look while we can.

Actually, this shot is misplaced. It’s from across the Santa Cruz, on my way to Sweetwater.

The next stop is just across the wash at Sweetwater Wetlands, the top birding spot in town. I’ve been here several times before, and like Silverbell Lake based on today’s experience it’s a place worth waking up early for. Before we get to the birds though let’s look at how pretty it is here too this morning:

There. That’s done, let’s get back to the birds. A better birder would see more - especially the warblers and other small birds that I just get a quick glimpse of. I’m more than pleased with what I do find though, with a few I’m really excited by - especially the immature Cooper’s hawk and night heron, the ladder backed woodpecker and cactus wren.

An immature Cooper’s hawk, ruffled from preening. Compare this against the photo of the adult up above. It took me awhile to figure out what species this was, it looks so different.

An immature night heron, another bird that looks much different than the adult we just saw.

For me, this has been a fantastic morning. I’ve gotten a half dozen shots I’m really pleased with and identified 33 different species, which might be the largest single day count I’ve ever accumulated. In addition to ones shown here there’s an Anna’s hummingbird, Say’s and black Phoebe, mockingbird, blue winged teal, ruddy duck, shoveler, Gambel’s quail and a few others that round out the list.

I’d been thinking I might take the long way home by biking north and then along Rillito Wash to Mountain for something like a 40 mile day, but it’s nearly noon and I’m out of time. It’s errand day - I need to get my prescriptions filled at a pharmacy up north and then I’m heading over to the nearby REI to look for new shirts, bike socks and underwear. So I just head for home, about six miles away. Almost as soon as I leave Sweetwater though I look across the wash and see a familiar profile rolling south on the bike path on the other side: Kelly! I race to get ahead of her and then holler across to prompt her to look up.

After I get my shot I start up again, thinking I’ll cross over to her side at Grant and stop for a chat; but I’m not far along when I hear the familiar call of a Gila woodpecker up above and stop for a last bird shot for the day, and by then it’s too late to catch up with her. Which is fine - we’ll undoubtedly hook up a few times in the days ahead.

Today's ride: 44 miles (71 km)
Total: 368 miles (592 km)

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Steve Miller/GrampiesWow, what an amazing birding day you had. Thanks for the shout out - guess the early bird really does catch the worm, or photo.
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4 months ago

marilyn swettNice selection of birds on that ride! We've never been to that lake because we usually camp at Catalina SP which makes for a long ride.
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4 months ago

Scott AndersonTo Steve Miller/GrampiesIt was a pretty great day alright. It spoiled me though. I’m not sure I’ll go out birding again for awhile because it won’t be this good.
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4 months ago

Jen RahnI love how this post captures the magic of this season and of the early morning.

Thank you for all the ways your careful attention invites your readers to your experience of joy!
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4 months ago

Janice BranhamLovely shots of the new murals in Rachael's video. It's great to finally see them without the orange cones lined up in front.
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4 months ago

Rachael AndersonI love this mural! I’m glad I still could use my GoPro. Unfortunately, on Wednesday as I was bringing my bike inside the mount broke. It’s the second mount I broke this year. I’ve ordered some more that I should have by January 2. I can’t wait to see both of you again!
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4 months ago