And then there were Rufous-capped Warblers

Rufous-capped Warbler

Elegant Trogon

Waking, no one said it was easy, but it's a beautiful notion. A day opens up before you, and you get to choose where it takes you. Somewhere along the way, under the influence of routine academic or occupational commitments, we forget the freedom each new day offers us. 7:15 AM, the unutterable language of the digital alarm betrays my well-being. Then I remember, the same birds I was just dreaming about are waiting for me, somewhere. Suddenly, I'm wearing clothes, eating a bagel, and on my way to Tucson to pick up some work-related documents. Documents in hand, I've realized a work trip to Tucson means I'm in the neighborhood of some prime birding spots. I warm up with a stroll around Reid Park, admiring the Neotropic Cormorants, Canvasbacks, a Great Egret, and a Vermilion Flycatcher. Where to next? The Santa Rita Mountains are (kind of) on the way back home. I hop out on the trail armed with binoculars, a holstered camera, and a full Camelbak. I'm here to see Rufous-capped Warblers.

It's not long before I greet a couple of folks with binoculars heading down. They emphasize that the warblers were here earlier. Whatever direction they were trying to send my hopes, they remained up. I told them I hadn't seen a trogon, the bird they were here to see. Off I went, up the beautiful desert canyon. Classic seep willow, oak, and Arizona Sycamore setting the scene with a little cameo by some hackberry. American Robin, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Canyon Wren, Hermit Thrush, Spotted Towhee, Black-chinned Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, the birds kept not being warblers. I work my way farther up the canyon, squeezing through sotol and ducking under branches. Then bird alarms go off in the bushes in front of me, the energy, environment, and group participation remind me of Bushtits, but nay! The tiny greenish body, yellow breast, and rufous cap spoke Rufous-capped Warbler as they danced around, their personalities giving no short service to their breath-taking looks. I managed to finally operate my camera and reveled in their company for some time before they left me for rockier pastures.

My most sought-after bird now photographed, I headed down. Rufous-capped Warblers are extremely rare north of the border. Experiencing them was more of a lifting sensation than even I had imagined. On my way down, a Northern Harrier caught my attention, as did a Bewick's Wren that I couldn't promptly identify. I peered into a yucca after it, hoping for another confirmation glance. It was then I looked up. Right in front of me, Elegant Trogon! I immediately back up so I wouldn't scare it off and started taking pictures. I maneuvered around it on my way out, it then flew and nearly grazed my head as I was leaving. I felt bad, I believe in giving birds space, and gave the trogon as much as the trail would allow. I have had some exhilarating days birding this January, watching falcons hunt, seeing Sora shows, working up close with Grasshopper and Baird's Sparrows, witnessing a Golden Eagle glide over me in a canyon, but I could not have wished out the month on a higher point than today!  Big thank you to my encouraging friends, readers, and, of course, the awe-inspiring birds themselves.  :)

Miller Canyon

After a mid-morning banana and a rousing Google image search of Rufous-capped Warblers it was time to get on the bike.  This species was recently reported in two canyons, neither more than a couple miles from my house.  I was late out the door and tried to make the most of half a day of sunlight.  Powering up Miller Canyon road I stopped to photograph a Rock Wren while catching my breath and giving passing vehicles the friendliest waves I could muster as I clumsily side-stepped my bike out of their way.  Shortly I was at the trail head, my flannel way too hot for a January day in the mountains.  I took long purposeful strides towards the site 2-3 miles in where I heard someone could find the Rufous-capped Warblers.  But could I?  An Arizona Woodpecker teamed up with a Red-naped Sapsucker, White-breasted Nuthatch, and Brown Creeper had other ideas.  All nearly in the same field of view, the combined distraction was hard to calculate.  The Brown Creeper (pictured) is one of my favorite birds and watching it inspect the crannies of the bark of all the surrounding trees with hardly a pause to consider anything else around it is always a treat.  It's analogous to the grandma who has given herself permission to do anything she wants in public because she's 90 and that's reason enough.  I continued up and up, Bushtits and Ruby-crowned Kinglets in my wake.  A thoughtful Hermit Thrush occasionally out to check on what it is you're doing.  No warblers.  Soon I was elevated enough  to meet the Yellow-eyed Juncos.  At what elevation their kingdom starts is hard to say, but it is not one you can be a guest of without climbing considerably.  A lone Common Raven incited a Red-tailed Hawk into a back-and-forth chase as Spotted Towhees meowed like seasoned alley cats.  The warblerless journey met its end at a Ponderosa brimming with Pygmy Nuthatch, after a few chance recognizable pictures, I raced the mountain shadow back down to the valley to look for the Rufous-cappeds another day.   As of 1/14/14, picture count:  96 

Where we are.

Today, though traveling only a little over 30 miles, I was either on the bike, birding, or both from before dawn to after dusk, leaving little time to work on the website. I am adding pictures little by little. The Sparrow, Woodpecker, and Wren sections have warranted most of my attention followed by Hawks and Ducks.  If you're curious to check in, start with those. Added 23 species for the year today, including the elusive Virginia Rail and Sora. I wish my picture quality matched my excitement in seeing them, but the two do not go hand in hand. I spent a good part of the afternoon chasing the Green Kingfisher to no avail, but happily ran into a Common Yellowthroat and a few parades of Black-throated Sparrows. Can't say I wasn't pleased to see and hear a number of Green-tailed Towhees either. Anyhow, more stories and pictures to come! I found the Sinaloa Wren yesterday, and, if my legs work, tomorrow will be devoted to chasing Rufous-capped Warblers in the Huachucas. Good tidings friends!

Picture:  Friendly Hepatic Tanager in Huachuca Canyon watching as we looked for the Sinaloa Wren


Pictured Bird Count:  87
Bicycle miles:  186

  Welcome to Beaks and Bikes!  Why beaks AND bikes??  Aren't the birds enough?  Definitely!  It's my goal, however, like several conscientious birders before me, to complete as green a year as I can while taking pictures of as many bird species as I can in 2014.  

Current Pictured Bird Count: 87

I've categorized birds within the drop-down menu.  Feel free to explore, and click pictures for a larger view.  I'm working on this site as I go, so be encouraged to leave feedback!

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

(1/4/14 Gila River Bird Sanctuary)