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.  :)