Category Archives: Year 9

In the Desert … Find the Water, Find the Birds!

Year 9

This morning I drove over to Catalina Pond Regional Park for a morning hike. My goal was to walk into the pond, and discover what might be hanging out with the limited H2O! During my hike into the pond I saw an amazing number of sparrows and finches, and even a few Scarlet Flycatchers. Sadly, they were all flitting around so fast photographs were impossible.

However, the bird of the day (and seemingly this trip) was the Gambel’s Quail. They are everywhere calling to define their territories. The accompanying video was actually taken at my AirBnB while I was BBQing supper yesterday evening.

Gambel’s Quail

Gambel’s Quail Calling (video link for email subscribers)

My other surprise of the morning was discovering yet another Great Horned Owl’s nest at Catalina Pond. Just hike into the pond, stand by the water inlet and look up to your right! These owlets are younger than the chicks I discovered two days ago. See the video and you’ll discover the oldest trying to gain some freedom!

Great Horned Owl Mom on Nest #2

GHO Poppa back at Nest #1

Mom GHO on the 2nd Nest (video link for email subscribers)(watch for the owlet)

Finally, tomorrow my plan us to go and sit by an extremely small stream. The folks from the Tucson Audubon Society pointed this tiny bit of water out to me on Sunday at Catalina State Park, which was a bird magnet. The stream will be gone in a few days having dried out.

White Crowned Sparrow Bathing

Barn Owl and Great Horned Owl Family … Friends??

Year 9

I was dumbfounded yesterday afternoon when I found a Barn Owl and a Great Horned Owl Family peacefully coexisting within 30 yards of each other. My experience, and common birding thought has always taught me that Great Horned Owls, which are top of the food chain, will NEVER tolerate other owls or raptors nearby. However, north of Tucson I found just this situation. A family of five Great Horned Owls did not seem to mind the presence of the Barn Owl. I can only speculate that prey must be plentiful, because Dad GHO could have easily attacked and killed the Barn Owl. At home, I have found the remains of several Barred Owls underneath my local owl’s nests over the past four years.

I did some Google searches, and even the Cornell School of Ornithology seems to be in line with my way of thinking, but I did find one birder / naturalist who lives in Utah who experienced the same strange situation a few years back (read his account … with pics)

The Barn Owl

Mom Great Horned Owl and Family

Dad Great Horned Owl

Finally I have included images of both species chilling out and falling asleep … not the mark of a stressed out bird … the exact opposite. Let me stress that each image in this blog post was taken within a 100 yard radius (a very small area in terms of nesting and perches). I even think there may be a Barn Owl nest in the immediate vicinity, but I did not want to stress the owls out by making a close exhaustive search.

Two Owls a Sleeping

Las Cruces Roadrunner Dumb Luck Birding!

Year 9

Dumb luck birding! This is an essential requirement when birding, but the key is to let other folks know how to benefit from your luck. A few years back, quite by accident, Molly and I discovered that Las Cruces is a fantastic place to stop for one night, take a hike, and for me … easily see Roadrunners at a close distance which do not “exit stage left” upon seeing a human. The hiking path right next to the Rio Grande River in Las Cruces, New Mexico is great habitat for roadrunners, and because of all the “humans” that use said path, the birds have become somewhat used to people. During our first stay and bike ride a few years ago I saw lots of roadrunners along the path next to the river, often as close as 15 yards away, and the birds did not spook. Yesterday evening was no different. It is an easy 2.5 mile bike ride over to the river, and I saw my first roadrunner within yards of starting to bicycle along the river. Obviously one could also drive over and walk.

We stayed at the Comfort Suites … a very pleasant motel which is “south” of Interstate 10, and there is even a great small restaurant directly across the street … a vineyard which sells its own wines and serves Italian food with lots of outdoor dining, Luna Rossa Winery and Pizzeria. We are driving to Tucson. Thus, Las Cruces was a great final stop along our drive.

Las Cruces Roadrunner and Map