While down here in Tucson I birded the known hot spots including Madera Canyon and Catalina State Park where I had repeated sightings of barns owls, this post is about a much lesser known birding location … the “other Catalina”. Approximately six miles north of the state park with the same name is Catalina County Park (eBird link). I had noticed a few eBird reports for this location, and when one report spoke of a small pond I had to try out birding at this location. The wash which runs through the county park is the same wash that ultimately gets down to the state park and bike trails a bit further south. Within the park is a very small pond. As noted, water in the desert equals birds. Better yet, next to the dirt road one drives to get to the gate where one parks (see map at bottom of post) are many horse corrals. In addition to water, small farms always always mean more birds due to the livestock feed and rodents which are attracted to same.

Over the past few days I have birded the county park each morning. My first morning I had the good fortune to meet up with a park maintenance worker, and got the scoop / low down from him. Just be advised this is not a developed park … no playgrounds of picnic area … just public land you are welcome to walk.

Tomorrow we start our trip back north. However, our route will be circuitous. The nasty weather is now exiting the Rockies and Great Plains, and the advance forecast for Sunday looks fantastic for Durango, Colorado. Bring on the Million Dollar Highway!

Catalina Regional Park Birds (link is to county park web site)

Harris Hawk (lifer)

Yellow-Rumped Audubon Warbler (lifer)(a different bird from the Yellow-Rumps of the Boreal Forest in Minnesota)

Ash Throated Flycatcher (lifer)

Cactus Wren

Coopers Hawk

Phainopepla (female)

Salamander (great camouflage!)

Albert’s Towhee

Annotated Map

What makes a good photograph? Does one need fantastic equipment? While expensive camera gear certainly helps, the more important aspect of wildlife and nature photography is the person behind the camera. To be a good photographer, one must be dedicated and perhaps obsessive to getting “the shot”.

With subjects like birds which move so very fast, I ALWAYS use burst mode. So much can happen in a micro second. The goal of a photograph should be to create art, not just photograph a bird. Early this morning I followed around five or six Phainopeplas in the hope of getting a good photograph. My constant hiking and positioning was a never ending to effort to get both the sun behind me (and on my subject), and find my target bird on an interesting perch. It goes without saying that I arrive on location around sunrise to get the best light. While the light at sunset is just as good, birds are much less active and harder to find.

Today’s photographic sequence of the Phainopeplas appealed to me because I was able to not only get my subject out in the open (as opposed to buried in a thicket), but also I love the curvature of the branches. Ultimately a little help never hurts when the subject bird performs. Finally, it is not unusual for me to come back from an outing with 500+ images which I wield down to just a few per bird type.

Phainopeplas … Birds and Curves

Upon returning from my three hour hike / birding expedition I immediately switched into cycling clothes. Given the wind was picking up, and was due to build up to 28 mph, it was time to ride. Without delay I took a 12 mile bicycle ride. While the ride was enjoyable, my AirBnB Western Screech Owl did not seem to approve of my getting my bike out of the car port! Uff Dah!

Lord (or Lady) of the Garage … Western Screech Owl

Once my friend realized I was NOT a threat … Zzzzzzz

Hmmm … Yesterday a Rattle Snake and today a Gila Monster. Apparently both are quite poisonous. At home my birding occasionally brings me face to foot with small Garter Snakes. Yesterday this process got started during my daily bicycle ride. I had discovered where a Red-Tailed Hawk nest was just off the bike trail. Upon mounting my bike for my return ride a 4.5 foot snake presented itself in my path.

As I knew someone else was riding a bit behind me, I yelled snake and steered just behind the snake to avoid running over the reptile. I thought the snake looked like a rattler, but I had never seen such a beast. The rider behind me exclaimed … wow … good sized rattler. I responded that at least I had quickly steered behind said snake.  My riding companion then said: Oh … they can turn and strike real quickly. Oh well … no harm done! I am still riding.

Fast forward to this morning during my morning birding hike in Sabino Canyon. I started watching a strange large reptile which was 8 feet in front of me. Listen to the sound track from the video I was taking. Uff dah! Still cool. Apparently Gila Monsters are quite rare. In the end my two birding excursions yielded two poisonous lifers! I have no desire to repeat these sightings, particularly the snake.

Here is a vista view of my walk in Sabino Canyon. Eventually I would be down hiking the trail in the photo. It was also cool to see Saguaro Cactus in bloom.

My hike shortly after sunrise at Sabino Canyon was super. Here are a few photographs I took of our fine feathered friends, who I like better than reptiles. Learn more about the relationship between birds and reptiles from Arizona State University’s Ask a Biologist.

Cardinal Looking Birds … (with unpronounceable names)

Phainopepla

Pyrrhuloxia

And some other birds …

Black-Throated Sparrow

Gambel’s Quail