Uff Dah! Not sure I can come up with a better exclamation than my Scandinavian slang. After all how else may one describe two lifers without even leaving the yard of the guest cottage Molly and I are renting here in Tucson?! While having dinner outside our first evening (definitely not April in Minnesota), some Gambel’s Quail provided the entertainment less than 15 yards distant. Given these birds were a lifer for me, it was darned difficult not to jump up from the table, rush inside and grab my camera. Instead, like the smart husband I am and who has been married 35 years I took another sip of Chardonnay!

However on day #2 late in the afternoon I was ready for said Quail to make an appearance. The birds did not disappoint, and I was treated to a courtship display!

Courting Gambel’s Quail

Normally, it might be expected that this great experience would end my story for the day, but that was not the case. When Molly and I returned from a pizza dinner, we had a delightful conversation with our hosts, Sylvia and Rich. Soon into our conversation they mentioned that an owl lived in their car port. Oh my … candy for a birder. I was invited to view and my first image later in this post of the Western Screech Owl was taken after sunset, and the next two photos were taken a bit before sunrise this morning. In between I had trouble sleeping, but I assume the owl hunted!

Some more on our AirBnb. We are ensconced in a “mother-in-law” apartment which is a separate building from the main house. We have our own private patio which faces East (important given the heat in this climate). The sunsets reflected on the mountains to our east are drop dead gorgeous, and the yard is southwestern wild (beautiful). As noted, our hosts are fantastic. We chose this location in north Tucson because of its proximity to paved bike paths and Catalina State Park. This morning I cycled over to the park on the bike trail … only 3.25 miles … great hiking and birding. More on this later. One may also bicycle all by paved trail to Sweetwater Wetlands, but I will reserve that for another day.

Please note: As our rental is part of a home in private neighborhood, birders should not expect to see the owl unless they rent the AirBnB. I assume this goes without saying, but it is important to respect private property.

Western Screech Owl

For the past nine days Molly and I have rented a super condo from Jim, about one mile south of the United States Forest Service Sabino Canyon Recreation Area. This area allows us to easily escape into the desert wilderness, but also utilize Tuscon’s bicycle riding lanes and trails.

After I finished work upon the materials I will soon present to the Minnetonka Birding Club, I took one last bicycle birding trip over to the Canyon. Before I get to this morning’s birds, all are welcome to attend my presentation. There is no admission charge. I will speak about birding northeast Minnesota and the use of super zoom cameras in birding photography.

• Rich’s Presentation to the Minnetonka Birding Club
• Friday, March 2nd from 10:00 to 11:00 am
• Minnetonka Community Center

On to this morning’s birds … one final lifer!

Anna’s Hummingbird (lifer)

Ladder-Back Woodpceker

Phainopepla

Northern Mockingbird

I decided another visit to Madera Canyon was required (previous post). After all, how often do you get to search for the Elegant Trogon? Well, my Minnesota roots told me to arrive by sunrise. Thus, I drove the first car into the Proctor Road parking lot just a few minutes before the sun popped above the mountain ridge to the east.

Apparently I forgot to ask the birds if like Minnesota birds, they get up with the sun. Although this boy from the frozen Northland did not consider an air temperature of 38F cold (sun and no wind), the local birds begged to differ with me. For the next 90 minutes I hiked the mountain trails and saw zippo (or almost). Finally, when the air temperature soared into the mid forties the birds became active. Alas, four hours of hiking did not yield an Elegant Trogon, but I did see and occasionally photograph a lot of neat birds. For those of you who know the canyon, I never visit the Lodge’s bird feeders. I preferred hiking in the woods. It is cool when you reach a certain elevation and the habitat suddenly changes.

My rarest find was a pair of Montezuma Quail (lifer)

The ever present clown bird … the Acorn Woodpecker

It’s bigger cousin … the Red Naped Sapsucker (lifer)

A Painted Redstart (lifer) that would never stand still, let alone show its head.