Photos by Peggy Thomas
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Wednesday, November 30, 2016
Saturday, November 26, 2016
Scottsdale Ranch Park 2nd Annual Thanksgiving Bird Count
Red-breasted Sapsucker at Scottsdale Ranch Park, Nov. 24, 2016 Photo by Peggy Thomas |
What a great way to start Thanksgiving day! I thought the highlight of the Scottsdale Ranch Park 2nd Annual Thanksgiving Bird Count would be the Red-breasted Sapsucker and that the rest of the count would consist of the usual city park birds. I was wrong. There were a number of highlights on this count, starting with a Red-naped Sapsucker appearing in one of the mesquite trees near the tennis courts.
Red-naped Sapsucker at Scottsdale Ranch Park, Nov. 24, 2016 |
Greater Roadrunner at Scottsdale Ranch Park, Nov. 24, 2016 |
A gaggle of birders gathered at Scottsdale Ranch Park, Nov. 24, 2016 |
Says Phoebe at Scottsdale Ranch Park, Nov. 24, 2016 |
Scottsdale Ranch Park is very wheelchair friendly with sidewalks curving all around, and smooth grassy areas filled with a wide diversity of trees. There were so many different tree types that I wished we had an arborist with us! The Desert Garden area is a bit more challenging for someone using a wheelchair as the trail is sculpted to look like a long winding rattlesnake! Very cool art but a bit bumpy.
Other surprises on the count included two Says Phoebe, a female Vermilion Flycatcher, two American Kestrels, and a creepy but cool tarantula hawk (a bug, not a bird). The count was organized and led by Diana and Bill Herron. To see the complete bird count go to eBird.
A far-away Yellow-rumped Warbler, 1 of 9 counted. |
A female Costas Hummingbird enjoying the bottle-brush bush. |
All photos by Peggy Thomas
Thank you Diana and Bill for a wonderful
Thanksgiving Bird Count full of surprises!
Thanksgiving Bird Count full of surprises!
Wednesday, November 16, 2016
Wordless Wednesday
Labels:
Gilbert Water Ranch,
Snowy Egret,
Wordless Wednesday
Tuesday, November 15, 2016
Desert Botanical Garden
Yesterday's Monday Morning Bird Walk at Desert Botanical Garden was quite a hoot - with four Great Horned Owls! One was actually in camera-range instead of being impossibly hidden high up in the cottonwood trees.
Several Verdin were clamoring over one berry-laden bush along the Wildflower Trail, not seeming to care at all that we were so close! You can even see the berry juice on the beak of the Verdins pictured above and below. (Personally, I prefer to eat my berries without being surrounded by paparazzi!)
Of course at the end of the walk when we calculated the numbers of species seen, the Greater Roadrunner and the Harris Antelope Squirrel had to make an appearance so that they could be included in the final count.
There were a number of species of note that I was happy to see - American Kestrel, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, Pyrrhuloxia, and Yellow-rumped Warbler.
In recent weeks there have also been a Red-naped Sapsucker, two American Robins, a Loggerhead Shrike, and of course my favorite winter visitor, the White-crowned Sparrows!
To see complete lists of what has been seen in the Garden, see the awesome website, updated weekly, by William and Diana Herron, DBG - Birdwalks Birdlists
Special thanks to the Desert Botanical Garden's docents who have faithfully held the Monday Morning Birdwalks for I don't know how many years - William and Diana Herron, Andree Tarby, Don Witter, Jackie Anderson, Joyce Goodman, Gay Christensen, Merle and Dee Long and many others. We are so fortunate to have so much birding knowledge being generously shared on a beautiful weekly walk!
Labels:
Desert Botanical Garden,
Great Horned Owl,
Greater Roadrunner,
Harris Antelope Squirrel,
Verdin
Friday, November 11, 2016
Tour de Bird 2016
The Desert Rivers Audubon really rocked it this year with their Tour de Bird 2016. I didn't make it to all the stops, but the ones I did see were spectacular. The pics above and below are a great example of maximizing the use of a very small yard.
This amazing habitat is in the narrow back patio / yard space of a townhouse! It was a warm day, but as soon as we stepped into this mini-paradise it felt 10 degrees cooler.
Photo by Kimberly White-Knight |
The home-owners installed the stream originally, then later had it re-vamped by the Pond-Gnome. The Pond-Gnome is a locally owned business in the valley specializing in design and installation of backyard ponds and recirculating streams and waterfalls. They also convert old swimming pools into beautiful eco-friendly, water-conserving backyard ponds.
Photo by Kimberly White-Knight |
Photo by Kimberly White-Knight |
If you are bummed out that you missed out on this year's Tour de Bird, mark your calendars for next year, the event is usually held on the first Saturday in November. Maybe MY yard will be on Tour de Bird 2017!
There was even Devil's Claw available for purchase, singly or in bundles called "hats". |
See one of the larger projects the Pond Gnome has done, utilizing and recycling the rainwater runoff from the apartment complex parking lot!
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