SE Arizona Part 1

Southeast Arizona had been hyped up to me as the best birding location in the United States, and it's easy to see why. The Sky Islands in the mountains southeast of Tucson host a variety of unique species of animals that can be found nowhere else in the United States, and offer amazing hiking opportunities. This was my dream birding trip, and the various mountain ranges gave me a chance to see my most sought after ABA birds like Elegant Trogon and Red-faced Warbler.

Acorn Woodpecker

I flew out the Friday before Memorial Day to take advantage of an extra day off, as well as cooler weather. I was wrong about the last part, after talking with people from the area they told me that time of year is actually hotter, while it cools off later in the summer. But being in the mountains I didn't notice, and the weather was very pleasant.

I wanted to prioritize the location I was most hyped about, Ramsey Canyon. Located less 10 miles from the Mexican border, this is a magnet for birds that just barely extend their range into the US. The canyon is great to bird because you can work your way up to higher elevations, giving you an opportunity to see more birds that specialize at different elevations. I stayed right below the canyon entrance at the Ramsey Canyon Inn, a renowned B&B with great feeders.

Rivoli's Hummingbird. One of the only lifers I've seen before putting my glasses on

I woke up before breakfast to the sound of birds I was unfamiliar with. My room overlooked the garden, and I was taken aback at all of the hummingbird activity. World class birds were right outside my window! I sat in the garden for about 20 minutes before eating, and picked some amazing lifers. I couldn't pick a favorite. My hummingbird knowledge isn't that extensive since I usually only get to see Black-chinned and Ruby-throated, so these feeders blew my mind. Of course the massive Rivoli's Hummingbird had me slack-jawed, I was blown away by the Broad-billed Hummingbirds. The surprise of the day was the bird of the session, a Violet-crowned Hummingbird. They are very rare in the United States, with the only reliable place being Paton's in Patagonia. This was also one of my top 5 ABA birds. It was an omen for the day.

Violet-crowned Hummingbird

After breakfast I began my hike up Ramsey Canyon. The trail is about 9 miles round trip from the parking and is pretty strenuous, but I've learned that strenuous means good birds. There is no easy bird, you either have to hike, drive, or deal with some level of discomfort (looking at you, Great Gray Owl) to get. From the get go I was seeing lifers like Hutton's and Plumbeous Vireo, and I was immediately in awe at the scenery around me. The clear blue sky, oak trees shading the trail, and calls of different birds really sweeps you away. Along the creek I had beautiful Painted Redstarts, a good motivator before I began my ascent. 

Painted Redstart

For the most part the hike is very pleasant outside of a few stretches, and the beginning ascent got to me, although Arizona Woodpeckers offered the perfect justification for a respite. I reached an overlook to stop for soaring White-throated Swifts, a bird I rarely get to see, and to soak in the views of the Huachuca Mountains. A loud and intense squeak shocked me, it was a pair of Sulphur-bellied Flycatchers! These are another one of my most sought after ABA birds.

Arizona Woodpecker

Activity picked up big time as I the trail followed the creek. Cordilleran Flycatchers were everywhere, and as I gained more elevation the birds I came for started appearing. I am not good with calls, but I knew warblers were above me. My #1 target bird, Red-faced Warbler, was the first one I saw. WOW, it looks so much better in person than field guides, and that should tell you something. Some lifers are better seen in their habitat, and this was the perfect example. The canyon walls, pine and oak trees, and smells of the forest was the best backdrop you could ask for. 

Red-faced Warbler

Within a few minutes I also had Grace's Warbler, another highly sought after target, as well as the facemelting Western Tanager. The creek was extremely productive and it was probably the best 15 minutes of birding of my birding career so far. It also was the perfect motivator for the most challenging part of the hike. The trail is pretty flat for most of the hike, but the end is insanely difficult. You're pretty much going uphill at all times, and as a result it's very hard to bird, although I did hear a lifer Mexican Whip-poor-will calling during the day. Getting to the top was worth it with the views of the valley and the desert, but it was a killer. 

On my way down I stopped multiple times to admire Red-faced Warblers, which are way easier to see on the way down since you look at them from above as they perch down the slope. I got killer warbler neck after this first day, but it was worth it. My traps looked shredded and I got my #1 ABA bird.  I was also more aware of my surroundings, so I got to see some birds I would have missed, like Hermit Thrush. But the star of my trip down was a pair of Yellow-eyed Juncos, another range restricted bird in the US that you can only find at high elevations. It was an incredible last lifer in the canyon, and the hike out was very enjoyable as I got to focus way more on the scenery around me. It's the best birding in the lower 48 (only behind Kenai Fjords and Denali, which nothing can compete with). On one trail I had Rivoli's Hummingbird, Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher, Red-faced Warbler, and Yellow-eyed Junco. It doesn't get better than that in the United States.

I ended the day by going to San Pedro RCNA to poke around, getting one more lifer in Gila Woodpecker. It was dead at the end of the day but still nice to be out. My final minutes of birding involved listening for owls in front of the inn, which paid off with an Elf Owl! I went to bed as early as I could after birding over 10 miles, ready to get after it the next day.

San Diego

A few weeks ago I went out to San Diego to see my best friend since second grade, and you know we have to go birding when we travel somewhere. Due to work and this crazy thing called hanging with my boy, I didn't want to get out every day. I'm sure Daniel and Jacqueline needed a break from me, so I spent all day one day on a pelagic trip. 

The first and only pelagic I've done was out of this world, seeing storm-petrels, albatrosses, and shearwaters that I only thought I would get to see in field guides. Hyped was an understatement, but I was very nervous. Pelagic trips are long and if there are big swells you're in for a rough day. My Westport trip was supposedly the calmest seas ever, so I was prepping for a tough day. I arrived and checked in, only to be told that swells were 1-2 feet aka the lowest they can be. Let's go! All that worry over nothing...

The overcast morning was serene, and the it was way cooler than I expected, I'm very glad I turned around for my jacket on my way to the airport. Sea lion pups were frolicking in the water and Western Gulls were already following our boat, it was going to be a good day!

Western Gull

My first lifer was seen before we even hit the open ocean, an Elegant Tern, which would be very common throughout the day. Sooty Shearwaters appeared on the horizon, and we would see them throughout the day as well. Red-necked Phalaropes were everywhere, and my next lifer was a distant Black Storm-petrel off in the distance, one that I was very excited about.

Scripps's Murrelet

Eventually we got much better looks at the storm-petrel, but once we got further offshore the big kahuna hit. Murrelets flew across the bow in the distance, and despite being far away it was obvious what it was- SCRIPPS'S MURRELET! This was my most sought after bird of the trip, and it was one I have dreamed about for years. I used to know these as Xantus's Murrelet before it was split into Scripps's and Guadalupe, and it always struck me as a rare find in North America. It isn't, but back when my birding world was a triangle of Austin, Dallas, and Houston I thought I would never see these. And here I was, getting extremely cooperative views of one out of sight of land, almost across the border in Mexican waters. We would see tons of them, but each one was just as jaw dropping as the last.                                                     

As we got further offshore we started getting a following of birds. I really wanted to see the endangered Ashy Storm-petrel, but there aren't a ton of them and they can look very similar to Black. We would see very few of them, but I was able to get the ID down! 

We reached The Corner, our furthest point offshore, where Mexico meets San Diego and Los Angeles County. This was over 30 miles offshore, and we were looking hard for the extremely rare Cook's Petrel. We would miss the petrel, but we got a Sabine's Gull! I saw these in Washington and was stunned by them, and I went crazy over them again. What will it take to get one at White Rock?

Black Storm-petrel

At this point I was exhausted from all the excitement and I had to go lay down for a little bit, thinking it would be a little slow. Just as I was about to close my eyes, I heard "Northern Fulmar" over the speaker and shot up. Northern Fulmars are one of those seabirds that get me going, and they are very patient when it comes to boats. We got one within 20 feet of the boat, and I couldn't even use my binoculars on it. We thankfully stayed on it for 15 minutes before we decided to continue on. I laid down again, only to spring to my feet again when a Black-vented Shearwater, a lifer, began flying around the boat. That was the jolt I needed, no way could I sleep with so many good birds out!

Northern Fulmar

The rest of the day was mostly the same awesome birds, but as we were heading in we got one last surprise, one of my favorite alcids, a Rhinoceros Auklet! A rare find in this area, it gave us the energy we needed after being on the boat for over 10 hours to finish the day. You never know what you'll get on the ocean, and that was a hell of a way to finish the day. 

On Sunday I had a little free time and walked to Marston Canyon from Daniel's apartment. The weather was nasty and horrible for birding, but I was at lifer #498 and I had to get to 500! In the driving rain I would get it, Pacific Slope Flycatcher was 499 and Nuttall's Woodpecker was 500, just in time for me to rush off to lunch and get out of the rain. Marston Canyon has a ton of birding potential, the weather just sucked. Still, I had Warbling Vireo, Anna's Hummingbird, and an Allen's Hummingbird in such a short time. I also gained a new nemesis- Hooded Oriole. I can't find that bird anywhere, despite being in perfect habitat for it.

A pod of Rizzo's Dolphins, a rare find

South Florida Birding

I have to get creative with PTO at work since I have 2 weeks, and an appetite for birding that takes more than 2 weeks to satisfy. Too many birds to see and not enough time to do it. With this creativity I hatched a very ambitious plan to see 3 national parks in a long weekend, and Christina and I left in late April to attempt it.

Fort Jefferson, Dry Tortugas National Park

Our first park was Biscayne. Most of the park is water, and there aren't a ton of birding opportunities. We booked a half day snorkel trip in the mangroves. The water was cool and clear, and we saw a ton of cool fish that I couldn't identify, although I could identify the barracuda that swam by us in four feet of water! We finished the tour on Elliot Key, where I got my first lifer of the trip, a Gray Kingbird! Cape May Warblers were abundant and we had a Prairie Warbler and female American Redstart. There was a likely cuckoo, which could have been a Mangrove, but the bird disappeared before I could take a look. It only could have been a cuckoo, but with 3 different kinds in the area I couldn't tell. Of all rarities a Cardinal got flagged. After we finished we headed to Key West, unsuccessfully stopping to chase the Black-faced Grassquit. We pretty much missed it because it was 6:30 PM, way too late to expect it show up, but we did get up close looks at a growling alligator and a male Black-throated Blue Warbler, which is a bird I always get excited for. 

Gray Kingbird at Biscayne NP

We stopped at the Marathon airport to look for one of my more sought after ABA birds, Antillean Nighthawk. The directions of where to be at the airport were a little unclear but we eventually got in the right place. The best way to compare Antillean to Common is by call. Antillean has a 4 note and common has a single note. I heard multiple commons, but one had 2 notes. One guy got a look at one and ended up reporting Antillean, and I would bet money he was right. With that said, I wasn't confident enough to count it, oh well.

Black-throated Blue Warbler

Swallow-tailed Kite

Saturday morning was the day Christina and I were most excited about, we were heading to Dry Tortugas National Park. This is another part that is almost exclusively water, but our 2.5 hour cruise would take us to Garden Key to visit the historic Fort Jefferson, where Dr. Samuel Mudd, the man who set John Wilkes Booth's broken leg after assassinating Abraham Lincoln, was imprisoned. The park also has incredible birding. The only nesting sites in the continental US for Magnificent Frigatebird, Sooty Tern, Brown Noddy, and Masked Booby are in the park, and the fort is very good for neotropical migrants heading north. 

Black-and-white Warbler

The first bird I saw on the ferry was a Brown Booby, a bird that will always get me excited. But the flying animal that really caught my eye was the flying fish, which we saw many of. I loved watching them jump out of the wake and fly into a wave. My first lifer was a Masked Booby on Hospital Key, where there is a breeding colony. Soon the Sooty Terns started showing up in force, and I'm sure there were a few Bridled Terns mixed in but they're very hard to separate and way rarer. Frigatebirds joined in, and then I let out a gasp when I saw my first Brown Noddy, my favorite bird of the day. 

Brown Noddy

Sooty Terns

Garden Key had a very busy feeling to it when we pulled up, mostly as a result of the colony of Sooty Terns that were breeding there. There were thousands of them and they were calling nonstop. It's such a simple, but amazing experience to see these nesting colonies, and we would come back to enjoy it later, but first we ran into the fort to see what migrants were present. I knew it was going to be a good day when a male Scarlet Tanager zipped by us, and the migration bonanza would lead from tree to tree. It was impossible to keep with each bird. We would be enjoying a Cape May warbler when out of the corner of our eye we'd see a Prairie Warbler, but before we could settle on it a Yellow Warbler would snag out attention. Magnificent Frigatebirds hovered overhead the whole time while Peregrine Falcons swopped between us. 

Hooded Warbler

After lunch we walked along the nesting tern colony and got within feet of Sooty Terns and Brown Noddies before walking along the top of the fort and enjoying views of the island and water. We had a race against time, though. With only four hours on the island we were forced to cram in birding, a walk up top, and snorkeling. We made one last run through the fort, getting a lifer Veery and Gray-cheeked Thrush. We got very excited over a cooperative juvenile Summer Tanager and a Hooded Warbler that hung out at our feet. The finale was the Scarlet Tanager reappearing and bathing in the water fountain, which were the best looks of that species that I've ever had. We had just enough time to get a snorkel in, which was very refreshing with the heat. Our underwater birding was extremely productive and we saw a barracuda, snappers, and sergeant majors. Once we got back we walked around Key West and got White-crowned Pigeon before returning to Homestead.

Summer Tanager, Christina's favorite

We spent our last day visiting the Everglades, but we didn't have a ton of time. Smooth-billed Ani was an ABA bird I desperately wanted, and it was seen for the last time about an hour before we got there. We met other birders there who also didn't see it, and that sighting would be the last report of it. We made the long drive to Flamingo to look for Shiny Cowbirds and primarily to see the crocodile and manatees. While we missed Shiny Cowbird, we did get the crocodile and the manatees got so close to us we could feel their exhales. We were in awe getting so close to these amazing animals.

Scarlet Tanager

The biggest takeaway from this trip was that it can't be done properly in 3 days. We had an incredible time but were frequently racing to our next destination. I can't wait to get back to back to South Florida to dive a little deeper, especially in Key West. There is so much to see down there, and coming back with longer life list made it more than worth the trip. May is gonna be a big month for birding, with Galveston migration this weekend, a San Diego pelagic next weekend, and SE Arizona over Memorial Day!

                             

Golden-cheeked Warblers in Dinosaur Valley State Park

Most of my recent birding has been pretty local. I had an excellent experience with a Barred Owl at White Rock, but other than that it was the usual suspects. I leave this weekend on a much anticipated trip to all 3 national parks in south Florida, and in my excitement I had to get out and chase something. I was able to convince some friends, Alex Curry and Luke Curran to join me for a morning of looking for Golden-cheeked Warblers. 

Dinosaur Valley is one of  my favorite state parks, and it is criminally underrated. The hiking is spectacular and I consider Limestone Ridge and Denio Creek to be a top 5 hike in the state. There are also dinosaur tracks in the Paluxy River, which is also great to swim in. To top it all off Golden-cheeked Warblers nest there. I've seen these stunning birds before, but every year I have an itch to see them. They're the only bird that exclusively nests in Texas, and they're endangered. They're the perfect birds to go after around this time of year when you're antsy waiting on warbler migration to pick up.

Golden-cheeked Warbler

We arrived around 8:30 and it was way colder than I was hoping it would be, but while we waited for it to warm up we looked at the main track site in the river. The water was surprisingly not cold and we got clear views at tracks that were over 100 million years old! One dinosaur was hunting another when they left this tracks. We didn't have time for the ballroom site, but that is another must see.

We crossed the Pauluxy again and started our ascent up Limestone Ridge. The elevation is not significant, but it's interesting to see how the vegetation changes in about 100 feet. The lower elevations reminded Luke and I of the Chisos mountains where there is a lot of oak and denser vegetation. Once we got to the higher elevations it opened up a lot more, with Ashe Juniper being the dominant tree. This was the habitat we wanted to be in, as this is perfect for breeding GCWA. 

Northern Cardinal

Once we got into the habitat we were immediately greeted by a singing Black-and-white Warbler, which was extremely interesting until a Golden-cheeked erupted in song. While not tall, the trees were dense which prevented us from seeing it. We continued on, occasionally hearing more calling. As we rounded a turn near a "peak" we heard a loud Black-and-white, which we all stopped to look for. The area around us exploded with various bird calls. Blue-gray Gnatcatchers became visible and a Golden-cheeked started calling right in front of us. All we could see was the branches moving, and another one sang over our heads. As we scrambled to look it darted out right in front of us. Only Alex saw it, but he definitely got eyes on it.

Bird calls can be really tough to locate because the calls seem to echo off of rocks and trees. As we approached the overlook we heard another one loudly call, it was right on top of us. Alex had a hunch to go up the trail and he was right. The call got louder and we were temporarily distracted by a Black-chinned Hummingbird. But we committed a cardinal sin of birding: we completely lost interest in a hummingbird. We had good reason to, because a Golden-cheeked was singing right above us. 

Lark Sparrow

We had a total of at least 3 on the ridge, and the view of each one was better than a last. They were extremely active in the one tree that gave us the perfect view. They jumped around the exposed branches of an Ashe Juniper with the light behind us for about 20 minutes. Slack-jawed awe is probably the most accurate description of the feeling, and it was one of those unforgettable birding moments.

We didn't have many other species as we completed the last half of the hike, but that's to be expected. What this park lacks in diversity it makes up for in species quality. It was also nice to just enjoy a hike with friends on a beautiful spring day. Even if you aren't birding, Limestone Ridge, Denio Creek, and Black-capped Vireo trails are stunning, and you have to stop and periodically and enjoy the clear water beneath you. We finished our day in the quaint downtown Glen Rose where we dined on excellent burgers and pie at the Green Pickle and Pie Peddlers. 

The park and Glen Rose are a perfect day trip. Luke and Alex should definitely keep joining me on birding trips if they can deliver more birding magic. To say I'm excited for Florida would be a massive understatement.

Sax Zim Bog

There have always been birds in my field guides that I immediately make my peace about never seeing. Most of these cases in my North American field guide usually are northern birds that don't make it very far south. Gray-headed Chickadees, for example, are only found in the Alaskan wilderness that require bush planes, backpacking, and unreliable weather. But it turns out, I had a chance to see some of these birds if I was willing to face a few challenges.

White-breasted Nuthatch

The place to see some of them is the Sax Zim Bog, a 300 square mile area of bog and boreal forest about an hour north of Duluth, Minnesota. While it hosts a myriad of neotropical migrants in the summer, the main draws arrive in the winter. This is the most accessible site to see some of the hardest to find birds in the lower 48, like Hoary Redpoll, Northern Hawk Owl, and Boreal Chickadee. While not range restricted, this is also considered one of the best places to see Great Gray Owl as well. You just have to be willing to brave potentially frigid temperatures.

Woessner Bog Walk

Frigid turned out to be an understatement. I planned my trip for President's Day weekend, which happened to be during a polar vortex hitting the area. Lows were projected around -20, but that number inched lower and lower as my trip approached. Much to the chagrin of my family, I still decided to go.

The thermostat read -40. The coldest temperature I'd experienced prior to this was 15 degrees when I was in high school. My knees and face hurt, but the Admiral Road feeders, my first stop after searching for Great Gray Owl earlier in the morning, soon made me forget that pain. In front of me was my first lifer of the trip. There was not one, but a flock of Pine Grosbeaks, one of my more sought after birds. I looked for this stunning pink bird in Maine, Alaska, and Washington with no luck in the past. This was one of the birds that provided the inspiration to begin out of state travel, so to see these in person was an incredibly rewarding experience, and the serene snow covered ground and bright green spruce painted a perfect backdrop. I would return to the feeders multiple times throughout the weekend, and the Black-capped Chickadees, Canada Jays, and woodpeckers of the Hairy and Downy variety would never get old.

Pine Grosbeak

After that I went to the visitor center on Owl Avenue. I heard that this was one of the best places to find Boreal Chickadee, the bird I wanted to see most (I came into the trip not expecting to see Great Gray or Northern Hawk Owl). I immediately had another lifer upon arriving- Evening Grosbeak! A massive flock was swarming the feeders, and it almost hurt me to continue on my way. The cold definitely hurt, but I have wanted to see an Evening Grosbeak for years and it felt wrong to look to look away, even though there were other birds that had to be admired.

Evening Grosbeak

Walking down Gray Jay Way to was one of the more scenic part of the trip. Temperatures had warmed up considerably to around -10, which makes a big difference, and the trail of packed snow was lined by snow covered spruce and tamarack trees. Even though I wasn't far from civilization I got the same rush I felt when I was in Boot Canyon in Big Bend, or when Anthony and I hiked Thorofare Ridge in Denali. The majesty of the American outdoors was on full display. My short walk ended at a collection of feeders where there was already a small group of people waiting for the chickadee to show up. 

Gray Jay Way. There has to be Boreal Chickadees in those trees!

According to Sibley, Boreal Chickadee is usually more secretive compared to other chickadees, and as a result they very rarely will go to bird feeders. Except in winter. So while they do breed in Minnesota you are way less likely to be seen in more...pleasant weather. I looked for them in Alaska without luck, so deep winter was my best bet. My fingers were quickly going numb, but after about 20 minutes we heard a call! Shortly after, a brown headed chickadee appeared- BOREAL CHICKADEE! The bird offered excellent looks for a few minutes, and the next day I was able to see it in the same spot at the suet feeder on Sunday.

Boreal Chickadee

Before leaving I saw that a Northern Hawk Owl was being seen off of CR 7. I raced down and started scanning the tops of spruce trees. Northern Hawk Owl is extremely rare in the lower 48 even in winter (Duluth is on the far southern end of their winter range), so the opportunity to see one should not be passed up. I find owls very hard to find, but this owl luckily wasn't too hard thanks in part to its diurnal nature. A weird spec at the top of a spruce tree far off the road gave it away, and even though the views and pics weren't great you could clearly tell it was a Norther Hawk Owl! Bird of the trip so far!

Northern Hawk Owl. Sniped from a distance.

With the afternoon winding down I walked Yellow-bellied Bog. The feeders were full of Common Redpolls, a stunning winter finch that I only briefly saw in Alaska. Desperately trying to find a mixed in Hoary, I was thankful for extended looks of an entire group! Yellow-bellied Bog was one of my favorite walks because of the trees were sunk in snow but their branches covered the trail. After the brief walk I headed back towards the Admiral Road feeders where I would spend the remaining hour of daylight, where there were more redpolls. I thought I had Hoary but after submitting it to people who know more than me it was determined to be Common. At sunset I drove up and down CR 7 checking every clearing for Great Gray Owl, and someone saw one at a great distance, and it was gone before anyone else got eyes on it.

The Common Redpoll that I really wanted to be a Hoary. There's too much streaking on the flank, though 

Sunday was more of the same so I won't go into too many details. The same birds that I saw the prior day were in the same places, although at Warren Woessner Bog I had Black-billed Magpie on a deer ribcage. Friends of Sax Zim Bog does this really cool thing where they have deer rib cages set up near the feeders, which draws in magpies, ermine, and sometimes pine martens. I've never seen that before, and it was such an interesting way to bring in other animals.

Canada Jay

The best part of my trip was in the last hour of birding. I'm terrible at owling, and I had given up on seeing the Great Gray Owl. Only 2 groups had reported sightings in the weekend I was there, and they weren't very good looks. Oh well, even without the Great Gray I saw incredible birds. But I still drove up and down CR 7, scanning every tree in every clearing. I planned to do this for about an hour and a half, and for the first 45 minutes or so I saw nothing as the sun sank lower.

But ahead I saw a group forming on the side of the road. There are only 2 reasons for a group like that: a tour or an owl. I pulled over behind them and walked up. A guy excitedly told me that an owl had been seen but people lost it. This was my only shot, so I started scanning. I was casually pointed to a Northern Shrike at the top of a tree, the person clearly didn't know that was a lifer for me. I was so pumped because I'd missed this plenty of times, but I didn't have time to take a picture because the crowd erupted. I turned around to see the source, and my jaw hit the icy asphalt on the road. 

Great Gray Owl, bird of the trip

Up against an orange sky clear of clouds was the silhouette of a Great Gray Owl. It looked like something out of a National Geographic magazine. Towering at over 2 feet tall, this the largest North American owl, and their gray body makes them resemble a ghost. Seeing pictures of one does not do it justice, especially when it swoops low across the ground. It was extremely cooperative and stayed near the road for an extended amount of time. I pretty much stayed until you could only faintly see it in the twilight. It was one of the best birding experiences of my life, and the subzero temperatures became and afterthought as we gaped at the owl. Numb fingers aren't an issue when you're staring at a Great Gray Owl. 

The Sax Zim Bog exceeded the expectations that were set as a birding Mecca. I got 7 new lifers, and each one was as outstanding as the last. The bog is a perfect way to spend a weekend birding, and you'll get to see some of most sought after birds in the country. The weather, while cold, is very manageable and should not be a deterrence. This place seems like an outstanding summer spot as well, I will for sure be coming back multiple times in multiple seasons! Between this and the Spotted Rail, the birding travels have been outstanding. Who knows what March will bring? 

Canada Jay and Pine Grosbeak

Evening Grosbeaks at Mary Lou's feeders

Chasing the Spotted Rail at Choke Canyon State Park

Let's rewind to December 29, 2020. I finally have an opportunity to chase the Spotted Rail at Choke Canyon State Park. But there was an issue, the weather was supposed to be awful. Do I risk it or do I stay put? A 5.5 hour drive in the dark and rain seemed like a bad idea, so I stayed in Dallas. And I am very thankful for that. I had a really bad feeling leading up to the trip, and my gut was right. It was cold and rainy all day, and driving home from work (at the same time I would have been on the road) I got a flat tire that I would not have wanted to deal with on a rural road at night.

Fast forward to January 16, 2021. I'm moved in to my condo, my car has new wheels, it's a long weekend, and the weather could not be better. Let's get on the road!

"Why?" - most non-birders when I tell them what I'm doing. "5.5 hours? For a bird? That doesn't seem worth it." Of course, they're incorrect with that statement. It isn't just a bird, this is a Spotted Rail we're talking about. An ABA code 5 rarity, this would be the rarest bird I've seen in North America (although strangely not the rarest bird to Texas with the White Wagtail being a first state record). This is the 4th ABA record of the bird and the 3rd Texas record, although the first chaseable record of this bird. The first two specimens were dead birds found in Pennsylvania and Brown County, TX and the third was a Houston area record that was turned into a wildlife rehabber and never seen again. 

Spotted Rail

Rails are an interesting family of birds. American Coots and Common and Purple Gallinules are related and are the most likely to be seen, but I have also had solid luck with Sora and Clapper Rail. They are notoriously hard to see due to their habitat and habits. They live in marshy areas and love to hide, so good luck seeing them. It's my understanding that the ABA allowed counting heard-only birds partially to stop people front tramping over habitat of Black and Yellow Rail. Little is known about them due to their elusive nature, but it is known that Veracruz, Mexico and Cuba are about as far north as the bird gets. But rails are known to wander hundreds of miles away from their normal range.

Long story short, the odds of another one turning up are very low, so you better better not waste the chance to see one. 

Vermillion Flycatcher

After a night of staying with friend of the blog Anthony, I woke up early to make the remaining 2.5 hour drive to Choke Canyon. The weather was perfect and I knew it was going to be a good day from the moment I entered the park. This is on the far north end of the range of south Texas specialty birds, so within seconds I had a Great Kiskadee and Long-billed Thrasher. Upon parking I had great looks at a Vermillion Flycatcher and Green Jays were squawking in the trees behind me. Let's do this.

Yellow-rumped Warbler

There wasn't much to do, within seconds of walking up I had views of the Spotted Rail running between clumps of cattails! Getting a picture was very difficult, as the rail was usually visible for just a few seconds at a time. Those few seconds were outstanding, though. Whoever found this bird deserves heaps of praise because it could be so hard to find. They walk very low to the ground, and we couldn't even see it move. But eventually we got excellent looks at it, and the light was perfect to allow for outstanding views with no shadows.

One of the few times it was cooperative

After an hour of admiring the bird it was time to look for others. Although I would not see them, Hook-billed Kite, Long-tailed Duck, Black-throated Gray Warbler, and Anna's Hummingbird had also been reported, as well as a host of other birds that I rarely get to see.

My walk down Hawk Alley was extremely productive. Audubon's Oriole and Verdin were highlights, but they didn't steal the show. That spot was deserved for Common Paraque, and this was the first time I saw one without having someone point it out! I'm cheating because I saw briefly in flight, but (shocker) I couldn't relocate it when it settled down. A calling Dickcissel was unusual and out of season. 

Common Paraque taken at Estero Llano Grade State Park

I returned to 75 Acre Lake to scan for the Long-tailed Duck and Hook-billed Kite, but neither materialized, although Sora and Cinnamon Teal were nice consolations. By now I was running out of time, and I still had about 6 hours between me and Dallas. I made one pass at the Black-throated Gray warbler spot and came up empty, but I did get an Olive Sparrow that was very cooperative.

Say's Phoebe

By now it was 1:00, I had to go. But I can safely say I will be back. Choke Canyon's Calliham unit is very small, but it packs an insane birding punch and rare birds frequently turn up here. I was there 4.5 hours and didn't even bird the whole park and I had 70 species. You better believe celebratory Czech Stop was consumed on my way home.

Tyler State Park and Rarity Chasing

 Mid-December wound up being full of great birding opportunities. This year has seen an irruption of finches as they disperse south due to low conifer seeds in northern forests. Evening Grosbeaks, Pinyon Jays, and even a Clark's Nutcracker have shown up in Texas, and birds like Mountain Bluebird, Pine Siskin, and Western Bluebird have spread out in greater numbers across the state. 

Another bird that has swarmed Texas is Purple Finch, and a rare wintering bird that is usually only found in east Texas and even then it is uncommon. This year they have been way more common, showing up farther south and farther west, including White Rock Lake. But Purple Finches being more common overlapped with another opportunity: Christina has never been camping as an adult and this was an opportunity to turn her into a camper and a birder! I also wanted to try for Brown-headed Nuthatch, #1 on my nemesis list now that I have Magnificent Frigatebird checked.

We started out on the Blackjack Trail, which had great sparrow habitat. White-throated Sparrow was abundant and we got great looks at Chipping and Field Sparrow as well. American Goldfinches were common as well. After quickly finishing the short trail we started Loop A, which took us through us through excellent pineywoods, which had to have Brown-headed Nuthatch, right?

White-throated Sparrow

Loop A is a 2.5 mile trail that winds through excellent forest that was very active. Cedar Waxwings were everywhere, as were Carolina Chickadees. I checked every Eastern Bluebird in hopes that I could get a Western, but no luck. Woodpeckers were also very active, and we got 5 species. My alarm clock in the morning was a loud Pileated Woodpecker, and Downy Woodpecker could be heard all down the trail. I never saw a Hairy, but they do get frequently reported there. We got a view of a Pine Warbler and a few vocalized which got us pretty excited, and an elusive Brown Creeper was climbing a tall Pine. 

I kept watching the trees for signs of Brown-headed Nuthatch, and I finally saw some movement! It was absolutely a nuthatch, and when I finally IDed it was...a White-breasted Nuthatch. We saw tons of them, but never their Brown-headed brethern. We would not see Purple Finch or Brown-headed Nuthatch, but there's no such thing as a bad day in the woods so it wasn't a big deal!

Our last trail was took us all around the lakeshore at around 2 miles. Due to the time and increased activity the birds were scarce in general, although along the dam there looks to be excellent vantage points to look for birds higher up in the trees. We did have Pied-billed Grebes and Ruddy Ducks on the lake, although there was not much else. Tyler State Park is an excellent blend of birding and hiking, and I will for sure be making a return visit.

Pied-billed Grebe

There was also major excitement surrounding local rarities. For those unaware by now I am fascinated by animal populations and what causes them to move around, whether that is wandering temporarily or range expansion and contraction. Jaguars in northern Mexico/southern Arizona and Ocelots in south Texas are especially interesting, but it spills over to birds as well (I highly recommend Rare Birds of North America by Steve Howell, it will fascinate even the most uninterested birder).

Anyways, a rare bird palooza has unfolded in the DFW area. I was really pumped to chase a Surf Scoter in Irving until I got a notification that a White-winged Scoter was present in Frisco. White-winged Scoter is a little rarer than Surf Scoter, and with a small amount of time to bird I had to prioritize WWSC. And then another notification, Great-blacked Gull was seen in Denton, and someone later found 2 Iceland Gulls. You can't turn that down, but I was really going to be cutting it close with the A&M game starting at 11.

The birding 2 minute drill began. 1st and 10 on the 20. Christian's Subaru ran an out route along 635 to the tollway with minimal traffic, solid 10 yard gain. The defense showed blitz and we got risky calling a draw play, but it resulted in a hasty gain, gashing the defense for a long run to Frisco. 

Things started looking a little dicey. I showed up to Phillips North Lake in a subdivision, expecting to see it on the small pond. After a quick scan, nothing but Lesser Scaup. Incomplete pass, second down. I hustled down to the main pond and looked across. Bufflehead and Greater Yellowlegs were cool finds, but not much. 3rd and 5. I rounded the smaller pond to see a larger duck in the flock of scaup. Somebody studied their birding film and knew this had potential. White wing patches were visible, WHITE-WINGED SCOTER! FIRST DOWN!

White-winged Scoter

Time was running out, and I called a comeback route as I headed southwest to Trinity Fork Park, where the Great Black-backed Gull had been spotted. I raced into the parking lot to find the gull had departed, but the two Iceland Gulls were there, as were a few Lesser Black-backed Gulls! I had potentially seen one at White Rock a few weeks prior, but I didn't count it because I wasn't certain. Now there was no doubt, the birds were massive but had dark shading around the eyes that separated them from the Herring Gulls around them. My last hope was the Railroad Street pond a half mile away.

4th and goal at the 5, make or break. GBBG is a TBRC review species, and this is the 63rd record in Texas, but it is almost exclusively found on the coast. This is the first DFW record, and only the fourth record of it not being found on the Texas coast, with 2 coming from Lake Meredith and one from Lake O' The Pines. You don't want to miss this one, and they are very hard to miss.

I pulled up to pond to find a few cars and scopes out. They told me it was on the pond, and it stuck out like a sore thumb. This gull is massive compared to other gulls, and it looked like a B-52 soaring over the water. We got it! Touchdown! After admiring for it a few minutes I had no time to spare, and I raced home to shower before making it to the game on time. 3 state birds and an Aggie win, it doesn't get any better than that!