May 12 - Otter Creek Marsh, Iowa

I was wide awake at 5 a.m., so tried to catch up a day or so on my Blog, which is about 3 weeks behind at this point.  It’s difficult to catch up when I’m on the road, but I always figure that one should live life rather than just sit at a computer . . .  I breakfasted at the Wahoo Inn, which has a meagre fare of cereal and microwave waffles, green bananas, and orange juice.  The coffee was welcome, however.

I left town at 8:30, en route east through Omaha and into the State of Iowa.  I’d read on the eBird site that a species had been found in Iowa that I hadn’t seen before.  Nor, for that matter, had I ever birded in Iowa.  The species in question was the Eurasian Tree Sparrow, a close relative of the common English House Sparrow, and an exotic that is likely not recognized by any of the Bird Record Committees as being ‘established’.  However, I’d like to see it, so, I decided to head toward Otter Creek Marsh Wildlife Management Area.  As it turned out, the Marsh was further north than I’d planned on driving, and I burned up a couple of hours that I’ll probably wish I’d spent driving toward Magee Marsh tomorrow.  But, I arrived at the spot, which is managed as waterfowl habitat and as a fishing area, and walked out on the access road.

Blue-winged Teal drake

I didn’t find any of the sparrows, but enjoyed the walk, and had great views of a couple of Sedge Wrens, which were Life Birds for me back in January when I was down in Florida.  There was an inquisitive mink along the dike.

Humans should be happy these things don't grow to be 50 pounds . . .  I still feel like a prey item.

And, a pair of somewhat aggressive Sandhill Cranes strode toward me, bugling the entire time.

Letting me know I'm intruding on their home

I left the marsh, and got on the highway toward Interstate 80 East, gassed up in Davenport for $2.599/gallon and ended up in Princeton, Illinois for the night at the Super 8.  I got online and checked the restaurants, seeing that the Spoon in downtown had Moroccan stew on the menu.  So I went down there, and enjoyed the meal, along with 2 ales.  I also had quite the conversation with the barmaid, Lisa, who flashed on my kilt, and expressed a longing to visit Scotland.  I encouraged her to plan for it, and go there!  Life is too short to wish you’d done something, then realize you’re too old, sick or tired to do it.

Most of the Yellow Warblers were in the trees, this one foraged in the marsh

New bird species seen at Otter Creek this year included Blackpoll Warbler, American Redstart, Warbling Vireo, and Chimney Swift.

Red-winged Blackbirds bade me farewell

Otter Creek Marsh eBird Checklist is Here

February 15 - New Mexico

I woke at 5:45 to a cloudy 49° morning, and had a cup of coffee and ate an apple for breakfast.  I drove east on I-40 to the Tijeras exit, then took Highways 14 and 536 to Sandia Crest, getting there around 9 a.m. by following the snow plow and sanding truck.  My goal there was to find a flock of Rosy-Finches.The crest is at 10,678 feet elevation, which made for short breath for this boy, who normally lives at sea level!

Elevation 10,678 feet (3,255 meters)

The morning was mostly clear, but just at freezing, with a bit of a west wind.

There was a great view out across Albuquerque

I walked around the Sandia Crest House, and found where they have been setting out seed, with only a few Mountain Chickadees coming to the feed.

I walked over toward the radio towers at the crest, but saw no birds there.

 

After about a half-hour, another car showed up, with birder Nancy Moore from Boise and her daughter (Jenna – grad student at UNM doing a genetic review of the Coraciids) who were also looking for the finches.  Another couple from Michigan showed up as well, with the same intent.  We had to be careful around the crest, because of the icy trails.

 

We were watching a feeder just above the parking lot, and had about given up hope, when a flock of nearly 60 finches came swirling in, with most disappearing around the back of the buildings from us.

I did get a good view of two birds that perched briefly on the roof, and they were both Black Rosy-finches.  We all spent a while longer waiting for the birds to come to the upper feeder area, and had a couple finches come to the deck of the building, but then dropped back down the steep slope.

I got a decent view of a Brown-capped Rosy-finch, but it didn’t stick around for photos.  Finally, I got a decent shot of one of the Black Finches.  I waited around until about 11:30 hoping for the finch flock to return, but to no avail.

Lifer Black Rosy-finch

I dropped back down the mountain, stopping at the Triangle Grocery in Cedar Crest to buy some travelling food.  Then, I headed down the highway to the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge.  This is a 57,330 acre unit with a Visitors’ Center and a couple of auto tour routes, besides having a number of trails.

I stopped at the Center to enquire about a Winter Wren that had been seen there a few days ago.  Somehow, I have missed seeing - or at least recording - Winter Wren since I was working at Horicon Refuge in Wisconsin back in 1978.  So, I thought that this might be an opportunity to ‘tick’ the species before I go east later in the year.  The folks gave me good directions to where it had been seen, along the North Auto Tour route.  I didn’t make it far at first, because this Refuge provides feeders at the center, and in their cactus gardens.

I spent a bit of time strolling and sitting, and enjoying the birds here.

White-winged Dove

Brewer's Sparrow

Harris' Sparrow

Gambel's White-crowned Sparrow

At the auto tour route, there was a traffic jam of people watching a large flock of Snow Geese.

Only a few of these were the “Blue Goose” color morph, which are more common to the east.

I found, through the telescope, a few Ross’ Geese mixed in the sea of white.

The North Route, is what they used to call the “Farm Route”, as the road goes past the agricultural fields.  The Refuge plants corn and other crops to feed the birds through the winter.

I spent ‘way too much time on the loop, at first just looking - unsuccessfully - for the wren, and then just being mesmerized by the thousands of Sandhill Cranes

and the other wildlife.

I left at dark, and it was too late to go south, so I went back to Socorro and checked into an “America’s Best Value Inn” for $50.  The room was clean, and well-lit, but the promised Internet connection was terrible.  At least it didn’t cost extra . . .

Sandia Crest eBird Checklist is Here

Bosque del Apache Visitors’ Center eBird Checklist is Here

Bosque del Apache north auto tour eBird Checklist is Here