A Parting of the Ways................

I am rather a fatalist, I think people come into our lives for a reason. Several years ago I started reading a blog called Sycamore Canyon. It's author, Kathie lived in Arizona and wrote about her love for the natural world and the Arizona desert. A couple of years later my husband took me to Tucson for a birthday present. I had been completely captivated by Kathie's writing and was already in love with the desert through her wonderful words. It seemed only logical that I should meet Kathie as I was going to be in her neighbourhood. This is not something I do, I don't randomly go round meeting people from online! Anyway I am glad I made an exception. We agreed to meet at a local birding spot.

And a wonderful friendship was born. We continued to communicate online. Kathie's husband likes to move (!) and a year or so after we met she left Arizona and moved to New England. She started a new blog called Kathie's Birds which I continued to follow. Then in one of those weird quirks of life, we ended up buying a home in Tucson. I blame Kathie for inspiring my love for the area and creating my desire to have a home there! Of course she was no longer there but the irony was hard to miss. After about a year, imagine my delight when she contacted me to tell me that her husband had got itchy feet again and they were moving back to Tucson. So began the next chapter of our friendship.

So many wonderful days out, sharing our love of birds and nature, sharing the open spaces and the freedom of wild places, sharing new species and familiar ones too, sharing moments of perfect peace and moments of great excitement, like a bear sighting up close and personal. We have had so many wonderful adventures together.

  
Another fondness we share is for tea, especially Earl Grey Tea so our trips always included a nice tea break somewhere scenic.

I could take up pages listing all the wonderful creatures we have seen together and every one of them was special. When I wasn't at home Kathie kept an eye on our home and even kept my bird feeders filled so that when I got home the yard would be filled with birds.

But all good things come to an end and last November, true to form, her husband was on the move again and now they are off to Maine. We shed a few tears and shared a few hugs and as a farewell treat we shared another of our loves and took a trail ride through the beautiful Saguaro National Park.

And now, the time has come, we have said our goodbyes and at the end of this week my dear friend heads of to the chilly North East. I feel so sad but I will continue to follow her next adventures through her blog. She has left me her nijer seed feeder so every time I watch the goldfinches outside my kitchen window I will thing of my lovely friend.

She also gave me a Red Yucca which I have planted in my front yard, it will produce spikes of red flowers which the hummingbirds love so she continues to look out for my yard birds even after leaving.

We will meet again, sometime, somewhere. She hopes to come back and visit so we will have more adventures in the desert one day. Farewell my dear friend, I will miss you so very much.

A Desert Christmas

It seems a bit corny to give an account of Christmas so I will just say it was a time filled with good weather, good food and good company and let the pictures say the rest.

 

After the Storm

We recently took a trip to New Jersey to visit my husbands family. He grew up on the west side of the Atlantic and I grew up on the other side of it so we both have a great fondness for the sea.

 First priority upon arrival, a walk on the beach. To a Brit the concept of restricted access to a beach is a totally bizarre thing but luckily for me we were there before Memorial Day so the restrictions were not yet in place. We had had a big storm the night before so on the first morning there was still a strong wind and a good sea running, although I have to say this would classify as a calm day on the other side of the pond! I love walking along the sand seeing what has been washed up by the tide - that's another weird thing, the tide drop here is a matter of inches, where I grew up it is 20+ feet! so walking the tide line here is essentially walking along the sea edge.

There were a few gulls that viewed me with vague interest, just incase I had anything to eat but soon realised I was a lost cause and took to the wing.

This little Bonaparte's Gull found his own breakfast, fresh from the sea.

After blowing away the cobwebs we said goodbye to the sea and headed off for various family gatherings.
Next day was a whole different picture, clear blue skies and bright sunshine with that brilliant light level so unique to being beside the sea.

There were some odd creatures hopping about on the rocks too!

Scars from the devastation of Hurricane Sandy were still evident in places.

But it was obvious that a huge amount of work had been done and it was still ongoing. Where we were staying the entire boardwalk had been destroyed but reconstruction was well on it's way. The rush being on to get it finished before Memorial Day in order to keep control of people entering the beach!!

Whilst walking along the seafront we encountered this gaggle of geese out for a stroll, Brants I think. They were enjoying the day just as much as everyone else it seemed and were quite unperturbed by all the people around them.

Last stop was the boardwalk at Point Pleasant so that my husband could revisit his mis-spent youth. This area had been devastated by the hurricane but the reconstruction was pretty much complete and everyone was out enjoying the day.

Next time we visit the ocean, next month, we will be on the other side of it and there will be no boardwalks and free access to all the beaches!!

A Morning of Mixed Fortunes

We decided that we weren't up for rushing round chasing birds, we just wanted a quiet, peaceful morning in the park. Kathie knew just the spot - Javalina Picnic Area in Saguaro NP East. I managed to tear my husband away from his computer to go for a hike too so, although I'm not into 'stones at birds', we were definitely 'killing two' in this case :) I waved off my intrepid hiker on his trek and then we settled ourselves in the shade with our tea, bins, cameras, bird books and breakfast.

 
The birds were actually remarkably quiet early on so we sat chatting and watching the antics of a very sweet Antelope Squirrel who was definitely used to getting snacks from people at these tables.

Soon our peace was shattered by my phone, it was my husband calling to see if we could see him up on the ridge. What is it about guys? They need to be seen conquering things? Bless them! Anyway we trained our binoculars along the ridge and finally spotted a tiny figuring toiling away up high. Having satisfied him that we could see him, we turned back to our birds.

First on parade were the comical Gambell's Quail, chattering and fussing away as they pottered down the trail. Unusually they flew up into a small tree and began pecking. We couldn't quite tell if they were eating the leaf buds or little bugs on the leaves but whatever it was they were certainly enjoying it.

They were followed by a very handsome male Cardinal who posed obligingly for us before flying off.

Our little Antelope Squirrel soon came back and we eventually folded and gave her a cashew nut, which seemed to meet with her approval. Look at that beautiful lichen on the rock that she chose as her dining table.

A little black butterfly came in to land and I managed to get a photo of it which is a surprise in itself, usually I get a blurry blob! When I looked closer at the picture I noticed that it wasn't just a black butterfly, it had a yellow head! I found out later by pouring over my books that it is a Golden-headed Scallopwing.

The birds were not being very active but it was a lovely morning to just be outside and enjoy our surroundings.

After another half an hour or so we decided to walk a nearby loop, it was only a mile long and Kathie knew there was a spot where Great-horned Owls were known to nest. How cool would that be if we could spot them?

 

We set out down the trail and were soon spotting birds like this Black-throated Sparrow

And a beautiful pair of Kestrels perched up high atop of Saguaros on either side of the trail

Many of the plants were blooming too which just added to the beautiful morning

Unfortunately at this point things went a little awry when Kathie trod on a stone which moved under her foot and sent her crashing to the ground. I turned round just as she cried out and landed at my feet. I have to say, if this had been me I would have been bawling my eyes out at this point but Kathie was more concerned about her camera - seriously! I suggested we went back to the car but Kathie wasn't about to give up on the day. We sat quietly for a while whilst I tried to patch up her leg and hand that were very badly gashed up. The little band aids really weren't man enough for the job but I did my best. She was soon up and on the go again, ever watchful for more birds. I suspect that adrenaline was keeping her going as this fall would later lay her low for several days. 

We finished the loop, adding several more species to our list, including the nesting Great-horned Owls and then Kathie dropped me back at the picnic area before heading home to clean up her wounds. By now it had started to warm up a little and my little furry friend was stretched out in the shade keeping cool.

As soon as Kathie left, a species that we had been expecting to see put in an appearance. A pair of Canyon Towhee scratching around in the dirt. But they didn't stay long and I barely got one photo off.

Soon a Thrasher appeared to check up on me. I felt as though I should stand to attention and salute or something under that ferocious glare!

Someone else also wanted to see what I was doing and she was prepared to get really 'up close and personal' to check me out.

I don't think I have ever had such a close encounter with a female Cardinal. She seemed just as intrigued by me as I was by her. It was a very magical moment.

Determined not to be outdone, the Antelope Ground Squirrel continued her impossibly cute antics. I was beginning to feel as if I was in the midst of a Disney movie!

 
But all good things must come to an end and soon enough 'the rambling man' appeared hot and thirsty and very happy after a good hike. It was time to bid all the animals goodbye and head back home.

 

We had a lovely morning, apart from Kathie's nasty fall and for those of you who don't follow her blogs (and you really should) she is being very sensible, taking things slowly and making a good recovery. You can't keep a good birder down for long!!