Gone Birdin'

June 4, 2023

I once overheard someone in a Montana convenience store say, “There are two seasons here. Winter season and construction season.” I didn’t understand what they meant until I drove to Glacier National Park in hopes of hunting down a White-tailed Ptarmigan. They’re elusive birds associated with alpine habitat at high elevations (i.e., at or above treeline). I’d done a ton of research identifying the most reliable places to find them in the park and the same name kept coming up: Logan’s Pass.

The only way to get to Logan’s Pass by car is to take the scenic 50 mile Going-to-the-Sun Road. Upon arriving at Glacier NP, I learned that a section of Going-to-the-Sun Road was closed for road maintenance— a section encompassing Logan’s Pass. A change of plans ensued.

I’m a firm believer in “everything happens for a reason.” I explored different areas of the park than I would have otherwise and spent the day with lots of birds (and chipmunks). Until next time, ptarmigans 🌞…

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June 2, 2023

Missoula’s bike paths are like freeways for bicycle commuters. Anywhere in Missoula you can get by car, you can probably get to faster on a bike. As luck would have it, a huge section of the bike paths run alongside Clark River, attracting lots of birds.

I had access to a beach cruiser with a perfect little binocular and camera basket in the front during my stay in Missoula. I quickly formed an afternoon ritual where I’d birdwatch after work, then hit a local coffeeshop for a coffee and sandwich.

Three of my favorite photos are included below: a handsome Cedar Waxwing, happy Yellow Warbler, and surprise female Evening Grosbeak.

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May 28, 2023

Respect and recognition for the fallen soldiers who have lost their lives in military service, today and generations before.

I’m really behind on posts and admittedly am writing this in October, about four months after Memorial Day. It’s officially hitting freezing temperatures overnight, so I’m loving reminiscing on the blue skies and sunshine in these photos. They’re bringing me right back to summer.

My sister and I spent Memorial Day at Lake Mary in Flagstaff, Arizona, keeping an eye out for birds while we soaked in the sun. It was a “Big Sit” of sorts, where we stayed in one place and casually pointed out birds as they came into view. I was surprised by the variety of species we saw, despite all of the human activity. It seems we weren’t the only ones enjoying the water!

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May 13, 2023

Lulls in a schedule often lend to the most memorable parts of a trip. Such was the case during an Ohio expedition with my sister. We had a few hours to kill after a successful target bird pursuit (Purple Gallinule) and subsequent celebratory breakfast. We turned to a map for guidance. 

My eyes followed the coast of Lake Erie on the map and noticed Marblehead Lighthouse State Park at the tip of a peninsula. We were both sold.

It was gloomy when we arrived, the rain intermittent. We walked around for a bit, admiring the hardy lighthouse and rocky shoreline. It wasn’t until my sister said she was going to lay down for a nap that I figured I might as well grab my camera and see if I could find any birds. I wandered to an area with dense tree coverage, sat, and waited. 

This day happened to be World Migratory Bird Day (Global Big Day). A grove near the lighthouse was crawling with warblers, drawing in quite a few birders. At the same time, a pack of fifteen motorcyclists rode up to the lighthouse on their hogs. I studied the group of birders with their khaki pants, then the bikers adorned with black leather. The differences in outfit choices between the two groups were comical, yet everyone was there having a good time. Marblehead Lighthouse: a place for everyone to enjoy.

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May 13, 2023

Purple Gallinules are one of those birds who continuously evade me. I’ve heard birds of this sort referred to as nemesis birds— pesky species everyone else seems to see but you’re never at the right place at the right time for. I’m not sure I feel enough angst against Purple Gallinules to go as far as calling them my nemeses, but they’ve certainly been on my mind since missing them in Texas and Oklahoma. I even missed them in Brazil, where they’re practically backyard birds. Of all places to find a Purple Gallinule, Sandusky, Ohio was the last place I expected.

My sister and I were in Ohio celebrating the Biggest Week in American Birding festival when I caught wind of a Purple Gallinule sighting at Pipe Creek Wildlife Area. We’d birded Magee Marsh the previous two days and agreed to try somewhere different in the morning.

We arrived at Pipe Creek Wildlife Area early, starting out by birding the wooded areas for warblers and orioles. A sliver of excitement was renewed at the prospect of finding a gallinule, but I also didn’t want to get my hopes up. Our relaxed morning was pleasantly interrupted by a lady speedwalking behind us, equipped with a camera and binoculars. It was clear she meant business. She asked if we’d seen the gallinule and I told her we hadn’t, but would holler if we saw anything. Our focus diverted to locating a singing Orchard Oriole.

It couldn’t have been more than twenty minutes before we saw the lady making her way back to the parking lot. When we asked her if she found the gallinule, she outlined detailed directions to its whereabouts. She told us she’d been birding at Magee Marsh all morning (a marsh about 45 minutes away) when another birdwatcher told her about the Purple Gallinule. Eager to add the rarity to her life list, she left Magee Marsh, bagged the gallinule at Pipe Creek, and was now returning to Magee Marsh to finish birding there. Dedication!

Following her directions and crossing our fingers, we eventually encountered a single Purple Gallinule chowing down on a fish. It was a better look than I could have hoped for and a fantastic day indeed.

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May 11, 2023

war·bler

any of a number of small insectivorous songbirds that typically have a warbling song.

It all started eight years ago. I was sitting in bed sifting through US birding festivals, some in Texas, others in Indiana. I’d have killed to go to any of them, but “The Biggest Week in American Birding” was an instant draw. Where the heck was this??? The BIGGEST week? I had to go.

I clicked on the festival link and saw that it was hosted in Oak Harbor, Ohio, aka the “Warbler Capital of the World.” Thousands of warblers migrate through and breed in the area every spring— a true birdwatching paradise. They remind me of jelly beans, coming in all sorts of unimaginable patterns and flavors. Plane ticket prices were outrageous so I dropped it, but it’s been in the back of my mind ever since. Total bucket list item.

Fast forward eight years, a friend was describing an epic road trip she’d be taking with her husband from Arizona to Massachusetts in May. She listed Ohio as a state they’d be traveling through and my mind went straight to warblers. I looked up plane tickets out of curiosity and saw $150 round trip tickets.

I texted my sister, “Want to go to Ohio to birdwatch? Warbler Capitol of the Word.” Next thing you know, we were on an Airbus A320 headed for Toledo.

Presenting a whole bunch of warblers (and some other awesome birds):

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April 22, 2023

What better way to appreciate Earth’s colors, shapes, and sounds than birdwatching? I’ll admit, I might be a little biased. A group of us met at Kachina Wetlands on a Saturday (Earth Day) morning, the temperature mild with a light breeze and blue skies. We saw a variety of shorebirds, songbirds, and waterfowl— a particularly birdy day.

A male and female Mallard waddled around the wetlands, perhaps in pursuit of the perfect spot for their nest.

Meanwhile, Red-winged Blackbirds blasted out their calls from what seemed like every surface they could get ahold of. It’s almost hard to believe the bird above and below are the same individual. Amazing how much those epaulets pop out when males sing.

Female Red-winged Blackbirds were also in the mix. She’s thinking, “Hmmm… which male should I choose?”

Sparrows whistled their melodic songs between Red-winged Blackbird calls. I found these two foraging on the ground; different plumage, but both stunning.

Male Ruddy Duck bills turn baby blue during the breeding season, a sure sign of spring. A male was flapping around in the water…

…accompanied by a flock of American Coots.

Willets are fairly nondescript until they take off in flight. The bands of white along their wings are handy giveaways for identifying this species.

Quite opposite of nondescript, a Western Bluebird looked around as he grasped onto a reed.

One of the most exciting birds of the day was a flock of Black-crowned Night Herons. I’ve never seen this species at the wetlands, so finding five was a treat. You can barely make out their ruby-red eyes in the photo above.

May the warm spring air bring you happiness and may every day be Earth Day. Happy Birding… 🌎

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“Always bring binoculars.”

-Mario Cohn-Haft

Mario Cohn-Haft is a brilliant ornithologist and friend who I look up to a great deal. We were preparing for an outing in Novo Airão that I assumed would be less wildlife, and more city oriented. The plan was to explore town and maybe duck into a restaurant or two.

As we were about to leave, I asked Mario if I should bring binoculars. He smiled and said, “Always bring binoculars.” He was right. Those are words to live and die by. 

The following photos were taken in Amazonas, Brazil— some in the city, others in the forest— through a trusty pair of binocs.

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February 19, 2023

There was plenty of fishin’, birdin’, and grillin’ going on at Dead Horse Ranch State Park on a Sunday afternoon in February. Three male Common Mergansers fighting over a female was my first indication of spring for the year. Other than the bird drama, all was peaceful and well around the local pond.

Among the resident bird crowd was a pensive Neotropical Cormorant. I’ve never had the right lighting or angle for a good view of their diagnostic white bill outline, so I rejoiced at the unexpected opportunity.

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