Birding Portal: Day 2

View from Rustler Park in the Chiricahua Mountains 5-26-10

Donna and I are up by 6 a.m. and ready to take on another day of birding. We eat a quick breakfast outside on the patio with binoculars and cameras close by. As always, I have my pad and pen ready to list any bird species we see. We can hear the bird calls and birds song around us and soon see a bright bird land in the overhanging tree.

It is a gorgeous male Hooded Oriole and Bill briefly joins us as we all snap away. However, some personal issues have him distracted and he tells us to go on without him for the morning.

I am delighted when this female blue-throated hummingbird lands at a nearby feeder and I get a close-up view of this species.  Soon Donna and I are packing our stuff up as we decide to head down the 1/4 mile Main Street to see what we can see.  And it isn’t long until we are seeing lots of birds.

  From Cardinals and Pine siskins at the store feeders, to Black-headed grosbeaks along the way, the birds are calling us with their beauty and their songs. I hear a familiar song and gaze through the branches of a tree. I know this song, I tell myself, and then it hits me: Bell’s vireo!  Of course.  We see and hear it all the time in Sabino Canyon.  It is my first sighting for Cochise County but for Donna it is a Life bird! We find a pair working over a cedar tree but getting photographs in all those twigs and branches with the contrast of light and shadow can prove to be quite tricky. This is an amusing little bird and we are both so glad to see it. We spend just under 2 hours birding Main Street and end up with 28 species of birds. Our return to the lodge reveals that Bill’s car is gone. Thinking he just want to bird alone Donna and I pack up the car and head for Rustler Park high in the Chiricahua Mountains.

As we drive ever higher we keep our eyes and ears open for birds. We see a pair of western tanagers, a black-headed grosbeak, and a western wood pewee. We pullover by the beckoning creek where we see more wood pewees, a robin, 3 Mexican jays, 2 bridled titmice, 1 western tanager, an Acorn woodpecker, another black-headed grosbeak and a red-tailed hawk. We are tempted to linger in this idyllic spot but Rustler Park is calling us and up we go. When we near a spot know as the Onion Saddle we are driving along a the edge of a steep cliff. Ponderosa Pine and Engelmann Spruce dot the landscape and poke up like green candle from the cliff edge.  I can see evidence of a past fire and on a dead sang I spot a bird. Donna stops the car and backs up so I can get my bins on the black and white woodpecker climbing the dead trunk. It is a female Hairy woodpecker, a species I am well familiar with from Utah, Colorado and New England but not one I see very often where I live near Tucson and certainly not a species seen in the Sonoran Desert. The woodpecker soon spots us and flies off. We linger a moment to gaze off in the hazy distance as fold after fold of land gives way to the flat desert beyond. The temperature is rising and even up here at this higher elevation we can feel the blazing of the sun.

Yet as we continue our now alpine journey we are quickly reminded of how cool it still is as we fine a patch of snow tucked under a shady bank along the road.

We pull over shortly after the snow at the junction for Rustler Park.  Donna tells me that the Olive Warbler has been seen in this location but though we linger and look for 10 minutes or so, all we see are a soaring flock of turkey vultures and delicate clumps of blue lupine, so we hop in the car and press on.

Driving into Rustler Park reminds me somewhat of going to camp in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, though we are actually much higher.  Rustler Park sits at 8,500 feet in elevation and instead of Eastern White Pine we are surrounded by Ponderosa Pine and Engelmann Spruce. We are here to see if we can find a Mexican Chickadee and Red-faced warblers. We are so tempted to just stop and jump out and bird, but we drive past the entrance and the spring, past the campground and meadow to the Forest service cabins used by Fire fighters when needed. We park here and we are barely out of the car when we find this Cordilleran flycatcher hanging around the horse corrals just as we read it would be. Now that I see this bird, I realize how wrong I was about identifying a flycatcher I had seen in Sycamore Canyon wash a few weeks ago.  I had initially called it as a western wood pewee, then changed my mind and decided it was a cordilleran. Now that I see the cordilleran in real life I see that there can be no mistake.  The cordilleran is washed all over with an olive yellow color and is nothing like the western wood pewee.  I know that I was thrown off by what looked like yellow on the belly of the previous flycatcher but I now think that was reflected light from the morning sun and the blossoms of the Palo Verde tree it was perched in. These flycatchers really have me stumped and it is my plan to take a class with the Tucson Audubon to learn more about identifying them.  They can be so tricky for even the most experienced birders and even some experts cannot tell them apart in the field except by their voices.

The Ponderosa Pines tower over like flexible green spires. I can hear the wind gathering in the treetops and rushing towards us like a flash flood and though it moves the towering limbs it seems to stay high above us and barely ruffles our hair. Golden sunlight streams down in beams between the branches and dapples the ground around us.  We walk on a pine needle carpet as we head towards the meadow to see what we can see.  We follow a little path across the meadow.  Robins hop about in the shadows of trees and we spot one gathering nesting material in her beak. The whinny of a Northern flickers filters through the trees and high in a pine we spot a pair of ravens in their nest. The path though the meadow gives way to forest once again and we stop to view some yellow-eyed juncos. While we are looking at them we see motion further up the tree and hear the call we  have been waiting for: Mexican Chickadee!  Having grown up with the black-capped chickadee in New England I am familiar with its song and I wondered how this bird would sound.  Though its call is much harsher and more buzzy, I can still here the familiar refrain, “chick-a-dee-dee-dee!” We soon discover there is a pair in the tree, but they are high above us and small and lost in the branches, twigs, and needles of the pine.  Neither one of us is able to capture a good shot. Still, this is a Life Bird for both of us and we are thrilled.  It was our target bird, so now we relax into the rest of the day.

Farther along the trail we cross into the campground area and see some motion high above us.  A pair of pygmy nuthatches is moving through the pine needles feeding. They are so tiny and the needles so long and large that the little bird is dwarfed by them. If you look closely at the picture above you can just barely see the body of the little bird to the right of the stem.  Yes, every picture I took of a pygmy nuthatch on this day looks just like this!

The morning passes quickly by as we wander about looking for birds. We find many more yellow-eyed juncos but the red-faced warbler continues to elude us, as well as the Olive warbler. I can sense the time is getting late as the sun is directly overhead.  A glance at the time reveals what I already know, it is noontime and I have to go.  It will take us a good 45 minutes to get down the mountains and I told Gus I would be on the road by 1p.m. I now doubt that will happen, but that’s okay. He knows my trouble with time concepts and he is very patient with me.

We pack up our stuff and drive to the picnic area to eat a quick lunch, then Donna wanders off to do some more birding while I sit at the table assembling my bird lists. Soon it is time to hop in the car and we drive to the burn area right outside the gate. Donna wants to get some photos of the sweeping vistas. I keep looking for birds.

It is while we are here that I suddenly notice the gathering smoke in the distance. At first we are unsure if it really is a forest fire but then we seen the tankers flying.

As I start to think about it I realize that this looks like it is very close to the direction we came from. Growing alarmed now I insist that we get in the car and head down he mountain.  I do NOT want to be caught on the mountain overnight in a forest fire. My car and all my stuff is down in Portal.  The only other way off this mountain is to go over the top and down into Wilcox and back around, a trip that would take us well over 2 to 3 hours at best! So down the mountain we go, stopping once to take more pictures of the fire.  On this day the fire was only 300 acres but by the next day it had grown to 600 acres and I learned it was called the Horseshoe Fire (click on the link for the latest update). Last report was that it had grown to over 1600 acres and was threatening some structures south of Portal.  Fire Fighters still don’t have it contained. When Donna and I arrived at the Portal Store we checked on the status of the fire but so far the store owners had not been able to get any news.  We did learn that Bill had checked out earlier and gone home. Though Portal and the canyon were filled with smoke, Donna insisted on staying to do more birding. She is out of the parking lot before I am and heading back into the smoky canyon. She is one dedicated birder! I turn my car to the east and drive out of Portal towards New Mexico.

However, I have to stop when I see this Swainson’s hawk soaring above the Portal Road. Since I have not crossed the Stateline Rd yet, I am still in Arizona, so this will go on my Cochise County list.

At the end of Portal Road I pause debating with myself if I should take the 2 mile detour into Rodeo to get a count in New Mexico.  Heck, it’s only 2 miles I decide and head south.  I stop along the Main Street near a Historical Marker and count birds. To the west I see the smoke billowing above the Chiricahuas, a reminder of the beauty and the danger in all of nature.

In the 5 minutes I spend on Main St in Rodeo I count 10 species of birds, but now it is time to head on down the road, so I get back in the car, turn on my book on CD and do a U-turn. With my vehicle pointed north now I begin the 30 minute drive through barren desert and back to the highway where I will finally have cell phone service. I am lost in my story of Bally-buckle Bo in Ireland and so I do not notice my odometer has gone up beyond the posted speed limit. I barely notice the sheriff’s car coming towards me until it slows down, turns around, and I see the flashers go on. Oh No!  I have never been pulled over for speeding before in my life! I pull off the road in a safe location, shut off my story and wait for the officer.  I do not cry or tremble, which is what I always thought I would do.  I wait patiently to take whatever punishment I deserve.

The officer is actually very polite and patient with me as I search through the glove box for my insurance card.  I finally find a current one after first finding 2 others that are obsolete. He takes my info and return with just a warning.  I am so thankful and I promise him I will pay better attention as I drive the rest of the way to the highway.

But my birding day is not done.  I stop in Wilcox for gas and food and take my meal to a nearby park where I sit at a picnic table and count birds once again while I eat. Then it’s back on the highway and another hour and a half drive into the sunset until I am home.

Happy 33rd Anniversary today to my Sweet Husband, Gus!

Portal Main St. Bird List

Location: Portal
Observation date: 5/26/10
Notes: Portal Peak Lodge to the end of the Main St. We saw other flycatchers that we could not identify.
Number of species: 26
Gambel's Quail 2
Turkey Vulture 5
Band-tailed Pigeon 7
White-winged Dove 12
Mourning Dove 5
Broad-billed Hummingbird 2
Blue-throated Hummingbird 3
Acorn Woodpecker 10
Western Wood-Pewee 1
Say's Phoebe 1
Dusky-capped Flycatcher 2
Ash-throated Flycatcher 1
Bell's Vireo 2
Warbling Vireo 2
Bridled Titmouse 1
Cactus Wren 3
Bewick's Wren 1
Curve-billed Thrasher (Western) 2
Canyon Towhee 1
Northern Cardinal 4
Black-headed Grosbeak 2
Indigo Bunting 1
Hooded Oriole 3
House Finch 6
Pine Siskin 8
Lesser Goldfinch 8
House Sparrow 8
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)

Rustler Park Bird Lists

Location: Rustler Park
Observation date: 5/26/10
Notes: W/Donna Simonetti. What an awesome place! Love it! So peaceful!
Number of species: 13
Wild Turkey 1
Turkey Vulture 2
Broad-tailed Hummingbird 1
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) 3
Cordilleran Flycatcher 1
Steller's Jay 3
Common Raven 4
raven sp. 8
Mexican Chickadee 3 Saw and heard voice. 2 in one pine together near meadow, then one seen and heard later by itself. *****Lifer for both of us!
Pygmy Nuthatch 3
House Wren 2
Hermit Thrush 2
American Robin 12
Yellow-eyed Junco 12

Location: Rustler Park
Observation date: 5/26/10
Notes: We stopped at the burn area to take photos of the view and saw these birds at the same time. We also saw the flames of a wildfire off in a distance and decided to get down the mountian fast! W/Donna Simonetti
Number of species: 3
Steller's Jay 1
Common Raven 1
Pygmy Nuthatch 2
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)

Rodeo, NM Bird List

Location: Rodeo
Observation date: 5/26/10
Notes: Took a quick detour to Rodeo so I could count birds and see the fire from this perspective. Stopped on Main street near the Historical Marker.
Number of species: 10
Turkey Vulture 1
Red-tailed Hawk 1
White-winged Dove 2
Barn Swallow 1
Cactus Wren 1
Phainopepla 2
Summer Tanager 1
Great-tailed Grackle 9
House Finch 2
House Sparrow 4
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)

Wilcox, AZ Bird List

Location: Keller Park
Observation date: 5/26/10
Notes: Stopped here to eat on my way home. Watched birds from my picnic table.
Number of species: 8
Rock Pigeon 3
Eurasian Collared-Dove 4
White-winged Dove 1
Western Kingbird 1
Barn Swallow 4
Great-tailed Grackle 9
House Finch 2
House Sparrow 5
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)

Horseshoe Fire Update

The Arizona Daily Star is now reporting the Horseshoe Fire in the Chiricahuas has grown to 900 acres. If you plan on birding in the Portal or Cave Creek Canyon area you might want to call ahead and check on conditions. According to the AZ Daily star, “The fire has prompted authorities to close Cave Creek Road at the forest boundary near Portal to Turkey Creek Road.”

As for here in Sycamore Canyon the sun is shining brightly and the temperature is currently 84F/29C. We should hit our first 100F today.

At the feeders and in and around my yard today I have already seen Turkey vultures, Gambel’s Quail, Mourning doves, white-winged doves, rock pigeons, Costa's hummingbird, Gila woodpecker, gilded flickers, Ash-throated flycatcher, Cactus Wren, curve-billed thrashers, Northern Cardinal, canyon towhee, brown-headed cowbird, house finches, lesser goldfinches and house sparrows!

I’ve watered my new cactus garden, trimmed and pruned trees, flowers and bushes, filled bird feeders and bird baths, and fed the pets. Now I’m off to do housework before my grandson arrives for the weekend around noontime.  I know, I know, you are all waiting for pictures and details from the birding trip to Portal.  I am working on it! I hope to get it posted sometime today or early tomorrow morning! Until then, have a safe and fun Memorial Day weekend!

Fire in the Chiricahuas!

Smoke rolling over the Chiricahua Mountains from the Horseshoe Fire 5-26-10 

These are the scenes Donna and I saw as we left Rustler Park in the Coronado National forest Wednesday afternoon. We spent a blissful morning in the mountains at 8500’ in elevation searching for Mexican chickadees, Red-faced and Olive Warblers and others.  We got the Mexican chickadee, a Life Bird for us both, but were totally unaware that a forest fire had broken out southeast of us. As we headed down the mountain so I could go home, we stopped to take photos of some of the beautiful scenery.  Suddenly we noticed the smoke off in the distance.  The smoke plume started to build and build until it filled most of the sky. From my perspective it looked like the fire was moving towards or even into Cave Creek Canyon and Portal.  As I did not want to spent the night on the mountain or have to drive across the mountain to Wilcox and back around, I urged Donna, who was driving, to head down the mountain as fast as we could.  While it was only 15 miles to Portal, it took us 45 minutes to drive down the steep, winding dirt road.  Of course, we did stop one more time to get photos.  Who could resist! All of the following pictures were taken at a hairpin turn on the road down from Rustler Park, except for the last shot which was taken from the small town of Rodeo in New Mexico.

The above shots are taken from the side of the Chiricahua mountains looking SE to Cave creek Canyon. When we got to the canyon it was full of smoke. I heard on the news that the fire was 300 acres in size as of 10 PM last night. I left to drive home, but Donna was spending another night in Portal. She is one determined birder and after saying our good-byes she was off again to do more birding despite the smoke.  She was out of the parking lot before I was!  I do not know how she is since there is absolutely no cell phone reception in Portal. If you are going birding there this weekend, you might want to check ahead!

On my way home I took a 2 mile detour to the town of Rodeo, NM to see the fire from that perspective (and to count birds)! This is a view of the fire from the main street of Rodeo looking west into Arizona.

I made it home about 7 p.m. last night, unpacked, took a soak in our new hot tub and went to bed.  I was up by 4:45 a.m. to join my team of volunteers to do our Important Bird Area Survey of Sabino Canyon. I’ve taken a nap and off-loaded my photos.  I hope to have the rest of the story and the birding stats posted soon!

Happy Skywatch Friday Everyone!

A Damp Night in the Desert: the Rat Saga Continues

It is 75 degrees and moist this morning when I step out the back door onto the patio. A shelf of clouds obscures the morning sunrise, a remnant of yesterday’s afternoon thundershower. It is only 6 a.m. and I decide to take a walk and clear my head from the events that transpired late last night. But the story really started on Sunday Morning and yesterday’s rain only exacerbated the problem.

Late in the afternoon on Tuesday another thunderstorm rolled in from the southeast. It started with the rush of wind like a train sandblasting the house. The rain soon followed in a downpour that turned the road into a river. Lightning flashed and thunder cracked as water poured out the downspouts of the roof the covers the patio. The water drained into the corners where the drainpipes caught it and carried it away. The birds in my backyard often take refuge from the storms here and I saw this little goldfinch hiding in this piece of driftwood upended against the block wall behind the mesquite tree. I’m sure it didn’t care to know that this piece of driftwood came from Wilson Pond near Moosehead Lake in Maine. He only cared that he had found a refuge from the storm.

As evening fell and the storm tapered off the sun set behind a bank of storm clouds. It became a golden orb sinking into a sea of watermelon and blue. Soon the dark night settled upon us and just before bedtime, around 10 p.m., I decided to turn the patio lights on and water my plants and fill the saucer with water for the birds who would arrive early in the morning before I awoke. I wandered beneath a star studded sky enjoying the damp desert night. The scent of creosote bush, so prominent after the rains, wafted in the cool night air. As I drew near the corner where the sitting wall and the stone wall meet, to fill the saucer I use as a bird bath and waterer, I was surprised by the sudden stench that assaulted my nostrils. My first thought was that there couldn’t be that many bird dropping to raise such a stink. Then another whiff permeated my brain and I knew what I was smelling.

It was the smell of decay. I didn’t want to believe what I my brain was telling me was true. Here in the corner where I am attempting to fill the bird bath and water my Lily of the Nile plant is also the corner where the drain is: the drain that leads to the drain pipe the rat was living in. We disposed of the rat on Sunday and thought our trial was over, but now I knew what I dreaded was true, she must have had a nest inside and the stench of dead rat offspring is rising with a vengeance!

I dropped the hose and hurried inside to find Gus, who was busy empting the weekly trash. When he was finished with that task he came outside and we pondered how to solve this newest problem. With the help of a hose, a flashlight and a shovel, we spent the next hour or so in the dark under the star studded skies of the desert flushing a rat’s nest from the drain pipe in our patio. Eventually all the debris floated from the end of the pipe. I could not bear to see it, so I manned the hose while Gus used the shovel to get the dirty stinking water to drain away from the house. We even dumped a box of baking soda down the hole to freshen it up. It was after 11 when we finally came inside. This morning the only sign that we had done anything last night is the newly dug trench that leads from the exit hole towards the decorative drainage block in the block wall that encompasses our yard.

The birds, of course, are oblivious to all of this. On the north side of the house where the water drains out the feeders are full of birds. The juvenile quail have almost attained adult plumage as they clamber on the walls and fences vying for the best feeding spots.

Out the back door the house finches alight on the block wall contemplating which feeder to attack fist. Their bedraggled feathers suggest a wet night or a molting process, I’m not sure which.

In the corner the mesquite tree is sprouting new growth. The new lime green leaves stand out like neon from the dark and dull older foliage. On the tips of some branches I can still see the damage down by the blister beetle invasion of 2 weeks ago. Soon the evidence of that day will be gone. The mesquite is flourishing once again.

As for the Arizona wildfires, I can see the smoke from a new fire burning in Saguaro National Park from my house. Started by lightening over the weekend, it is called the Chimenea Fire and it has only burned about 92 acres, much less than the larger Distillery Fire that scorched almost 8,000. For more information on the fires, click on the highlighted links.

As for my back yard, it is now officially rodent and odor free and I am enjoying my newly blossomed Lily of the Nile.

Photographer's Note: All of today's photography is by Kathie taken with the Nikon D80 within the last 24 hours. The 18-70 mm lens was used for the scenery and sunset shots and the 70-300mm lens was used for the birds, tree, and flowers. I used various settings from the Landscape button to Sports mode. Most photos have been sharpened but the sunset and sunrise are unaltered. Bird photos have been automatically enhanced on the computer. The quail shot was taken through shutters and a rain and dust covered window this morning. The goldfinch in the driftwood has been cropped and enlarged.

Wednesday Morning Wake Up

(Mt. Fagan)

I wipe my groggy eyes and roll over in bed. The room is dark and cozy with a soft gray light. I wonder what time it is since it feels later but the room is still so dark. It’s 7:45 a.m., long past the time when the sun should have illuminated my room like the high beams of a truck parked outside. I snuggle into the covers, enjoying this overcast morning. Breezy Boy, my cat, curls up into the hollow of my body and purrs away. I am thinking that maybe I will stay in bed and enjoy this luxury just a few moments longer but suddenly I hear scratching on the patio door. Gus had let the dog out just before he left and now Blossom wants to come in.

I trundle out of bed and open the door. Blossom prances in like she owns the world. I pop my head out to feel the day and catch a whiff of rain in the air. Dark clouds are mounting over the Santa Ritas. Mount Fagan looks dark and broody. It looks like a curtain of rain is falling on the Rincons, but still the slopes are sending smoky plumes into the sky, and mixed with the smell of wet desert I can also smell the smoke. There are 8 fires burning now in Southern Arizona and the Distillery Fire in the Rincons has grown to over 5,000 acres.

(Rincon Mountains)

The cats follow me out to the kitchen winding around my legs and begging for breakfast. I step out this patio door to see the thermometer. It is 83 degrees and comfortable with a strong breeze gusting sometimes to a full wind. Off to the west, however, the sky is blue and clear. Sunlight beaming out from beneath the edge of the cloud bank illumines the mine tailings of Green Valley into a golden table land. It cuts a sharp edge against the pale blue sky.

(Green Valley Mine Tailings)

Once I shut the door the birds return to feasting in the backyard. Once again the finch feeder is covered in Lesser Goldfinches.

(Lesser Goldfinches on thistle seed feeder)

Mourning Doves are gleaning the seeds from the ground while flickers, Gila Woodpeckers and thrashers all vie for the peanut feeder. Out the den window a lone juvenile Gambel’s Quail pecks beneath my globe shaped feeder. His bland gray color blends in with the mourning doves but his shape and the plume atop his head betrays his true species. Over on this side of the house the house finches mob the globe shaped feeder while house sparrows pick at the quail block. A Canyon Towhee joins the fray and grabs whatever seeds it can. Then a feisty Cactus Wren flies in and chases away a thrasher to grab a peanut that was dropped on the stony ground. It’s just another day for Kathie’s Birds here in Sycamore Canyon, but the Monsoon is creeping ever closer and we may get storms this afternoon.

(Canyon Towhee at seed cake)

For now, I leave you with this peaceful scene of a potted dove. She has built her nest in this pot on a neighbor’s front porch. The family can sit in their bench and she does not flinch or fly away. My neighbor says she has seen the eggs when the mother flies off to feed in the evening. The male hangs around on nearby rooftops, waiting for the hatching and his job to begin of feeding the little brood. For me, the question arises: does the mother actually trust my neighbor and her children, or is her mother’s instinct so strong that she will not abandon the nest in spite of great fear? If the latter is true, I can’t help but wonder if I could confront my own fears in the same way.

Note: All of today's photography is by Kathiesbirds with the Nikon D80 and the 70-300mm lens except for the morning dove which was photographed Saturday, June 21, with the 18-70mm lens.

Fire in The Rincon Mountains

(Distillery Fire June 23, 2008 photo by Kathie @5:58 p.m. MST)

If you live in the west then you come to know summer as fire season. This was true in Idaho, Colorado, and Utah. It is also true here and over the weekend dry lightening sparked 2 fires at the south end of the Rincon Mountains. The Rincons are part of the Coronado nation Forest and Saguaro National Park, East. I see them every day from my back yard. They are part of the “place” where I now live.

(Distillery Fire photo by Kathie June 23, 2008 @ 5:57 p.m. MST)

Yesterday afternoon the smoke billowing from the Distillery Fire filled the eastern sky. From my house these mountains are 10 to 15 miles away. The houses seen in the foreground are only the length of a football field away. According to the news last night this fire has grown to over 2000 acres but is being allowed to burn since it is not threatening any structures. It is being treated as a controlled burn that will help prevent more serious fires in the future. The Cumero Fire, farther east in Happy Valley is being contained since there are homes in that area.

Last night I experimented with the night photo button on my camera and took these shots of the flames creeping down the slopes in an ever widening ring of fire. At first I hand held the camera but that resulted in blurry edges to the flames. So, I set the camera on the stone cap of a pillar in the block wall and took the photo again. This is the resulting photo which I have sharpened but that’s it.

Shooting Data for night photo taken by Kathie:

(Nikon D802008/06/23 22:25:39.9JPEG (8-bit) NormalImage Size: Large (3872 x 2592)ColorLens: VR 70-300mm F/4.5-5.6 GFocal Length: 300mmDigital Vari-Program: Night LandscapeMetering Mode: Multi-Pattern4 sec - F/5.6Exposure Comp.: 0 EV)

This morning when I woke up the air was flat with smoky haze that I could smell as I watered my plants and filled the bird baths. Look at all three photos to see the roof lines of the houses and make a comparison.

(Rincon Haze by Kathie June 24, 2008 @ 8:40 a.m. MST)

You will notice a dark spot on the image. That is a dust spot that is on my camera optics that I have not been able to remove. It is inside the camera and not the individual lenses since it shows up whether I am using the 18-70mm lens or the 70 -300 mm lens. Any suggestions anyone? I have wiped the mirror and top of the optics with a soft lens cloth to no avail. I certainly don’t want to damage my new camera but it is so frustrating to have this spot ruining my photos.

Update: As of noontime today the Distillery Fire has grown to over 4,000 acres. An attempt is being made to fight and contain the fire.

I am Not Snow White

In the fairy tale, "Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs" the princess finds solace in nature. In her story she runs to the forest and the birds and butterflies befriend her, the trees hide her and protect her. I don't know if everyone who loves nature has this fantasy, but it certainly lurked quietly in my heart. However, 2 weeks ago reality broke through this dream for me.

I was heading out of town for the weekend and happened to step out the back door. A small female house finch was thrashing about on the ground. I picked her up and moved her onto the rug on my patio. I thought maybe she struck the window and was a bit stunned. This often happens with birds and I figured in a few moments she would regain her composure and be on her way. As she continued to flutter on the ground a small male house finch came around the corner and hopped over to her. He showed no fear of me (as I was quite close) but hopped to the female, then put his beak next to her as if to ask; "What's wrong, can I help?" Then he hopped over towards me, looking at me with his little head cocked to the side.

I only wanted to help. So, I dipped my finger in the dog's water bowl and placed a drop on the side of the poor bird's beak. She fluttered a moment, then stilled. She was dead. Perhaps she was just too injured, I thought, so I went in search of the little male who was still hopping around my small yard. I found him in the corner near the air conditioning unit. He was hopping about with his mouth open like he was panting. It was hot and sunny in that corner, so I put my hand out and he hopped onto my palm. I thought, Oh! this little bird knows I love him and would never harm him. How special I am that he trusts me! But, oh, how I deceived myself.

I brought the little red male house finch over to the patio out of the sun. Once again I dipped my finger into the cool water bowl and placed my finger above his head. He eagerly lifted his beak and tried to swallow the droplet from my finger. He barely swallowed before he tumbled over and died instantly. I stared at the limp feathered body before me, emotion rising in my throat. What had I done? Had I caused this little bird's death?

Initially I panicked. I wondered if my water was bad, or if I had chemicals on my fingers. Then my concern caused me to seek help. I started by calling my vet. This started a 2 hour ordeal of phone calls and being passed from one agency to the next. Before it was all said and done I had talked to 2 wildlife rehabilitators, the Arizona State Veterinarian , Vector Control, the Department of Game and Fish, the University of Arizona and the Pima County Health Department. They were the ones who finally asked me to place the birds in a plastic bag and refrigerate them. On Friday morning they retrieved them for testing. I haven't heard any results yet, though I did try to call on Monday.

Perhaps I will never know what caused the little finches to die, but I am left with this question: How is it that with nature, our attempts at kindness can go so awry? How little we understand this world we live in. My ignorance hastened the death of two house finches, a small thing in the vast ocean of problems plaguing the environment. It is past ignorance that is threatening our desert now.

Here in Arizona there is a vast effort underway to eradicate buffle grass, an invasive African species that was planted here years ago as forage for cattle. Now that it has spread it threatens the Sonaran desert and the saguaros because it is a fuel for fires. Before buffle grass the saguaros were mostly safe from fire since there were expanses of barren earth between them and fire could not travel without fuel. Now the buffle grass makes a fuel path straight to them, and they have no natural adaptation to withstand a firestorm.

I have heard that the definition of ignorance is not stupidity, but the lack of knowledge. Some people would say that ignorance is bliss, but I have discovered that ignorance is trouble and often I am not the only one who has to pay for my ignorance.