Nerdy for Birdy

Sunday, February 16, 2025

Birding in Phoenix AZ --- Mid February 2025

Say's Phoebe

Hey All, I attended a wedding in Phoenix AZ over the last three days - and thought I would share some birding highlights. I was in Phoenix with my family and even my dad for 3 days, 2 nights. I think any birder in eastern north america needs to put a trip to Arizona on their birding bucket list. Its a completely different ecosystem from the Carolinian Life Zone that spoils us with our most common species. The gorgeous mountains along the horizon are stunning. Arizona is also the hummingbird capital of the US - with 14 species!

I found one life bird --- a Costa's Hummingbird quite easily at my first birdwatching destination. A few other (potential lifers) that had been seen lately at the rio-salada center were golden-crowned sparrow and grey hawk - an accipiter of the SW'ern US.

Costa's Hummingbird

Below I list out 3 locations I birded in the three days I was in Phoenix:

Desert Botany Garden (Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona | DBG)

Costa's Hummingbird

Curve billed Thrasher

Cactus Wren

Marine Blue Butterfly

Rio Salada - Audubon Center ( Rio Salado Audubon Center )

Anna's Hummingbird

Audubon's Yellow Rumped Warbler

Say's Phoebe

Black Phoebe

Gambel's Quail

Black tailed Gnatcatcher

Base and Meridian Wildlife Area - Base and Meridian Wildlife Area — Maricopa Audubon Society

Anna's Hummingbird

Road Runner

Cinnamon Teal

Harris's Hawk

Road Runner --- Running across the road.

This is my second time to the beautiful state of Arizona. I had gone a few years back to SE Arizona a few years ago listed out in a 7-series blog posting. See this link for blog posting 5 of 7 Nerdy for Birdy: Part 5 of 7 - Birding Cave Creek Canyon - Portal AZ

Good Birding!

Dwayne

Lifer Summary (last 5 life birds):

Black crested Titmouse (TX) 466

Snowy Plover (TX) 467

Neotropical Cormorant (TX) 468

White tailed Kite (TX) 469

Least Grebe (TX) 470

Bachman's Sparrow (FL) 471

Costa's Hummingbird (AZ) 472

Sunday, December 29, 2024

Birding & Nature Highlights from 2024 - Year in Review

Looking back at this year was somewhat lack-luster ---- both with my birding attempts at Pelee and in my own backyard. I did travel a little this year, visiting Miami Florida, New Brunswick and Belleville Ontario.

I did get a chance to see two different Olive sided Flycatchers in the hedgerow behind my house. A top highlight at Pelee was finding Praire Warbler on two separate occasions in May this year. In April - (April 19th) -, I had a surprisingly early Great Crested Flycatcher (link).

April 18th 2024 - Great Crested Flycatcher

Seeing a Southern Dogface butterfly at Point Pelee this summer was pretty amazing. I had seen them in the southern US before but did not fully come to appreciate their field marks. Another butterfly highlight from this year was seeing a Fiery Skipper in my yard, and a few more in the hedgerow behind my house. Seeing many Zabulon Skippers around the Ojibway Park complex was really neat as well. A single Horace's Duskywing was a nice find as well. Finally - I almost forgot about a chance sighting of some European Blue butterflies seen in downtown Toronto this summer as well.

Botany wise - I did not have too many highlights. One thought that comes to mind was finding a mid-May Orchid species that I am not aware of being seen previously - a Shining Ladies Tresses Orchid at Ojibway park. To my knowledge - this species has not been identified at Ojibway - so my sighting might be a first!(* after checking Inat - yes, another was seen outside the park ).

Astronomy was pretty exciting for me this year with some great / rare sightings which included a Solar Eclipse, Northern Lights, and three comets.

So - each year brings with it an interesting mix of chance sightings. I still really enjoy birding and naturalizing. I enjoy blogging and reading many of the great blogs in the blog-o-sphere. Its boxing day as I write this so wishing you all belated Christmas Greetings, belated Winter Solstice greetings, and Wishing you all a great new year for 2025.

Yours in Nature,
Dwayne

Monday, October 14, 2024

Finding Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS

In the Astronomy world --- there has been great anticipation to see Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS (Would it be pronounced Shoe-Shin-Shan? ) . It was supposed to be (and perhaps "is") a naked-eye comet. But --- this might assume you have 20-20 vision and clouldless, dark skies (no light pollution). I was hoping to see it for the last two-three days as it has become visible in the northern hemisphere since Saturday --- but of course --- cloudy skies! Tonight - ((Canadian) Thanksgiving night ) I was finally able to see it after patiently waiting for cloulds to recede along the western horizon to give me brief but diagnostic views of this Oort cloud ice-ball.

I attempted to view this from somewhere in Windsor that would afford me a view of the Western Horizon. I went to the top of the Malden Park hill in Windsor - which gives me a view of the western horizon. Sadly, lots of Detroit industry pollutes the views of the skyline but I guess this is the price we have to pay for industry, capitalism and local steel production.

It would be nice to see this from Point Pelee Drive (or the tip / west beach of Point Pelee) this week. Looking west at the horizon just after sunset should afford stunning views of this comet!

If you care to find this - I would recommend simply looking at the western horizon after the sun sets. (probably this week Oct 14th to 18th). If you take a photo of the horizon with a wide angle camera - you might find it better by looking at an image --- as your camera may see it better than your eyes can see it. Also - if you see a yellow-ish star above the horizon (Arcturus)--- it may be just below it and to the right (see my stellarium-web photo below).

Sunday, September 15, 2024

Southern Dogface Butterfly Visits Southwestern Ontario

This last week of early to mid September had a chance sighting of a southern butterfly species called a Southern Dogface butterfly. I had seen this butterfly in the past (as I have been to Texas as well as several other states in the southern US) --- but only this week did I come to realize this butterfly's namesake and most interesting field mark!

I had always assumed the field mark was a sharp pointed forwing! But it turns out - this butterfly has its upper forwing as completely black for the outer 1/3 of its wing. This black outline makes the silouette of a dog, complete with a black spot for its eyes. Compare this outline with Orange Sulphur or Clouded Sulphur. In flight, its make a distinct black-yellow display as the butterfly flaps its wings.

As luck would have it - I had seen a Grey Hairstreak as well --- just north of the NW beach parking lot. This area was a little more shady (literally) and perhaps my camera's exposure had been set 1-2 stops too dark. It was an exciting find as I had not seen a hairstreak for a good 1-2 months. I was at Pelee after work on Friday Sept 13th - and met a Toronto area butterfly enthusiast who I was able to point this out to.