My Birdathon Adventure

Birding while raising money for a good cause

Every spring Tucson Bird Alliance has a fun fundraiser where they ask people to raise money while birding. I’ve participated annually for several years with a team of friends. We have special permission to bird on a golf course which is closed to all other birders, so we call our team “Birdies, Bogeys and Eagles.” The Birdathon runs through the month of April and I am proud that our team raised almost $5000 to support protection of birds, restoration of habitats, and educational programming in the Tucson area. Thanks to all of you for being regular readers and special thanks to those of you who donated to our team. Below is a summary of the day we went out looking for birds mid-April. That date put us in the middle of springtime nesting season. One of the first birds we saw was this Anna’s Hummingbird flying back and forth into her nest that was hidden in the middle of a tall pine tree.

As soon as we left that nest we came across another. This time, it was a female Vermilion Flycatcher doing her maternal duties. She was sitting high up in her nest so perhaps she was keeping some hatchlings warm.

Birding is a hobby that takes you out in nature. Whether you see birds or not, it is special to be in a natural environment and taking in all of the sensory input. On this golf course, one of the spots we enjoy birding is where water comes down a small creek and into a large pond on the course. A rich riparian area was created there. You can see one team member Peggy looking across the creek for birds while standing under a flowering palo verde tree. Those flowers bloom a bright yellow but once they fall on the ground and begin to dry up, they turn into a wonderful golden carpet.

Just beyond that spot is a lone willow tree at the edge of the water. We saw a Lark Sparrow calling from the top of that tree. The faces of these sparrows have been described as “harlequin” for their bold pattern.

Deb, another member of our team, was looking at a small group of birds among the yellow palo verde flowers. Many of the birds were Yellow-rumped Warblers. Those birds were getting ready to migrate north but they blended in so much in those flowers. Their yellow flanks, sides, and throats made it interesting to try to pick out as they blended into the flowers.

There are always Cooper’s Hawks somewhere on this course just as they are ever present throughout the Tucson Valley. Because of the time of year, it was inevitable that we would run across their nest. The female Cooper’s hawk was sitting on the nest and you can see her tail just sticking out from the thick foliage. The nest was very well hidden from us and the male Cooper’s Hawk watched us from a nearby tree.

The breeding season for Pied-billed Grebes can last throughout the summers here in Tucson. This Grebe chick still has those zebra-stripes on its face. That tells us this bird is a few weeks old. Those stripes will begin to disappear around the 6 or 7 week mark as the Grebe’s juvenile plumage develops.

This male Ruddy Duck was not only in his breeding plumage, but we saw its breeding behavior. The bills of the male Ruddy Ducks turn a pastel blue during breeding season and they molt into their chestnut/red (ruddy) feathers at this time of year. In addition, this male was performing part of a courtship display. It moved its head up and down rapidly, striking its bill against its chest. This frantic head pumping is meant to attract the attention of a nearby female Ruddy Duck.

On another pond, we saw yet another juvenile Pied-billed Grebe. They look so special at this stage. The darkness of this photo was due to skies that were intermittently overcast.

In the beginning of our walk and again towards the end, we were treated to flights by two Belted Kingfishers. My photos showed that one was male and one was female. Belted Kingfishers are normally winter visitors in Tucson and they are rarely here during the summers. Perhaps this was a mated pair that was getting ready to migrate north or even to higher elevations in Arizona for the breeding season. Seeing these birds was a nice reminder of how the change of seasons impacts the birds that live in our area depending on the time of year.

One Belted Kingfisher flew by the iconic copper dome of the Casino del Sol

On our way back to our cars we passed two Desert Cottontail Rabbits. One ran off into the brush while another sat still as we walked up the path. Desert Cottontails weigh 1-2 pounds. They are pretty darn cute but they often serve as prey for any number of desert predators.

Birding gives us a nice opportunity to spend time in nature and to focus on many things other than what bombards us in the daily media. I always have a nice time when I’m out and about. This particular day was special as it was our Birdathon day. We saw a total of 31 species but more importantly, I got to spend a morning with friends.

Thanks again to our many donors. The latest group I want to recognize includes Marcia G., Terence DeC., Jill and Andy B., Shirley and Gideon W., another anonymous donor, Dena B., and Julie Reynolds.

To see the entire donor list, go to our Birdathon page here.