Another day at the Riparian

Today I found time to visit the Riparian Preserve, but it is getting SOO hot out during the day, I couldn't bring myself to hike about.  So, with the temp over 100 degrees, I set up on a picnic bench by the one pond, and decided to sketch whatever came my way.  There was a lot of life to see, even on the mowed lawn at the edge of the park.

First, there were COTTONTAILS, everywhere.  I counted at least 10 near the parking lot.  I think a few litters just got big enough to leave the burrow.  They were waiting out the noonday sun in the shady areas of lawn.  The one nearest the picnic shelter I sat at, after deciding I wasn't going to eat him, lolled about and took a nap.

There were a lot of house sparrows patrolling this particular shady spot.  I didn't realize they were community nesters, and the males were in full force enforcing.  They chased off a little wren that was trying to dig up some grub from 'their' grass.  I noticed one sparrow with a feather in its mouth, and saw it fly up to the rafter of the picnic shelter and run into one of the open metal beams.  It appears the nest keeps getting decorated even after the chicks hatch.  I also noticed they were hot, as the sparrows, and most of the other birds I saw, had their beaks open and were panting.

After a while, a curved bill thrasher swooped down and scared off sparrows and rabbit alike.  However, the little wren from before took this chance to grub at the grass, and the thrasher didn't seem to be bothered by him.  In fact, after scaring off the sparrows he looked around, and flew off.  This only continues my belief that curved bill thrashers are bullies.

Some time passes...

I had seen the ducks earlier passing by the pond, but halfway through my sketching, I was approached by this motley little crew.  They walked right up to me, giving me the 'where's the goods?' stare.  Somebody must be feeding the ducks, because the one tried to get in my bag after I didn't give them anything.  They appeared to be 'manky mallards', mallards bred about (domestically or otherwise) to have variances in color.  This one is bred for farms, sold as a "Black Swedish" mallard.

Once they decided I honestly didn't have food, they settled down for a nap under my picnic table.  It was still over 100 degrees out, and they were apparently too tired to be bothered by me, so I just ignored them and kept sketching.

A while later, I watched the ducks loll off to the water.  Well, the girls lolled.  The boy got spooked, started flying, and I heard him collide with a large bush before splashing into the water.
  Looking around, I considered taking photos of the two mourning doves that had been pecking at the earth behind me, and then I noticed a not-quite-right bird nestled down.  I took some close up photos and thought everything about it seemed like an extra fluffy pigeon.  I was right, as watching it, when it finally stood up and followed the mourning doves into the trees, I saw its red feet.  It was a very large immature mourning dove, or fledgling.  It looked like a rock until it moved.  I may scour the area later to try get a picture of the nest, which is likely in that bramble of limbs behind them.


On the way out, I looked up and saw what appeared a mocking bird prancing through the grass, and it flew up into the tree.  I followed with my eyes, and noted it had a twiggy nest built up on one branch of a large palo verde tree.  At first I thought it was another curve billed thrasher, but it had white on its front and belly, and was more of a grey color than the buff of the thrashers here.

Getting into my car, I thought about how nice nature was and how calm I felt.  Then the A/C kicked on, and I left the park with fewer misgivings, because, well, it was still over 100 degrees out at 6:00pm.

Gila Woodpecker In A Cactus

At the Riparian Reserve on May 8, 2014, I was sitting at the gazebo and had an interesting discovery - a Gila woodpecker had made a home in the Saguaro cactus north of the gazebo.  I noticed many holes in the cactus, and saw both the male and female Gila woodpecker coming in and out, bringing home the bacon - er, insects - to baby.  The male seemed to fly away the second my camera was ready, though.  These photos show the mama, who is lacking the bright red head of the male woodpecker, but has the same black and white striping on the back.

I learned that woodpeckers like the cactus because after being damaged, the cactus oozes a natural Neosporin that heals the wounds, creating a natural and tidy home for the bird, who may eat the flesh of the cactus, too.  Home and a meal, in one!  Smart bird. 

However, the woodpecker is known to get too amibitious sometimes, and may peck out a variety of holes before it moves into one.  The other holes aren't wasted though, and other birds are quick to grab up the prime real estate.  At the cactus I was by, a European Starling had moved in upstairs.  (See its little beak?)

I was able to identify the starling because of its obvious bright orange/yellow beak and glossy black body with greenish hued feathers.  Apparently, they look quite different in winter time, but they are the only bird of their size and overall color with the yellow beak in this area.

What birds have you identified lately?