ovenbird43
Well-known member
I went for a long bike ride today along Tucson's extensive paved trail system, with a stop for birding at Sweetwater Wetlands. I left home before dawn, scattering numerous Desert Cottontails and a few larger, unidentified animals at the edge of my bike light, and arrived at the wetlands around 7:30 (16-mile ride, with an emergency stop for more coffee and a donut along the way). This was my third trip to the wetlands since moving here in August, and it so far is always just packed with birds. The little stream by the entrance was hopping with White-crowned, Lincoln's, and Song Sparrows, and the trees virtually dripping with Yellow-rumped Warblers and Ruby-crowned Kinglets. Large flocks of Yellow-headed Blackbirds flew overhead, sometimes landing and disappearing into the marsh. The Marsh Wrens were very vocal, occasionally singing and frequently scolding when one of the hawks (Cooper's, Harris', Red-tailed) flew overhead. Ducks were numerous, predominantly Northern Shoveler and American Wigeon, but a good diversity of others mixed in.
At the far side of the marsh, I heard yet another Marsh Wren scolding angrily, and when I rounded a bend I was surprised to see a Bobcat lying at the edge of the trail. It stared calmly at me as I snapped a few photos, and then as I approached along the trail, it appeared briefly to consider getting up and moving away, but then relaxed back and watched me as I passed alongside it on the trail, taking photos from mere meters away. Quite unlike my few other encounters with this species in the past, usually just a glimpse of pointy ears and short tail as one darts across a road. Neat!
After my visit to Sweetwater, I continued down the bike trail, encountering 3 different Greater Roadrunners in the span of 15 minutes- apparently 10 am is prime time for them to be out chasing big flying insects around. Two were close to the trail and very obligingly waited as I hopped off my bike, grabbed my camera bag out of my panier, then my camera out of its bag, removed lens cap and sunglass etc,; and they then proceeded to pose and show off for me. Quite a treat- I never get tired of roadrunners.
Farther along the trail I stopped briefly at some gravel pits filled partly with water, which had attracted Black-necked Stilts, Long-billed Dowitchers, Killdeer, and Least Sandpipers. The long ride back was filled mostly with glimpses/sounds of the usual urban desert residents and visitors- Verdin, Abert's Towhee, Mourning Dove, and Gambel's Quail among others.
At the far side of the marsh, I heard yet another Marsh Wren scolding angrily, and when I rounded a bend I was surprised to see a Bobcat lying at the edge of the trail. It stared calmly at me as I snapped a few photos, and then as I approached along the trail, it appeared briefly to consider getting up and moving away, but then relaxed back and watched me as I passed alongside it on the trail, taking photos from mere meters away. Quite unlike my few other encounters with this species in the past, usually just a glimpse of pointy ears and short tail as one darts across a road. Neat!
After my visit to Sweetwater, I continued down the bike trail, encountering 3 different Greater Roadrunners in the span of 15 minutes- apparently 10 am is prime time for them to be out chasing big flying insects around. Two were close to the trail and very obligingly waited as I hopped off my bike, grabbed my camera bag out of my panier, then my camera out of its bag, removed lens cap and sunglass etc,; and they then proceeded to pose and show off for me. Quite a treat- I never get tired of roadrunners.
Farther along the trail I stopped briefly at some gravel pits filled partly with water, which had attracted Black-necked Stilts, Long-billed Dowitchers, Killdeer, and Least Sandpipers. The long ride back was filled mostly with glimpses/sounds of the usual urban desert residents and visitors- Verdin, Abert's Towhee, Mourning Dove, and Gambel's Quail among others.
