The Leica Birding Blog

Another study in Blues

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bouton) — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 13:50:00 +0000

Steller's Jay, digiscoped @ Cuyamaca State Park, CA

On a recent trip to the San Diego Bird & Wildlife Festival, an early AM trek into the nearby mountains of Cuyamaca State Park offered some fun and exciting birding opportunities. A cold front had just passed and despite the latitude, the temperatures on this March morning hung just above freezing at 33 degrees F! A stiff wind blew and birds and birder alike were hiding from the blistering effects of the damp air heavily laden with patches of fog and passing clouds.

The diffuse morning light helped to showcase the many shades of blue I'd enjoy this morning on the mountain. One of these stunners was the lovely Steller's Jay which I was all too happy to digiscope in the image above. The lovely cobalt blue chest and dark slaty-black head were highlighted by the electric blue "racing stripes" that ran up either side of the bird's steep crown. I've been busy enough that I've had precious little opportunity to put the new Leica APO Televid 82 mm scope through it's paces, so this was a welcomed field trial. The fact that I had to endure a wonderful morning of birding to accommodate this is just the cross I have to bear sometimes. It's always work, work, work with me! ;p

female Western Bluebird, digiscoped with Leica APO Televid 82 mm scope w/ zoom & C-Lux camera

The subtle hues of blue showing on the lovely female Western Bluebird above contrasted nicely with the warm brown back and buffy orange breast. Slight tinges of blues were evident on the bird's slaty cap as well. So it was clear that color rendition is not an issue in low light conditions and the level of details visible around the eye and on the individual feathers was stunning as well. If only all work was so enjoyable!...

male Western Bluebird digiscopedw/ Leica APO Televid 82, Cuyamaca Park, CA

While the female Bluebird offered subtle hints to its true name through its plumage, the stunning males left no doubt. Even someone completely oblivious to birding and proper bird names, would stand a fare chance of stumbling across this bird's name by accident. The blues on this male Western Bluebird absolutely popped when backlit in diffuse lighting created by the slight overcast. The deep burnt orange tones on the breast and back were a marvelous compliment as well. Note the rich new breast feathers growing in the breast compared to the old worn and more faded feathers surrounding these.

The wind was uncomfortable and I sought the shelter of a dense stand of Manzanita bushes in the lee of a hillside. Apparently many of the birds had the same idea as Juncos, and a small band of Juncos fed intently in here. Mountain Chickadees, Pygmy Nuthatches, and woodpeckers were about as hummingbirds sped by doing high speed tail chases. The latter appeared to be mostly migrant Rufous Hummingbirds but I wasn't certain. I never did see one perched or even flying very well so they could have been local Allen's as well. Not sure which would be more likely in this habitat at this time of year honestly!

On another day, I would have been intent to track these down and make a definitive identification but after a long stretch of extended "office time" without many outdoor experiences of late, I was really just enjoying the air, the mountain and of course the spectacular views of the numerous birds that were cooperating. As I said, there were many woodpeckers about and I tallied 5 species here to include: Hairy, Nuttall's, Acorn, Northern "Red-shafted" Flicker, and Red-breasted Sapsucker. Unfortunately despite excellent close up views of many of these I was never able to get an in focus image as they were all feeding like mad and in the low light conditions, I always wound up getting an image of a woodpecker body with a big blur where the head should be. After a few unsuccessful attempts though I did get wise and spin the mode dial on my compact camera to "movie" and captured some fun digital videos.

Pygmy Nuthatch digiscoped @ Cuyamaca Park, CA - Leica APO Televid 82 & Leica C-Lux camera

Even the nuthatches sought respite from the bitter winds and came down to sun on the ground when the clouds broke near 9 AM. This bird offered yet another hue of blue with its blue-gray back. Despite enjoying the few AM hours immensely, it wasn't too long before it was time to turn tail and head back to the venue at the San Diego Bird Fest and open the booth for displaying. I reluctantly made my way to my rented car and wound my way back toward San Diego's warmer temps on scenic Mission Bay. Right outside the venue was one last opportunity to capture yet another shade of blue on the crown of the established exotic Lilac-crowned Parrot below with a marvelous blue sky behind. Oh if all work days could be like this one!...

Lilac-crowned Parrot, digiscoped with Leica APO Televid 82 scope, Mission Bay, CA

Scopes at Last!!

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bouton) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 16:44:00 +0000

new Leica APO Televid 82 mm scope, digital adapter 3, and C-Lux camera!

I finally received a final version of the NEW Leica APO Televid 82 mm angled scope, with the revolutionary 25-50x wide angle eyepiece! This is the first comercially available eyepiece to couple the versatilty of a zoom, with the eye-pleasing wide field of views formerlly reserved to fixed power models.

As soon as I was able, I took it and my new Leica D-Lux 4 camera out to get some initial test shots with one of these first production model pieces (as opposed to just a prototype).

test subject as seen with naked eye, C-Lux 2 @ 58 mm equivalent

As soon as I found a suitable test subject I took a test shot, by running the optical zoom on my C-Lux 2 camera to near "2x". At near "2x" the subject appears near the same size as it appears in the field. The actual 35 mm equivalent of the subject in the image above was 58 mm, meaning it is even slightly larger than it appeared in life! The subject appears as a slight gray spot near dead center of the image along the left bank of the canal.

adult Little Blue Heron digiscoped Babcock Webb WMA, FL

The image above is the same subject taken from the same location as the first image. In this second image, I coupled the D-Lux 4 camera to the front of the APO Televid 82 using the new digital adapter 3. I ran the camera zoom up to a max 2.5x, the equivalent of a 60 mm lens. Then I ran the scope eyepiece zoom up to a maximum of 50x magnification. When coupling two lenses in an afocal system like this, the overall focal length is easily calculated. Using the focal length listed in the EXIF data of the image above (60 mm equivalent), we simply multiply this by the power of magnification of the scope eyepiece (50x). So the image above was shot at the equivalent of a 3,000 mm (50 x 60 mm) telephoto lens.

Saying this is a 3,000 mm lens equivalent is impressive, but as always images speak louder than words. The dramatic examples above, show the amazing magnifying properties of digiscoping. It also shows the wonderful clarity the scope and camera are capable of!

adult White Ibis digiscoped @ Babcock Webb WMA, FL

Here is another dramatic example of the capabilities of the new Leica APO Televid 82 mm spotting scope and the D-Lux 4 camera. The first image is again taken with the Leica C-Lux 2 camera again at 58 mm as before. The white subject above is more obvious on a brown dirt mound with dead grass and again appears as it does to the unaided eye.

adult White Ibis digiscoped @ 3,000 mm equivalent, with Leica APO Televid 82 @ D-Lux 4 camera

The image above was once again taken from the same location as the test shot. The White Ibis image at bottom was taken with camera and scope zoom at maximum which in this case equates to a 3,000 mm telephoto lens equivalent. Beyond simple magnification, the lens quality is VERY apparent when looking at the subsequent image.

more CBC fun

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bouton) — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 13:41:00 +0000

After my fun with Screech-Owls in "the Webb" it was time to get busy once again and go cover my officially assigned area. I was a team in of myself at this point and had a fair amount of ground to cover. Of course I still took time to stop and smell the ros... err, um... flowers, like the one below. I'm not much of a botanist, I know enough to be dangerous but not much more. At any rate, the flower I stumbled across below looked really out of place among the wire grass in a sea of pines. I assumed it was an exotic rather than a native species, but hopefully some of you can enlighten me. Please feel free to leave a comment if you can.

mystery flower photographed at Babcock Webb WMA, 12/14/08

As I drove back toward the lake I enjoyed a couple massive mixed species feeding flocks that held hundreds of individual birds. My typical M.O. for winter birding at the Webb, is locate the flocks and you find the birds. You'd think these flocks would be painfully obvious in the relative openness provided by the habitat here, but at a distance even large flocks can be mostly hidden in the grasses and pineey canopy. Eastern Bluebirds are typically the indicator species for me. Their calls are easier for me to detect at greater distance than the other species in the group, and the fact that they prefer to sit on open exposed perches helps as well. Also it seems they are almost never alone, they always attract friends!

Each time I detected Bluebirds, I'd head toward them and invariably I found other species with them. The bulk of these flocks were made up of Pine Warblers, with lesser numbers of Yellow-rumped & Palm Warblers numbering into the triple digits. In the biggest flock there were >100 warblers, 8 individual Bluebirds, 4 Brown-headed Nuthatches, 3 Red-bellied Woodpeckers, & 2 Downy Woodpeckers. I got lucky in one flock and had a Blue-headed Vireo and a Pileated Woodpecker mixed in. Eastern Towhees, Northern Flickers, and Eastern Meadowlarks could invariably be heard nearby but they don't seem to join these mixed species flocks.

Loggerhead Shrike with Gulf Fritillary butterfly, digiscoped @ Webb 12/14/08

Loggerhead Shrikes are commonly seen foraging throughout the open flatwoods habitat. This small predatory songbird does not (obviously) join the feeding flocks and is another one of the loners out here. It might try to join in, but likely only to attempt to capture one of its smaller feathered brethren. With their sharply hooked beaks the Loggerhead will rarely capture and eat a small bird, but for the most part they nab insects like the Gulf Fritillary shown above. Grasshoppers and crickets are a favorite. Slightly larger Northern Shrikes found (as you'd guess) across many northern states in winter do take a higher percentage of birds and rodents though.

Shrikes are a curios predator. They lack the talons of a true raptor (bird of prey) so are reliant on their hooked beak for capturing and killing their prey. They also have the unique habit of wedging their prey in a forked branch or impaling it on a long thorn or barbed wire fence. This habit has earned them the nickname "Butcherbird". The bird below put on quite a show and I felt obligated to shoot some images and video through the spotting scope since it was being so accommodating.

Loggerhead Shrike digiscoped with Leica APO Televid scope & Leica C-Lux 2 camera

My assigned area included the large "Babcock Lake" that runs three miles south from the park entrance. Along it's length is a mix of young open flatwoods and marhes perfect for all kinds of critters like the toothy resident below.

American Alligator digiscoped Babcock Webb WMA 12/14/08

As I stood at the lake's edge another large feeding flock swept through the area and disappeared to the south slowly rolling through the vegetation like a slow motion tumble weed. It dawned on me how this type of birding was kind of like fishing. You're in the right habitat there's miles of it and the birds are in tight packs here and there. To my eye at least there was very little difference in the habitat from one spot to another either. These birds just roam through these habitat areas and you need a bit of luck to find them. My Bluebird trick has seemed to help me stack the odds in my favor a bit and it seems this home court advantage likely helps me detect more than the uninitiated birder visiting for the first time. Unlike fishing though birding is non-consumptive so once I see the bird it will still be there for the next birder or my next visit. Also, since my seeing it does not make it more wary and harder to see on future visits (unlike catch and release fishing perhaps), I happily share my secrets to success with other birders. Something the local fisherman might take to his or her grave to insure their secret spot and techniques continue to work for them on every visit. This spirit of open sharing is one of the great things about the birding community actually that is not as common in other outdoor recreational pursuits.

Double-crested Cormorant "T65" digiscoped @ Webb Lake 12/14/08

One of the other great things about birding is seeing old friends. As I reached the southern part of the Lake I saw Double-crested Cormorants perched on some familiar exposed rocks and thought, "I wonder...". A quick scan with my trusty Televid spotting scope and my suspicions were confirmed; one of the three birds wore a bright yellow leg band reading "T65". Good ol' "T65" and I go way back. I actually encountered this bird in this very spot back on March 12, 2004. I got images and submitted the record to the bird banding laboratory and discovered that "T65" was banded as a chick on the nest on July 15, 2002 near Willsboro, NY. So I like to think we are old friends now!

female Belted Kingfisher, digiscoped image, Babcock Webb WMA 12/14/08

Hard to know if this girl was an old friend since she wore no bands, but I was more than happy to meet an accommodating Belted Kingfisher. Bird photographers will tell you these birds have a well deserved reputation for being a bit wary and difficult to approach. So I was tickled to have one perch still and in good sunlight like this. Even though my job on this day was to count birds, I certainly wasn't going to pass up a photo op like this!

Of course, she still might not have been cooperative enough for the typical bird photographer with a 400 or 500 mm lens though. The biggest advantage of digiscoping is that of reach and magnification. In optical terms (generally speaking) every 50 mm in lens equates to near 1 power of magnification. As such a 400 mm & 500 mm lens offers the equivalent view you would receive from an 8x or 10x binocular respectively. Spotting scopes deliver up to 6x the magnification as binoculars though, so the DSLR photographer with a 500 mm lens would have to be up to 6 times closer for the subject to be the same size in their viewfinder! Hard to say if she was that tolerent. Ididn't stalk her in that way she seemed plenty aware of me even though I was nearly 60 feet (~20m) away.

female Belted Kingfisher - digiscoped Leica APO Televid scope

Belted Kingfishers are another one of the unique stories from the birding world, they are one of the VERY few examples (along with Phalaropes) of a bird species where the female is more colorful than the male! I have no idea why this is, but the males show only the upper blue neck band and none of the reddish coloration found below on the belly and flanks. Phalaropes are actually a polyandrous species where the more colorful female attracts a mate, breeds, lays eggs and then leaves the male to tend for the nest and raise the chicks. When she has had enough mating she simply returns to sea and joins a flock of other single bachelorette phalaropes! The male's more subdued, cryptic coloration is then understandable as he will be doing all of the incubation and brooding of small young. I don't know what the story is with the Belted Kingfisher though. Anyone care to jump in to offer more enlightenment here?...

adult Osprey digiscoped Babcock Webb WMA 12-14-08

The sad looking Osprey above played a part in one of my final memorable moments at the Webb. I heard him first (likely a male by plain unmarked breast - most females show a "necklace" of dark streaks) giving typical piercing single notes of protest. I looked up and was not surprised to see this guy carrying a fish with an adult Bald Eagle closing in on him fast. It all happened so quickly I never even bothered or thought about snapping a picture, I just enjoyed the show through my binoculars. The Osprey attempted to stave off the inevitable and allude the Eagle's piracy by going into a steep dive toward the surface of the lake. However, he was heavily laden by a large fish and was no match for the agility and power of an unburdened adult Bald Eagle. The eagle closed in fast leaving our sad Osprey with only one option; to release his quarry just above the lake's surface.

Very often when this happens the eagle will be able to snatch the falling fish out of the air, but there was not enough space in this instance and the heavy prey splashing into the lake looked like a depth charge being released from some WWII airplane in old film footage. The eagle broke off the chase and spiralled back around to look for its quarry but not before two other eagles who had detected this less than quiet exchange came barrelling in as well. Now all three eagles were spiralling low over the lake's surface chittering madly at one another: one adult, a three year old bird (by plumage), and a youngster hatched this year. After a while they all peeled off and perched. The adult selected a short 12' high pine close to the splash down site, while the two younger birds landed in the same large pine on the opposite shore. It seems no one ever got the fish (at least not while I was there) but it was a wonderfully fun event and one of the many memorable highlights of this day.... although the Osprey likely disagrees!

Florida CBC Fun in Charlotte County

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bouton) — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 18:54:00 +0000

For the past few years, I've been busy during the local Audubon Christmas Bird Count season. So I was tickled to discover I'd have ample time to join this year after a too long hiatus. I was even more excited when the local coordinator asked me if I'd be willing to help in my favorite birding area in the entire county, Babcock Webb Wildlife Management Area in Punta Gorda, FL.

Babcock Webb is primarily pine-flatwoods habitat broken up by marsh areas in low spots. It is known as the best spot to see federally endangered Red-cockaded Woodpeckers, Brown-headed Nuthatches, & Bachman's Sparrows along the entire central to southern Gulf coast and certainly the southernmost location for the RCW! As such, it was not surprising that at first light my fellow bird counters and I headed directly for the closest Woodpecker roost site to insure we tallied this bird on the count. They are comparatively easy to see at first light when they leave the roost and socialize a bit before heading off to feed in the open woodlands. After this they could be wandering anywhere in a sea of pines.

It was overcast and as we waited for them to make an appearance, we began tallying other species like fly over American Goldfinches, American Robins, and Common Grackles, among others. I managed to locate a single Bachman's Sparrow which (as usual) was very uncooperative and skulky. I was able to see movement in the palmettos, hear it's high-pitched call notes, and even hear the rustle of the dead fronds, but never really saw it. This is not atypical at all for this species in winter though... they are so much kinder after February when they actually come out of hiding and will tee up to sing their melodic phrases! Then some Brown-headed Nuthatches squeaked in the trees overhead following a fast moving flock of Eastern Bluebirds, mixed with handfuls of Pine, Palm, and Yellow-rumped Warblers. So far the birds were not offering good views but again this isn't unexpected of birds first waking up.

A distant Downy Woodpecker let out a descending "De-de-de-de-de-de-dee!" and two Red-bellied Woodpeckers "churred!" to our right. The harsh "Kiyoo!" of a Northern Flicker helped to round out our woodpecker list that morning, but we were still waiting on the rarest one.

Pine flatwoods at Babcock Webb WMA, Punta Gorda, FL

Surely these other woodpeckers waking up was a good sign though, I thought. In the distance there was a noise, "Was that it?!?..." I cocked my head and strained my ears to the gentle breeze. Yes! a high shrill, "Kiir!" followed by an answer. Our Red-cockaded Woodpecker couple had left their roost holes and were saying "Good morning!" (or at least that's the way I took it). They were on the opposite side of the road from where I was still struggling to get the Bachman's Sparrow to cooperate. I quickly gave up on this mouse of a bird and dashed back to the road. I spied the woodpecker marked by its large white circular face patch as it hitched up a tree not far off the road, then quickly trained the scope on it and leapt out of the way so Larry in our group could add this stunning bird to his lifelist. It was a brief view but definitive as the bird flew much further back and joined another on a more distant tree. I swung the scope around again and ran the zoom up a bit and once again surrendered the scope so Larry could enjoy his first views of this bird once again.

Eastern Screech-Owl in natural snag @ Babcock Webb WMA 12/14/08

By now it was well past 7 AM and I was real surprised to hear the staccato trill of an eastern Screech-Owl, both because it was so light at this point and in my quarter century of birding I'd never encountered them in habitat like this. The pines here are separated by 20 feet at least on average and it is a VERY open habitat. I've always seen Screech-Owls in dense thickets in the past. Of course, this is what makes birding so fun and interesting as well; the surprises never end. One thing that was certain was that if this bird kept singing it would be cinch to find. There were very few dead snags large enough to accommodate this bird for one thing and second the woods are so open you can easily see hundreds of feet in any given direction.

Eastern Screech-Owl digiscoped through Leica APO Televid scope w/ C-Lux camera

With a little coaxing the birds continued calling first a lower-pitched female then a more distant, higher-pitched male. Each time they called, I'd get a bearing and move quickly toward them then stop and wait again.... they'd call again, I'd close in again.... After 3 or 4 of these avian chess moves I stood in front of a tall dead snag about 40 feet away. I raised my binoculars and glassed up the trunk..."There she is!" About 20 feet up looking right at me was the female screech doing her best to imitate the broken off branch right above her was staring out at me. I quickly got her in the scope inviting the others to join me for a quick view, before mounting my digital camera and adapter to document the sighting utilizing the powerful magnification of the scope!

At this point, I was already late to get on with my "true assigned" area so I bid the crew adieu and headed off by myself to see what else this day had in store...

...and evenings with Sea Turtles!

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bouton) — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 00:44:00 +0000

As I mentioned in my last post, the day had already been made following the stellar morning with the Pawi's, but the staff at Asa Wright wanted to push my over the edge apparently and had another fabulous life experience in store for me that same evening.....

My companions and I were driven to the scenic seaside village of Matura, (as the sign reads) "Home of the Leatherback Turtle"! Sometimes in life you never know where hype ends and reality begins, and being a cynic by nature I often enter situations with lower expectations when heading toward a great unknown. It was unknown because I'd done a bunch of research on birds and birding trips in the months prior to the trip, but I hadn't noted much regarding the other wildlife in the region. In addition, I found almost no summer birding reports for the area, so I was hoping we may see a Turtle but again wasn't holding my breath.

sundown @ the entrance to Matura's beach, Leica V-Lux camera

As we were just finishing a marvelous picnic meal at the pavillion at the entrance to the beach at Matura. A rainbow arched across the sky falling on the nearshore waters. A pot of gold perhaps?!?... or maybe a Turtle just waiting for darkness to fall.

female Magnificent Frigatebird, digiscoped Trinidad, July 2008

As I scanned the horizon I saw numerous Vultures and Magnificent Frigatebirds coursing up and down the beaches. Soon I began noticing that one after another these birds passing the trail from left to right (as seen in the rainbowed image above) were all carrying small ovate disks... "Holy hell!" I thought, "...they had baby turtles!" I hollered to the rest of our crew and we hurriedly made our way down the beach to where a large mass of Black Vultures were scrapping of the tiny hatchlings. I know nature has to take its course and all, but Vultures aren't endangered and would as surely pick through a garbage dump. Baby Leatherbacks are a rare commodity, plus their babies... we couldn't help but chase the vultures off and then searched the area for survivors.

one of the casualties of a daylight hatch!

Here and there scattered amidst the vultures tracks at the scene of the crime were a few carcasses of those we hadn't been quick enough to help, but within moments additional hatchlings began emerging from the sand.

3 freshly emerged Leatherback Turtle hatchlings spared from the vultures

We stood our ground as the daylight waned, insuring these last few turtles made it at least as far as the surf.

After emerging the long crawl began first came the "downhill slide" where the beach dropped steeply (for a 2" long turtle at least) from the higher dunes to the transitional area of the littoral zone....

Then they worked their way through the hightide line littered with algae and debris like the water bottle above....

Leatherback baby making tracks, Leica V-Lux camera

The trek to the water was long and arduous for these little critters and it took them >10 minutes to "flip" their way down the beach. I couldn't help but smirk at their comic nature. They hardly seemed real moving in stiff jerks with each flipper stroke, almost like some cheap wind up toy!

2 Leatherback Turtles finally reach the water, July 2008

Upon finally reaching the water, the exhausted turtlettes would get spun around by the first wave, having to quickly regroup and catch as much of the retreating waters as possible with their (comparatively) large flippers...

Upon catching the 2nd wave though that was typically enough to drag them out of sight into the murky depths of the water now shrouded in darkness.

a Leatherback Returns, Matura, Trinidad July 2008

After watching two groups of hatchlings "swim" across the sands and reach the ocean our guides said, "Now we need to find an adult..." There was one we'd seen who like the early hatchlings hadn't survived the process. It can be a gruelling process dragging an enormous many-hundred pound carapace through sand and clearly not all lived to tell the tale. The turtle carcass above had been here for a few weeks apparently.

adult female Leatherback Turtle, Matura, Trinidad July 2008

Biologists were already on the scene and were walking up and down the beaches searching for adult females coming up to lay eggs. I listened intently to the information we were given as we joined them on a patrol up the beach. I was so interested in the life history information and the descriptions of the studies, that it almost didn't register when he said, "Ahh, here's one now..."

female Leatherback Turtle lays a clutch of eggs

She had been digging for a while apparently when we approached with no lights save the dim green filtered light carried by our biologist & guide. He mentioned how the hole was almost as deep as her hind flippers were long as she deftly scooped sand out with alternating strokes. wasting no time our biologist was dutifully scribing notes, noting tag numbers, and implanted microchips, taking measurements of the length & width of the carapace, while constantly educating us about what was happening, what was coming up, and who this girl was. "She likely weighs close to 900 pounds from her size... she was first tagged at this beach 13 years ago... she will begin laying very soon now that the hole is nearly dug..." He explained further that when this begins they enter a near hypnotic state where they are oblivious to their surroundings. At this point, we can turn on our flashlights and take flash photos quickly, until she has completed the task.

Not wanting to disappoint and eager to capture some digital memories of this spectacular event, I rattled away in the short period we had with flash and flashlights, preserving some fantastic memories while trying to also capture the wonderful gems of knowledge our guide was providing. He explained how the eggs were soft-shelled (the size of a ping-pong ball perhaps) and that the occasional smaller ones (note the two just below the tail tip above) contained only air. These were believed to be "fillers" and provided some extra spaces I believe for the hatchlings... As I said I was multitasking and only catching some phrases so if anyone out there can add more or correct me please submit a comment!

female Leatherback Turtle, Matura, Trinidad, Leica V-Lux camera, July 2008

Then in a flash (or two or three) it was over and lights were turned off. We watched as this old gal back filled the hole and patted it down trying to camouflage the signs of excavation. I imagined that this old pro had been doing this same routine at this same beach for at least 13 years, and as our guide explained he had walked this same stretch of beach every night of every nesting season since the project began. It was great that these two "old friends" let me monopolize their meeting seeing as how they only get to see each other once a year. I felt privileged and elated, and couldn't imagine having any more wildlife adventures on this night. With memories preserved, I went to bed exhausted but happy!

BTW - while this isn't exactly a great digiscoping op, the 2009 Leica Digiscoping Workshop naturally includes an evening trip to the magical beaches of Matura! for more information see:

www.caligo.com/trinidad

A morning with Pawis!

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bouton) — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 17:20:00 +0000

Flashback to Trinidad.... Well I've already posted a bunch of stuff about my now long gone by trip to Trinidad in July, but I still haven't written about perhaps my most memorable day (and night) that I enjoyed while there.

the wonderfully wild Blanchiseusse Road

The morning started early with a short drive up hill from our headquarters at Asa Wright lodge in Trinidad. This scenic road climbs up and over the northern range toward quaint seaside towns like Blanchiseusse but for now we weren't going too far. Once again, I was impressed by the extent of bird habitat throughout this area!

another view from the Blanchiseusse Road in Trinidad's Northern Range

... and the scenery up here is nothing to sneeze at either! Of course all of this was the icing on the cake, I had another specific goal in mind on this day. I had high hopes of seeing Trinidad's only endemic bird. A species locals call Pawi, known to ornithologists as Pipile pipile, and that visiting birders refer to as the Trinidad Piping Guan.

the sign says it all... a conservation billboard sponsored by Asa Wright & local gov't

Birders visiting as recently as a decade ago had almost no hope of seeing this spectacular specialty bird. Their numbers had dropped so dramatically that only a handful were known to occur and they were rarely (if ever) seen in remote forests to the extreme NE corner of the island.

Guans, are like big turkeys that feed in the canopy not surprisingly they taste good! ;p Facing critically low numbers, Asa Wright partnered with the Forestry Department of Trinidad and started a public education campaign using roadside billboards like the one seen above and other means of outreach to attempt to save the Pawi years ago. These programs have proven successful as my initial impression was that seeing Pawi was a mere pipe dream, yet I now know this is a reality. Especially once I realized they sometimes see these within a short 20 minute drive of the center. I was thrilled!

Blue-black Grassquit digiscoped with Leica APO Televid scope & C-Lux 2 camera

We completed the short drive to a high area near the center as first light broke. We parked at a clearing and stepped out as the birds were first waking up. There were large numbers of the ubiquitous Palm Tanagers here, a Long-billed Gnatwren called, Gray-breasted Martins sailed overhead, and Scaled Pigeons perched up to soak in the first rays of light. A Blue-black Grassquit was displaying and doing its short "jump up" display here as well.

As I continued down the trail I turned my attention back toward the task at hand and began searching for a familiar shape I'd seen throughout the American tropics, the unmistakable shape of a guan! I hadn't walked very far when I spotted a large dark ovate figure in the tree tops. I half suspected I'd found a paper wasp or termite nest at first.

the Pawi in the flesh! digiscoped near Asa Wright NC, Trinidad

I brought my binoculars to my eyes and was thrilled to find this was indeed the real deal, a living breathing Pawi! What a wonderful treat! Here was a bird I'd been led to believe I had no hopes of seeing from those who had come before me and even from reading the recent texts. But there was no denying this bird.

Pawi digiscoped w/ Leica APO Televid scope & C-Lux camera

Before long the bird began foraging on small berries in the canopy and was joined by a second bird. We watched the two for a while before they both moved to the edge of the road and then set their wings disappearing into the tree tops opposite.

Pawi digiscoped near Asa Wright Lodge, July 2008

The clock hadn't even struck 8:30 AM and the day was a complete and utter success. Over the next couple hours we explored more of the lovely northern range and added a whole bunch of fantastic birds to our list: Common Black Hawks, Black-faced Antthrush, Short-tailed Pygmy Tyrant, Streak-breasted Spinetail, Streaked Xenops, Collared Trogons, White-necked Thrush, and Turquoise & Speckled Tanagers were just a handful of birds we enjoyed before returning to Asa Wright for lunch!.... the evening held another great surprise though.... more to follow!

If you'd like to join Leica for our 2009 Trinidad digiscoping workshop, see:

www.caligo.com/trinidad

Utah's Critters

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bouton) — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 14:20:00 +0000

As is typical of the busy migration season, I have much to write about but often don't find/take the time to ACTUALLY "git 'er done". Skimming through recent images, I'm reminded of many great experiences I've had of late. For example, the great assortment of birds and critters seen at the American Birding Association's annual convention held in Snowbird, Utah.

Yellow Pine Chipmunk?...

The assortment of readily seen mammals was as much a highlight as the birds. The tiny chipmunk above I've tentatively named a "Yellow Pine Chipmunk", but I wasn't wholly convinced. If any out there with more experience with these montane chippies want to chime in with opinions I'd love to hear them! I found it fun to watch as this little critter would grab big chunks of this "fluff" and work through it extracting seeds. Marvelously entertaining!

Uinta Ground Squirrel watches from a rock, Snowbird, UT

Moving up in size, the ever present Uinta Ground Squirrels presented a continuing source of entertainment all around the venue. Including one resourceful individual who would sometimes sneak in the back door and visit us at our booths. Again, I realize locals likely take these for granted (much as I might seeing yet another alligator here in Florida), but the novelty of watching these antics was not lost on me. I very much enjoyed observing these behaviors. The grass is always greener I guess...

an alert Uinta Ground Squirrel, poses for a digiscoped shot

Every evening, a small army of marmots would come out of hiding and join the ubiquitous Ground Squirrels on the resort lawns. I realize these aren't rare, but again one of the great things about travel is that common local sights are new & different for those of us far from home. These creatures seemed to have a near endless range of variation in markings, which I enjoyed studying.

Yellow-bellied Marmot digiscoped in Snowbird, UT

The evening hours were also the best time to see the local ungulates which included many Mule Deer which would appear out of the scattered tree stands and taller shrubs lining the sloped sides of the beautiful canyon. The buck below takes a moment while grazing to give me a look as I hike a scenic hillside trail. In the summer months the male muleys' antlers are still growing in "velvet" and furry hide covers the living tissue below as the antlers grow back in.

male Mule Deer grazes on the slopes of Snowbird Resort

Another common sight around the grounds were Moose and some would reliably feed in the algae laden ponds near the Steakhouse on the grounds. I never actually digiscoped one of these but did snag a photo of a big yearling with my camera phone after enjoying a nice dinner! Some lucky observers also found Mountain Goats here but I was never at the right spot at the right time to enjoy this. At any rate, the place was definitely crawling with wildlife. A pleasant departure from the typical venue in a hotel in the middle of a concrete jungle.

"Muley" digiscoped at snowbird with Leica APO Televid scope and C-Lux 2 camera

Further afield, along the shores of the Great Salt Lake, Pronghorn Antelope mixed with reintroduced Bison. We even saw a distant Desert Bighorn Sheep on a relatively small rocky rise. This mammalian smorgasbord was a pleasant distraction for me though living in the semi-tropical lowlands.

American Bison snapped through a bus window with a Leica V-Lux camera in passing

Day tripping - Trinidad style

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bouton) — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:57:00 +0000

Birding in and around Asa Wright was grand but my insatiable desire to explore left me wanting to see more of the beautiful island nation of Trinidad. So while staying at Asa Wright, I was able to partake in numerous side trips to surrounding bird & wildlife hotspots. These included a sewage lagoon (naturally) where we saw our first Wattled Jacanas and Spectacled Caiman of the trip, along with numerous other interesting species: 2 different tyrants (more on these later), perched White-winged Swallows, Yellow-chinned Spinetails, Southern Lapwing, and the lovely introduced Common Waxbills to name a few.

Wattled Jacana digiscoped with Leica APO Televid scope & C-Lux 2 camera

This was only the quickest of stops though, as our ultimate destination this afternoon was the fabulous "Caroni Swamp", a massive mangrove forest lined with channels that is famous for its huge concentrations of Scarlet Ibis. We saw hundreds of these gorgeous creatures streaming toward their roosts as we floated through the mangroves on a comfortable boat ride (made all the better by the fact that Asa Wright staff had sent along our rum punch and cookies for the ride!)

We enjoyed views of many great wildlife species including more caiman along the channels, and lovely Cook's Tree Boas sleeping in tight balls in the forks of mangrove branches. We were also looking for the many specialty birds that reside in these mangroves and weren't disappointed as we discovered Bicolored Conebills, Straight-billed Woodcreeper, Yellow-breasted Flycatchers, Black-crested Antshrikes, Eared Doves, and the stunning Red-crested Cardinal. I'll have to admit to a bit of luck on the photo below as this was digiscoped from a drifting boat in a decent current. It was the only digiscoped image I got from our 2.5 hour boat ride. We were also treated to views of a rarely seen Mangrove Cuckoo, a nice male Green-throated Mango perched close by for study, and I was able to observe the feeding habits of Large-billed Terns as we were anchored watching the lines of near-fluorescent Scarlet Ibis stream low overhead. My thanks go out to Shawn, our skilled pilot & guide who knew the wildlife and waters of this spot as surely as he knew the back of his hand.

Red-capped Cardinal digiscoped @ Caroni Swamp, Trinidad 28 July 08

The following AM I enjoyed exploring the plains and lowland savannas of Trinidad, beginning with a visit to the Aripo Biological Station. Here I learned about "Buffalipso", a hybrid bovine cross between Indian Water Buffalo, and cattle to produce a very heat tolerant creature. Of course, my main interest lie in the birds found in the open areas where these animals grazed though and I enjoyed much better views of the White-headed Marsh-Tyrant (below) & Pied Water-Tyrants. I saw my first Pinnated Bittern peering out of a wet, grassy slough & Grassland Yellow Finches entertained in the pasture brush alongside Blue-black Grassquits. I observed the antics of a young Savanna Hawk begging for food from a distant adult, while Yellow-hooded & Red-breasted Blackbirds sang and displayed nearby.

White-headed Marsh-Tyrant, male, digiscoped Trinidad, 29 July 2008

Another treat here was getting to see a beautiful male Ruddy-breasted Seedeater sing, and hearing the low pitched distinctive winnowing of a South American Snipe. It was notably different than the Wilson's Snipe we find throughout the US.

male Ruddy-breasted Seedeater digiscoped w/ Leica APO Televid scope

After this we headed west and then south along the coast toward Nariva Swamp. Stopping briefly to enjoy the views of Frigatebird flocks sailing over the palm-lined coast, and to view a singing Striped Cuckoo, as well as perched Gray Hawks & Yellow-headed Caracacaras. We finally reached the mangrove lined swamp where we popped out of the car ever so briefly and were treated to Red-rumped Woodpecker, a male Rufous-tailed Jacamar, more Yellow-breasted Flycatchers, and a Silvered Antbird. A few new birds we hadn't yet encountered on this short 4 day, whirlwind trip! I remembered at least some of what I'd learned the day before, as I recognized the calls of the Bicolored Conebills and Yellow-breasted Flycatchers here. I drew a blank when the Black-crested Antshrike began singing again, but fortunately David our guide quickly reminded me when I inquired. I knew it sounded familiar!

male Rufous-tailed Jacamar digiscoped as it hid in the mangrove thicket, Trinidad

After this we continued on past some Wilson's Plovers playing in the surf and finally reached a wonderful little agricultural community nearby. The roadside wetlands offered some species that had become familiar to us by now and the area was teaming with more Jacanas, Southern Lapwings, Pied Water-Tyrants, and White-headed Marsh Tyrants. However, hidden amongst these more abundant birds were a few specialty species that we'd only see here during our trip. The first to show was the stunningly, understated Azure Gallinule. Having seen the more brightly-colored Purple Gallinule earlier in the day I expected the duller Azure Gallinule to pale by comparison, but the subtle coloration of this bird was magnificent as it contrasted with its bright yellow bill. Once again a field guide depiction, just doesn't begin to compare to the bird in the field!

Pied Water-Tyrant male digiscoped Nariva Swamp area, Trinidad 29 July 08

Further along we'd add two more specialties a pair of Masked Yellowthroats and yet another hummingbird species with a bizarre name, the White-tailed Goldenthroat. In a nearby okra patch groups of Green-rumped Parrotlets fed on seed heads offering nice comparisons between male and females of these diminutive parrots. An additional highlight were continual waves of Fork-tailed Flycatchers streaming over in loose groups first 4, then 5 more... 2 more trailing, and so on. After 4-5 minutes over 200 hundred of these amazing birds would stream overhead very low heading to points unknown to the north. This was a wonderful highlight even if it wasn't a "new" bird for me! ;p

Savanna Hawk (adult) perches in Moriche Palm, Wallerfield, Trinidad 29 July 08

As the day wore on we headed back toward Asa Wright with one more stop to make and chances at a few more fun tropical bird species. This would be my last birds I'd enjoy on this trip as I'd leave for Piarco airport at 0-dark-thirty the following AM.

We wound our way off the main highway and out across the abandoned runways of the old US air station, Wallerfield, to search for the Moriche Palm specialists. Four birds in particular are closely linked to this lovely palm species here in Trinidad: the Red-bellied Macaw, Fork-tailed Palm-Swift, Sulphury Flycatcher, and Moriche Oriole.

Orange-winged Parrot digiscoped Wallerfield, Trinidad 29 July 08

Upon parking the car we could hear the raucous call of large Parrots and I immediately saw the Orange-winged Parrots. These are members of the "Amazon" parrots, large with short squared tails. Then just to our left sitting quietly in the palm were 2 beautiful Red-bellied Macaws that David had likely spotted before the car had even stopped!

Red-bellied Macaw digiscoped w/ Leica APO Televid scope & C-Lux 2 camera

Compare the short, square tail on the Orange-winged Parrot to the long pointed tail of the Macaw above. They were amazing to watch as they deftly worked the large Moriche Palm fruits in one foot and their bill. Their blunt bill was perfectly suited and peeling the thick skin of these fruits. The bird below shows a bit of the red belly for which these birds are named. Sulphury Flycatchers were all over this area and the Palm-Swifts spun overhead the entire time we were there. We walked up and down the road as dusk approached and searched high and low for the last specialty bird here.

Red-bellied Macaw digiscoped at Wallerfield, Trinidad 29 July 2008

We saw many other goodies as we searched. There was another Jacamar here (a female this time) and a Black-tailed Tityra, and a pair of Ruby Topaz Hummingbirds foraging alongside Black-throated Mangos. When David finally called, "I have it here!" I raced over to see the lovely Moriche Oriole, a sleek bird in velvety black with a frosted golden crown. This seemed like a fitting way to end a productive and memorable last day of birding in Trinidad. Never fear though, I've skipped ahead and have at least one more Trini-tale up my sleeve for the gluttons who can't get enough of these ramblings! ;p

Asa Wright beyond the feeders

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bouton) — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 19:10:00 +0000

While the view and comfort from the veranda is a definite highlight, it is really only the tip of the iceberg when considering Asa Wright's 1,000+ acres of habitat and extensive trails that beg to be explored. Even the manicured grounds surrounding the lodge's cabanas where I slept, offered species diversity I wasn't seeing at the feeders. Take for example the female Barred Antshrike (below) sitting on a nest in a cabin-side bush!

female Barred Antshrike digiscoped @ Asa Wright Lodge, July 08

One of the huge advantages of digiscoping is the ability to zoom in from a long distance away. For the image above I was standing >30' away taking the picture through a tiny hole in the foliage of a hedge, so as not to disturb this bird. In this same area Vervain bushes with tiny flowers were planted. This was important because tiny flowers attract tiny hummingbirds, with tiny bills, and every morning I'd see the amazing Tufted Coquettes here zipping from stalk to stalk. There were at least three in the area including a stunning male with unbelievable feathering that resembled a diminutive winged crown. I unfortunately never found him perched and he always alluded me as I attempted to digiscope him on the fly. The female perched in the image below though was still marvelous to view, and she was barely the length of my first two finger joints!

female Tufted Coquette, digiscoped Asa Wright, July 08

Of course, I'd be remiss if I neglected to mention how each day began at Asa Wright lodge. As I lay in bed just before first light I'd hear through my open windows the distinctive tooting of the Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl perched just outside my room. After enjoying this for a while, the calling was replaced by that of the resident White-tailed Trogon, and as light increased he was joined by Rufous-browed Peppershrike, Bare-eyed Thrush, and even Yellow Oriole songs! On most days, I'd be up by Trogon thirty at the latest, but on the morning following a night trip to the beaches of Matura in search of nesting Sea Turtles, I stayed in bed later.... (never fear that story will be told soon as well).

Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl digiscoped through Leica APO Televid

In all there appeared to be at least 3 individual Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls next to the Nature Centre and Lodge. The bird above was found midday by a mixed feeding flock and was being harassed by a group of White-necked Jacobins, Violaceous Euphonias, and Cocoa Thrushes. As we were viewing the mobbing process deep inside a dense bamboo stand, one of the Cocoa Thrushes struck the tiny Owl resulting in the misplaced body feather you see above, and causing it to come out into the open for a brief period to move to a new hiding spot (long enough for me to snap some images though, fortunately.... timing is everything)!

male White-bearded Manakins digiscoped along Asa Wright nature trails July 08

On my first morning I'd barely ventured beyond the shelter of the veranda and was already seeing marvelous new birds along the first couple hundred feet of the nature trails. Bearded Bellbirds chimed overhead and numerous young males were challenging the adults here, Blue-crowned Motmots gave their familiar "booht-booht" calls as they swung their tails back and forth in the shadowed areas, followed by a pair of fabulous Chestnut Woodpeckers that crept up a dead snag at the first intersection. AMAZING... and I'd only just begun my hike!

Golden-headed Manakin male digiscoped along Asa Wright trails July 08

It was at this point that I found a marvelous tree full of fruit and fruit-eating birds including Bay-headed & Turquoise Tanagers, Red-crowned AntTanager, Golden-crowned Warblers, and both White-bearded & Golden-headed Manakins. As it turns out there are multiple lekking areas for both of these species very near this tree. For those who aren't aware, Manakin males do marvelous displays in areas known as leks. On the lek, multiple males of these colorful little birds dance and slide up and down limbs, smack their wings together in mid-air making loud "snap" noises, and do whatever else they can to impress the females nearby. The whole scene is just awesome to see, and Manakins are a favorite group among many birders visiting the American tropics as a result of this fabulous spectacle.

Oilbirds digiscoped in Dunstan Cave, along Asa wright trails July '08

Of course, one of the VERY rare treats found along one particular trail on the Asa Wright grounds leads to the infamous grotto where the amazing nocturnal Oilbirds breed and roost. Asa Wright staff is very protective of these wonderful birds bringing people down at intervals of once only every couple days. They do not linger long and will light the area near one pair for a very brief period and then show another to allow visitors the rare opportunity to see these enormous birds.

They must be doing something right because while we were there the numbers of Oilbirds in the famed grotto were at record high numbers with over 200 birds including chicks. You can't argue with success. I had basically one shot and set up the scope at a safe distance and had every setting ready. I had to shoot at a full 1 second exposure given the limited light, at a very high ISO so the picture is noisy (equivalent to grain in film). None-the-less, I count myself lucky to even see these odd nocturnal frugivores, a photo is just unreal.

Larger than most common gull species you might see at your local park, the Oilbirds take to the forests in search of their favorite fruits every night. Nature Centre staff know which trees are best and regularly disperse seeds near the grotto to insure the future of food plants for these magnificent birds. Of course, nature centre staffers have to remain ever vigilent and keep a close eye on other threats like encroaching aggregate mining just one valley away. I'm certain from everything I saw, the folks at Asa Wright will insure that future generations will be able to still enjoy this ever so rare treat in years to come though!

Veranda birds of Asa Wright Nature Centre

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bouton) — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 17:46:00 +0000

the view from the amazing veranda at Asa Wright Nature Centre

I've heard the name Asa Wright Nature Centre (or center for those in the US) since the day I started birding nearly 25 years ago. Asa Wright NC was established the same year I was born, although I think I'm ahead by a few months at least. Until 2 weeks ago, Asa Wright remained one of many spots on a long and illustrious list of places I had to see before I die! I'm happy to say that I've now moved this locale to my list of places that I've seen and love! The birds, wildlife, lodge, centre, and staff all exceeded my expectations to boot.

tray feeder at Asa Wright NC, Trinidad - digiscoped Leica Televid spotting scope

The grounds and forests around the centre are fabulous and require a fair amount of time to cover effectively, but most 1st time visitors will be more than content to just sit on the veranda and watch the feeders and glass across the scenic valley that stretches out in front of you. For me it was no different, and many of these point blank birds were new for me. Even the "widespread" tropical birds are not species I see often enough that I didn't enjoy these quality views. The fact that it was also time to serve the daily "rum punch" on the veranda, was an added unexpected bonus!

Great Antshrike, male digiscoped with Leica APO Televid scope & C-Lux 2 camera

The diversity of species that visited the tray feeders below the veranda was surprising, even amazing. It seemed that few species could resist the amazing spread of fruits and breads and the group shot above shows a fairly typical mix of species seen during our trip (Banaquits, a male Purple Honeycreeper, and a young Silver-beaked Tanager). The biggest surprise to me though was when the male Great Antshrike came to enjoy the spoils of the feeders as well!

Crested Oropendola digiscoped from Asa Wright NC veranda, Trinidad

Whether your a fan of "feeder watching" or if you prefer to hit the trails hiking, Asa Wright has plenty to keep any individual happy. However, I defy you to not enjoy the close up views of the feeder visitors from the marvelous comfort of the veranda with all of its amenities. Take for example, an extreme close-up view of a Crested Oropendola eye! That's one amazing shade of blue.

male Bananaquit singing , digiscoped @ Asa Wright NC, Trinidad

Palm Tanagers and Bananaquits were absolutely ubiquitous and their bubbly songs added to the ambiance of this spot. Even away from the feeders, the birds around the grounds have become habituated to the presence of people, making Asa Wright a spectacular spot to familiarize yourself with these new & different species.

Blue-Gray Tanager digiscoped from Asa Wright veranda

The snags and perches around the veranda are a digiscoper's delight as well. Having opportunities to view and photograph many of these birds at eye level in the open is always a bonus. Along the trails even very common species like the Blue-gray Tanager above, are often hidden in the canopy and the field views are rarelyas good as those gotten from the comfort of the veranda.

Copper-rumped Hummingbird, digiscoped @ Asa Wright veranda

As you'd expect, the staff maintains Hummingbird feeders as well and there is always a nice assortment of hummingbird species visiting. The Copper-rumped Hummingbird above was just one of the interesting species that was seen near constantly during our stay. Other common feeder visitors included the stunning White-necked Jacobin & White-chested Emerald among others.

Channel-billed Toucans tee up in tree tops down slope from the Asa Wright veranda

One afternoon just before the daily 4 pm coffee, tea, and pastry feast on the veranda, a brief shower swept past. Typical of green season, tropical birding the short cloud burst came and went and dropping both humidity and temperatures considerably. In addition, bird activity was renewed, and numerous Channel-billed Toucans soon popped up and began bathing in the tree tops and calling back and forth. I watched the antics of these beautiful birds as I popped another pastry into my mouth and thought, "Hmmm.... only 2 more hours to rum punch!" ;p

Midsummer Birding

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bouton) — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 19:08:00 +0000

Midsummer months may offer less species diversity than the active migration months, but it is typically the time when you can make some of the most wondrous discoveries in your own backyards! Be it a new vocalization, an interesting breeding behavior, or even discovery of a brood of young Carolina Wrens in a milk crate full of sand toys. Sorry kids, no using these toys for a few weeks! ;)

Carolina Wren nest in milk crate, Leica V-Lux camera June, 2008

Of course, after a while the same individuals and lesser numbers of birds can seem a bit mundane I suppose, but fortunately many of us travel to other's backyards in the warmer summer months. This was the case for me recently when I skipped across to Utah for the American Birding Association's annual Convention held at the Snowbird Ski Resort. Even while working a booth in the vendor area, I was able to view a feeders flush with Cassin's Finches and Pine Siskins, with Cordilleran Flycatchers "Pi-peet!"ing right out the door.

Warbling Vireo on nest, digiscoped UT 6/08 Leica APO Televid & C-Lux 2 camera

Even wide spread species like Warbling Vireos are not a bird that nests in the sub-tropical regions of Florida so these even offered a different feel from my backyard. However, careful observations also showed these birds sang and looked a lot different than Warbling Vireos from the NE United States. This western subspecies had a more succinct song and was darker marked overall.

American Robin, female digiscoped at Snowbird, UT 6/08

I even miss the "in your face" nesting antics of the American Robin in my deep south digs, so this too was a different experience I can't see at home. Of course, it was interesting to note there were no worms this trip. A mouth full-o-wasps (or similar) will have to suffice.

Barn Swallow youngster digiscoped in nest Utah, June 2008

Barn Swallows are ubiquitous but who can resist an overflowing nest of semi-fuzzy nestlings? All of the nests here along the shore of the Great Salt Lake were filled to capacity probably thanks to a never ending source of food in the form of Brine Flies (although in fairness I didn't see what they were feeding on)!

Green-tailed Towhee digiscoped with Leica APO Televid spotting scope & C-Lux 2 camera

Of course not all of the species up here were widespread, Dusky Flycatchers bred just up the road, MacGillviray's Warblers sang from nearly every bush (it seemed) at Snowbird, and I was thrilled to catch up with the old friend above I haven't seen in years. I was real fortunate to observe a unique display as I watched him. In the image above and even more so in the video clip below you can see this wonderful territorial wing display. I'd always wondered why an otherwise drab ground-dweller would want to have brilliant yellow-green, iridescent upperwings. Now I know! What better way to send the message, "This is my territory get out now!" than a brilliant flash of color?!?...

The video clip and still image above were taken through the Leica APO Televid spotting scope with the same small digital point & shoot camera, the Leica C-Lux 2! Most modern point & shoots offer unlimited video capabilities that are ideal for capturing rare moments like these.

Key Largo birding

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bouton) — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 14:30:00 +0000

During a break in the action in a Miami area business trip. My boss and I went in search of one of his nemesis birds, the Mangrove Cuckoo. Knowing the extensive hardwood hammocks of upper Key Largo has been one of the most consistently productive areas for these birds of late, we drove south after completion of our meetings. As soon as we reached the card sound road, Magnificent Frigatebirds like the male pictured below were common place and overhead near constantly.

Magnificent Frigatebir, male, Port Charlotte, FL 2005

Gray Kingbirds were also numerous flitting from wire to mangrove branch and back along our entire route. Both of these birds were very abundant and we saw many, but I didn't actually stop and take pictures of either on this quick trip (I've cheated here a bit and recycled some shots taken over the years on the image above and below).

Gray Kingbird, Englewood, FL 2005

In all, we spent ~2 hours searching some of these areas on the evening of June 17th. We heard and saw numerous Black-whiskered Vireos and White-crowned Pigeons throughout the area but the notoriously difficult Mangrove Cuckoo eluded us in the sweltering late afternoon heat and humidity. Most agree that Mangrove Cuckoos are definitely easier to find in the cool morning hours though, so we resigned ourselves to giving it one more shot the following morning before our time came to an end and my boss had to fly north again.

White-crowned Pigeon digiscoped Key Largo 6/18/08

We'd barely begun at 7 AM the following morning, when we saw our first cuckoo almost immediately. The bird sailed overhead and landed at roadside, so we quickly pulled over to view the bird and realized this was a Yellow-billed Cuckoo. We would see a total of 4 Yellow-billed Cuckoos, down there with nary a Mangrove Cuckoo to show for our efforts. However, I was hoping that would soon change.

My friend Larry Manfredi and his young son, pulled up just then to help search some other areas. Larry is a professional tour guide in south Florida and extremely knowledgeable of local birds, so I wasn't about to say "No" when he offered to meet us and lend a hand! Larry met us at roadside a bit after 7:30 AM, and suggested we try another spot nearby that he likes. So we followed him a mile or so up Route 1 and pulled off again. As soon as we got out of our cars Larry asked, "Was that it?" I hadn't heard.

Mangrove Cuckoo digiscoped, Leica APO Televid spotting scope 6/18

Then as we sat along route 1, it called again a low croaking just up the road. We managed at long last to side track along the highway listening for the croak in between passing trucks and traffic, and spotted the bird 3/4 the way up in a taller tree! I snapped pictures and some video frames with my little point & shoot camera through the scope, before the bird finally retreated back into the thick hammock! It was 8:30 AM and I had to get my boss back to the Miami airport. So we thanked Larry and his son for his suggestion and for helping turn our luck around and parted ways.

Mangrove Cuckoo calls at roadside, Key Largo 6/18/2008

In the "videoscoped" clip above (shot through a Leica spotting scope) you can hear the passing traffic drown out the croaking calls of our cooperative quarry!

We made one more stop en route to view the endemic "Golden" Yellow Warblers which breed in mangroves along Card Sound Road, and I spotted both Snail Kites and Swallow-tailed Kites between Miami and home. It was a great trip and a rewarding 3.5 hours of birding in a tropical paradise. I wish it could have been more, who knows what else we might have seen!

South Florida birding with Larry Manfredi:

http://southfloridabirding.com/

Feather Fest

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bouton) — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 19:42:00 +0000

White-tailed Kite, adult, digiscoped Galveston Island, April 2008

Galveston Island is a fabulous birding locale, and the bird festival "Galveston FeatherFest" is always a fun event. This year (like others in the past) the event was held on the first weekend in April. Since Galveston, Texas is on the Gulf of Mexico the birds here are not tremendously different from those I see in my home along Florida's gulf coast.

immature white morph Reddish Egret, digiscoped w/ Leica APO spotting scope

None-the-less, there are subtle regional differences and I always get wonderful photo opportunities. For example, the Texas gulf coast seems to host a greater percentage of the white form of the Reddish Egret like the immature seen above then I see near my home. I always enjoy my time here as a result. While the area is a stone throw from world famous migrant traps like High Island, I find myself oddly content to just bird the island and enjoy it's spoils when here.

This is the time of year when migration is just beginning to crank up, so I always see many new migrant species for the year including my first returning warblers. For the fourth year in a row, I once again saw my 1st returning Chimney Swifts of the year from the rooftop cocktail reception held annually at this event!

Laughing Gulls call and display at East Beach in Galveston, TX

More over though, the birding is fun because spring is fully in the air and evident everywhere you go. Familiar local species are exciting to observe because they are all courting and displaying. Laughing Gulls in high color can be seen everywhere parading in tandem and throwing their heads up giving their characteristic calls. Willets sing long songs from marsh-side posts & bushes or while perform flight displays. Northern Harriers loop pendulously over the marsh as well performing spectacular aerobatics.

Reddish Egret adultbristles in a showy diaplay of agression toward other wading birds

Many of the wading birds are also in their finest feather of the year. With high breeding plumes and bright facial skin and legs. The Reddish Egret above was exceptionally aggressive toward other wading birds as it preened its plumage to perfection.

Red-winged Blackbird, male digiscoped w/ Leica APO Televid scope & C-Lux 2 camera

Red epulets gleaming, male blackbirds "Conk-er-reeeee!" loudly and chase females doggedly when they fly up from the marsh, while Clapper Rails tussle for superiority at the edges of the brackish channels.

male Red-winged Blackbird throws its wings out in a flashy display while calling!

Being an island, there is a lot of areas for shorebirds and wading birds that are famed, but that is not all that Galveston has to offer. Bushes throughout the island typically hold at least one Scissor-tailed Flycatcher as they return from points south. The few hammocks of trees are fabulous migrant traps for warblers, and the short grass fields host migrant American Golden Plovers and Long-billed Curlews. Historically, these same fields played host to many migrant Eskimo Curlews. Now believed to be extinct, Galveston Island is one of the last known areas where these birds were seen in the wild! It's great fun to stand at the edge of these same fields and imagine a large flock of these birds swinging in off the gulf and noisily announcing their triumphant return to the US!

Seaside Sparrow sings from marsh grasses near East Beach, Galveston Island, TX.

I and the Volcano

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bouton) — Fri, 30 May 2008 12:25:00 +0000

Recently, I promised more stories of adventures gone by, and with the rigorous migration season behind me I have both time and subject matter to blog about. Here is one of my favorite recent adventures... flashback to March in Guatemala.

As with any great bird trip we started at o'dark-thirty and made our way toward the hotel dining area for coffee. The unusually silent streets of Panajachel (a colorful lake side community which is usually bustling) were interrupted only by the distant song of a whip-poor-will and the quiet "mews" Clay-colored Robins roosting nearby. After coffee and breakfast we packed lunch and extra drinks into our purposely light day packs and loaded into the van for our first leg of the journey, a short drive to the boat launch.

Volcan Toliman looms in the distance

It was a bit brighter here as we found our way to our launch. A Tropical Mockingbird greeted the morning light, with the typical host of Great-tailed Grackles. As we shuttled across Lago Atitlan for an anxious half hour or so, Barn Swallows and Laughing Gulls dipped over the water but there was little more in the way of birds over the lake. The steep sided cones of Volcan San Pedro and Toliman loomed ominously in the morning mist as a reminder of the day's task. Today we would tackle the steep sided Volcan San Pedro and climb some 3500' vertical in hopes of seeing one of the strangest, yet coolest birds in all of Guatemala, the elusive Horned Guan!

early morning landing in San Pedro La Laguna

Upon landing in San Pedro La Laguna, we awaited our next vehicle. A truck that would carry us up the steep slopes of town and deliver us safely to the trail head at the reserve. It promised to be a beautiful day with hardly a cloud in the sky, but from all I'd spoken to who had been here before me, I knew I was in for a workout! Living at ~8 feet above sea level, with an extra 20 pounds that I refer to as my "winter weight", I was probably not ideally prepared for the task ahead. However, I knew I'd make it even if carried by adrenaline alone. To the delight of my fellow birders I don't go any where without my trusty spotting scope!

At the trail head there were birds everywhere! The hillside was absolutely thick with bird activity. The bulk of these were neotropical migrants that spend half their lives (winter) in the tropics and then migrate north to breed in the United States and Canada. Western Tanagers were thick as were Black-throated Green Warblers, but as the flocks passed we added other species as well. A handful of Flame-colored Tanagers mixed with Westerns, and a large rusty sparrow popped up briefly. Our incredible guide Hugo, informed me the one was aptly named "Rusty Sparrow"... go figure, some birds are named well! ;p

Lesser Roadrunner, digiscoped Volcan San Pedro, 3/7/08

There were loads of birds along the way but I didn't stop to photograph many of these. Doing so would have cost me my time to study these birds and slowed the group as a whole. So we continued our slow crawl uphill adding new birds as we did. In the lower, more open areas I spotted a cooperative Prevost's Ground-Sparrow at trail side, and we heard and finally saw 2 Lesser Roadrunners. Flowering hillside shrubs attracted White-eared and Ruby-throated Humingbirds. Mountain Trogons called from nearby brush, and Black-headed Siskins perched prominently in a low treetop to our left. A cooperative perched Blue-throated Motmot offered a welcomed break from our march so I could suck up some of the thin mountain air. (Coming from Florida I prefer my air like my beer, with a bit more body than this light mountain stuff!)

Once again we pushed on, and the crowd began to separate once again. I was spending more time staring at my feet than up hill, but I did manage to glance up at just the right time on one occasion. I think I sensed a bird more than seeing it (as odd as that sounds) but I brought my head up to find myself eye to eye with a stunning stocky songbird. Not 6 feet away we stared at each other as I gave him the once over: stocky and short-tailed, green-backed... it reminded me of a Pepper-shrike... "Huff, Puff" I knew this bird I'd seen it countless times thumbing through the guide... think "Huff, Puff". As I wracked my brain I called up to Jim to get back down here. The bird's white iris gleamed, split by black eyeline below and bright yellow, supercilliary stripe above... what was this bird? I stared at its plain white undersides accentuated by a chestnut breast band that extended down its sides... neurons suddenly flickered, smoke was in the air... "Huff, Puff... of course, Chestnut-sides...This was a Chestnut-sided Shrike-Vireo, and a stunning male at that! All got to see this bird except the two most energetic individuals leading the charge uphill. I wasn't slow, I just didn't want to miss anything that's all (or so I told myself).

Lesser Roadrunner, digiscoped with Leica APO Televid 62 scope & C-Lux 2 camera

I kept an eye on swifts streaming overhead in hopes of adding a Chestnut-collared Swift but every group that passed gave me a familiar chattering laugh, letting me know they were old friends; White-throated Swifts that breed along the mountainous cliffs throughout much of the western US come summer. A stunning hummingbird, the Sparkling-tailed Woodstar fed in a flowered clearing, and a Chestnut-capped Brush-Finch was seen. The warbler list took on a more resident/tropical flair with the additions of Golden-browed and Crescent-chested Warblers as we reached our first "rest stop".

"About halfway there now", Hugo told us. I removed my back pack, already drenched with perspiration and decided to both lighten my load and replenish some of that lost winter weight by sucking down some juice and water! "Huff, Puff, Huff..." My back chilled dramatically as moisture began to evaporate from my soaked back.

An Emerald Toucanet rocketed by from overhead and disappeared into the treetops below, then a close Whip-poor-will sang. It served as the all call and we loaded up again to continue our ascent! Gray Silky Flycatchers were abundant and had been passing in groups of 4 & 5 almost continuously as we climbed. Soon after beginning the second half of our ascent, Hugo's radio crackled. The reserve guides had located Guans about 1,000 feet above us! We all took off as fast as we could. Those with better conditioning quickly pulled away from the pack though. I stayed in the middle of the pack far behind the leaders.... Not that I couldn't keep up mind you... uhhh... I just wanted to make sure those in the rear were doing alright!....Yeah that's it! ;p

I could no longer see the lead three and my incessant puffing had grown to a dull roar, my heart rate sped, and I found I had to regularly stop and bend over to catch my breath. Reminiscent of the "Tortoise and the Hare", Jim would pass me each time I stopped and and vice versa. Although, in reality we would likely rename this tale "The Two Tortoises" given our pace.

At long last, I could see the leaders stopped ahead. Tim called back, '..no need to hurry...' They'd flown up slope even before these speed demons arrived. Slightly disappointed and decidedly ragged from the rapid ascent over the past 1,000 feet, we trudged slowly upward. Eventually, reaching the top of the bird's preferred habitat. Now it was a simple matter of working up and down the trail in this area. I hated the thought of giving up altitude, but the thought of not seeing this spectacular bird was a stronger drive than mere limitations of flesh and man (despite what my lungs, heart, and legs had to say about it)!

first glimpse of Guan

At least, the pace was more leisurely now so I could soak up the birds here as I scoured the dark tree tops in search of this enormous bird. There was one particular tree here in full bloom that was absolutely chock full of birds, easily hundreds of them. We counted as many as a dozen Gray-silkies on one little snag in the expansive crown of this tree, along with countless warbler, bushtits, hummingbirds, etc. We found a gap where we could look down on the tree top from above with the scope and add numerous birds to our growing day list. An amazing spectacle! (I'm sure someone can remind me of the name of the tree which now escapes me, a tall tree with broad canopy, with VERY distinctive flowers that resemble bright yellow & red chicken's feet!)

Another pleasant distraction was seeing the tiny Wine-throated Hummingbird, once conspecific with Bumblebee Hummingbird, "Howell & Webb" list the length at a mere 2.7 inches making it the tiniest hummingbird in the Americas and perhaps the world! (Bumblebee listed@ 2.8") Despite being tired, these wonderful avian distractions had all but taken the sting out of missing the Guan (and my legs for that matter), when a whistled note from below came up. I asked the reserve guide, "is that our sign?" and he nodded. "Eagle-eyed Jim" had found the Horned Guans, and this time they were close by and downhill to boot! At first I couldn't spot them but when one finally moved it couldn't be missed. A huge dark shape in the shadows with a white band through the tail, definitely our bird but not the view one hopes for.

Horned Guan digiscoped on Volcan San Pedro, Guatemala 3/7/08

As the birds moved slowly through the canopy one finally gave the view we all hoped for. It was a bit distant but not far above eye level as the tree was rooted below our elevation here. Positively prehistoric, the bird posed for brief moments in this hole so all could see the sky blue iris set on the black feathered face, accentuating the bird's vacuous stare! The ivory-bill was also gleamed compared to the glossy black head and neck as I snapped my first few images. We were absolutely thrilled at the views we had of this little "guan-a-bee" with its lack luster horn, but before long the birds continued out of sight down slope and around the steep edge of the cone. Smiles couldn't have been bigger on the faces that surrounded me now. It was near 2:00 though and we still had to climb back down, meet our truck, and catch the launch. We happily and wearily turned our toes toward the lake shore and began downhill perfectly content.

Horned Guan digiscoped through Leica APO Televid 65 scope with C-Lux 2 camera

As I said we were perfectly content and really didn't need the much closer views of the bird above when it crash landed right over our heads. But hey... you can't look a gift horn in the mouth... or something like that. Views of this bird, who I affectionately dubbed "Don Guan" was just the icing on the cake, an absolutely astounding end to a spectacular birding day a in a VERY bird rich location. Should you ever get the chance to bird here, by all means do. Of course, if you have time for a bit of cardiovascular training in advance I'd also recommend this (I did not heed this advice). This is perhaps the most physically demanding (and as such one of the most rewarding) bird hikes I've taken to date! For those who have seen Bristle-thighed Curlew in Nome, this makes Coffee Dome seem like a walk in the park! ;)

Grousing

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bouton) — Sun, 18 May 2008 17:50:00 +0000

I arrived in Colorado to join some of the festivities at the Colorado Field Ornithologists meeting on Thursday afternoon. when I made my arrangements months ago, I was planning on a leisurely afternoon of birding and arriving at the host hotel in Canon City at a decent hour. Unfortunately, I received an e-mail from my good buddy, Bill Schmoker (http://brdpics.blogspot.com/) last week with some recent images he'd taken of Greater Sage Grouse. They were stunning shots, and it reminded me I'd never seen Greater Sage Grouse in the US and the images REALLY made me want to make an effort to see these beauties for myself!

Years ago, I'd seen Sage Grouse when working in Colorado studying Peregrine Falcons for the state's Division of Wildlife. I'd arranged to stay at the Currecanti Recreation Area's employee housing near Gunnison and on the rare occasions when I was actually there (not out birding) I would see Sage Grouse hanging around the buildings & even picking at seeds under the visitor center bird feeders! Of course, after they split Sage Grouse into two separate species I found myself in the VERY unique position of having seen the rare Gunnison Sage Grouse and never seeing the more widespread Greater Sage Grouse. Since then, I'd never found myself in Greater Sage Grouse range and had never made an effort to see these birds. Upon arriving in Colorado Springs near noon, I was faced with a decision; to drive or not to drive?......

Pronghorn Antelope, male digiscoped w/Leica APO Televid spotting scope, CO

Well those who know me probably know my decision. I was off on a quest, heading in the opposite direction (also not unusual for me). I made a few brief stops and noted some of the local color. At a rest area on I-25, I saw a migrant Virginia's Warbler hanging with "Audubon's" Yellow-rumped Warblers, Spotted Towhees, Mountain Chickadees, Steller's Jay, Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, and others. I stopped briefly to soak up views of Franklin's Gulls, Mountain Bluebirds, and even local wildlife like the Pronghorn buck above. Unfortunately, I had a long drive ahead of me and was starting with half a day gone already, so I couldn't really stop and smell the roses if I was going to make this thing work.

Pronghorn Antelope doe, digiscoped with Leica optics, CO 5/15/08

I saw more Pronghorns, deer, and Elk along the way, but again I had to make tracks to make it to my destination with sunlight remaining. After a long anxious drive, I arrived at the proper habitat toward late evening. Swainson's Hawks were numerous, Vesper's Sparrows crowded the roadsides, and a large female Prairie Falcon marked my turn off the main road. At this point, I slowed to a crawl and put the windows down looking and listening for any sign of my quarry. I stopped for close up views of 2 counter-singing Sage Thrashers since I rarely see these birds on my normal travel schedule, but not much else.

Greater Sage Grouse digiscoped near Walden, CO 5/15/05

I drove by the best looking area thinking, "If I were a Sage Grouse, I'd be here..." but I saw nothing as I crept along. I got out of my car and scanned in a 360 degree circle. To my amazement, 2 large Grouse were sitting at roadside just a few hundred feet behind me. How I'd driven by two birds nearly as large as Wild Turkeys, that were less than 10 foot off the road was beyond me, but I was happy to admit I had! I quickly back tracked and pulled off to view and digiscope the birds from my car! As I sat there watching, more and more birds magically appeared amongst the sparse vegetation and I could now see 7 individual male grouse sitting quietly within 30 feet of me. The closest bird broke from cover and slowly strolled away from the roadside as I continued to digiscope it, providing spectacular views. It took me nearly 25 years of birding to finally see these beauties but they were both worth the wait and the very long day as I still had to turn tail and head south to Canon City, CO! I can't wait for my next chance to view these birds again and hope to see them displaying on the lek one day... so many birds and birding opportunities, so little time!

Rockpipers!

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bouton) — Fri, 09 May 2008 02:32:00 +0000

Harbor Seals, digiscoped Arcata, CA area 4/20/08

Recently, I took a trip to the Arcata, CA area for the annual Godwit Days bird festival. The rocky coastline of Northern California provides habitat for many rock inhabitants, including perfectly camouflaged Harbor Seals.

Black Oystercatcher digiscoped Arcata, CA 4/20/08

Seeing seals was great, but my main reason for haunting Arcata's rocky shorelines on this evening was to study the shorebirds that specialize in "life on the rocks". Many birders affectionately refer to these birds as "rockpipers". My first stop was to the boat harbor near Trinidad, where I saw numerous Common Murres, and some Pigeon Guillemots feeding offshore. It didn't take long until I found my first "rockpiper" though, a large Black Oystercatcher sat on the dark rocks, it's bright orange bill giving it away!

Black Oystercatcher digiscoped w/ Leica APO Televid spotting scope & C-Lux 2 camera

After a short while, the Black Oystercatcher count had reached 6 individuals, and I'd gotten my fill of studying these birds' feeding habits. However, I found no other rockpipers here, so I decided to head for the Arcata rock jetties to search for more. Upon arriving, I spotted numerous Surfbirds almost instantly. There were over 47 individuals in this first flock.

Surfbird digiscoped w/ Leica APO Televid spotting scope & C-Lux 2 camera 4/20/08

I walked the length of the jetty and counted 107 Surfbirds along the way. As an east coast birder, I was highly appreciative for this great opportunity to study these birds. I noted their rough feet which undoubtedly aid in clinging to the slippery rocks. Mixing with these Surfbirds were the comical Black Turnstones, that bathed in puddles left from recent rains, preened, and fed on the algae covered rocks.

Black Turnstone fluffs after bathing, digiscoped Arcata, CA 4/20/08

There were just as many Black Turnstones here and the opportunities for study were fantastic. The sun was shining brightly for the first time since this front blew in, so I enjoyed the calm evening as I observed these birds. The Turnstones used their flat-tipped bills to flip algae in search of prey.

Rock Sandpiper digiscoped with Leica APO Televid spotting scope 4/20/08

I was also fortunate enough to find two individual Rock Sandpipers in their more colorful breeding (alternate) plumage. These birds would soon leave for their high Arctic breeding grounds, but fortunately a few still lingered here. The Rock Sandpipers scurried like mice across the rocks as they fed.

Rock Sandpiper creeping over the barnacles and algae-covered rocks

These three species all fed side by side in mixed flocks, which was great for direct size comparisons. The Surfbirds were large & stocky, the mid-sized Black Turnstones were smaller and sleeker, and the Rock Sandpipers were comparatively diminutive. After an hour or so with these I worked my way back hoping to see the last of the western "rockpiper" species.

Wandering Tattler digiscoped w/ Leica APO Televid spotting scope & C-Lux 2 camera

I found a Wandering Tattler feeding by itself low on the rocks along the channel to round out my list of Western rockpiper species. One of the many highlights I enjoy on my annual visits to Godwit Days.

So many birds, so little time...

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bouton) — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 05:07:00 +0000

Volcan San Pedro, Lago Atitlan, Guatemala

Wow, where to begin?!?... There have been SO many rapid fire adventures, that I'm faced with the dilemma of continuing to soak these up or skipping some so I can stop and blog about them. hmmm.... having an adventure or simply writing about one.... ;p

I've still not written about my adventure up the Volcano in Guatemala, not to mention the stories from San Diego I never got to.

Reddish Egret digiscoped @ Galveston FeatherFest

Then there are numerous images and stories from Galveston FeatherFest 2 weeks ago, and even more from St. Augustine's unique Birding & FotoFest as well. This story includes exciting rare birds like a Brown Booby....

immature Brown Booby digiscoped w Leica APO Televid & C-Lux 2

...interesting resident species like Barred Owls...

Barred Owl digiscoped at Guana SP, Vilano Beach, FL, April '08

... and even showy breeding birds, early migrants, critters...

Great Egret feedong chick, digiscoped April '08 St. Augustine

However, it's the peak of migration and time is at a premium. Yesterday, I flew like a bird from Florida to California. Today I found myself amidst a valley full of Cassin's Vireos and Chestnut-backed Chickadees (yet another adventure worthy of writing about), and I'm scheduled to guide 2 different walks tomorrow. The first begins at 8 AM the last ends at 8:30 PM! Another absolutely full day.

'tis the nature of the beast, I'm afraid. No one ever said this birding would be easy. Eventually, I will get all of these stories written but I may have to wait for migration to end first!

Flashback to San Diego

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bouton) — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 13:54:00 +0000

As promised I want to go back and visit the spectacular birding I had while working the San Diego Bird Festival in February. Despite the numerous habitats that can be explored within 2 hours (as described in the first SD post linked below), I decided to lay a bit low this year and just soak up the excellent birding that can be found near the venue at a more relaxed pace.
http://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/leica/2008/02/san-diego-bird-fest-intro.html

male Anna's Hummingbird receives his 1st light of the day in the early AM

I did decide to target one specific bird on this trip though soI got up early to make my way toward Santee Lakes about 30 miles away. There was a bit of a local celebrity up there that I was hoping to see, an overwintering Lewis' Woodpecker. They are stunning birds and I hadn't seen one for a few years (at least) so this definitely seemed like it would be worth the short drive. I had to be back to man the booth by mid morning though, so I got up early and started the day off with a male Anna's Hummingbird displaying in the first rays of morning light right at the hotel.

Grasshopper Sparrow digiscoped at roadside near San Diego 2/08

En route I bumped into some locally uncommon Grasshopper Sparrows. These seemed to be large-billed compared to the birds I see here in FL, but it could have been my imagination as well. Probably worth doing a bit of research to see which is the expected local resident subspecies and see if my impression fits the bill (so to speak).

rufous morph adult Red-tailed Hawk digiscoped at roadside near San Diego

Since I didn't have far to travel, once I got off the main highway I stopped often as the opportunity arose. This interesting adult "rufous morph" Red-tailed Hawk caught my eye, so I snapped a couple quick pics through the spotting scope from the car window. The western sub species of Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis calarus) tends to be the most variable subspecies, so you may run into dark morph, light morph, and these rufous or intermediate birds frequently. This is always a big surprise to Eastern birders coming west for the first time as they are only accustomed to seeing light breasted Red-taileds. It's no wonder David Sibley uses 39 drawings with an additional 6 silhouettes on 2 full pages in his guide to cover the variation of this species. The Red-tailed is to the hawk family what Herring is to the gulls! ;p None-the-less, you can note the brick red tail beneath the folded wings on this individual to clinch the ID.

Western Scrub-Jay digiscoped Santee Lakes, CA w/ Leica APO Televid spotting scope

As I approached the entrance to Santee Lakes, I couldn't resist stopping to admire a close Western Scrub-Jay in good light. The leaves on this tree were very similar the Live Oak trees that the Florida Scrub-Jay like close to my home. Not long ago there was just one "Scrub-Jay" in the US but the distinctive light Florida race and large darker Island Scrub-Jay (found on Santa Cruz Island off the coast of CA) were deemed separate species from the Western Scrub-Jay. Still some suggest that the interior and coastal race of the Western Scrub-Jay should have been separated as well. So I stopped to note the distinctly darker brown back, more vibrant blue tones, better defined collar, and slightly muted call of this bird as compared to those I see in the Rocky Mountains or SE Arizona.

Many times I know I get in a hurry on these trips and forget to really LOOK at the birds I'm seeing. Pressed for time, I identify a bird to species and move on with some distant destination or target in mind. I was really enjoying this day as I had picked a close location and was able to take enough time to really enjoy each bird I was seeing. I was able to study variations that go beyond simply identifying a bird to species and quitting there!

male Wood Duck digiscoped @ Santee Lakes, through Leica APO Televid spotting scope

After a thorough study of the pacific race of Western Scrub-Jay, I continued into the park. I made my way past the various pools heading toward the larger Sycamore trees that the woodpecker preferred. I scanned through the many American Coots & Ring-necked Ducks on the ponds, and finally spotted a handful of Wood Ducks. Once again I felt the need to do some digiscoping, and was not worried about my "target bird" as I'd already seen it in the distance sallying out to chase an insect from the distant Sycamores. I was confident it would wait for me! I digiscoped a few pictures of this male swimming through a sunlit patch, as I listened to the calls of a distant Bushtit flock and the ever present "Audubon's" Yellow-rumped Warbler (their "Chip" note is very muted compared to the eastern "Myrtle" Yellow-rumped, the two were formerly considered different species). The whole while a pair of Western Bluebirds sat silently in the shade nearby watching the whole event.

adult Lewis' Woodpecker, digiscoped through Leica APO Televid scope w/ C-lux 2 camera

It took a while but I finally managed to complete the thirty some odd miles and pulled up at the back side of the Santee Lakes driving loop (about 3 hours later). I knew where I was heading thanks to the birds helpful waving me in. So it took mere moments before, I was staring at the local celebrity hiding on the shadowed sides of the bare branches. Lewis' Woodpeckers are not only extremely colorful, but fairly unique because they are so aerial and do a lot of flycatching on the wing. When not in direct sunlight they appear all dark though, so I waited a while for it to finally land in the sun. In flight they actually remind me a bit of a small crow or raven when they slowly flap their long pointed wings to stay aloft (it seems distinctly un-woodpecker like). I spent a while longer with this wonderful bird, and then it was time to turn tail and head south once again to be at the booth as the vending hours started. It was amazing at how quick the ride back went as compared to the trip out! ;0

A Birding Day in Ruins

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bouton) — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 13:22:00 +0000

The hype over the historic and scenic wonders of Tikal National Park in Guatemala are nearly the stuff of legend. Moreover, this is also one of the best known birding areas in Guatemala. So all were more than a bit excited to get under way and start soaking up as much of this natural treasure as we possibly could as our buses pulled to a stop in the parking area. From the moment we got off the bus we were bombarded by birds. Fruiting trees overhead hosted numerous Keel-billed Toucans, Collared Aracaris, and an assortment of Parrots including: Mealy, White-crowned, White-fronted, Brown-hooded, and Red-lored Parrots, plus Olive-fronted Parakeets. Throw in a mix of Euphonias, Melodius Blackbirds, Giant Cowbirds, Indigo Buntings, Tanagers, Warblers, Blue Grosbeaks, and Orioles for fun and you start to get the idea..... and this was all before taking a single step! There is A LOT to be said about preserving habitats!

Ocellated Turkey, digiscoped @ Tikal NP, w/Leica Televid scope 3/5/08

Moments later, a flock of very unwary Ocellated Turkeys trotted past with a pair of habituated Gray-necked Wood-Rails trailing behind. Clearly, hunting has been prohibited here for a while, and these birds have definitely gotten used to crowds and buses! It may not be the most natural occurrence to see these birds like this, but for a birder who rarely gets to see these creatures this was a spectacular treat.

immature Bare-throated Tiger Heron digiscoped @ Tikal NP, Guatemala 3/5/08

Within 100 feet from our starting point we found a whole different group of birds to admire. A Chestnut-colored Woodpecker fed in tree over the path, while more Gray-necked Wood-Rails fed alongside Green & Little-Blue Herons and Northern Jacanas at the pond's edge "Anhinga here!", someone called. A White-tipped Dove "Whoo"ed to one side and there was the constant squawking of Parrots all around.

A nearby series of dry, stacatto notes echoed from the reeds, and we were able to coax a beautiful little Ruddy Crake into view. In the secluded back section of the pond a Limpkin, Yellow-crowned Night Heron, and a Bare-throated Tiger Heron tried to catch some rest as a light spitting rain began to fall. "Breakfast is served!" so we all begrudgingly left the avian treasure trove for a bit of sustenance (we knew we'd be back as soon as possible though).

a Mayan temple as we reach the famed courtyard at Tikal NP

We ate quickly and then raced back out to enjoy as much of Tikal as humanly possible in the time we had left in this magical spot. The hype was very much real, and we hadn't even gotten to any of the park's fantastic archaeological treasures either! There was a bit of a stir about an Orange-breasted Falcon and most of us hot foot it out to the main courtyard in hopes of finding this spectacular bird. As a booby prize, you have to simply endure views of the amazing palace and temple ruins found here though.

As a long-time raptor fan who'd spent years studying Peregrine Falcons, I'd be lying if I didn't admit that the Orange-breasted Falcon was a bird I'd dreamt about seeing for some time. I'd seen them in captivity at the Peregrine Fund's breeding facility near Boise, Idaho years earlier, and may have drooled on the picture in the book a time or two since. At any rate, as we drew closer to the courtyard, Bill Thompson (BT3) and I sped ahead of the group heading toward a spot he'd seen them the previous year. As we approached I heard the definitive "kek" calls of a falcon and spun to see a male Orange-breasted Falcon coming in over my right shoulder carrying prey. "HERE HE COMES.." I shouted to everyone and no one in particular, "CARRYING PREY!"

adult female Orange-breasted Falcon digiscoped @ Tikal NP, 3/5/08

As I watched him course over, I noted the female sweeping off the back of the temple ahead of me. Like Bat Falcons on steroids, the larger, more muscular OBF's had a distinctly, attenuated look compared to their stubby cousins. Don't get me wrong, Bat Falcon's are spectacular, but take one give it a bit more color, a bit more muscle, and make a whole lot harder to find and you have yourself an Orange-breasted Falcon!

I guess it's like anything, Rock Pigeons, a breeding European Starling, even the male House Sparrow... All are beautiful birds, but they are so common and easily seen, that they are often taken for granted. I suppose if the OBF was more widespread and Bat Falcons were rare and local, the scale could easily tip the other way, but that's not the way it is. I believe I've actually seen Bat Falcons on every birding trip to the tropics (be it Costa Rica, Panama, and now Guatemala) and I've been jazzed to see each and every one. However, I'd be lying if I didn't suggest this was a different level of excitement for me!

male Orange-breasted Falcon w/ prey, digiscoped @ Tikal 3/5/08

The male swung into the same tree the female had settled into and I took quick glimpses of both in my scope. Then I took off like a shot to the stairs and up to the top of the Temple for a closer view and better angle. The hazy sky, and remnants of the recent mist hung heavy in the air, reeking havoc with my digiscoping, but I didn't care. What these shots lacked in overall clarity, they made up for in rarity points in my book! I stood transfixed imaging and viewing until the adrenaline finally subsided, and I slowly came back to the present. Happy high-fives were exchanged throughout the group and I went straight over to BT3 and thanked him for "keeping his promise"! Trust me he had the harder part of the deal, I'd much rather promise someone views of Bat Falcon than the rare OBF!

part of the happy crew after viewing the OBF at length!

With the pressure of the fabled falcons of Tikal over, we resumed business as usual and began enjoying everything else around us. The amazing cultural ruins upon which we stood, the history, and of course the birds. Hook-billed Kites soared over with King Vultures, and Lesser Swallow-tailed Swifts spun high above. A female Black-capped Tityra perched on a dead snag near some of the more common Masked Tityras for a great comparison.

Crested Guan adult, digiscoped w/ Leica APO Televid scope & C-Lux 2 camera 3/5/08

A pair of Crested Guans with at least one chick provided the perfect opportunity for outreach, and since so many of our crew were involved with education, tour leading, and similar it was only natural that we would share our finds (and GREAT optics) with the many tourists passing by. We enjoyed Plumbeous Kites building a nest on a high epiphyte, and saw a female Great Curassow on a nest.

Slaty-tailed Trogon male, Tikal, 3/5/08

A softly croaking male Slaty-tailed Trogon sat guarding a nest hollow in a termite mound while Royal Flycatchers "Pee-dunk"ed from nearby trees. Everywhere we looked there was yet a new bird mixed in: Green-breasted Mango, Long-tailed Hermit, Eye-ringed Flatbill, Black-throated Shrike-Tanager... the calls and birds continued even through the heat of the day until our time was up. Reluctantly we left this gem of a spot, but our hearts and heads were happy from a great day of birding and we all knew that we'd try to come back and we'd bring more of our friends and families when we did!

Not that we needed any more treats, but a Laughing Falcon was perched at roadside in perfect sunlight as one final reminder to stop back to see more some other time. We could only stop for a moment and then it was off to Flores where we would all catch planes to carry us to our next adventure!

A B-day present for BT3

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bouton) — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 15:39:00 +0000

Tawny-winged Woodcreeper, digiscoped in Peten, Guatemala, 03/03/08

We spent a glorious morning birding the Cerro Cahuí reserve in Peten, Guatemala. It was a wonderful place and we enjoyed views of tropical specialties like Red-throated Ant-Tanagers, Gray-headed Tanagers, Royal Flycatchers, Sepia-capped Flycatchers, and Golden-crowned Warblers, occurring side-by-side with more familiar neotropical migrants like Magnolia, Worm-eating, & Kentucky Warblers, and Yellow-bellied & Great Crested Flycatchers. At one point we ran into an amazing feeding flock and we were picking out new birds left and right. "Sulphur-rumped Flycatcher over the path.... Smoky-brown Woodpecker over here... Tawny-crowned Greenlet 2 feet off the ground... Tawny-winged Woodcreeper behind..." Whenever you see lots of bird activity like this you always suspect there might be an ant swarm nearby. Every small invertebrate in the leaf litter will break from cover when the Army Ants come through, and many birds will follow the ants and take advantage of the easy pickings. The Tawny-crowned Greenlet and Tawny-winged Woodcreeper are two specialists that are known to always follow these swarms in this area, so even though we couldn't see them it was a better than fair bet the ants were there.

shuttling across Lago Peten Itza, on a sunny day 3/3/08

Of course, this isn't a post about the great birding this morning. This is a post about how my good buddy, Bill Thompson (affectionately known as BT3), got another year older on this sunny day in Guatemala. After lunch, Bill and others enjoyed a quick dip in the crystalline waters of the lake (Lago Peten Itza), then we all boarded various launches and took a ride back across the water to meet our buses.

There was a quiet murmur going through the group about this being Bill's birthday and all. I felt bad that I didn't know in advance or I would have gotten him something special. Bill's shuttle was the first back to terra firma and while we tooled along serpentine looking at Ring-necked Ducks, Grebes, and Black-necked Stilts. One of the keen-eyed birders on our boat picked out a tiny compact raptor perched atop a radio tower on an island. Distant view, but given the compact falcon shaped body, big head, and overall darkness, we all agreed this was a Bat Falcon. "Oh man, Bill needs that!" someone on the boat commented.

Cell phones were produced and finally someone was able to get a hold of Bill. There was a series of calls back and forth to get more details, but try that they might Bill and the others on shore were not able to see the tiny falcon on the back side of the very distant tower.

Bat Falcon, digiscoped w/Leica APO Televid scope & C-Lux 2 camera, Peten, Guatemala

As our boat pulled in and I prepared to hop ashore with scope in hand, I noticed a curious dark shape over the heads of those looking for the falcon. I raised my binoculars to confirm and then quickly stated, "Heck, forget that one here's a Bat Falcon teed up right behind you!" It sat as bold as can be on a TV aerial on the building immediately adjacent to the cantina where those ashore were enjoying celebratory libations. Bill enjoyed the view through my scope that I captured above and we shared a "high-five".

BT3 takes some images of his birthday falcon!

Then one of the locals showed us we could get at eye level with the bird on the balcony above the cantina. So we all climbed up and enjoyed even better views.

Shutter releases and motor drives whirred as Bill soaked up his birthday present properly. he only stopped to take advantage of his celebratory ice-cream cone!.... All the good birders celebrate with ice cream. Roger Tory Peterson loved to stop for ice cream while birding (that's RTP BTW)!

Did you write about that Bill?!?...

Bat Falcon at eye level, digiscoped w/ Leica APO spottting scope & C-Lux 2 camera 3/3/08

But like all good things this too had to come to an end and we reluctantly left our prize and shuffled back to the bus. En route, I jokingly told Bill that he was perhaps the only birder I knew to have seen the rare, localized Orange-breasted Falcon (I bird I desperately hoped to see) on 2 occasions without running into the more wide spread Bat Falcon. However, that had now been straightened out, and he promised that we'd try hard to see an Orange-breasted Falcon (or OBF) when we visited Tikal. "I only wish!", I thought as we boarded the bus.

Birding in Guatemala

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bouton) — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 18:20:00 +0000

I could hardly believe my good fortune when I was asked to participate in the 4th annual International Bird Watching Encounter in Guatemala. My answer here was an immediate and enthusiastic, "Yes!"

beautiful decor at the Vista Real Hotel in Guatemala City

We'd come from all corners of the globe to take part in this unique and wonderful program sponsored by INGUAT (Instituto Guatemalteco de Tourismo) and their partners. Birders all united by a common avian thread!

I arrived too late to really appreciate any birds that first night. All I was able to muster in the failing light was a couple Great-tailed Grackles as we were shuttled to the luxurious Vista Real Hotel in Guatemala City. I still appreciated the glorious accommodations, and was thrilled to meet some of the participants I hadn't met, and reacquaint myself with others I'd met in the past. However, as the logo at top implies it was really all about the birds for me! So I'd have to wait a bit longer for my personal highlights to begin.....

Jeff & Liz Gordon, and Keith Hansen aboard our small plane to Flores

The following morning we awoke at 0-dark thirty and boarded one of three flights to Flores in the state of Peten in northern Guatemala to begin our first official segment of the trip. It was overcast and Guatemala's natural beauty still lay hidden from me as we flew north through the clouds and mist. As surely as some wish to be pinched to prove they are truly awake, I eagerly awaited some proof that I'd ACTUALLY arrived in Guatemala.

"cocodrillo" pastry

We arrived at Flores and were immediately shuffled to a grand breakfast at a nearby hotel with a marsh behind. They'd put out an amazing spread for breakfast including the "fantastico" crocodile pastry above, but in typical birder fashion we all shot past the food and were drawn immediately to the marshy edges behind. It was then that I knew I was clearly with kindred spirits, despite the international boundaries and miles that typically separated us!

adult Purple Gallinule digiscoped w/ Leica APO Televid scope and C-Lux 2 camera Guatemala 03/08

Upon entering the courtyard surrounding the pool a Yellow-throated Warbler chipped from the ornamental palms here. Green & Little-blue Herons, fed at the marsh edge alongside Common Moorhens and Purple Gallinules. I admittedly had not ever seen one using those big toes to cling to a chain link fence, but otherwise there was nothing new. Nothing that would definitively tell me that I "wasn't in Kansas anymore" (or Florida as the case may be). So, I continued to look for my sure fire proof, something I wouldn't see at home. Something to let me be sure I'd truly arrived south of the border.... and then it was there. Someone called out "Northern Jacana at the edge of the close mud!"

Northern Jacana digiscoped with Leica scope, Peten, Guatemala 03/02/08

Sure enough there it was the first hint of something undeniably different, and sure fire proof that I'd finally arrived. The first of many with more to come. So stay tuned!

King Ranch rare ducks

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bouton) — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 16:59:00 +0000

The world famous King Ranch in Kingsville, Texas has been a birding mecca for as long as I've been a birder. Long before I began travelling to see birds, I knew the name "King Ranch" as one of those revered American birding meccas, reknowned for some incredible specialty birds including Audubon's Orioles, Tropical Parula, and Ferruginous Pygmy Owls among others!

Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl digiscoped @ King Ranch November '05

The ranch is enormous (>800,000 acres) and is split into different units which offer different habitats and species diversity, so every trip to the ranch doesn't target the same species. Not surprisingly in today's litigious society, the only way to access the ranch is through one of their excellent guided tours (offered regularly on most days of the week) or through a pre-arranged custom tour.

I'd just rolled into Port Aransas and heard that birders were seeing numbers of the incredibly rare Masked Duck on the King Ranch about an hour away. This species is common to Mexico and throughout Central America, but almost never seen here in the United States. I knew I would be tied up every other day of my trip working the Whooping Crane Festival, so my only chance of seeing these birds was to get out there on that day. Being last minute, I knew it was a long shot at best, but still I hoped there might be someone going out in the evening to see the birds.

Tom Langscheid and his son David @ the Whooping Crane Fest

On my very first, exciting visit to the King Ranch years ago, I was met by an extremely knowledgeable and talented guide, Tom Langscheid. Tom was instrumental in establishing the current nature tour programs on the ranch since their inception back in the 1980's. Since that early meeting, Tom has given up as the head of the tour program, although he still guides on occasion at the Ranch. I've also since had opportunities to guide different bird trips alongside him and even meet his family. So I was real excited to discover Tom was heading out to the ranch, and had no idea I was in for a very special bonus! I (along with two other friends, Tom and Ben) had the rare opportunity to join Tom and his talented young son David Langscheid, for a bit of late evening birding on the ranch, which would hopefully also lead to seeing these rare ducks!

Harris' Hawk, adult digiscoped w/Leica APO Televid scope, Kingsville, TX 2/21/08

Tom, as always, was wonderful to drive along with. His passion for the ranch and the wildlife it supports hasn't seemed to fade at all. A born tour guide, he regaled us with interesting historic facts about history of the ranch and the area as we drove along. His son David, was every bit engaging though, pointing out the various species of raptors (including Crested Caracara, Harris', Red-tailed, and White-tailed Hawks) and offering wonderful natural history information and anecdotes as we drove toward our main quarry! They say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, and David is a chip off the old block! Remember the name folks, If young David Langscheid remains interested in nature I fully suspect we'll see him on TV some day soon.

Masked Duck pair digiscoped w/Leica APO Televid, King Ranch, TX 2/21/08

Before long, we drove past a tiny watering hole/pond on the left side of the van, and I was able to clearly see two distinctly flat-headed ducks with multiple stripes on their face with my naked eye before we even stopped! The birds were easily viewed on the pond which was ~50 feet across and completely devoid of floating vegetation. This was a real treat and the birds were new birds for both of my friends as well as young David. Once I realized this, I stopped my digiscoping and hoisted David up for a look through the scope. It was an amazing evening with great fortune, beautiful weather, good birds, and even better company! David, I hope we get to bird together soon buddy. I think I enjoyed birding with you even more than seeing these REALLY cool ducks!

Masked Duck, digiscoped King Ranch, Kingsvile, TX 2/21/08

The highest count of Masked Ducks was 8 individuals seen recently. I was tickled to ONLY see two on our short visit! For those interested in seeing these birds or for visiting the INCREDIBLE King Ranch to view other wildlife, or to learn more about the rich history of the place (something I highly recommend everyone interested in birds and wildlife do), visit their website for more or call the visitor's center @ (361) 592-8055.

http://www.king-ranch.com/nature_tours.html

San Diego Bird Fest intro

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bouton) — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 13:59:00 +0000

For those not familiar with the spectacular San Diego Bird Festival, let me provide a brief overview. Since it is held at a time when much of the world is still scraping their windshields each morning, the mere thought of a warm, sunny destination surrounded by sparkling waters and palm trees is inspiration enough to consider attending this event. However, this is only the tip of the iceberg.

The San Diego area offers an amazing variety of habitats and birds that are easily accessible within a 30 minute drive. The nearby mountains of Cuyamaca State Park offer potential to see mountain bird species like Pygmy Nuthatch, Mountain Chickadee, Steller's Jay, Band-tailed Pigeon, and even White-headed woodpecker with a bit of luck (among MANY others).

female White-headed Woodpecker I digiscoped during the 2007 SD Birdfest

The grasslands near Ramona offers fantastic potential for viewing raptors. This year in less than 4 miles of road I saw numerous American Kestrels, a perched Merlin, multiple Northern Harriers, many Red-tailed Hawks in all plumages, an adult Golden Eagle perched low in a tree, three CA race Red-shouldered Hawks, 2 perched Cooper's Hawks, and 6 individual Ferruginous Hawks including a stunning dark morph adult! All in less than 2 hours time.

adult light morph Ferruginous Hawk near Ramona, CA digiscoped during 2007 fest

The amazing Anza Borrego Desert State Park is easily reached and birded within a day trip, providing a whole host of additional desert specialty species including: Black-throated Sparrow, Roadrunner, Costa's Hummingbird, Crissal & (hopefully) LeConte's Thrashers, among many others.

LeConte's Thrasher digiscoped during San Diego Birdfest 2007 - Leica APO Televid

Of course, I've barely scratched the surface and haven't even begun to consider the enormous assortment of birds found in the IMMEDIATE area which is every bit as spectacular. The habitats listed above are merely the icing on the cake! Last year I took the maniacal approach and raced all around the area to all of these sites, however this year I opted to kick my heels back and just enjoy the more local birds and sites. I was admittedly a bit exhausted following back to back to back festivals/shows in FL, and 2 in Las Vegas....

I'll provide more on this year's SD birding in short order, now I've got to get over to yet another show! ;)

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bouton) — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 03:56:00 +0000

San Diego stylized loony sculpture

After leaving the zaniness of Las Vegas, I was in the mood for something a bit less artificial and happily flew off to San Diego! Upon landing I pondered a bit over this one. A nice sculpture but the birder in me kept thinking are these things loons or long grebes?... and why in the world has one speared a giant silvery egg?... To get to the bottom of this, I headed straight to the San Diego river to see if I could observe anything similar.

Eared Grebe digiscoped with Leica APO Televd scope & C-Lux 2 camera, San Diego, CA

I found similar candidates right away but they seemed too slight, were the wrong color, and showed no interest in shiny silver eggs so I figured Eared Grebe was not the right candidate. The very similar Horned Grebe (seen below with a Ruddy Duck) seemed too compact and showed more white than in the sculpture as well, so it was quickly eliminated.

Horned Grebe winter plumage,digiscoped in San Diego River 2/6/08, w/ Ruddy Duck

There were numerous Western Grebes floating in small flotillas with their heads tucked on their backs here as well. They looked to have the right proportionsbut were slightly less gray. I held some shiny silver quarters up but they showed no interest. They just continued riding the current with heads tucked tight. I figured I should continue to look.

Brant digiscoped in Mission Bay, CA 2/6/08 - Leica APO Televid 77 & C-Lux 2

The Brant were long enough through the neck and showed similar color on the flanks, but they seemed to have the wrong bill shape and were definitely more interested in eel grass than eggs. I finally figured these had to be some other species and left it to be figured out another day. Besides I was birding now and with each new sighting was beginning to feel more and more like myself again.

Las Vegas woes

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Bouton) — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 14:26:00 +0000

For anyone who loves nature and the outdoors a trip to Las Vegas is likely not the highlight of your year. Especially if you're stuck on the strip, that most artificial of all spots in the US. Recently, duty called and I was forced to spend a week here. The only highlight was that I was at least able to view a Flamingo regularly from my hotel window!

Flamingo Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, NV

Of course, business is business and even though there were about 8 bazillion places I'd rather have been, I stuck it out and did what I had to do, working the show floor at the Las Vegas Convention Center and answering questions about Leica products and varying uses.

Leica product testing, Las Vegas, NV

Perhaps the worst part of this particular duty though was the thought of missing that great American tradition, the Superbowl! Yep, that's right in very unpatriotic fashion, someone went and scheduled convention hours right over the top of this celebrated American holiday. Not surprisingly, the show floor became a veritible ghost town after kick-off leaving only dedicated manufacturer reps to talk amongst themselves. It was with great relief that we discovered a visible flat panel screen broadcasting the event some 150 yards or so away. Ever conscientious about quality control, myself and a number of my Leica coleagues set to testing the resolving power of the new Leica Ultravid HD binoculars. In this way we were able to view the game in HD, and were not surprised a bit by the extreme high quality images delivered by these superb optics!

an impromptu digiscoping demonstration

Unfortunately, there were far more interested in testing this for themselves than there were binoculars available. I decided the best course of action was to set up a digiscoping demonstration as a distraction and to fully show the complete capabilities of the fine Leica equipment. I quickly trained my Leica APO Televid scope on an interesting subject (picked at random of course), mounted the tiny C-Lux 2 camera, and ran the included cable to a nearby monitor so all would be able to see my demonstration clearly.

another successful digiscoping demonstartion

In very short order, a crowd of would be digiscopers had amassed and were marvelling at my prowess as well as the quality of the imaging capabilities of the Leica glass. Many seemed even captivated by my demonstration and stood transfixed by the beautifully clear subject matter! Others refused to believe that the scope and little camera were producing the amazing image they were viewing. To prove it, I'd step in front of the scope, bringing immediate disapproval from some of my most engrossed digiscoping students ever. Shouts of, "Down in front!" and similar were uttered almost instantly. When the "battery save" mode kicked in and the subject disappeared momentarily (as seen above) there was a near riot until I deftly pushed the shutter release restoring the view!

Fortunately for all interested parties, we were able to leave in time to catch the final quarter of the big show! Our heart felt thanks go out to the players on both side of the field, who held all of the real excitement until the last 8 minutes or so. Those of us stuck at the show surely appreciated that. At any rate, it appears I've unwittingly discovered a brand new user group of digiscopers, and a new descriptive phrase has even been coined to boot. We now call this new approach "digipoaching"! ;p