Anyone left? Didn’t think so. Ahhhh.... Time for some totally self indulgent writing about the birds I’ve seen so far during my hike of the
These guys are loud and fun. They have a classic pattern to their flight that makes them easy to spot.
The cartoon roadrunner looks kinda like an osterich but really, they look, sound and act like a skinny chicken. They are very fast and very fun to watch.
When I first saw one of these on the ocean, I thought it looked like a loon but I didn’t think they liked salt water. Then I heard that familiar call and I thought I was back in Maine!
These things are everywhere and when a flock of fifty or more takes off, it sounds like thunder in the distance.
I love all the strigidae family but these little guys are especially cool. They have bright white eyebrows and unusually long legs.
It’s not their fault that they have weak feet! Otherwise, they’d be killing live prey like other raptors. Instead, they circle endlessly, looking for something dead to feast on. Tell this one at your next cocktail party: What did the flight attendant say to the vulture with two dead rabbits under his wing? “I’m sorry, sir. Only one carrion allowed.” Ha! See what I did there? I kill me...
Ima let you down here (who am I kidding? no one is reading this!) when I say that I couldn’t really identify the different species of humming birds that I’ve seen. I looked at several lists of the species that are down here but they all seem to be in some kind of ‘winter phase’ where their plumage is darker and much plainer than usual.
One of the few species (other than humming birds) that can truly hover. If I spot one of these, I’m stopping until he is far out of sight. It’s like I can’t NOT watch.
One of my new faves. They are so graceful, gliding just inches above the waves. When they spot a fish, the fold their wings in and dive bomb hard into the water at breakneck speeds. And that plumage.... I could go on forever about these birds.
One of the only species of raptor to hunt in groups. I often see three or four of them, each perched at the top of a cardon cactus, scanning the desert floor for movement. Really beautiful, really aggressive...
Baja California peninsula. Ima do this as a ‘top ten’ list:
10. Gila Woodpecker
These guys are loud and fun. They have a classic pattern to their flight that makes them easy to spot.
9. Roadrunner
The cartoon roadrunner looks kinda like an osterich but really, they look, sound and act like a skinny chicken. They are very fast and very fun to watch.
8. Pacific Loon
When I first saw one of these on the ocean, I thought it looked like a loon but I didn’t think they liked salt water. Then I heard that familiar call and I thought I was back in Maine!
7. California Quail
These things are everywhere and when a flock of fifty or more takes off, it sounds like thunder in the distance.
6. Burrowing Owl
I love all the strigidae family but these little guys are especially cool. They have bright white eyebrows and unusually long legs.
5. Turkey Vulture
It’s not their fault that they have weak feet! Otherwise, they’d be killing live prey like other raptors. Instead, they circle endlessly, looking for something dead to feast on. Tell this one at your next cocktail party: What did the flight attendant say to the vulture with two dead rabbits under his wing? “I’m sorry, sir. Only one carrion allowed.” Ha! See what I did there? I kill me...
4. Humming Bird
Ima let you down here (who am I kidding? no one is reading this!) when I say that I couldn’t really identify the different species of humming birds that I’ve seen. I looked at several lists of the species that are down here but they all seem to be in some kind of ‘winter phase’ where their plumage is darker and much plainer than usual.
3. Prairie Falcon
One of the few species (other than humming birds) that can truly hover. If I spot one of these, I’m stopping until he is far out of sight. It’s like I can’t NOT watch.
2. Brown Pelican
One of my new faves. They are so graceful, gliding just inches above the waves. When they spot a fish, the fold their wings in and dive bomb hard into the water at breakneck speeds. And that plumage.... I could go on forever about these birds.
1. Harris’ Hawk
One of the only species of raptor to hunt in groups. I often see three or four of them, each perched at the top of a cardon cactus, scanning the desert floor for movement. Really beautiful, really aggressive...
If you’re still reading this, you should be embarrassed. And, if you dare leave a comment below, Ima call you out as a NERD!
Nice photos, but I didn't know you had such mad drawing skills! :-)
ReplyDeleteI wish. Sadly both the pics and the drawings are stolen from the web. But I ave seen each of these species.
DeleteBiology nerd and proud! Bethany and I want to the Arizona last week and I was not only pointing out the birds, but the other animals, insects, and plants. Can't get enough biology! We seen quite a few gila woodpeckers!
ReplyDeleteYou get a pass for letting me use your stove in New Mexico. Hi, Bethany!
DeleteThe gila woodpecker kinda looks like a cross between a Northern flicker and a red bellied woodpecker.
ReplyDeleteI agree. They have flickers down here, too, but they are much darker.
Delete"Only one carrion allowed." LOL! I love watching birds, too. I don't know them as you do, but I like them a lot. Cool post - I love hearing about critter sightings!
ReplyDeleteThat is the corniest joke I know. Thanks for reading and thanks for the comment!
DeleteTurkey vultures are amazing and beautiful. Know why they have red bald heads? So they can stick it into a dead critter to eat and non get covered in gunk. Know how they protect themselves after gorging on carrion...that's a bird nerd word for dead things...? They can't fly because they have eaten too much to get off the ground. If, as a non bird nerd, you should decide to approach a very full turkey vulture, they will throw up all the delightful dead and rotting things it has eaten!! Human fool. Aren't bird nerd facts fun?
ReplyDeleteThey also poop on their own feet because it cools them off as it evaporates.
DeleteYou didn't expect me to ignore a birding post did you,Master Ornith? I miss your bird lessons from on the CDT. Keep your feet pointed south and your eyes to the skies.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Beaker!
DeleteI look forward to the day when I’m on Jeopardy and I get to use these factoids. Until then, I’ll try to sneak them in during conversation at work but I’m not sure anyone will understand lol.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a great hike (well, kinda :)), can’t wait to hear more details over a cold beer when you get back!
Btw, there’s a song called Carrion on Fiona Apple’s album Tidal from 1996, and I now understand why it was so depressing and I always hit next when it came on. It’s taken me over 20 years to realize the meaning of that song, but your blog about birds in Mexico seems to have done the trick. 😉
DeleteHey Boss! Thanks for the comment. It’s true that I’m full of useless factoids. Unless, like you mentioned, I was on Jeopardy and the category was ‘Birds of the Baja California Peninsula’. Until then, I’ll just keep writing about them.
DeleteThanks for following my journey!
Pelican a pelican it's beak can hold more than his belly can... haha
ReplyDeleteThat’s at least as bad as the ‘carrion’ joke. Thanks for the comment, Coyote!
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