Roger's Birding Notes - December 2001

by Roger Higson

Late November was fun with Raptors moving in, and Sandhill Cranes making dawn more than worth getting up for! The festive fun came suitably in shades of red. Many birders saw the Rufous-Backed Robin, and many more continue to see the Ruddy Ground Doves. Of course a smattering of Vermillion Flycatchers helped.The occurrence of several very rare birds in a small area, in a small town environment, in the middle of nowhere (actually you have to stop there to get directions ) engenders birding ethics.Be polite. Offer to show people the bird when they ask you why you are peering into their yard. Remember there are rude folks, and very rude birders. It only takes one of the latter to inspire the former.

Half of my fun, is that birds have become a gossip item out here. People in stores ,and gas stations asking those carrying "bins" if they have come to see "the birds". My best moment was when a lady at our nearby convenience store, told an out of towner that "they are Code 4 birds"! In the new year,instead of panic birding, check your local patch. I trust you find a "Code Google" bird. Roger Higson . Roger Higson

Ground Doves and Inca Dove and White-crowned Sparrow by Cin-Ty Lee

Roger's Birding Notes - November 2001

by Roger Higson

The first hints of autumn/fall are arriving in the S.W.Sonoran Desert, California. Day time temps plummeting to the 90's, nights in the low 70's.Time for the Burberry. The local trees are festively bedecked with Vermillion Flycatchers and the Swallows have returned for the Winter. Up to 10 species of wintering raptors can be seen in a morning within 10 miles of my house, and there is nothing wrong with Prairie Falcon, Merlin, Ferruginous Hawk, and Peregrine on consecutive phone poles on the way to work. For this, you have to endure day time summer temps of 115 plus, nights in the low 90's!

This afternoon pre-Guido Fawkes night, I have 2 species of Hummer at my feeders and Waxwings "eeeeeeez-ing" in my Palm Trees, go figure!

A point to ponder. It seems to me the more a twitcher spends on chasing a life bird, the more likely they are to see it, especially if alone. Also, if with a group, the chances of a single birder getting a "brief glimpse", increases exponentially with their distance from the group. It is not new, it was there when the current BB rarity committee was chasing rarities on the "SILLY" islands in the late 60s and 70s. I was there. More gossip later. Roger Higson

Merlin sketch by Andy Birch