Tour de Chiracahua

What a title huh? Yesterday I took a little tour on the mountain bike over the back forest roads.

up by the Research Station

I headed west out of Sunny Flat Campground up past the reasearch station where the road turned to "gravel, rock and dirt".

I stop for a breather up the trail at about mile 5

We Move Campsites......Twice

As you may recall, the first day we arrived here in Cave Creek, Sunny Flat Campground, we found all the sites were full of campers and had been for past 3+ weeks. Only 13 sites available and this place is getting more and more popular. Patience paid off and the next day we managed to snag a location (#6)on the south side in the forest. This spot would be great in the hot weather as it is very shaded. However, we spent 4 nights there and it was cold much of the time. We were able to capture the suns rays part of the day with solar panels but didn't get much solar heating in the RV.

Two days ago we managed to move to #11 on the north end which has been in full sun. It took a couple days for Charli to warm up.

We used our new tiny propane space heater to warm us up in the mornings instead of running the power hog furnace.

The views are stunning from here. Looking out out front window we see the spires rising up from the forest floor. Sort of Yosemite meets Painted Desert.

It's quiet here except for the woodpeckers and the jays always making racket. And the broad tailed hummingbird zooms by, his tail making a zzzzzzzzzz past our heads. No crickets though.

We set up our bird feeders with hummer joy juice, seeds, and oranges.

We get a few customers during the day as we sit outside watching the Blue Throats and Magnificents battle it out for supremacy while a broad tail slips in un-noticed, sips and scrams out fast.
Now, on day 7 (6 nights have gone by), we finally are able to snag our favorite spot, #7. Woo Hoo. We are in the sun and we have the best spot for photographing the birds. Our friends, Cal & Irene have been in this spot for 10 days and have all the birds well trained so we should fit in real nicely.

Our new campsite #7

The Birdseye view

I have pix to post of bummers in a couple days

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Who is reading this?

I was just wondering this morning, who is reading this.  The blog is hosted by Google and the comments seem to be in google + which i hardly ever read.  I have been considering switching to wordpress which takes some programming (unless one of you knows how to export and convert and I would pay you) or Squarespace which would convert.  Both have comments and I would like to see you comments and respond.  You can also subscribe to this blog on the right side and it should send you and email when I post.

This is my big lens kit for wildlife and bird photos

Then an email came into my gmail address from a long time friend who said:

"I am loving your blog......and photos!  Thanks so much for taking the time and energy to do these.  I love coming along with you through your blog." 

I replied and thought to include both part of the initial email and my response below:

"Dear......
Oh wow.  thank you!!  I wasn't sure anyone is reading it.  Get a few likes and comments on facebook.

Am trying to post daily when possible.  Like today will be just a couple random shots.

Thank you for the feedback.  I miss my buddies at village and we are having a wonderful time 'Roaming with Om' so to speak.  

FYI we expect to continue for a while.  Will be back in Laurelwood for a summer visit then head to east coast late August to maritime provinces, new england, and south on atlantic seaboard to Florida then gulf coast.  In short, the circumference of USA trip returning in late spring to say hi at village before heading north, maybe to Alaska!!  Will see.  

Taking one day at a time.  Each morning we wake up and decide whether to remain or move on.  if move on, where?

It is a bit of a challenge for me as my mind habits reside in schedules and plans.  Oh we have some ideas of what and where but really we only have 3 firm dates for this year.  Rest is day to day and flying by seat of pants so to speak."  

So now I am asking you to let me know if you are reading this and if it is worth the effort to try to post regularly, even several times per week.  What do you like?  what do you not like?  Any suggestions for content or topics?  I am out here alone, well not totally alone, without much feedback on this blog so please comment or send me an email if comments are too much trouble.  My email address is kentwilliams108 at gmail dot com.  You will need to put in the @ and the . yourself as I don't need anymore spam.  At the very least, just tell me if you read it.  

Thanks

Hummingbird Banding

Can you imagine that those little tykes actually carry around a band on their legs?  There is a scientist in Patagonia, Arizona who founded a Hummingbird monitoring network all over the west coast.  On certain days during the year each of these locations along with "citizen scientists" spend 5 hours capturing, inspecting, weighing, measuring, putting an ID band and releasing hummingbirds!  The data is fed back to central location.  The days and times are the same for each location.

Magnificent Hummingbird

Beginning at sunrise the first Sunday in April and continuing  every other Sunday through September, one of these locations in Paradise, Arizona at the George Walker House does this.  We were here last year the first Sunday in April and happened to be here again this year on the first Sunday.  Because we had to wait to move our RV to a new location (see tomorrow for this story), we were late to the party today.  I got a photo of a Juniper Titmouse and a Bullocks Oriole, and did manage to snag some good photos of the process of a Magnificent Hummingbird. Turns out this bird had been captured before so did not need a new band. The process is similar.  Read the captions on each photo for descriptions and click on photo to enlarge.  Quite interesting.

NOTE:  No birds or humans were harmed in this process.

The trap used to capture the hummer.  When the hummer
enters the feeding area, a line is pulled

Reaching in gently to wrap hand carefully around the bird

In the grasp.  Same guy does all of them

Brings out the bird and carefully places in bag

"Bagged" another one!

Tools of the trade.  Note the numbered bands on the left.

Removing the hummer safely from the bag.

Inspecting an recording the band number

inspecting another bird who has gone docile and relaxed

Weighing the bird which was 3.6 grams!

Getting ready to feed the bird prior to release

Feeding the bird so it has energy to fly away and wakes back up

Placing the bird in another palm for release

This guy is ready to fly!!

And he is gone!

It was a slow day. All in all, they banded about 25 birds in a 5 hour stretch.  We had fun, ate stuff talked and photographed other birds!

For more information check out the hummingbird monitoring information here.

Bird Shots and more....

A recent acquaintance of ours told us her husband (the birder) and she (the photographer) are referred to as "Point and Shoot".  I thought that was pretty clever.  One time, at Bosque del Apache, Sraddha and I were photographing the cranes & talking with a bystander and I said "She spots them, I shoot them".  Another bystander, who overheard us, appeared to be mortified until they realized I meant shoot them with the camera.  Here are some photos I shot the past two days for your visual enjoyment.

Female Rufous Hummingbird

Anyway, I biked down to Portal Cafe in the wind to send you this blog.  Not much to say.  We felt lucky to find a spot 3 days ago as the campground is full, full, full.  Mostly returning happy campers who love this place and tend to stay for a while (limit 14 days).  Yesterday we thought our favorite spot would become available.

Maginficent Hummingbird

As we were preparing to move, we heard the current inhabitants had renewed for 4 more days.  They are 2 of our favorite people but I have to say I was a little disappointed.  Sraddha asked me whether I was and I shrugged it off thinking, "Oh well, maybe later in week".  Well that was a big hiccup! It wasn't until later, I realized how attached I was to that getting that spot.  The resultant internal kerfuffle resulted in my dropping my big camera on my new little camera and damaging it.  Yikes.  Now I have to send the 3 week old camera into repair shop and will be without it for several weeks.  Sigh.  Harsh lesson sometimes but I hope I am learning which is what life is all about.  Back to living in the moment, or at least focusing on it.

Black Chinned Hummingbird

We are meandering here in the Southwest, deciding each day whether we remain camped in our current site or move on.  We have a basic idea of the direction (SE New Mexico to Carlsbad) but won't take a straight line.  We don't know when we will depart here (sometime within the 14 day limit) and we think we will head next to Silver City less than 100 miles away.  In the meantime, we will enjoy where we are and if, tomorrow, we decide to move on, we will.  If we decide to remain, we will.  And work around the rest.  We will "develop a plan to fit the circumstances" as General Patton would say.

This last shot is of a Swainson's Hawk.  First one we have ever seen.  Flying high in the sky on the winds I was lucky to get this as it was far away so I had to crop it severely.  Beautiful bird but not a great shot.

Swainson't Hawk High up in air

Chiracahua Moments

Getting in some bird photography. We remain in same campsite which is in shade so it is a little cool, not conducive to photos. Hope to get some hummer shots tomorrow. Here are a few shots from today and yesterday.  This morning it was 33 degrees when we arose.  After first cuppa, I went outside and shot this time  lapse of the morning sun and clouds.  (99 shots at 1 second each).

Morning Clouds	Acorn Woodpecker out back of our camp
Morning Coffee	Breakfast of Champions

Some more photos. Saw this partial 737 body on side of road in Rodeo.  Apparently it is too high to travel freeways so has to take backroads.  Just crossed over border into New Mexico and waiting for Overload escort east to Texas.

737 to No Where

loggerhead Shrike

Sunset over Chiracahua's

Cave Creek Canyon

We managed to score a campsite at Sunny Flat yesterday in Cave Creek Canyon on the Eastern side of the Chiracahua Mountains between SW New Mexico and and SE Arizona. You might remember we were here last year for almost 2 weeks and this National Forest Campground is one of our favorites anywhere.

Cave Creek Canyon in Chiracahua Mountains

We had tried to get in here the previous day but found it full. The camp host said they have been full everynight for past 3 weeks. A popular spot with only 13 sites, that we are not supposed to tell anyone about, at least that is what everyone tells us and judging by the full campground it seems true. So keep this just between you and me. OK?

Driving up the canyon road in the forest

The drive into Cave Creek Canyon is really beautiful as you can see by the photos. From the wide open spaces of Rodeo, New Mexico you drive about 8 miles across the valley to Portal, Arizona. It's the only paved road in. You can drive over dirt roads across the Chiricahua mountains from Wilcox and the National Monument area but its 30 miles and not for RV's over 25 feet. Not sure even 20 feet. Anyway it's 75 miles drive south to Douglas (Walmart, etc) and 60 miles NE to the interstate at Lordsburg (fuel).

Our campsite in Sunny Flat

Being a National Forest Campground there is fresh water from a tap near the Pit Toilets which provides good drinking water. Nestled amongst ancient Juniper Pines and Giant Syacmore trees, this place speaks to us. Quiet, off the beaten path, secluded, scenic. It doesn't have great vistas but the canyon is sort of a mashup of Yosemite meets Painted desert on a smaller scale.

Sunset Reflections

We will be here at least 7-10 days, dependent on how long our waste tanks hold out. It is a long drive to dump wastes. We will move to our favorite site tomorrow. We can replenish fresh water and our waste strategy is now aided this year by the addition of a small plastic tub fitting in the kitchen sink. We use it to catch the dishwater, then throw it out on ground just like we would if tent camping. Also we catch the first 1/2 gallon of water in the shower as the hot water gets warm. All this normally would go into the grey water tank which seems to be the "rate limiting step" so we think we can get at least 2-3 or 4 days more out of it which means 9-10 or even 11 days if we are careful. Is that enought detail for you?

This morning in front of our Campsite

One downside is no internet or cell so don't try to call us. Email is fine as we can drive or bike (as I have done today) down to the Portal Cafe for internet connection.

 

 

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