My Life’s Birds: #296-300
July 7, 1994 – to Ramsey Canyon via Sierra Vista, Az – The milestones we reach as listing birders are, for the most part, completely arbitrary. They’re not a particularly good indication of birding skill, nor even of dedication, though that’s closer to the mark. It’s more an issue of opportunity, a considerable list means only that a birder has been extremely fortunate to be in many situations to turn up lots of birds. I certainly fit that category, because in just over a year of listing birding, hardly enough time to count myself in the ranks of skilled birders (there are times even now, I hesitate to count myself in that number) I’d finally crossed a notable threshhold.
But I get ahead of myself. We left our hastily arranged, but still birdy, stay at Chiricahua National Monument, and headed west to Sierra Vista, Arizona, to get a gander at a water treatment facility and the birds therein. Being the middle of a desert, any bit of water, especially the nutrient rich sludge of a sewage plant acts as a literal oasis, and the city of Sierra Vista had taken the opportunity to build some observation platforms to attact the birders along with the birds. From our wooden lookouts we spotted lots of western marsh birds, including new species for the trip like Cinnamon Teal, Yellow-crowned Night Heron, and White-faced Ibis, which just so happened to be lifers putting me within reach of that aforementioned milestone.
The next stop was another biggie, nearly as famous as Cave Creek Canyon. We were heading to Ramsey Canyon, a Nature Conservancy Preserve well known for it’s attractiveness to many rare and desirable species of hummingbirds. Soon after we arrived we began staking out the feeders, searching for those species we’d missed up to that point. Soon enough, the gorgeous Broad-billed Hummingbirds arrived, #299 for my list, and then the milestone species, a female White-eared Hummingbird, followed closely by the purple-headed male.
It took just over a year for me to get to 300. In the decade and half since, I’ve barely added another 60% of that total. Oh, that it were still that easy…
WEHU from semillama via flickr
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Hi Nate, it's nice to meet you. I'm from NC (Pitt County) and was referred to you by Betsy Baker from Dallas Audubon Forum after making efforts to identify a small white bird I saw and got several photos of – it was about the size of an Indigo bunting except creamish white in color all over) and there were at least 4 or 5 of these birds, though I was only able to get a picture of one that lit on the wire – the others flew to the wooded area. The sighting was two days ago in Craven County at a place called "Core Creek Landing" (on the dirt road that accesses that boat landing which is located between Ft. Barnwell and Turkey Quarter off HW 55.) Have always enjoyed birding in that area – dirt road, no interference, it bisects wheat fields, forests, river, grass lands, tanagers, warblers, orchard orioles, grosbeaks, etc.) The only bird I can think it could possibly be is the Snow Bunting, which would be a complete surprise to me if that turned out to be the case. If you could provide me with any information based on your expertise and knowledge you might have of any sightings of this bird ever in this area, I would surely appreciate it.
Apologies in advance if this is not the best way to communicate with you. Fairly new to the blog world (but consider myself "old-time" birder lol) Thanks so much. The pics of this bird will be on my blog in about 15 min. but I would like to be able to send these to you by email if possible (if that might help.)
Jay