Just returned from a trip to Sedona, AZ, where I got to do a little birding in one of the most gorgeous places I've ever had the privilege to visit. There were birds everywhere; in any bush or tree, you could expect to encounter numerous species, and most were super tolerant of my presence. Add to that, nearly every perch was attractive: thorny shrubs, beautifully whorled dead wood, colorful rocks, evergreen junipers and mesquite. The clear, open shooting environment is a joy to work with compared to the hard wood deciduous forest I'm used to here in Wisconsin.
While it was a superb environment, it was quite the shock for someone coming from the Midwest. I knew the species to expect going on (thanks to eBird), but I didn't get nearly enough time to really learn the area and find the birds, learn the light conditions (only small windows of time at sunrise/sunset before it's super harsh), wait for birds to land on a nice perch, etc. I wish I had more time to develop the area and get into the groove.
The Woodhouse Scrub-Jay was a sweet bird to discover. They were all over the place, and weren't afraid to sit at the top of a tree/bush and pose (first shot is w/ 100-400 to capture environment):
One species I really want to see was the Canyon Wren, and I only encountered one. I was basically standing alongside the Oak Creek Canyon stream, and this guy was foraging along the red rock shoreline, oblivious to me.
It's super rare to have birds this friendly in Wisconsin. Every outing is a coin toss as to whether or not I even see a bird, yet in AZ (and FL), it was almost too easy. Very depressing. You all that live in places with easy birds don't know how easy you have it.
Dec 14, 2024 at 04:19 PM
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