by Judy Appel | Feb 26, 2022 | Uncategorized
These two “Silky-Flycatchers” are finding their prey in the Phoenix/Wickenburg, Arizona area. The first black colored bird is called Phainopepia, look for his species flying alone around Desert Mistletoe plants hanging from trees. In addition to berries they prey on flying insects, especially mosquitoes. The brilliant colored Flycatcher is the Vermillion Flycatcher. It also preys on mosquitoes but prefers larger insects. Bees and grasshoppers are preferred . For more information click “Newsletter” in the Menu of this Gillespiecreek.com website.
by Judy Appel | Feb 12, 2022 | Uncategorized
I have been watching this couple along with photographer Buddy Walker for the several weeks. This week for the first time the Eagle couple have left their nest containing three to four week old Eaglets for extended periods of time. The couple seem to be enjoying their freedom. However either the male or the female remains on a protective perch while the other flies off to hunt. Generally it takes a half hour for that parent to successfully return with prey. The hunting parent then remains in the nest shredding prey for each hungry Eaglet. Each separate feeding takes at least 45 minutes. While the feeding takes place the sentinel parent is free to begin its hunt. These Bald Eagles perform a perfectly orchestrated tag-team hunt for hours at a time.
by Judy Appel | Jan 14, 2022 | Uncategorized
December temperatures moderated on New Year’s Day. I had to bundle up for a walk on the first day of 2022 as the wind was blowing at 20 mph and temperatures lingered around the mid 40’s. My photographer friend Buddy Walker drove us to the Estrella Park Reserve to look for a Vermillion Flycatcher early morning. Believe it or not a beautiful male flew right in front of us and landed on a branch.
SRP has drained ponds in their recharge area. Two Great Blue Herons and a Snowy Egret took advantage of the situation to hunt for stranded fish on Wednesday morning.
While OMICRON has surged here in Arizona, most of us are fully vaccinated and boosted. We do wear masks and avoid indoor gatherings. Neighborhood hikes and good reading fill days.
Below left is the Vermillion Flycatcher, next the Herons in the pond and finally on the right a view of a Curve-billed Thrasher singing its full repertoire of beautiful melodies.
Joy abounds in ambient sounds of Nature.
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For more birding resources click the Menu “Newsletter” button.
by Judy Appel | Dec 17, 2021 | Uncategorized
Raptors that are common in the Maricopa County area year around.
The list includes Red-tailed Hawk, Cooper’s hawk, American Kestrel Falcon, Prairie Falcon, Peregrine Falcon year around. Migratory Birds of Prey in this area are Bald Eagle and Turkey Vultures.
During the winter Osprey,, Northern Harrier and Harris Hawk visit as well.
The primary migration season (breeding) is November through May.
The breeding season is a little later, beginning in December .
These Birds of prey can be found ion several sites: The SRP Recharge Area, farm fields, Estrella Park, Base Median Reserve, and the Hassayampa River Reserve in Wickenburg.
by Judy Appel | Dec 6, 2021 | Uncategorized
Today I posted my first Newsletter in two weeks. I’ve been traveling!
First to Severna Park, Maryland, where we celebrated my son Tom’s Thanksgiving Day birthday, mostly outside. Although we all were fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and boosted, it seemed the prudent thing to do since several of us had traveled from distant locations.
Friday we visited granddaughter Lauren and boy friend Aren’s apartment in the College Park area north of Baltimore. The kids are both recent college grads working at first jobs in their fields of study. They work from home and neither has met their colleagues in person. Lauren is on the left and Aren on the right in the shadowed picture. The photo on the left is of Lake Artemisia and the viewing areas and hiking trails just a stone’s throw from their apartment. The day was very windy and cold! The photo of the Wood Turtle posted in my newsletter today was taken as he crossed this trail.
Sunday I checked into this beach front condo on Isle of Palms. My unit is on the second floor, the second on the left where the two blue chairs are on the deck. The sunrise photo was taken on Monday at about 7:15 AM.
These four photos were all taken on Wednesday’s Bulls Island adventure. In the first my daughter is slurping a very fresh oyster harvested on the spot by our tour guide Chris Crowley. On the right we are relaxing with lunch on Bulls Island’s Bone Yard of dead Live Oak Trees. The Brown Pelican is a mature breeding male scouting about in Bulls Bay. Finally here is one of over a dozen alligators we found lounging in the sun on the island. Where was I at this moment? Sitting high above on a trailer waiting for the big guy to run for cover in the bay.. incidentally Chris told us that alligators can run at a speed of 35 mph when challenged!
Bulls Island is a privately owned Category 1 protected nature reserve. That means that no one lives there and there are no roads or development.
Sunday afternoon Nan drove us northward and west toward the undeveloped side of the Cooper River. This glorious place is within the Mepkin Monastery Gardens. The place was so peaceful that we took time to just lie down in the grass and gaze at the sky through the moss covered branches of dormant Live Oak trees. All for free!
Click on the “Essay” item on the Menu in this website to learn more about Coastal Conservation League and the Nature Conservancy’s work in making these and other pristine natural areas open and free for the general public’s enjoyment.
Thank you for visiting gillespiecreek.com.
