Wasting carbon resources chasing birds seems so frivolous but less so than proving that one is alive by killing wildlife or spending time outdoors creating such cacophony to ruin the experience for everyone around. I find humankind to have many wonderful qualities except for the need to have all answers in black and white. Recently [...]
Archive for the ‘States’ Category
Days in the field
Posted in Birds, California, Field Trips, Wildlife, tagged Birding, Birds, field, fun, happy, light, love, right, wrong on April 25, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
Nature Ali’s Grand Adventure – Quartzite, AZ to Weldon, CA – Day 30, July 19th.
Posted in Arizona, California, tagged Cajon Pass, home, Mojave Desert on July 19, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Waking around 4 a.m. I reentered California as dawn began to break and then drove across the Mojave Desert to meet up with my friend Ellen in Fontana before driving over the Cajon Pass to home.
Nature Ali’s Grand Adventure – Ramsey Canyon to Quartzite, AZ – Day 29, July 18th.
Posted in Amphibians, Arizona, Birds, Butterflies, Dragonflies, Mammals, Nature, Reptiles, Wildlife, tagged Ash Canyon, Berryline, Blue-throated, Broad-billed, Broad-tailed, Carr Canyon, Coronado National Forest, Lucifer, Magnificent, Miller Canyon, Violet-crowned, White-eared on July 18, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
I headed toward Miller Canyon and Beatty’s to see all the wonderful hummingbirds that were reported there as well as the Brown-backed Solitaire that had been seen two days earlier. All of the sanctuaries in the canyons and private yards charge $5 to access them… but it didn’t seem excessive because I was expecting it [...]
Nature Ali’s Grand Adventure – Ramsey Canyon Sanctuary – Day 28, July 17th.
Posted in Amphibians, Arizona, Birds, Butterflies, Dragonflies, Mammals, Reptiles, tagged Elegant Trogan, Leopard Frog, life bird, Painted Redstart, Ramsey Canyon on July 17, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Ramsey Canyon Sanctuary didn’t open until 8 a.m. so I patiently waited to take a hike up the canyon. Breakfast was to be served at 9 a.m. so I luxuriated for several hours wandering around the lodge.
Nature Ali’s Grand Adventure – Anthony, NM to Hereford, AZ – Day 27, July 16th.
Posted in Amphibians, Arizona, Birds, Butterflies, Dragonflies, Grand Adventure, Reptiles, tagged AAA, Bed & Breakfast, Coronado National Forest, flat tire, Magnificent Hummingbird, Ramsey Canyon, Scaled Quail, The Nature Conservancy on July 16, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
I awoke in the morning and immediately called Triple-A. I could have changed the tire myself, but figured I had just upgraded to AAA Premier and thought why not have someone with all of the tools change the tire instead of me getting dirtier while on the road.
Nature Ali’s Grand Adventure – Carlsbad Caverns National Park to Anthony, NM – Day 26, July 15th.
Posted in Birds, Butterflies, Carlsbad Canyon National Park, Dragonflies, Geology, Grand Adventure, New Mexico, Texas, tagged Bronzed Cowbird, caverns, flat tire, Guadalupe National Park, lanterns, Painted Bunting, Rattlesnake Spring, thunderstorm on July 15, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
I awoke as light was just revealing the landscape of plowed fields I was parked near. Immediately drove back into Carlsbad Caverns National Park, where I would have to wait until 8 a.m. before I could begin the exploration of the caverns.
Nature Ali’s Grand Adventure – west of Houston, TX to Carlsbad, NM – Day 25, July 14th.
Posted in Birds, Carlsbad Canyon National Park, Dragonflies, Grand Adventure, National Parks/Preserves/Refuges, New Mexico, Texas, tagged Alamo, Carlsbad, Catholic, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, life bird, Mission Concepcion, National Historic Park, nighthawks, rest areas, San Antonio on July 14, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Morning in rest stops is interesting. The car that was parked next to you all night is replaced by a van, the driver in the SUV peers out through the foggy windshield with one sleepy eye realizing that she has been seen.
Nature Ali’s Grand Adventure – Atchafalaya, LA to west of Houston, TX – Day 24, July 13th.
Posted in Birds, Butterflies, Dragonflies, Fish, Grand Adventure, Louisiana, Margot, National Parks/Preserves/Refuges, Texas, tagged Atchafalaya, Dicksissel, Hurricane Ike, King Rail, Least Tern, life bird, Louisiana, Neotropic Cormorant, Sabine National Wildlife Refuge, Seaside Sparrow on July 13, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Woke up to watch the sunrise in Atchafalaya, Louisiana as thousands upon thousands of blackbirds streamed from the south towards the north; filling the sky. A Barn Swallow was busy feeding her four young that appear to be about to fledge.
Nature Ali’s Grand Adventure – Panama City, FL to Atchafalaya, LA – Day 23, July 12th.
Posted in Alabama, Amphibians, Birds, Butterflies, Dragonflies, Fish, Florida, Grand Adventure, Louisiana, Mammals, Margot, Mississippi, National Parks/Preserves/Refuges, Reptiles, tagged Carrabelle, Great Blue Heron, Laughing Gulls, St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge on July 12, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
I woke up a 5 a.m. to a great cup of coffee that my brother made enjoying some more great conversation before we both had to leave. I went over to Gulf Coast Community College to bird a bit while the weather was still cool (there is no such thing as cool here – just [...]
Nature Ali’s Grand Adventure – Gainesville to Panama City, FL – Day 22, July 11th.
Posted in Amphibians, Birds, Butterflies, Dragonflies, Family, Fish, Florida, Grand Adventure, Mammals, Nature, Reptiles, tagged Dragonflies, heron, St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, thunderstorm on July 11, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
I left Gainesville hoping to make some distance but alas, wanting to revisit St. Marks Wildlife Refuge, progress was shorter than hoped. I was amazed at how many Swallow-tailed Kites I saw along the road to St. Marks. What a beautiful bird!
