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| Hermit Warbler photo by Richard Halliburton |
Every year, the human
population of the valley dramatically increases with the annual migration of
"snowbirds" to southern Arizona, flocks of retirees who winter down here
where it is warm and sunny and head back north between May and October to
escape the insanely hot summer. Or is it that they are residents in the north
during the balmy summers, and flee south to escape the blistering cold winters?
Either way you look at it, they are in plenty of good company, because dozens
of bird species use the same strategy of seasonal migration to up their chances
of finding abundant food year round and good nesting sites when the urge to
mate urge arises.
As opposed to the
northern or high-altitude bioregions, where avian life is much more diverse
during the summers, the Sonoran desert region hosts more winter residents. We
are the south that many birds migrate to during the winter, but there are also
some heat-loving summer residents that hang around here during the searing hot summer
months and migrate further south during our ever so slightly chilly winters.
Some of the most
common snowbirds, those that migrate to the desert for the winter, are American
goldfinch, Western bluebird, and white-crowned sparrow. Waterfowl are the most
abundant migratory species, seeking open water to feed in and be safe from
predators, bringing us cormorants, egrets, ibis’s, and all kinds of ducks.
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| Quail Eggs photo R. Halliburton |
Although the best
places to see birds are natural areas and open water, you need not go further
than your own backyard to see dozens of species, both migratory and year-round
residents. Over the years I’ve logged over thirty species that have stopped by
for a visit. Local resident Richard Halliburton has been backyard birding in
Stetson Hill for ten years, and has logged over 50 species, including a green
heron and a hermit warbler that were migrating through. Quails love his yard so
much that they laid a dozen eggs in his hedge. Richard’s secret? Homemade suet,
made from a combination of lard, peanut butter, corn meal, flour and fruit.
What visits your
backyard is of great interest to scientists who monitor the abundance and
distribution of bird species. The 16th annual Great Backyard Bird
Count will be collecting data from citizens all over North America between
February 15-18th, and will be expanding to the entire globe for the
first time this year. Like the Audubon Society’s annual Christmas Bird Count,
which has been going on for over 100 years, the GBBC is an important tool to
help understand what is going on with bird populations, both urban and wild.
All you need to do is pay attention to the birds in your yard, or anywhere else
you like, for fifteen minutes and log in your results to the GBBC website at http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/howto.html.
You might be
surprised what you see!
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| Green Heron photo by R. Halliburton |
Make your own suet
In a large bowl, blend
together 2 cups flour, 2 cups corn meal, 2 cups quick oats and 2 cups wild bird
seed mix. In a medium pot, melt together 1 pound of lard and half cup chunky
peanut butter over medium heat. Stir in 2 heaping tablespoons of berry
preserves and a cup of raisens or dried cranberries. Remove from stove and
blend with the dry ingredients. Press the mixture into a greased 9x9 pan and
let it cool. Cut the suet into blocks and store in the frig until use.
Get your Deem Hills/Stetson Hills Bird Checklist Here: Tweet!
