~December 2013 POM Entry Thread~

[kchd]

I'm in se Arizona for the holidays. Today we spent time poking around the San Pedro River near Sierra Vista. Birding paradise! This phyrrhuloxia was posing for a picture in a mesquite.

[Equilibrium]

It's been snowing a lot in the last week or so.... heavy snow. I took this photo out my garage door of a white cedar.
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kchd> "I'm in se Arizona for the holidays." People don't realize it but... AZ is as pretty in the "winter" as it is in warmer months.... especially the desert. Really nice whateveritis bird. I don't think I've ever seen can't any of those when I've been out that way or if I did.... I can't remember seeing any.

[dapjwy]

Originally Posted by kchd

I'm in se Arizona for the holidays. Today we spent time poking around the San Pedro River near Sierra Vista. Birding paradise! This phyrrhuloxia was posing for a picture in a mesquite.

Beautiful photo, kchd.

It is interesting to see wildlife from other areas of the country.

Me dumb-- I was going to tell you that you should enter it into the POM contest, until I realized that is the thread I'm looking at now! Believe it or not, this isn't the first time I've done that.

[dapjwy]

Nice photo, Lib...that's the stuff I used to add to the fireplace mantel along with white pine, hemlock, and whatever other evergreen was around.

[Sage]

Three days left to enter your December photos! Judging to begin around Monday unless I'm out looking for more Snowy Owls!

[kchd]

I'm getting this one in just under the wire. I have been away quite a bit over the holidays. Just got home tonight.

Got this shot on 27 Dec. while fishing Lake Roosevelt for a few days during the holidays (yes, we are hard core fishermen). This is a Clark's Grebe, a relatively uncommon bird, and exciting to see for this bird nerd.

Originally Posted by Equilibrium

kchd> "I'm in se Arizona for the holidays." People don't realize it but... AZ is as pretty in the "winter" as it is in warmer months.... especially the desert. Really nice whateveritis bird. I don't think I've ever seen can't any of those when I've been out that way or if I did.... I can't remember seeing any.

Yes ma'am, you are so right about the desert in winter. That whateveritisbird = purr - rue - lux - ia. They are so cheery to me. The desert version of a Northern Cardinal seen in the dead of winter!

[kchd]

ok, two more...

Here is a Coues Whitetail doe in the mesquite savannah in the foothills of the Huachica Mountains in se AZ.


Here is a Cactus Wren, perched atop an organpipe cactus. Such an enormous wren!


Love birding in the Sonoran desert!

[Sage]

Wow! Talk about sneaking them in right under the wire.

The December 2013 POM is now closed! In between looking for Harlequin drakes and Snowy Owls, I will be contemplating. If you're real quiet, maybe you'll hear the wheels grinding. ggrrrrrnnnn......ddddnnggg!

[dapjwy]

Originally Posted by kchd

Here is a Cactus Wren, perched atop an organpipe cactus. Such an enormous wren!
Attachment 39921

Great photo of a beautiful, enormous wren.

[Arey]

Originally Posted by Sage

Wow! Talk about sneaking them in right under the wire.

The December 2013 POM is now closed! In between looking for Harlequin drakes and Snowy Owls, I will be contemplating. If you're real quiet, maybe you'll hear the wheels grinding. ggrrrrrnnnn......ddddnnggg!

The jetty at Barnegat Light NJ is well known in this area for its Harlequin Ducks, and Scoters this time of year. Along with other sea ducks. My problem is that I'm so leery of walking on jettys now-a-days that I haven't seen a Harlequin duck for years. The jettys are wet, or in weather like this ice coated, slippery and uneven. I'm in my 70's wear bi-focals, and klutzy. The last time I was out on a Jetty I promised myself that if I got off it without damaging myself, I'd never climb one again.