Southwest Trip- January 2022

January 2022- Non-Avian Fauna

During January, I was most fortunate to travel to the U.S. Southwest. 2022 proved much different than any previous visit I have made during the same time of year. It was substantially warmer and drier, if that is possible. I encountered very little precipitation during the trip and temperatures ranged from the mid-teens in northern Arizona to a summer like 94 in southern Texas. From Texas to Arizona many insects were out which made for a challenge as to where to be looking so as not to miss the birds, mammals and reptiles which might also be present at any given site. I “missed” many more odes and butterflies than the ones shown in the photographs below due to this factor. In southern Texas, they were flying just about everywhere during the first full week of January.

January 2022 – Birds

I recently returned from an enjoyable but very concerning nature photography trip to the U.S. Southwest (Texas, New Mexico, Arizona), which started with the Mattamuskeet NWR CBC (late 2021) in North Carolina. My overall impression from the trip is that bird populations, at ALL locations, are down from my previous visits. While I haven’t voiced this previously, bird observations have been more challenging for me during the last 12+ months than in the 50+ years I have committed to this pursuit. Since most bird populations have been declining since I initially started birding in the 70’s and my comment/observation is subjective, it is still of concern to me and I hope to all of you. The trip allowed me to engage with many other birders and naturalist who ALL had the same impression about bird numbers in their “neck of the woods”. I want to emphasize that the individuals encountered were from a broad geographic area which encompassed much of the U.S. and many areas of Canada. This wholesale event is occurring right under our collective noses. I can only hope that more support and action by us ALL will help move our federal, state, corporate entities and individual friends to resolve this continuing impact.

To insure this post has some Virginia Birding Group flavor, I will mention that I ran into a previous Kiptopeke Hawk Watch official counter in Arizona, Zach Smith. At daybreak one morning, I encountered him along a back road near Patagonia. When I asked what he was observing he said he thought he had an immature Broad-winged Hawk, which are sometimes observed during this season in southern California, but not usually found this time of year in Arizona. We both spent time observing the bird and challenging the ID but both of us could not come off of his initial species. Photographs were taken and submitted to eBird and the reviewer(s) initially declined the ID. Some discussion ensued with “other reviewers” becoming involved and the Broad-winged Hawk ID was finally agreed upon. I have included one photograph of the hawk with the following photographs.

While I have not finished reviewing all of the photographs taken during the trip, for those who might be interested in other “fauna”, you can come back to my website in about a week and I should have photographs posted of other observations that may be of interest to some individuals.

Enjoy each day!