How many of you take the road less travelled? Molly and I just spent the past 5+ days driving home from Tucson to Duluth. While this drive could have been accomplished in three days via the Interstate Highway System, we chose to use local roads and see America. The first part of our journey was driving north through the desert from Tucson to Moab, Utah. This route also forced us to angle NE across Nebraska. My only comment about the Great Plains of Nebraska … they are not very flat!

For our first night we stopped at Chinle, Arizona on the Navajo Nation. We did not want the HUGE crowds found at the Grand Canyon and thus decided to visit Arizona’s other canyon, Canyon de Chelly National Monument . At sunrise the next morning we had the canyon 100% to ourselves (Easter Weekend of 2022). We visited three overlooks at sunrise and took small hikes. We never saw another person or car! The beauty was breathtaking as it was peaceful.

Canyon de Chelly at Sunrise (video link for email subscribers)

Pueblo Ruins at Canyon de Chelly

Moving on from Chinle we were amazed to find the desert in full bloom. Purple and red flowers were everywhere at higher elevations.

Once we reached the Moab, Utah area we did rediscover people, but the beauty was still breaktaking. The first image is from Arches National Park, and the second photo I took while hiking a few minutes before sunset.

The morning we left Tucson I did photograph a bird … this House Sparrow! Somehow finding a house sparrow nesting in a cactus was different for this northern Minnesota boy.

Molly and I start home to Duluth tomorrow, and we hear lots of snow awaits us in northern Minnesota. Therefore the last two mornings I visited my two favorite owl nests for the final times. I am still dumbfounded that the Barn Owl family is nesting only 50 yards from the Great Horned Owl family. While I suspected a Barn Owl nest, finding both Mom and Dad Barn Owl perched together cinched the fact. The kids are getting big … but are still located deep within the recesses of their chosen home.

1. Locate owl from a distance using binoculars.
2. Slowly and silently approach the owl, remaining totally hidden
3. Extend monopod to only 1/2 its height (3 feet)
4. Hold monopod at arm’s length in front of me
5. Do NOT show my face (only may see owl in camera LCD screen)
6. Take photographs and retreat.

If I show my face, the owl flushes, which is NOT desired.

At the nest …

By contrast, this this Barn Owl’s mate does not care what I do. I could even sing at the top of my lungs, and it sleeps through my serenade.

I returned to the small stream still holding out against the desert at Catalina State Park. Unlike last week I could only find 200 yards of the stream that was still above ground, and not sunk into “the sandy wash”. The birds still knew where there was water, and like last week, I let the songbirds come to me at sunrise two days ago.

However, before more on my birding expedition to “the stream”, there are various news items about which I want my readers to be aware:

1. If you live in the Midwest, and now particularly Minnesota consider shutting down your bird feeders. Avian flu is spreading its ugly wings and killing lots of birds, not just migrating waterfowl and shorebirds (carriers of the disease). As birds come in to proximity with migrating birds, the result is not good. In the Twin Cities area many, many eagles and owls have died after killing ducks as prey (and eating them). Read more from the University of Minnesota Raptor Center. The Raptor Center has recommended taking down bird feeders at this time.
2. On a lighter note, a good buddy of mine and fellow retired “techie” from Honeywell has some great webcams which track his wood duck boxes in Golden Valley. We are now in the prime wood duck and merganser nesting season in southern Minnesota where Paul lives (not up here in the Northland). Watch the nesting process via Paul’s camera.
3. Laura Erickson, a well known national birder, who lives near me in a Duluth has a nice series of posts on children’s birding books. Here are those posts:
   • Laura’s posts on children’s birding books started with her April, 11 entry
   • Click “newer entry” to move through the bird book posts (now four entries)

And now back to my “stream escapades”. Remember, water attracts BIG TIME in the desert.

Yellow-Rumped Warbler (Myrtle)

A Phainopepla in a tree next to the wash / stream

Lesser Goldfinch and crew (Lark & White-Crowned Sparrows)

Green-Tailed Towhee

House Finches (male and female)