Tag: Apache Junction AZ

Thrashing in the Darkness

Greetings everyone! The time has come for us to go west and Mother Nature has decided to give us a sendoff with ~1″ of snow last night. Never fails, make plans to de-winterize in anticipation of warmer weather and then cold reality throws a left crosses. Guessing this is the last snow event here in the Midwest, but the stark reality is…we are going to Arizona and Nevada and shouldn’t be an issue anyway ha. If there is one downside, it’s that my 4th place standing in the county birding bout will take a major hit while we are chasing gorgeous Hummingbirds in the southwest. Brad will taking you through the rest of the month, but I wanted to take a few minutes out of the thrash..I mean pack day to get one more post out before powering down the computer.

Bendire's Thrasher found at Prospector Park, Apache Junction, AZ in January 2024

Hit the jump to read more about today’s featured feathered friend – hint, it is making its debut on Intrigued and a new lifer!

Continue reading Thrashing in the Darkness

Imperio

Okay, going to say firmly and for the record to our Texas friends…we are NOT responsible for the frigid temps that have made its way down here this week. Purely coincidental that we happened to have arrived around the same time of the cold snap. We are definitely not used to layering this much in the south and Linda actually had gloves on today while visiting Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville. So cold the Monkeys were considering cuddling up with the Lions. Fortunately, the birding has been living up to our high expectations. Currently at 112 species fresh into the new year. I am behind my 2024 Average Year stats (link here), but did manage to get the 2025 page created and updated (link here). For the curious, I ended last year at 325 checks thanks to a late surge in December. Currently sitting 35 species ahead of that pace, but 19 behind 2023. Many birds still left to tin down here and plenty of time to get that done – sitting pretty, enjoying the pretty colors!

South Padre Island Sunset January 2025

Apologies to those back home, we feel for you suffering through the snow and temps in the teens ..no, no, we really do! (Brad, can you make sure the maintenance crew puts extra salt on our Intrigued HQ walkways).

Enough chit chat, time to get to work and present today’s featured feathered friend.

Phainopepla found at Saguaro National National Park, AZ in January 2024

Hit the jump to learn more about our “black robed” friend.

Continue reading Imperio