ML544163681

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Observation details

I was about to give up after on attempt #2 of Nate's epic BOWA discovery at Teec Pos Nos. I had put in another 4 hours in the freezing cold with little sleep and feeling quite under the weather to seemingly no avail. I then heard what I thought to be their rattle call. This had happened to me many times over the course of the more than 10 hours of search effort I put in because Evening Grosbeaks can make some similar trill sounds. But I gave this Cottonwood a look, the last look I swore I was going to give the whole damn place before leaving empty-handed yet again. And I saw a suspicious bird. Right at that moment Alexis started calling to me from the hill where the BOWAs had been semi-regularly seen. I took a quick shot of the bird I was suspect of and booked it as fast as I could over to where Alexis, Jake, and two beefy rusty BOWAs were gorging themselves on Russian Olive berries. As soon as I caught my breath and attempted to take a photo the two birds flew off and I got only a crappy flight shot, but I got em, and that was beyond fantastic enough for me. We all stood celebrating joyously, hugging and possibly shedding a few tears. All the hours of driving, searching, nearly getting frostbite, and eventually getting pneumonia were worth it. What a moment of simultaneous relief and euphoria, Ill never forget it. It hasnt been until now that I have been able to review my photos and funny enough that initial Cottonwood had held a macho looking waxwing in the bramble of branches, it had been staring right at me! So Im now laughing in my seat reminiscing on that crazy day and those three crazy birders willing to sacrifice health, peace, and toes for just some silly birds. But ah, our lives are good.

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