#More_swan

More Tundra Swan from this past Sunday at Presque Isle State Park, including noisy video clips. (Wind noise curtesy crappy Nikon Corp. on-board microphones.) Assuming the BirdingPI.com video function works for a change.


Weekend (Swan) Update

With the staff back from BirdingPI.com’s “late winter go someplace other than Erie County” week, it was time to hit Presque Isle State Park again Sunday, where the “big bird event” seemed to be cavorting Tundra Swans, and lots of them. These shots on Presque Isle Bay by the ‘playfield’ near the ranger station.


Conditions at Presque Isle: Although outer Lake Erie remains frozen, overall more “early spring” than “late winter,” with sunny skies, temps above freezing, and little remaining ground snow. Large portions of the back bay unfrozen. Trail conditions generally damp and locally muddy.

The Pines 2

Still in the east-central Arizona pine forest along the Mogollon Rim!

Pine Siskin
Maybe more Pine Siskin
Pine Siskin III
Maybe Grace’s Warbler
Western Bluebird
Pine Siskin IV
Pine Siskin V
Acorn Woodpeckers
Pine Siskin VI
Plumbeous Vireo
Black Phoebe
Plumbeous Vireo II
Lewis’s Woodpecker
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Acorn Woodpeckers II
Pine Siskin VII
Yellow-rumped Warbler II
Pine Siskin VIII
Maybe more Pine Siskin IX
Acorn Woodpecker takes flight

More @ Scott’s

Finally finished photo editing of shots from last summer at Scott’s Reservoir outside Pinetop/Lakeside, Arizona. (See also Bluebird vs. Bluebird for more great Mountain Bluebird content from this same/date location.)

White-breasted Nuthatch
Female Western Tanager

Lots of great Mountain Bluebird activity, these mostly females and juveniles:


Beautiful Black-throated Gray Warbler:


Several more shots of White-breasted Nuthatch:


Finally, a trio of Mountain Chickadee:


The Pines

More misc. bird from last summer in Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest @ Pinetop/Lakeside, Arizona:

Stellar’s Jay
Grace’s Warbler
Western Bluebird
Grace’s Warbler II
Stellar’s Jay II
Grace’s Warbler III
Stellar’s Jay III
Grace’s Warbler IV
Maybe Pine Warbler
Stellar’s Jay IV
Grace’s Warbler V
Profile of (probably) Western Wood-Pewee
Grace’s Warbler VI
Stellar’s Jay V
Pine Siskin
Allen’s Hummingbird
Female Western Tanager
Pewee profile II
Pygmy Nuthatch
Sparrow or Pine Siskin?
Western Wood-Pewee

Slopes Of Mt. Lemmon (II)

Unless otherwise noted, all shots beautiful Broad-billed Hummingbird (female) feeding at Arizona Thistle (Cirsium arizonicum):

Black-headed Grosbeak (female or immature)
Female Black-headed Grosbeak II
Hutton’s Vireo
Grosbeak III
Grosbeak IV
Grosbeak V
Western Flycatcher
Black-headed Grosbeak (male)
Western Flycatcher II
Western Flycatcher III

Slopes Of Mt. Lemmon

Heading towards the top of Mt. Lemmon outside Tucson, Arizona, past Thimble Peak Vista and 7 Falls lookout, the road finally enters a forested canyon – the first tall pines, junipers, etc. Stop at Cypress Picnic Area or Middle Bear Pullout for a great place to see, e.g., Acorn Woodpecker and Kinglet lookalike Hutton’s Vireo:

Hutton’s Vireo w/ snack
Acorn Woodpecker
Bell’s Vireo
Blue Grosbeak (male)
Bell’s Vireo II

Medley of alternating Acorn Woodpecker x female Northern Cardinal:


Finally, lots of Hutton’s Vireo:


Act II: Still At The Ranch

Part 2 of morning at Canoa Ranch outside Green Valley, Arizona, from summer 2024:

Western Kingbird
View east across grasslands
Vermilion Flycatcher (f)
Barn Swallows
Lark Sparrow
Barn Swallow II
2 Western Kingbirds on barbed wire
Barn Swallow III
Barn Swallow IV
Barn Swallow V
Kingbird takes flight
Kingbird & Swallow
Western Kingbird @ ground
Kingbird takes flight II
More Lark Sparrow

Finally, more beautiful Western Kingbird:


AZ/Critters

Non-avian photos from last July/August in Arizona, starting off outside Tucson with this rather unintended shot of what’s probably an Asian Tiger Mosquito (Aedes albopictus) and its prey/victim/lunch, a species of Cottontail rabbit (Sylvilagus genus):

Desert Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus magister)

These shots all in Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest in Pinetop/Lakeside, AZ, starting with juvenile and adult Abert’s Squirrel (Sciurus aberti) a.k.a. Tassel-eared Squirrel:


Possibly Colorado Chipmunk (Neotamias quadrivittatus)
Possibly Douglas Squirrel (Tamiasciurus douglasii)
Probably Gray-collared Chipmunk (Neotamias cinereicollis)
Douglas Squirrel II
Chipmunk on dam
Bounding away

Finally, many happy returns to this expecting female Chipmunk, possibly Colorado Chipmunk (Neotamias quadrivittatus):