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):


Meanwhile, Back At The Ranch

It’s the BirdingPI.com “late-winter break,” with staff escaping the cold/snowy conditions of Erie County, Pennsylvania this week for “somewhere else.” Maybe somewhere with even worse weather, like Buffalo or Rochester. Anyway, hopefully someplace with interesting nature/bird activity.

The website’s also taking a break from the snow and cold, instead featuring summer 2024 content from Arizona, starting here with an early morning visit to great Canoa Ranch outside Green Valley.

GBH @ sunrise

Canoa Ranch a.k.a. Historic Canoa Ranch is a public park w/ historic ranch buildings, interpretive signs, etc. As a birding destination and Pima County ‘hot spot,’ it features a pond, adjacent wetlands, nice trails and benches, all tucked into an area of otherwise unremarkable scrub brush desert, e.g., Mesquite trees, dry grass, that sort of thing. Also a perimeter of barbed wire fence = great for perching birds like swallows and kingbirds.

The pond at Canoa Ranch @ sunrise
Female Brown-headed Cowbird
GBH @ pond
Lark Sparrow in flight, sunrise
Sparrow (species uncertain)
GBH @ sunrise II
Lazuli Bunting I
Male Brown-headed Cowbird
Lazuli Bunting II
Vermilion Flycatcher (female)
Lazuli Bunting III
Probably Bell’s Vireo
Lazuli Bunting IV
Female Blue Grosbeak
Barn Swallow
Buntings
Vermilion Flycatcher (immature male)

TS x GBH

Recent shots of Tundra Swan in flight x GBH, on the same day by North Pier and Thompson Bay, respectively:


Next week is the BirdingPI.com late-winter “get out of the northeast” staff retreat. While on ‘local duck break,’ the website will be featuring great Arizona content from last summer, including rabbits vs. mosquitos! Also squirrels. Maybe some birds.