What’s the saying in bird photography? “Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while?” Maybe that’s a saying in squirrel photography. Anyway, no squirrels here (stayed tuned for later posts), instead some recent, rather amazing shots of male Costa’s Hummingbird under a mesquite tree, Tucson, Arizona.
Possibly a candidate here for next year’s “BirdingPI.com Audubon bird photography contest summary rejection” submission.
[Editor’s Note: if lacking in amazement, please substitute “nice” for “amazing” in the lead paragraph above.]
Hummingbirds on Mt. Lemmon, too. Probably female Broad-Tailed Hummingbird:
Mt. Lemmon/hummingbird
Yellow-eyed Junco‘s found a cracker crumb:
Bird/tidbitMore bird/tidbit
After dropping from 2500+ meters (8200 ft.) to 1400+ meters (4600 ft.) in elevation at Molino Basin, great sighting of a Canyon Towhee. Note reddish/rusty under-tail and overall brown appearance.
Grand Canyon TowheeMore towhee!
Here’s a rather flamboyant juvenile Northern Cardinal. (Black/gray bill indicates juvenile, vs. red/pink bill on female.)
Crested
Beautiful male with an acorn:
Cardinal/snack
Next time, a rather special hummingbird post. More hummingbird!
More warbler on Mt. Lemmon! First up, obligatory Yellow Warbler content:
Next up, thought at first this was Black-and-white Warbler = nonsensical considering the location. Turns out to be the lovely Black-throated Gray Warbler. See distinctive yellow spot between eye and beak:
Finally, the mystery bird of this post. Lots of mediocre shots to show whatever information’s available.
The habitat (Arizona pines) + dark wings with white wing bars + yellow face and throat suggest either Hermit Warbler or Townsend’s Warbler.
Dark/smudgy face suggests Townsend’s.
However, throat and breast seem fairly white, vs. yellow breast on Townsend’s. Also a slight eye ring.
Overall, calling this as a female or immature Hermit Warbler.
After hours scouring the mountaintop pine forests of Mt. Lemmon, a lucky sighting of the beautiful Red-faced Warbler. Another in the “top 5 uncommon Arizona birds you might actually see” list – always a highlight of any field outing.
Starlings landing on Gull Point observation platform
Taking a short break from the summer AZ content to check in with the Erie crew out at Presque Isle State Park. Conditions: generally warm and dry; all portions of the Gull Point Trail in good shape (except perpetually flooded ‘middle old trail’).
Lesser Yellowlegs
General bird activity about as expected – GBH, Canada Geese, various gulls, Belted Kingfisher, Osprey, juvenile Bald Eagle, crow, European Starling, Turkey Vulture, Gray Cowbird, Killdeer, etc. Shorebird activity reasonably good – Dunlin, Lesser Yellowlegs, Spotted Sandpiper, & Least Sandpiper (large flock).
Least Sandpiper/flight
Big news Sunday early PM was a flock of seven Black-bellied Plover, first sighting (for BirdingPI.com) since spring. Initially spotted on the eastern beach, transitioning to the northern edge beach. Most shots at a long distance from the observation platform.
Reporting from the White Mountains in central-east Arizona, with recent shots of the beautiful Pygmy Nuthatch in the national forest outside Pinetop/Lakeside. Lots of ponderosa pine = lots of Pygmy Nuthatch.
On a pineSummer flowersUp to an oakSide view/branchBranch IISide view/branch II
White-breasted Nuthatch for comparison:
[Edit: Additional photo of Pygmy Nuthatch from Mt. Lemmon:]
Greater Roadrunner – definitely in the top five of BirdingPI.com’s “uncommon Arizona birds you have a reasonable chance of seeing” list. Checked it off the list Monday morning outside Sweetwater Wetlands in Tucson, aptly enough on the road.
Look both waysPedestrian crossingOn the road againIndustrial portraitMy better sideTaking off
(White piping and concrete pads: pump equipment for controlling waterflow in the Sweetwater ponds/marshes – tertiary sewage treatment.)
On the run againRear view IRear view IIBlending in
Per Wikipedia: “Willcox Playa is a large endorheic dry lake or sink (playa) adjacent to Willcox, Arizona in Cochise County, in the southeast corner of the state.” (No affiliation, but please consider supporting this great online resource.) BirdingPI.com translation: large, shallow, seasonal lake; interesting habitat for (maybe) seeing unusual birds in the desert.
Mesquite/trail
Several access points – on the west, Apache Station Wildlife Viewing Area off Route 191 (easy access); on the north, observation area south of the Twinlakes Golf Course (easy access); on the east, Wilcox Playa Wildlife Area off S. Kansas Settlement Rd (hike-in access).
On the flat – Wilcox Playa Wildlife Area
Helpful hint: Wilcox Playa, mid-day in August = sunbaked, hot, & humid; not a pleasant hike.
El lago
Totally worth the suffering to see American Avocet. Absolutely beautiful.
From the marsh/lagoon at the south end of the lake.
Helpful hint: viewing area’s fairly far from the nearest water. Recommend a good spotting scope, and/or #giant_camera. (All shots long distance and heavily cropped.)
Saw a dove or two going out to the viewing area; + one Western Kingbird (probably – rufous coloring is unusual, perhaps juvenile?):
Barb wire
Now it’s out by the golf course. Very easy access with views (of this portion of the lake/area) from the dirt road:
What a great surprise, another lovely shore bird, Black-necked Stilt:
[Editor’s Note: It was pointed out that the lake immediately above is called Cochise Lake; considered an adjacent habitat to Wilcox Playa proper.]
Comin’ up, the coolest bird in Arizona? Stay tuned.
