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.
Tomorrow, more warbler!
Dateline: 14 August 2022
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’).
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).
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.
Bad plover video clips:
After startling, perhaps due to the two incoming Osprey (!):
Tomorrow, back to Arizona with warbler content! More warbler!
Dateline: 4 August 2022
Reporting from world-famous Mt. Lemmon outside Tucson, AZ. No better way to enjoy a mountain than with lovely Mountain Chickadee!
All shots along the Box Camp Trail.
Lots of great birds on Mt. Lemmon – stay tuned for plenty more great bird content.
All Broad-billed Hummingbird flying near feeders at Ramsey Canyon.
[Photo Editor’s note: final shot edited to remove extraneous content.]
Dateline: August 2022
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.
White-breasted Nuthatch for comparison:
[Edit: Additional photo of Pygmy Nuthatch from Mt. Lemmon:]
Dateline: 8 August 2022
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.
(White piping and concrete pads: pump equipment for controlling waterflow in the Sweetwater ponds/marshes – tertiary sewage treatment.)
The coolest bird in Arizona? Yes.
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.
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).
Helpful hint: Wilcox Playa, mid-day in August = sunbaked, hot, & humid; not a pleasant hike.
Totally worth the suffering to see American Avocet. Absolutely beautiful.
Breeding adults: reddish head; nonbreeding/immature: gray/white head.
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?):
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.
Dateline: 7 August 2022
Thanks to Mike and the other nice folks at Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary for the great introduction to this amazing spot in Hereford, AZ (south of Sierra Vista). Missed seeing the ‘resident’ Lucifer Hummingbird, but very highly recommended nevertheless.
Some mostly unedited photos from BirdingPI.com’s all-too-brief visit:
Following haven’t been fully vetted, but appear (except for last shot) to be Anna’s Hummingbird:
Dateline: 7 August 2022
After leaving Ramsey Canyon Sunday (more great Ramsey Canyon content to follow ASAP), time to head further into the ‘deep south’ of Arizona for Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary, Coronado National Monument, Wilcox Playa, etc. (Posts to follow.)
First up, a quick post on world-famous Sandhill Crane migration stopover point Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area. In August, fair enough to say it’s the ‘off season.’ Lots of water due to recent monsoon rains; only light/moderate bird activity mid-day – most seen at a distance and/or hiding in the grass/willows.
Starting with the one good photo, of a beautiful Black Phoebe:
Presumably female or juvenile Red-winged Blackbird:
Relatively, lots of Lazuli Bunting activity – always a favorite. Rather skittish for photography, but a couple shots nevertheless:
Presumably juveniles (+ the adult male) in this shot:
Even at a distance, always fun to see ducks landing. These might be Mallard/Mexican Duck/hybrid:
Not sure what this is. Yellow coloration with black-white wings, large beak – perhaps a female Western Tanager?
Preening Vermilion Flycatcher (m), at a very long distance:
Fair amount of swallow activity, mostly Tree Swallow:
Plenty of agriculture/crop farming in the area. Heading north towards Wilcox, AZ, special note of the amazing Western Kingbird activity along the dirt roads. Dozens of Western Kingbird – taking advantage of the open fields and power lines.
Note the white edging on the tail feathers – distinguishes from Cassin’s Kingbird (among other different features such as more gray on the breast).
Dateline: August 2022
Quick post on the recent BirdingPI.com field trip to beautiful Ramsey Canyon – hummingbird edition – outside Sierra Vista, AZ. (All shots of hummingbirds.) See, e.g., Nature Conservancy.
