Fun Birding Tours in SE Arizona with Birding Guide Richard Fray

Please sponsor the ‘Birds of Fray’!

Richard — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 04:32:17 +0000

It's that time of year again - it's Tucson Audubon Society's 25th annual Birdathon! On Saturday 28 April, my team, 'Birds of Fray', will be aiming to see at least 100 species of birds between Tucson and Patagonia. Please consider helping me reach my goal of raising $1,000 for this year's Birdathon. You can make a donation on my secure Birdathon Web Page. [...]

Belize & Guatemala 2012 – Day 5

Richard — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 00:19:27 +0000

After two long days we had a slightly later start today. As we were heading back from breakfast, we finally caught up with the national bird of Belize, something we’d heard the previous two days but not seen, a splendid pair of Keel-billed Toucans. Buoyed by this success, we packed out overnight bags and headed towards the [...]

Fun Belize Birding Tour, February 2012

Richard — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 07:51:06 +0000

Just back from a great birding tour of Belize and Guatemala! I'll have all the details soon... [...]

Belize & Guatemala 2012 – Day 4

Richard — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 06:24:26 +0000

Another day, another fascinating Mayan site. Today we visited El Pilar. I really like this particular site, as it's been left almost how it was rediscovered, essentially a bunch of temple-shaped mounds covered in jungle. The birding at El Pilar is superb! [...]

Belize & Guatemala 2012 – Day 3

Richard — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 06:12:34 +0000

A long, but exciting, action-packed day today. Our first destination was Belize's flagship Mayan site, Caracol. It's a stunning place, for birding and more obviously the archaeology. We explored Mountain Pine Ridge, and ended the day with a visit to the sensational Green Hills Butterfly Ranch. [...]

Belize & Guatemala 2012 – Day 2

Richard — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 06:05:14 +0000

Every morning at first light, a range of interesting birds are attracted to a plate of fruit which is put out on the bar deck. We were able to watch exciting forest birds coming in at a range of a few feet. The regulars included Plain Chachalaca, Red-throated Ant-Tanager, Collared Aracari and Wood Thrush. A fine pair of Blue-crowned Motmots joined them this morning. [...]

Belize & Guatemala 2012 – Day 1

Richard — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 06:22:58 +0000

Genuine wild forest animal, Kinkajous are shy and difficult to see. A small number of these enigmatic marsupials have learned over the years that the visitors at duPlooy's are kind and generous people, especially when it comes to handing out bananas! Just seeing a Kinkajou is a thrill, so you can imagine how special it is to have several hanging from vines and gently taking fruit from your hand. [...]

Piggies!

Richard — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 15:40:44 +0000

As I blearily wandered outside to change the hummingbird feeder this morning I was greeted by a familiar grunt, but one I normally hear at night. A large male Javelina was stood right in front of me, and then another grunt around the corner revealed a second large adult. As she scuttled away she was followed by the two smallest and cutest baby piggies I've ever seen. Awww, bless 'em! :D [...]

Fun Birding Tours Newsletter, Dec 2011

Richard — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 05:19:38 +0000

Here's the Fun Birding Tours newsletter for December 2011. I hope you find something of interest in there. If you'd like to subscribe to my monthly newsletter, just type your email into the box towards the top right of the page, somewhere over there and up a bit :D [...]

Sulphur Springs Valley

Richard — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 05:59:13 +0000

We planned to stop at the pond by Faria Dairy for a few minutes but it turned into a much longer visit. This pond is attractive to wildfowl including diving ducks and grebes and often has interesting birds. That was certainly the case today. Straight away I noticed a loon and a quick look through the scope confirmed it as a PACIFIC LOON, a rare bird in SE Arizona. [...]

McCown’s Longspur

Richard — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 06:34:06 +0000

Whilst birding with Bill and Laura Couchman in the Santa Cruz Flats south of Eloy, I noticed a longspur in the short grass. It was too distant to get much on it through binoculars. I rattled off a few record shots, glanced down to grab my scope, looked back and it was gone. The overwhelming verdict is that it's a McCOWN'S LONGSPUR, and not a Lapland as I suggested. A new bird for me and apparently only the third record for Pinal County. My thanks to everyone who helped me reach the correct ID. [...]

Sweetwater, Santa Cruz Flats, Pinal Air Park

Richard — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 05:35:35 +0000

Highlights were a dark phase FERRUGINOUS HAWK, a splendid pair of WHITE-TAILED KITES, a couple of BENDIRE’S THRASHER, a PRAIRIE FALCON and a couple of CRESTED CARACARAS. A sprinkling of MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS were found in most suitable fields. [...]

Sweetwater Wetlands, Santa Cruz Flats

Richard — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 09:37:04 +0000

The highlight was finding 39 MOUNTAIN PLOVERS in the Santa Cruz Flats. I think this is the first report in SE Arizona this fall, so it was nice to spread the news of their return. We also saw dark phase FERRUGINOUS HAWK and watched a thrilling chase between a PEREGRINE FALCON and MOURNING DOVE, which lasted for a couple of minutes before the dove finally escaped. [...]

Fun Belize Birding Tour!

Richard — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 05:30:00 +0000

I'm delighted to announce the dates and prices for the February 2012 Fun Belize Birding Tour! I’m really excited about this trip. The birding will be excellent but there will be a lot more besides. We’ll visit all my favorite places in Belize, including five ancient Mayan cities, so I can’t wait! I hope you can join us for what promises to be a Belize trip of a lifetime... » Full Details [...]

Talking Naturally Podcast

Richard — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 03:12:07 +0000

I was asked by my friend John Hague if I'd appear on the Talking Naturally Podcast, the number one show about the British birding scene, hosted by Charlie Moores. John is a regular panelist on The Conference Calls, an amusing conversation about the latest topics in British and world birding. I talked about the differences between the British and American birding scenes. We had a great laugh recording it and I think that comes across. Listen Here. [...]

Sweetwater Wetlands, Anza Trail at Carmen

Richard — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 11:36:53 +0000

For the fifth year in a row, a GRAY HAWK has chosen the Arivaca Road exit on I-19 at Amado as it's wintering area. It's probably the only one in the U.S.A. at the moment, but it certainly didn't make itself difficult to find today. It's a shame more birds don't take this approach when it comes to revealing their whereabouts... [...]

I-19 Corridor Birding

Richard — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 11:10:13 +0000

Highlights at Pena Blanca Lake were an ARIZONA WOODPECKER, a gorgeous male LAWRENCE’S GOLDFINCH and a minimum of 12 LEAST GREBES. I was particularly pleased with some of the photos. We eventually saw the SCARLET TANAGER along Peck Canyon Rd in Rio Rico. It was silent and motionless in a large mesquite for about ten seconds, then dropped out of sight. [...]

San Rafael Valley, Harshaw Canyon

Richard — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 02:43:20 +0000

Arriving at the San Rafael Valley around lunchtime, activity was predictably slow but we managed to find quite a few sparrows including a GRASSHOPPER SPARROW, as well as a couple of flocks of CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPUR and a PRAIRIE FALCON. A juvenile NORTHERN HARRIER gave us a close fly past and an opportunity for a decent photo. [...]

Fun Birding Workshop Rarity Chase

Richard — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 06:58:06 +0000

There were a few contenders in the days leading up, but we settled for heading north and going to see a GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL discovered by Tommy DeBardeleben at Glendale Recharge Basins in western Phoenix. My second new gull in Arizona this week! [...]

Black-legged Kittiwake

Richard — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 01:39:05 +0000

News of a rare bird here in Arizona always gets my attention, but sometimes it leaves me with a dilemma. This was one such occasion. The rare bird in question was a Black-legged Kittiwake, a genuine seabird with no business being inland at all. But, whilst extremely rare in Arizona, it's a fairly common bird around Britain's coastline and I've seen thousands in places like the Shetland Isles. [...]

Pena Blanca Lake, Paton’s, Amado Pond

Richard — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 04:00:54 +0000

We watched this area of brush piles and shoreline for a long time, with different birds coming in throughout. It was a veritable sparrow fest! As well as the GOLDEN-CROWNED we had brief views of a smart BLACK-CHINNED SPARROW, as well as LARK, LINCOLN’S, SAVANNAH, VESPER, BREWER’S, RUFOUS-CROWNED, WHITE-CROWNED and CHIPPING SPARROWS, making it ten species in one spot. [...]

Monthly Newsletters

Richard — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 09:23:22 +0000

You can now sign up for the monthly Fun Birding Tours newsletter. Just put your email address in the box to the right and click Go. Here's the November issue. I hope you enjoy it... [...]

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Richard — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 02:32:59 +0000

Whilst birding at Pena Blanca Lake with Jean and Sterling Weaver and Sue and Dave Schwardt of New York, I was pleased to pick out a GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW among White-crowned Sparrows and other birds coming in to drink and bathe. I managed to get some distant record shots of this rare visitor from the West Coast. [...]

Pena Blanca Lake, Paton’s

Richard — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 01:48:12 +0000

At Pena Blanca Lake, at least ten LEAST GREBES, drake WOOD DUCK, pair of REDHEADS, LESSER SCAUP, GREEN HERON, SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, juvenile BLUE GROSBEAK, couple of LAZULI BUNTINGS, three each of INCA and COMMON GROUND-DOVE, lots of RED-NAPED SAPSUCKERS and hundreds of sparrows. Quality birding! [...]

Sweetwater Wetlands, Santa Cruz Flats

Richard — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 02:41:15 +0000

A couple of INCA DOVES were showing well here and a ROCK WREN was calling. Around the corral on Baumgartner just west of Wheeler, five CRESTED CARACARA gave excellent views from the road. The irrigation channel opposite had two GREAT and a SNOWY EGRET, which was a surprise. [...]

Continental, Montosa Canyon

Richard — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 06:57:17 +0000

The highlight was at Montosa Canyon, where I had a brief view of one of two calling BLACK-CAPPED GNATCATCHERS, but frustratingly I couldn’t get anyone else on it before it disappeared. When we finally found a visible (and calling) gnatcatcher it was a BLUE-GRAY. [...]

King of the… foothills?

Richard — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 02:29:00 +0000

I was crossing the Empire Mountains and Santa Rita foothills south of Sonoita, a particularly nice place. Something caught my eye right next to the road, just at the entrance to Gardner Canyon. Pale, sandy... a coyote... no, too big, wrong shape... it can't be... [...]

Rufous-backed Robin

Richard — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 01:37:11 +0000

Whilst birding with Peter and Marianne Hosford in the Santa Cruz Flats south of Eloy, Arizona, I was lucky enough to find a RUFOUS-BACKED ROBIN, a rare visitor to the U.S.A. from Mexico. They are usually found at fruiting trees in riparian or other lush areas, but surprisingly this one was feeding on the ground in a small pecan grove in an area of cotton fields, sod farms and hostile, sparse desert. [...]

Sweetwater, Pinal Air Park & Santa Cruz Flats

Richard — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 06:23:05 +0000

Considering the early date, the Santa Cruz Flats were awesome! We found a handsome FERRUGINOUS HAWK along Picacho Highway, and as we watched it disappear over the fields a WHITE-TAILED KITE crossed our line of sight. Two CRESTED CARACARAS were perched up distantly in a hedgerow. Elsewhere we found a PRAIRIE FALCON and a couple of BENDIRE’S THRASHERS. [...]

Paton’s Painted Buntings

Richard — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 02:02:49 +0000

My birding highlight was first one, then two female-plumaged PAINTED BUNTINGS. The single bird was silent but when joined by the second they were calling quietly to each other as they foraged low in the grass. Along with the good numbers of LAZULI BUNTING currently and few lingering BLUE GROSBEAKS, I’ve only seen Painted Bunting along the creek this fall. [...]