August 28th, 2010   Tags: , , , ,

Rio Rico, Kino Springs, Tumacacori

Tropical-Kingbird-Tumacacori-10-0827-12It was interesting to see so many KINGBIRDS in tail molt. WESTERNS lacking in white edges, CASSIN’S with almost not tail at all and various birds with pointy tails (short outer feathers growing in) or double tails (having dropped the inner one of two feathers). Only TROPICAL is full in the tail department at the moment. [...]

Leave A Comment    Link: Rio Rico, Kino Springs, Tumacacori   Email Post Email Post   Print Post Print Post
August 26th, 2010   Tags: , , , ,

Sweetwater Wetlands, Tucson

Reakirts-Blue-Sweetwater-10-0826-05The mesquites and palo verdes were teeming with birds, which included an interesting low-elevation HERMIT WARBLER, BLACK-THROATED GRAY, MacGILLIVRAY’S, ORANGE-CROWNED, several WILSON’S and scads of YELLOW WARBLERS, a family party of COMMON YELLOWTHROATS, an immature male BULLOCK’S ORIOLE and both WARBLING and CASSIN’S VIREOS. Wow! [...]

Leave A Comment    Link: Sweetwater Wetlands, Tucson   Email Post Email Post   Print Post Print Post
May 25th, 2010   Tags: , , ,

Pena Blanca Lake, Sycamore Canyon, California Gulch

Five-striped-Sparrow-California-Gulch-10-0527-04A ZONE-TAILED HAWK was hunting over the valley midway to the gulch from Ruby Road. In the gulch, FIVE-STRIPED SPARROWS were vocal and reasonably easy to find. At least five birds were tallied between the first and second stream crossings, as well as a good number of VARIED BUNTINGS. [...]

Leave A Comment    Link: Pena Blanca Lake, Sycamore Canyon, California Gulch   Email Post Email Post   Print Post Print Post
July 26th, 2009   Tags: , , ,

No Solitaire

Southeast Arizona always attracts interesting birds from Mexico, but so far this year the birds have been surprising – a Gray-collared Becard (or maybe two, depending on who saw what) in the Chiricahuas, and now a Brown-backed Solitaire in the Huachucas, first at Miller Canyon, then at Ramsey Canyon (or are there two of [...]

Leave A Comment    Link: No Solitaire   Email Post Email Post   Print Post Print Post
June 8th, 2009   Tags:

Two-tailed

[thumb:4219:r]A splendid addition to my home butterfly list today – a fine Two-tailed Swallowtail stopped by, a species more associated with mid-elevation riparian habitats than Tucson gardens.

And what’s more, it actually landed and allowed some shaky photos before it left. The usual Giant Swallowtails, which are in the garden almost daily, never [...]

Leave A Comment    Link: Two-tailed   Email Post Email Post   Print Post Print Post
 
  Older Entries »