Fun Birding Tours in SE Arizona with Birding Guide Richard Fray » patagonia

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 [...]

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. [...]

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. [...]

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! [...]

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. [...]

TAS Field Trip Paton’s

Richard — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 01:49:41 +0000

The hummingbirds were buzzing and included BROAD-BILLED, BLACK-CHINNED, RUFOUS, ANNA'S, several VIOLET-CROWNED and a smart female MAGNIFICENT HUMMINGBIRD. There was plenty of action at the other feeders too, with scads of LESSER GOLDFINCH, HOUSE FINCH, GILA and ACORN WOODPECKERS, BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK, SUMMER TANAGER and more. [...]

Paton’s Hummingbirds

Richard — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 06:11:50 +0000

It turns out, not surprisingly, that having dozens of hummingbirds around the feeder a few feet from your window is quite distracting! Over the past few days I've seen six species. These photos are taken through the window, so all things considered they're pretty decent. [...]

Target birding in SE Arizona

Richard — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 06:36:28 +0000

We made a brief stop at Montosa Canyon where we saw FIVE-STRIPED SPARROW, soon followed by the family party of BLACK-CAPPED GNATCATCHERS (we counted at least six) and a showy VARIED BUNTING. What a great birding site this is. Three major targets, all found and photographed in 20 minutes! [...]

Santa Rita loop

Richard — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 06:41:21 +0000

We had good views of two THICK-BILLED KINGBIRDS at Patagonia Roadside Rest. Along Blue Haven Road we found three ZONE-TAILED HAWKS, LAZULI BUNTINGS and an INCA DOVE. Paton’s was great, with lots of hummingbirds including VIOLET-CROWNED, plus calling GRAY HAWK, a pair of COMMON GROUND-DOVES, YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO, BROWN-CRESTED FLYCATCHER and plenty more. [...]

Sky Islands Birding Cup

Richard — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 06:46:10 +0000

It was a great day, with some nice sets including: two vultures, seven hawks, two falcons, four owls, three Myiarchus flycatchers, four kingbirds, three nuthatches, five wrens and twelve warblers. RUFOUS-WINGED SPARROWS were singing at about five sites, CASSIN’S and BOTTERI’S at two or three. Much of SE Arizona is looking green, lush and beautiful. [...]

July Workshop: Hummingbird Special 2

Richard — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 01:26:18 +0000

Battiste’s Bed, Breakfast and Birds provided a veritable avian feast, with a male LUCIFER HUMMINGBIRD, a probable ALLEN’S HUMMINGBIRD (I couldn’t tell if it was the same as Tony’s confirmed one), lots of RUFOUS, ANNA’S, BROAD-BILLED and BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRDS and a host of other birds from eye-popping cardinals to the entertaining antics of the resident ACORN WOODPECKERS. [...]

July Fun Birding Workshop: Hummingbirds

Richard — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 06:24:41 +0000

We visited Mary Jo at Ash Canyon B&B and, as per usual, were straight into some really great birding. We concentrated on hummingbirds and were rewarded with BROAD-BILLED, BLACK-CHINNED, ANNA'S, RUFOUS and a female LUCIFER HUMMINGBIRD, plus the continuing LUCIFER x COSTA'S HUMMINGBIRD hybrid. [...]

Continental to Patagonia

Richard — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 06:43:40 +0000

Next up was Patagonia Roadside Rest, which produced THICK-BILLED KINGBIRD and a gorgeous VARIED BUNTING. Four COMMON GROUND-DOVES were at Paton’s in Patagonia, along with INCA, MOURNING, WHITE-WINGED and EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE for a five-dove moment. VIOLET-CROWNED, BROAD-BILLED, BLACK-CHINNED and a female MAGNIFICENT HUMMINGBIRD added to the fun, along with HOODED ORIOLE, GRAY HAWK and YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT. [...]

Santa Rita Loop

Richard — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 04:42:27 +0000

A THICK-BILLED KINGBIRD was in the ‘usual’ tree at Patagonia Roadside Rest, above the picnic table. A NORTHERN BEARDLESS TYRANNULET was silently foraging along Blue Haven Road. Paton’s produced a fine male COSTA’S HUMMINGBIRD, DUSKY-CAPPED FLYCATCHER, COMMON GROUND-DOVE, LARK SPARROW, HOODED ORIOLE and more. [...]

June Fun Birding Workshop

Richard — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 06:31:29 +0000

We pulled up outside Alan's house and, as luck would have it, the STREAK-BACKED ORIOLE flew in and landed briefly. We waited a while and over time got fantastic views of this gorgeous rare bird. We met top photographer Charles W. Melton, which is always a pleasure. As usual, Charles got the best photo. [...]

Madera Canyon, Rio Rico, Patagonia

Richard — Sat, 28 May 2011 06:11:37 +0000

At the Paton’s house, we were entertained by a couple of COMMON GROUND-DOVES, several GRAY HAWKS, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, LARK SPARROW, BLUE GROSBEAK and BROAD-TAILED, BROAD-BILLED, BLACK-CHINNED and VIOLET-CROWNED HUMMINGBIRDS. [...]

Rio Rico, Patagonia Lake, Paton’s

Richard — Wed, 25 May 2011 06:00:41 +0000

Paton’s produced a host of splendid birds, including GRAY HAWK, INCA DOVE, COMMON GROUND-DOVE, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, CHIPPING, LARK and a latish WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, BLUE GROSBEAK, BRONZED COWBIRD, BROAD-BILLED, BROAD-TAILED, BLACK-CHINNED and several different VIOLET-CROWNED HUMMINGBIRDS. [...]

May Workshop, Patagonia Lake

Richard — Sun, 22 May 2011 06:46:38 +0000

At Rio Rico, 40 BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCKS were scattered around the fields. There were five heron species: GREAT BLUE & GREEN HERONS, BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON and GREAT and CATTLE EGRETS. There were plenty of TROPICAL KINGBIRDS, SWAINSON’S THRUSH, BRONZED COWBIRD and a couple of GRAY HAWKS. [...]

Richard’s Photothon 2011

Richard — Wed, 04 May 2011 06:26:56 +0000

It was a difficult day with strong winds all morning, making photography of wind-blown warblers and the like somewhat tricky. Despite the weather I continued my year-on-year improvement and got photos of 116 species. I saw/heard another 14 for a total of 130 for the day. Here are some highlights... [...]

Birds of Fray Birdathon 2011

Richard — Sun, 01 May 2011 06:39:54 +0000

I ended on a total of 144 species. At Willcox, six CASPIAN TERNS, 18 RING-BILLED GULLS and three FRANKLIN’S GULLS were the obvious stars. On the shorebird front, single SEMIPALMATED PLOVER and WILLET were among hundreds of peeps. PRAIRIE FALCON and SWAINSON’S HAWK were overhead. [...]

AveVentura Birdathon 2011

Richard — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 23:15:41 +0000

The AveVentura team - Robert Merideth, Linda Stitzer, Kathy Jacobs, Susan Randolph, Ed Tobin and I - took part in this year’s Birdathon in aid of Tucson Audubon Society. We ended with the team’s best ever total of 123 species. Here are some highlights... [...]

Patagonia, Kino Springs

Richard — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 23:58:54 +0000

We headed for Kino Springs where we bumped into the continuing PALM WARBLER. Also there, VERMILION and GRAY FLYCATCHERS and GREAT EGRET, GREEN HERON, TREE and NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS around the pond. [...]

January Workshop: San Rafael Valley, Patagonia

Richard — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 06:16:14 +0000

A NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD was guarding the fruiting trees but after a while one of the RUFOUS-BACKED ROBINS appeared, was chased around by the mockingbird, and eventually gave us good views coming in to drink from the gutter on the roof of the house. [...]

San Rafael Valley, Patagonia

Richard — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 06:59:22 +0000

Birding again with Joe Corcoran from Baltimore, we missed our main target of Baird’s Sparrow in a freezing San Rafael Valley. We were compensated with a SHORT-EARED OWL at 7.30am, a half mile east of Vaca Corral. We also saw a pair of WHITE-TAILED KITES, a PRAIRIE FALCON and a GRASSHOPPER SPARROW. [...]

Patagonia CBC

Richard — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 06:39:34 +0000

There is always a buzz of excitement about when dozens of birders meet at the Gathering Grounds in Patagonia before the Patagonia Christmas Bird Count. I was assigned to a team, given an area, and off we went, in search of interesting birds as we counted everything that crossed our paths.

It was a very [...]

Pena Blanca Lake, Patagonia & Kino Springs

Richard — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 06:00:53 +0000

I had to visit Patagonia today so took the opportunity to do some birding.

Starting with a very quick visit to Pena Blanca Lake, I got a brief view of the SEDGE WREN that has been present for a few weeks. This is the first ever Sedge Wren to be found in Arizona, so naturally [...]

Tumacacori, Patagonia

Richard — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 06:49:42 +0000

Right next to the Tumacacori Mission, a small flock of White-crowned Sparrows contained a tan-striped WHITE-THROATED SPARROW, a rare visitor to Arizona from the eastern US. [...]

Plain-capped Starthroat

Richard — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 06:06:15 +0000

I made a quick dash to Patagonia this morning in the hope of seeing a rare hummingbird discovered by Michael Marsden at the Paton house - the enigmatic PLAIN-CAPPED STARTHROAT. There are fewer than 20 US records, all from SE Arizona. [...]

Patagonia, Rio Rico

Richard — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 01:30:55 +0000

Patagonia Roadside Rest was productive, despite being mid afternoon. Highlights included WILLOW FLYCATCHER, Cassin's and THICK-BILLED KINGBIRD, a pair of food-carrying VARIED BUNTINGS, four BLACK VULTURES, GRAY HAWK, loads of YELLOW-BREASTED CHATS, calling YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO, WHITE-THROATED SWIFTS, etc. [...]