August 8th, 2010   Tags: , ,

Shorebird Special – August Workshop

Black-Tern-Willcox-Twin-Lakes-10-0808-04Lake Cochise had 1 SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, 2 STILT SANDPIPERS, 1 BAIRD’S SANDPIPER, c.10 WESTERN SANDPIPERS, 50+ LEAST SANDPIPERS, 2 LESSER YELLOWLEGS, c.30 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS, c.150 WILSON’S PHALAROPES, 2 SPOTTED SANDPIPERS, 1 AMERICAN AVOCET and c.20 BLACK-NECKED STILTS. A few KILLDEER and 30+ LONG-BILLED CURLEW were by seasonal pools. [...]

March 6th, 2010   Tags: , ,

Benson, Willcox, Whitewater Draw

Sandhill-Crane-Whitewater-Draw-030610-03The entire crane flock took to the air, honking like crazy, giving us a great aerial display. After a few minutes they settled down again, some of them a lot closer than previously. We headed back out to the viewing platform and got better views. [...]

July 1st, 2009   Tags: , ,

Late again

Not for the first time I missed a major Arizona rarity by not getting in gear quickly enough. The bird in question was a Pacific Golden Plover, which had been recorded in the state only once before. It had been present at Willcox Lake for two days – but was nowhere to be seen on [...]

June 4th, 2009   Tags: , , ,

6th time lucky?

America’s first ever Sinaloa Wren was found at the Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve last August, and since that time it has eluded me on no fewer than five occasions. To be fair, the only time I made a really concerted effort to see it was back in September 2008, and subsequently I’ve only given it [...]

May 12th, 2009   Tags: , , , , , , ,

Richard's Photothon: the story

[click here for the full list and all the photos]

Having fed the birds in my new courtyard for a few months I decided to start “Richard’s Photothon 2009″ in my backyard at first light to try to get off to a good start.

It was slow going, though, and by the time I [...]