Waiting a full week for the forecast to say: "no thundershowers" in Sierra Vista, I jumped quickly for at least one day, if not two, of good birding.
Having heard that the young of one of my target species, NORTHERN GOSHAWK, had already fledged from the nest, I went directly to Miller Canyon to take a look. Fledglings do not fly far; they need experience. So, I was hopeful, but the nest was empty! That crying whining call coming from the tall trees beyond the first guest house was one of the young. But I couldn't spot it in the fully leafed-out trees.
Among the hummingbirds I saw there were BLACK CHINNED (male); BROAD-BILLED (male); BROAD-BILLED (male and female); and RIVOLI'S (formerly named MAGNIFICENT).
In the photo above and below I caught the juvenile VIOLET-CROWNED HUMMINGBIRD differing from the adult with its very pale head and blue/violet showing on its neck and underparts that are totally clear white on the adults.
And, I liked the unusual peaceful presence of two different species at the same feeder below: female BROAD-BILLED and male BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD.
After walking four miles on the trails of Miller Canyon, I departed for San Pedro House along the Santa Cruz River. By now, the temperature and humidity were warming up. Along the river, I took the trail toward the Charleston bridge and continued up that way instead of heading to the lake as I usually do. The rare GREEN KINGFISHER was nowhere in sight, nor did I hear its staccato vocalization.
My favorite birds around San Pedro House were the BLUE GROSBEAK (male) and the VERMILION FLYCATCHER (male).
Then the thundershower arrived! What happened to the forecast?? By then, it was 2 p.m. and I was able to check into my nearby motel until the rain stopped. Perfect timing. Going to Mary Jo's Ash Canyon bird-and birder-friendly yard was planned for 4:30 to catch the rarities that sometimes show up there. Most reliably, the LUCIFER HUMMINGBIRD, arrives to fill up with nectar before nighttime. A very small hummingbird, it is sometimes referred to as a "sheartail" for its deeply forked and narrow tail. Just observing its beauty blows my mind.
Perhaps it was the recent shower that brought the other rarity into the yard. Whatever brought it, I was bowled over to get good views of this extremely difficult bird to find in Arizona. Serious birders go years, sometimes, before seeing their first one. This was not my first, but I'm more likely to hear them than to see them.
MONTEZUMA QUAIL-male (photo) and female-hugged the fence
On Tuesday, I returned to Miller Canyon and to San Pedro House for earlier-in-the-day visits.
At San Pedro House, I took photos of what must be a juvenile Red-shafted NORTHERN FLICKER at the water tank -- looking like a punk rocker. Funky, indeed as it walked up the wooden tank and perched at the top until a Gila Woodpecker came along and chased it.
On my return home, I stopped by the Holy Trinity Monastery in St. David to stretch my legs. With one walk around the pond, I had hoped to find a TROPICAL KINGBIRD, but it was a no show. The distant WESTERN TANAGER seemed even better!
As always, the Indian Peafowl were wandering the grounds, mostly seeking out shade. The tail on this peacock, above, seemed extraordinarily long!
With 70 species observed, I returned home a bit early yesterday.
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