After rolling out of bed at 2:30 a.m. to pick up a friend for an early departure from Sky Harbor, I returned home wide awake with it being way too early to do any errands. Recalling a recent email from Boyce Thompson Arboretum, I checked to see if there would be a Bird Walk today. Not only, Yes! But Troy Corman was the leader. He shares interesting birding facts so I'm always learning from him. A well known and respected birder and author (Arizona Breeding Bird Atlas), the group of participants for his Bird Walk continued to grow.
With two co-leaders, the group split up and I continued with about fifteen birders in Troy's group.
It was a cool but beautiful day with good birds. Best photos from there are of one of the HARRIS'S HAWKs taking a moment away from its branch-breaking and nest building.
My report listed 41 species including my FOS (first of season) HOODED ORIOLE (not the rare ORCHARD ORIOLE that had been present for several weeks); LEWIS'S WOODPECKER; ORANGE-CROWNED, LUCY'S, YELLOW-RUMPED and BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERs; and NORTHERN CARDINALs at every turn. I listed fifteen (15) but there were likely many more. BELL'S VIREO had returned and a HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER made an appearance. Use the link below, for entire eBird list:
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S53895657
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Sunday, March 17, 2019When friends stopped by in the early evening to see if I wanted to ride out to Prospector Park with them to walk their dogs, I was more than ready after a day of research for an upcoming trip.
What good fortune! Sunset was awesome on the Superstitions and throughout the desert.
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| West Face of SUPERSTITION MOUNTAINS (and Flat Iron) |
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| AMERICAN KESTREL
My friends had a surprise for me:
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| WESTERN SCREECH OWL |
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| WESTERN SCREECH OWL [photo by Jannie Blok] |
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S53960327
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My only other two bird outings were to the same place: Granite Reef Recreation Area along the Lower Salt River.
Monday, March 18, 2019
With our neighborhood group, we explored beyond the picnic area and its view of the river, all the way down to the dam via the berm and water catchment basin. Waterfowl tend to stay at least at mid-river or closer to the far shore so I took few photos.
By far, the RING-NECKED DUCK was most numerous (38) but CINNAMON TEAL (2) and LESSER SCAUP (2) were out there, too.
COMMON GOLDENEYE (4) were a nice find as were the BUFFLEHEAD and RUDDY DUCKs.
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| BUFFLEHEAD came a bit closer to shore but was still far out |
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S53987951
Two days later, I returned to Granite Reef with Lois Lorenz, who maintains a busy work schedule in the high season but found a free day for birding. While my neighborhood group walk began at 9 a.m., Lois and I chalked up our first sighting at 6:53 a.m.
Most of the waterfowl were the same, although Lois spotted three DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT out on some floating reeds/detritus. In mating plumage, the male's crest showed well. Unfortunately, the birds were far out in the river.
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| Male DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT on left |
Other good sightings included more than a few LUCY'S WARBLERs and RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETs. LUCY'S were more active than the RUBY-CROWNEDs this morning. Rare photo (for me) of this quick-moving kinglet below.
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| RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET |
When we reached the west-side trail, SONG SPARROWs were singing throughout the marsh.
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| SONG SPARROW |
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| Male VERMILION FLYCATCHER |
Another good day in the field!
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S54042914
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