May 24, 26 & 29, 2019 Friday, Sunday & Thursday
While there was nothing spectacular about my bird outings, there is always an event to remember or a new behavior of a well-known bird to keep me returning to my local spots.
On Friday, 5/24, I ventured out solo to Granite Reef Recreation area to see what birds might be present.
The only waterfowl I could find on the Salt River were: 1) an adult female MALLARD with six good-sized ducklings, all too distant for good photo; and 2) four RING-NECKED DUCK (two pair), also closer to the far than the near side where I stood at the edge of the river.
In about 2 1/2/ hours of enjoyable birding in cool weather, I tallied 31 species within three major areas: the parking area and picnic grounds; the trails to the west; the trails to the east.
Photos from that early morning:
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| VERMILION FLYCATCHER |
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| LUCY'S WARBLER - picnic area was full of them carrying food to nests |
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| WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE |
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| NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW |
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| SONG SPARROW (southwestern subspecies) |
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| BULLOCK'S ORIOLE (male) |
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| BRONZED COWBIRD (with neck feathers enlarged in mating plumage) |
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S56681926
On Sunday (5/26) I returned to The Riparian Preserve at Gilbert Water Ranch to cover all the trails (to make up for my shortened trip on 5/23). Again, weather was quite cool early but warmed up into the 70s by the time I left, having seen about 40 species, pics, below:
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| Female MALLARD with growing young |
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| WHITE-WINGED DOVE - major pollinator of our saguaro cactus during its flowering period |
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| GILA WOODPECKER in morning light, appears to be young and fuzzy with hint of red cap (male) |
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| BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD - throat flares purple in sunlight unlike Anna's dazzling red |
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| KILLDEER |
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| Female AMERICAN AVOCET (its bill angled upward toward tip end) |
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| Male AMERICAN AVOCET (its bill gently sloping upward toward tip end) |
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| BLACK-NECKED STILT |
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S56756905
On Wednesday (5/29), friends Kylene & Lorraine joined me to explore three sites along the Lower Salt River, starting with Granite Reef Recreation Area. This time of year, it can be full of interesting happenings and it was certainly a joy to see both of them follow the two adult VERMILION FLYCATCHER as they stayed within the picnic area to perch, fly out for insects, then feed a fledging that looked about old enough to go out on its own.
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| VERMILION FLYCATCHER - male |
One of the other early birds high up in a mesquite next to the river surprised me as I usually see it close to or on the ground: BRONZED COWBIRD, below.
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| The "Darth Vader" of birds, its neck "ruff" is greatly expanded in mating season and when a female is present often reaches up and over a part of its own head like a hood. |
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| Alas! No female in sight to enjoy the full "dance" of these two birds. |
At Phon D. Sutton Recreation Area farther east along the Salt River, we birded the edges of the parking lots, again treated to a nifty sighting of two BLACK PHOEBE beside its open cupped-shape nest attached to the stucco wall of a restroom.
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| BLACK PHOEBE (Male) |
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| BLACK PHOEBE (brown-plumaged female) |
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Possible two nestlings
When I first started birding (and stopped trying to find the wild horses), I discovered the horses showed up in many places I visited. . . as they did today. Three folks in a car pulled up inquiring if we knew which direction the band had traveled and we just pointed eastward through the desert.
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| A few of the ten (10) wild horses that came into this parking lot, walked through and on out into the desert |
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| I liked this one! Cindy Shanks, is this one of "yours"? |
Although we proceeded to Butcher Jones beach area, it was fairly quiet bird-wise (except for about 75 GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE. No photos, but we spotted one RUDDY DUCK alone between the shore and the buoy; one PIED-BILLED GREBE close to the reeds and lots of grunts and groans coming from within the reeds indicating AMERICAN COOT and COMMON GALLINULE...perhaps nesting.
It's always a pleasure to share with friends our beautiful locations and the wildlife that inhabits these preserved places along the Salt River.
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