Coon Bluff Recreation Area, Lower Salt River, Maricopa County, AZ

 Wednesday, December 8, 2021

    Never knowing precisely what birds might show up when our community birders head out, we looked forward to exploring the Coon Bluff area that had been closed for a couple weeks for parking lot replacement.

    Arriving a tad early and under an overcast sky, we walked slowly, listening carefully.

   The clear chip of a VERDIN here, the "peek" of a LADDER-BACKED WOODPECKER there. Suddenly too many sounds at once! 

    Down at the base of the marsh grasses at river's edge, a SONG SPARROW was flitting around. Across the low water, a SPOTTED SANDPIPER foraged on a pebbly spit. LARK SPARROW and female COMMON YELLOWTHROAT drank from the river before flying off.

SONG SPARROW

    Returning to the sandy trail behind the rail fence, we continued to find birds waking up and flying about. PHAINOPEPLA became plentiful during our walk, but we spotted only one AMERICAN ROBIN, below. 

    A couple BLACK PHOEBE were actively fly-catching over the river when not perched to zoom out again.

    WESTERN BLUEBIRDs were all around us, but backlit. Photos, not so good.

    Hearing the drumming of two different woodpeckers, we sighted both a GILA and, better yet, a RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER. The back of the sapsucker is very different from that of a Gila, shown below.

With partial sun warming the temperature from 51°F at our start time, flocks of songbirds began filling the snags to grab some heat.HOUSE FINCH

Down in the river, we finally spotted some waders. Photos below of a GREAT BLUE HERON and a very distant GREATER YELLOWLEGS.

Always surprised and delighted when we find a bird out of its normal higher elevation territory, the WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH working the trunks of the mesquite trees made me think it might be migrating.

River's high summer water

Fed by its dams

Has shrunk to scattered

Mudflats this cold morning

From where a RUFOUS-BACKED ROBIN

Drinks.

    Not able to snag a photo of that distant but well-viewed bird, I'm posting one of my better pics of a RUFOUS-BACKED ROBIN from my files. (taken in 2012 in Anthem) Its long white throat has thin stripes running through it. And, obviously, a rufous-colored back.

Not an expected bird, the RUFOUS-BACKED ROBIN is a rare visitor from Mexico to lowland riparian habitat. From December to March it can be found occasionally in several nearby locations such as Boyce Thompson Arboretum, Gilbert Riparian Preserve, and more distantly, in SE Arizona. A LIFE BIRD for Judy and Karen, we all thrilled at being able to watch it before it flew downstream.

    Such a good day at the Salt River!

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    View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S98625758