Bushnell Tanks, Maricopa County, AZ

 December 11, 2022

    With Lois Lorenz, we started birding around 9 a.m. @ 42 degrees F.  We warmed up as we continued on the dirt road down to and across dry Sycamore Creek, then uphill for a total of four (4) miles round trip in four hours. Many birds were quite distant and frequently directly into the sun for bad photos. This higher-elevation bird was fun to see; not on our usual local list.

        TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE

A male NORTHERN FLICKER's pecking at a dead tree caught our attention.

A BEWICK'S WREN paused long enough for a quick photo, below.

AMERICAN ROBIN

I don't recall ever seeing a PAINTED REDSTART at the Tanks, but there was one present today. Lousy photo, below. My file folder shot beneath it is just a tad better! The bird is seldom still.

    A SPOTTED TOWHEE provided us a good look, photo below:

And, before we departed, a RED-TAILED HAWK sailed up and away from its perch.

    Lois and I had poked around in the open areas, walked the dirt road trail, and chatted a bit with some solo birders checking out this rewarding location. All in all, another good day in the field.

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S123813519

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