Ok….. if you have not been to southern AZ put it on your list. Special place. Great weather. Great birds. Great scenery.
Read on if your want….feels like a holiday “boast” letter. 10 days, SE AZ. There is a fine birding book of the area, 2011 updated.
Flew to Phoenix, Portal on east, Bisbee, Madera Canyon, last was Patagonia. 144 species on a family trip. I had 9 lifers, Will ~ 25.
This will be a list of highlights (minus Pine siskin etc)…in chronological order.
First’s: Harris’ Hawk, Bendire’s Thrasher, Ross’s Geese, Lucy’s Wa, Gray Vireo, Elegant Trogan, Bl-thr- Gray Wa, Cassin’s Kingb, Zone-t Ha.
Others:
Gt-t Grackle,
Phainapepela, Pyroloxxia
Gambel’s Quail
Cactus Wr, Canyon Wren
Eared Grebe
Go Eagles
Swainsons Ha, No Harrier, Common Black ha, Gray Ha, Am Kestrel, Cooper’s, Sharpie (like the feeders), Merlin, Peregrine, Osprey, White-tailed Kites, Roug-
Legged,
Bl Phoebe…..Say’s too
Road Runner
Sparrows: Bl throated, Lincolns, Song, Rufous winged, White Crowned, Fox. Brewer’s, Vesper, Chipping, Savanah, Swamp, Lark, White-throated,
Grasshopper
Brewer’s BB
Ducks: many found on wastewater plants as there is water ! No Shovelers, GWTE, Cinn Te, Am Widg, Ruddy Du, Mex Duck, Buffleh, Ring-necked,Lesser
Scaup, Redhead,
White-w dove, Co Ground Dove,
Yellow-rumped Wa/ Audubon’s,
Bl – neck Stilt, Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs, Least Sp, Gr Egret.
Vermillian Flyc, No-beadless Tyrannulet
Woodpeckers: AZ, Ladder-backed, Gila Woodp (Heela), Acorn
Mex Jay, Stellar’s Ja
Bridled Titm
Hummers: (not enough but special) “Paton’s is famous”: Broad-billed(many !), Bl-throated, Magnificent, Blue-throated, Anna’a, Costa’s, Violet-crowned.
White-thr Swifts, Purple Martin
Towhees: Canyon, Spotted, Abert’s, Green-tailed
Painted Redstart, Wilson’s Wa, Orange-crowned
Loggerhead Shrikes
Yellow-eyed Junco
Crissal Thrasher
Bushtit
Hutton’s Vireo
Townsend’s Solitare
Hepatic Tanager, female
Bullock’s, Scott’s Orioles
Lazulia Bunting
Bl-cr Nightheron
Sparrows are lots of work, but lots of fun. April would be better for flycatchers, vireos, more hummers and some other rare birds.
Good butterflies.
So…..(I type poorly, sorry)……if anyone ventures out there, I have a few spots to share.
Now….back to UV birding !
BS
Bill Shepard
Project Coordinator
CT River Birding Trail
2360 Academy Road
Thetford Center, VT 05075
Home: 802 785-2855