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