Rare Birds to Southern Arizona: Hooded Merganser

This rare waterbird to Southern Arizona is a male Hooded Merganser photographed on a golf course pond in Benson. Although common to most of the Northern America at one time of the year or another -- it is uncommon to Arizona. Go figure that one out.

Hooded Merganser

Rare Birds to Southern Arizona:

Another migrant bird that winters along the Pacific Coast, Gulf of California, and Gulf of Mexico is the Greater White-fronted Goose. This too, was photographed at Lakeside Park in Tucson:

Greater White-fronted Goose

Rare Birds to Southern Arizona: Forster's Tern

Another rare waterbird to Southern Arizona is Forster's Tern. This one I photographed at Lakeside Park a small Municipal Park in East Tucson:

Forster's Tern

Rare Birds to Southern Arizona: Common Merganser

Southern Arizona is not exactly noted for its Rivers and Lakes. Yet being in the "flyway" it sometimes gets some rare water birds.

This Common Merganser was photographed at Santa Cruz Flats in an area of turf farms:

Common Merganser

Rare Birds to Southern Arizona: Clay-colored Thrush

This Clay-colored Thrush was a first to Arizona. They are more typically found along the east coast of Mexico occasionally extending up into the southernmost tip of Texas.

This one was at Arivaca Cienegas for about 10 days in May of this year.

Rare Birds to Southern Arizona: Chestnut-sided Warbler

The Chestnut-sided Warbler is a rare bird to Southern Arizona. It's normal range is east of the Missouri/Mississippi River. In Southern Arizona it is reported every couple of years somewhere along or near the Santa Cruz River. This photo was taken in December, 2019, at Christopher Columbus Lake which is less than 100 yards from the Santa Cruz.  

Chestnut-sided Warbler

Rare Birds to Southern Arizona: Brown Pelican

The Brown Pelican is usually found along the Atlantic Coast, Gulf Coast, and southern Pacific Coast. Also along the Gulf of California which is only about 150 miles from Tucson (by air).

Here then, the Brown Pelican:

Juvenile Brown Pelican

Adult non-breeding Brown Pelican