Birding Mount Lemmon Again and Again

Some more photos from a quick trip up Mount Lemmon this morning:

Abert's Squirrel

Stellar Jay

Common Raven

Black Headed Grosbeak

Cliff Chipmunk

Red Tailed Hawk

Birding Mount Lemmon Again

A quick trip early this morning up Mount Lemmon yielded some nice photos of some of the typical birds of Mount Lemmon. Nothing spectacular.

hermit thrush

spotted towhee

spotted towhee

western bluebird

yellow eyed junco

red faced warbler

red tailed hawk

Saguaro National Park - Great Horned Owls

For several years Great Horned Owls have nested in caves along the wash of the Homestead Trail in Saguaro National Park. Yesterday, Christine's brother and his family and I walked that one mile trail. And sure enough, there were the pair of Great Horns. They put on a nice show for us. Here are a few of the photos:

More from Mount Lemmon - II

It's always fun to find these little Cliff Chipmunks running around:

More from Mount Lemmon

Woodpecker's in the mountain forest:

Downy Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker

Red Shafted Northern Flicker

Birding Mount Lemmon

A trip up Mount Lemmon yesterday yielded some nice results:

House Wren Chick

Western Tanager Male

Hermit Thrush

Audubon's Yellow Rumped Warbler

Thirsty Bobcat at The Azure Gate B&B

Having five acres in the desert brings wonderful surprises from time to time. I had had a good day yesterday on Mount Lemmon photographing birds. Spent three and a half hours on Incinerator Ridge. I'll post the photos in the next couple of days.

But, in the meantime, as Christine and I settled down to watch a movie at about 7:00 pm last night a thirsty young male Bobcat came by. After a couple of minutes (yes minutes) drinking, he wandered off to the back of our property. 

Here is a sample of the photo series:

Empire Gulch, Las Cienegas, Southeast Arizona

On Tuesday, I headed over to Empire Gulch, Las Cienegas -- about a 45 minute drive from our B&B. I got a late start, and the fact that it was 110 degrees probably was the reason the birding wasn't quite so good. 

Unaffected by the heat, though, were the Black Tailed Prairie Dogs and Southwestern Fence Lizards. So I thought I'd show them off today:

Black Tailed Prairie Dog (note the black tip at the end of the tail)

Southwestern Fence Lizard

Something about the last photo that I really like; maybe the old fence post, the rusty barbed wire, or the "regal-ness" of the lizard on top of his post. Or maybe it's that it poses the lifelong question of "sitting on the fence" not knowing or unable to proceed. However, that's probably a little too deep for this blog.

Have a nice day.

Sweetwater Wetlands, Tucson, Arizona

Got up before dawn this morning to get to Sweetwater Wetlands at daybreak. Within five minutes I noticed out on one of the islands there was an animal. He was peeking his little head out from behind cover. Moments later he was out in the open where I could clearly see him. He never knew I was there. A Raccoon! Here are some photos:

Lakeside Park - Part V: Anna's Hummingbird

There usually are hummingbirds around Lakeside Park too. They seem to love the mesquite trees. Here an Anna's Hummingbird was catching flies:

Anna's Hummingbird with fly in sight.

Lakeside Park - Part IV: Turkey Vulture

There were lots of "park birds," Great Tailed Grackles, Bronzed Cowbirds, and a variety of common ducks.

Also present though, was a Turkey Vulture sitting in one of the mesquite trees on a hillside above the lake. He too wanted a photo. So I obliged:

Turkey Vulture

Lakeside Park - Part III: Double Crested Cormorant

Also present at Lakeside Park were a half dozen or so Double Crested Cormorants. They too seem willing to pose for photos:

Lakeside Park - Part II: Black Crowned Night Heron

The Elegant Tern was not the only bird though. I couldn't pass up several other birds without a photograph. I've said this before, the most reliable place in Southern Arizona to find the Black Crowned Night Heron is Lakeside Park. Day before yesterday was no different, We saw six adults and three juveniles. 

One of the adults put on a fishing exhibition which I caught on camera:

Black Crowned Night Heron

Here he is showing me what he caught.

Elegant Tern at Lakeside Park, Tucson, Arizona

I often go off to faraway wilderness areas to photograph wildlife. Sometimes there won't be another human in sight --- for days. On the other hand, sometimes a "rare" bird finds its way to a local municipal park amongst fishermen, dog-walkers, picnickers, etc.

Lakeside Municipal Park is such a place. A couple of years ago it was a Brown Pelican, last year it was a White Pelican, this year it was -- still is an Elegant Tern.

Yesterday I saw the ET reported at about 1:30 in the afternoon (ABA Birding News). Christine and I were there by 2:00. We walked around the lake finding the tern after a half mile or so. 

Elegant Tern