More from Sweetwater Wetlands

As I began working on Today's blog post I noticed what countries were visiting today: United States, Canada, Aruba, Brazil, Colombia, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Jordan, Russia, Ukraine, India, and Australia - people across five continents. People interested in wildlife regardless of nationality, race, religion, or politics.  Thank you all for visiting The Azure Gate Blog.

Yesterday, I had a little time so headed over to Sweetwater Wetlands -- a good weekend birding site.

Most of the attention is usually paid to the waterbirds in the wetlands themselves. However, the mesquite trees, willows, cottonwoods, and brush provide wonderful warbler habitat. Yesterday was no different as migration is starting to show in big numbers.

Here then some photos from yesterday:

yellow warbler

mallard ducklings

cinnamon teal

common yellowthroat

wilson's warbler

unable to identify warbler, possibly a young yellow

Birding Saint Gertrudis Lane, Tumacacori, Arizona

One of my favorite birding spots is the Juan Bautiste de Anza Trail just north and south of Saint Gertrudis Lane in Tumacacori.

Susie and Steve (guests of ours) and I headed down after breakfast a couple of days ago in hopes of relocating the reported Sinaloa Wren and Rufous Backed Robins. No luck with either but we did find it very "birdie," and came away with some nice photos:

Bewick's Wren

Bridled Titmouse

Northern Cardinal

Common Yellowthroat

Grey Hawk

Swainson's Hawk

Wilson's Warbler

Birding Tanque Verde Wash

On the report of a Broad Winged Hawk I headed over there with some guests to see if we could relocate it.

The short of the story is "Yes." Though not a great photo. It was several hundred feet up into the bright sunny sky:

Broad Winged Hawk

 Here a few other photos from the Wash:

Cooper's Hawk

Lucy's Warbler

Yellow Warbler

Pacific Slope (or Cordilleran) Flycatcher

Sweetwater Wetlands Revisited - II

And now the other birds from a morning at Sweetwater:

Abert's Towhee

Black Phoebe

Orange Crowned Warbler

Red Winged Blackbird

Wilson's Warbler

Yellow Rumped Warbler

Yellow Warbler

Sweetwater Wetlands Revisited

Sweetwater Wetlands is know for its wetlands and it certainly gets a nice mixture of waterbirds year round. But surrounding the water are cottonwoods, willows, and mesquite trees with provide a haven for other birds. 

Today a few of the waterbird photos I particularly like and next post will be the others:

These waterbirds aren't rare to Arizona or to Sweetwater. However, I liked the composition and colors in these particular photos:

Cinnamon Teal

Green Heron

Mallard Duck

Sw

More from El Rio Open Space - III

And now the Wildflowers:

There was a nice flow of water in the Santa Cruz River enough though the lake was drying up:

More from El Rio Open Space - II

Here some of the other birds at El Rio Open Space:

Cassin's Kingbird

Great Blue Heron

Lucy's Warbler

Juvenile Red Tailed Hawk

More from El Rio Open Space

Monday Christine and I walked around El Rio Open Space (Coachline Gravel Pit) again. Even less water now -- nearly gone. But the Egrets are still there. I counted 17 Great Egrets and 2 Snowy Egrets. It was midday and 90 degrees so non water birds were scarce.

Wildflowers are now in full bloom so it was a lovely walk.

Here then some of the Egret photos:

Notice the Snowy Egret