Wildlife of The Azure Gate Bed and Breakfast - Part IV

Continuing with some photos of wildlife taken since the pandemic started:

Anna's Hummingbird

Ash-throated Flycatcher

Black-tailed Gnatcatcher

Black-tailed Jackrabbit

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Hummingbirds of Arizona: Anna's Hummingbird

Anna's Hummingbird.

The Anna's is the most abundant hummingbird here at The Azure Gate Bed and Breakfast. They can be found every day of the year -- including the very rare "snow days" as seen in one of the photos below.

Size: Anna's is a mid-sized hummingbird of about 4 inches, a little more "rounded" (i.e. heavier),  a medium sized straight black bill, and a medium to long tail.

Distinguishing Characteristics: The most distinguishing characteristic of the male is a red crown and  red throat as seen in the first photo. The gorget is somewhat extended at the corners though not nearly as much as the Costa's. The female has a red central patch which can be seen in one of the photos above. (Its central patch does not always appear red).

Habitat:  Wooded canyons, coastal scrub, scrub desert, urban areas, and gardens from sea level to 5,700 feet. Anna's feeds on the nectar of a wide variety of flowers and insects.

Range: Anna's is found along the Pacific Coast as far north as Washington and across to Southern Arizona. 

Seasons: It is typically a year round resident in its range. During summer months some will move to higher elevations and some will migrate to Southern Arizona and Northern Mexico in the winter.

Nests (Arizona): October - June. Nests are often "eye level" to 10 feet in dense mesquite or palo verde trees and beautifully woven into small "cups".  The male usually takes no interest in the nest. 

Where to Find: Anna's is present year round at The Azure Gate Bed and Breakfast and easy to find. Anna's is found at most of the premier Hummingbird Sites as well.

Springtime at The Azure Gate Bed and Breakfast - Part II, Nesting

We have several hummingbird nests. In the first photo an Anna's Hummingbird is gathering cotton to line her nest.

In the second photo a fledgling Anna's chick.

Female Anna's Hummingbird

Fledgling Anna's Hummingbird

Winter Wildlife: Hummingbirds

Winter is approaching. And with it comes opportunity for interesting if not fascinating wildlife photography.

Over the next few weeks I provide some "Winter Wildlife" Photos.

First up, taken here in a couple of rare Tucson snowfalls, Anna's Hummingbirds

Birding Mount Lemmon - Part I

The Southern Arizona Mountain Ranges are collectively called the Madrean Sky Islands. The Santa Catalina Mountains, or more commonly the Catalina Mountains or even Mount Lemmon, are the largest of these mountain ranges. Mount Lemmon is its highest peak at 9,157 feet. It receives 180 inches of snow each year. It is 18 miles long and 14 miles wide.

There are so many great birding spots on the way up Mount Lemmon that it is literally impossible to stop at all of them in a day.

Here are some of the "hot spots":

Molino Basin Lookout

Molino Basin Campground

Cypress, Middle Bear, and Chihuahua Picnic areas

General Hitchcock Campground

Rose Canyon Lake

Incinerator Ridge

Bear Wallow Road and Trail to Sunset Trail

Sykes Knob Road

Inspiration Point Picnic Area

Alder Picnic Area

Loma Linda Picnic Area

E. Turkey Run Road and Upper Sabino Canyon Trail

Summerhaven to Marshall Gulch

Ski Valley to Mt. Lemmon Sky Center Observatory

Experienced birders will no doubt have their favorites (as do I) and some will have spots not even on this list.

Mount Lemmon is essentially a Spring, Summer, and Fall birding site. Warblers abound in the Spring and Fall; though still quite decent in the Summer.

Over the next few days I'll show some of my latest photos from "birding Mt. Lemmon.:

Anna's Hummingbird

Ash Throated Flycatcher

Black Headed Grosbeak

Las Cienegas National Conservation Area - Part V

Other photos from Empire Gulch:

Anna's Hummingbird on Nest

Anna's Hummingbird putting feathers inside her nest

I love this photo which shows the gulch -- along with a Blue Grosbeak

House Wren

Lucy's Warbler

Pipevine Swallowtail

Sacred Datura

Male and Female Summer Tanagers

Birds of Sweetwater Wetlands - Part I

I've had a chance to get over to Sweetwater Wetlands a couple of times in the past week. While I didn't see anything rare I thought I'd at least share what can be typically found there (in alphabetical order):

American Coot

Anna's Hummingbird

Common Yellowthroat

Cooper's Hawk

Gambel's Quail

House Finch

Birding Coachline Gravel Pit - Lake Marana

Christine and I pulled into "the old" parking area at the Coachline Gravel Pit -- or as some are trying to rename, Lake Marana. We climbed the berm only to find no water in the lake. Nonetheless, we decided to hike around the lake going counterclockwise.

Much to our surprise, after getting 3/4 of the way around the dry lake we came to water. The bird of the day was Great Egret -- lots of them -- at least 8, maybe 10. There were also several Double Crested Cormorants, Killdeer, Vermillion Flycatchers, Coots, Mallards, and an assortment of other ducks.

Here are some of the better photos:

Anna's Hummingbird

Double Crested Cormorant

Great Egret

Great Egrets

Mallard Duck

Phainopepla

New Year Babies: Anna's Hummingbird

The New Year brings new life and new hope. So why not a series on Wildlife "Babies"?


Starting with Anna's Hummingbird chicks in their nest here at The Azure Gate B&B:

Mom sitting on her nest

Two young chicks waiting for mom's return

My Favorite Wildlife Photos of 2017 - 2

For the remainder of the year I thought I'd share my favorite wildlife photos taken in 2017.

So here they are (in alphabetical order):

Anna's Hummingbird chicks sitting on their nest here at The Azure Gate Bed and Breakfast

Today at The Azure Gate

We have had several nesting Anna's Hummingbirds this year, so there are several immature birds "humming" around. Here's a nice close up of a young male Anna's:

Young Male Anna's Hummingbird

And a nice close up of a male Cardinal:

Cardinal

Hummingbird Nesting: Anna's Hummingbird

We have our third hummingbird nest of the season.  I suspect there are others, but these are very close to the main house so easily found.

This one is an Anna's Hummingbird. While we have several Broad Bill Hummers around we've not seen them nesting this year.

Anna's Hummingbird in Nest

Birding The Azure Gate

After breakfast this morning I though I would walk around our property with my camera just to see what was going on.

First, I wanted to see if there were any signs of baby Cooper's Hawk's in the nest. Mom was there moving around a bit but since the nest is 60 feet off the ground it's hard to tell:

Cooper's Hawk

Next a quick check of the Anna's Hummingbird nest:

Anna's Hummingbird

Then a nice Broad Billed Hummer -- both male and female:

Broad Billed Hummingbird Male

Broad Billed Hummingbird Female

A Lucy's Warbler on one of our Creosote Bushes:

Lucy's Warbler

And, finally a Rufous Winged Sparrow seemed to want his photo taken:

Rufous Winged Sparrow

Of course there were all sorts of other birds to be seen (though I didn't photograph them):

White Winged Dove
Mourning Dove
Gambel's Quail
Lesser Goldfinch
Verdin
House Finch
House Sparrow
Cactus Wren
Curved Billed Thrasher
Gila Woodpecker
Male and Female Cardinal
Male and Female Pyrrhuloxia
Male Phainopepla