Flycatchers: Part I

Continuing with the series from my new book on Birds of the Western United States, we come to the Flycatchers.

First up the Ash-throated, Brown-crested, and Dusky-capped Flycatchers. These three flycatchers are very similar in plumage and they overlap in terms of range and habitat. This can make identifying them a bit tricky when all you get is a "glance." 

The Ash-throated has the widest range extending from west Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California,   Utah, Nevada, and Oregon. It is larger than the Dusky-capped, but slightly smaller than the Brown-crested.  It is a little paler in color than the other two:

Ash-throated Flycatcher

The Brown-crested is the darkest of the three, but it's most distinguishing characteristic is its larger bill. It's range is the southern most tip of Texas and souther Arizona:

Brown-crested Flycatcher

 The Dusky-capped is the smallest of the three with a finer bill and brighter yellow in the belly and flanks. It also has the narrowest range of the three, only to be found in southeast Arizona:

Dusky-capped Flycatcher

Ash Throated Flycatchers

We have a pair of Ash Throated Flycatchers that must be nesting nearby. I got a nice photo of one of them this morning that I thought I'd share:

Ash Throated Flycatcher

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

Miscellaneous Birds of Southern Arizona - Part I

I've put together a few odds and ends -- photos of birds seen at various places during the past week. Here's part one: 

Ash Throated Flycatcher

Cordilleran Flycatcher

Elegant Trogon

Singing House Finch

Patagonia Lake: more photos

In addition to the Green Heron, here are some other photos from the day at Patagonia Lake:

Ash Throated Flycatcher

Cardinal

1srt year Vermillion Flycatcher

Western Tanager

Wilson's Warbler

Agua Caliente: Lucy's and MacGillivray's Warblers and More

Quick trip on Monday to Agua Caliente Regional Park. While the main attraction is the spring fed pond, don't overlook the mesquite bosque between ponds one and two. It can be very birdie with the mesquite trees and grasses.

Here are a few of the photos from Monday:

Ash Throated Flycatcher

Double Crested Cormorant

Green Tailed Towhee

Lucy's Warbler

MacGillivray's Warbler

Phainopepla Female

Red Winged Blackbird

Vermillion Flycatcher Male

Bug Eating Birds: Ash Throated Flycatcher

First, my apologies for the lack of posts over the past month. I have developed an Auto Immune Disease of my joints (hips, shoulders, knees, and hands). After four trips to the emergency room, an overnight stay in the hospital, 20 vials of blood drawn, X-Rays, and other lab tests, it has been narrowed down to that. I'm scheduled to see a Rheumatologist which hopefully will lead to a specific diagnosis and treatment.  Since we are still running the Bed and Breakfast my focus every day has been to have enough energy to make a nice breakfast for our guests (it's our busiest season now).

Second, the disease has made it impossible to go photographing. In fact, I am unable to lift my camera out of its camera case. (And I am not driving).

Third, concerning our blog, I am going to try to get a post out ever other day -- something very simple. I thought I'd do a series on Birds Eating Bugs. It will just be a photo and a caption. Hopefully, I will be able to manage that.

So, here we go:

Ash Throated Flycater

Fauna of The Azure Gate Bed and Breakfast: Ash Throated FlycatcherAsh

The Brown Crested Flycatcher is more common to The Azure Gate, however, once in a while the Ash Throated Flycatcher shows up:

Ash Throated Flycatcher

McDonald Park, Tucson, Arizona

I have to keep reminding myself that municipal parks can offer very good birding opportunities. One such park, McDonald Park, is about one mile from our B&B. I made a quick stop and in less than 15 minutes found an adult Cooper's Hawk with three fledglings, a couple of Ash Throated Flycatchers, and several Blue Gray Gnatcatchers.

Ash Throated Flycatcher

Cooper's Hawk Fledgling

Cooper's Hawk Fledgling

Blue Gray Gnatcatcher

National Wildlife Refuges

Imperial National Wildlife Refuge, Arizona, 1941

The Colorado River and associated backwater lakes and wetlands of Imperial National Wildlife Refuge are a green oasis, contrasting with the surrounding desert mountains. Consisting of over 26,000 acres, Imperial National Wildlife Refuge protects wildlife habitat along 30 miles of the lower Colorado River in Arizona and California, including the last unchannelized section before the river enters Mexico.

Imperial National Wildlife Refuge also contains more than 15,000 acres of federally designated wilderness. Wilderness is protected to ensure that nature, not people is the primary influence on this quiet, scenic place.

In addition to the Visitor Center, Imperial National Wildlife Refuge provides opportunities to hike, fish, hunt, and watch wildlife. While the bird species list has 271 species, it is the Desert Bighorn Sheep and Feral Burros that keep me coming back. There is one road that runs through the Refuge which soon becomes 4x4 only as it enters a corner of the Yuma Proving Ground, and then 4x4 high clearance only when it enters private land, and finally 4x4 high clearance nerves of steel only as it approaches the moon. (Okay slight exaggeration). You do have to drive through some very sandy washes as well as steep rocky hills and cliffs.

Below are a few of the photos I've taken there: 

Ash Throated Flycatcher

Black Tail Jackrabbit

Desert Bighorn Sheep on Mountain Top

Desert Bighorn Sheep 

Desert Bighorn Rams

Feral Burros

Feral Burro Family

Feral Burro with a look of the terrain

Western Diamondback Rattlesnake

Imperial National Wildlife Refuge: Odds and Ends

Finally, a few miscellaneous odds and ends. I went to Imperial NWR looking for Wild Burros and Desert Bighorn Sheep. And, I was totally focused in doing just that. Although known for its waterbirds, I spent NO TIME in or even around the water. Most of my time was spent in the mountains or on the ledges. I guess having spent 18 years in the Northwest US and Canada, I have done more than my share of photographing water birds. Won't find any Wild Burros or Desert Bighorn Sheep up there, so ....

The closest I came was the Great Tail Grackle (last photo below) I photographed from one of the edges looking down into one of the ponds off the Colorado River. Other than the Grackle, here are a Black Tailed Jackrabbit, Canyon Lizard, and Ash Throated Flycatcher taken while searching for the Burros and Sheep:

Black Tail Jackrabbit

Canyon Lizard

Ash Throated Flycatcher

Great Tailed Grackle

Garden Canyon, Fort Huachuca,

Continuing on my day trip into the Huachuca Mountains, here we have Garden Canyon. Garden Canyon is much overlooked by hikers and even birders. Partly because it is on the Fort Huachuca Army Base. Unless you are military (active or vet with ID) you must stop, produce ID, Drivers License, Car Registration, and Insurance Card. While that might seem too daunting for some, it only takes two minutes -- tops. It is an active military base. Day before yesterday, while there, I passed one of the many ranges and watched a couple dozens soldiers being tested.  But then you continue into the mountains. There are three picnic grounds that you pass, the last of which Christine and I usually picnic at when we go together. Once past the picnic areas the road becomes four wheel drive for another six or seven miles. Sheelite Canyon is the first trail you come to. It is noted for its pair of Spotted Owls. Then two stops to look at ancient pictographs. Then Sawmill Canyon, a delightful and less strenuous hike than Sheelite. Past Sawmill, the road gets much worse and a good physical and mental constitution is required. Water usually is running in Garden Canyon Creek, so vegetation is thick, wildflowers and butterflies are everywhere, and the animals frequently visit for a drink. I came across deer several times on the way up. I'll show you some wildflowers tomorrow, maybe butterflies the next day. But for today, I photographed a lone Wild Turkey drinking in the creek; an Ash Throated Flycatcher at Sheelite Canyon; and a Cassin's Kingbird at Sawmill Canyon. It was a good day.