Favorite Wildlife Photos of 2018 - XVIII

Continuing with my favorite wildlife photos from 2018, a Loggerhead Shrike:

Loggerhead Shrike munching on something he caught

Lake Cochise

In addition to the four Herons seen at Lake Cochise (and shared in the last two posts) here are a few other finds:

American Avocet

Black Necked Stilt

Loggerhead Shrike with catch

Western Meadowlark

White Faced Ibis

Yellow Headed Blackbird

Birding Babacomari Ranch

Franciscan Friar Marcos de Niza was the first European to set foot in what is now Arizona. He is credited as the first to take possession of the land now known as the Babacomari Ranch for the King of Spain in 1539, 80 years before the pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock.

The Babacomari Valley, located in the rich savanna rangelands of Southeast Arizona, has been supporting cattle and livestock together with abundant wild game and fish ever since.   

The current mission of the Babacomari Ranch is to holistically protect, preserve and enhance the natural resources, historic integrity and esthetic qualities of the Babacomari Ranch while providing a creative and collaborative environment that enhances the quality of life for its landowners, employees and neighbors.

The ranch's boundaries follow those of the original land grant "San Ignacio del  Babacomari" issued in 1832 by the Republic of Mexico to the Elias family, still prominent ranchers in Sonora. The ranch is nearly 28,000 acres, ranging from desert to riparian to woodland habitats. 

With water flowing through the Babacomari Creek year round, it is full of wildlife.

This was our first visit and we saw the potential for wonderful Spring and Summer birding along the riparian corridor. That's not to say we didn't find anything this wintery trip.

Here just a few of the photos:

Black Throated Sparrow

Lincoln's Sparrow

Loggerhead Shrike

White Tailed Deer

In addition to the above, we saw Cooper's Hawk's, Vermillion Flycatchers, Say's Phoebe, and a host of other sparrows.

Other photos from Las Cienegas

Here are a few other photos from Las Cienegas;

Loggerhead Shrike

Red Tailed Hawk

Rufous Winged Sparrow

Vesper Sparrow

Western Meadowlark

Birding Fort Huachua

First, let me welcome the 131st Country to visit our blog: Malawi. I must admit that I had to look it up to find out exactly where it was -- and some information about it. It is in East Africa bordered by Zambia, Tanzania, and Mozambique. It is about the size of Ohio but Lake Malawi takes up about a third of its area. And while the population of Ohio is about 11 million, the population of Malawi is about 16 million.

As for birding Fort Huachuca:

The Huachuca Mountains have become arguably the best birding spot in Southern Arizona, which is often said to be the best birding in the United States. Within the Huachucas there is Miller Canyon, Carr Canyon, and Ramsey Canyon all providing wonderful birding. There is also both Huachuca Canyon and Garden Canyon within the boundaries of Fort Huachuca. So it does require a pass to get on the post.

Christine and I went out birding last week early in the morning to try to beat the monsoon rains which can pummel the mountains rendering birding impossible.

The monsoons did finally arrive but not before get some nice photos on the way up Garden Canyon:

Blue Grosbeak

Hepatic Tanager

Loggerhead Shrike

Mexican Jay

Sulphur Bellied Flycatcher

Catching Up: Loggerhead Shrike

The Loggerhead Shrike is a fascinating bird. It is often seen perched along dirt roads on posts, wires, and scrub brush.  It is so focused it is sometimes approachable. 

It forages from those perches swooping down to capture its prey on (or near) the ground. Prey includes large insects, lizards, birds, and rodents.

Once it captures its prey it often impales it on a barbed wire fence to eat (or store).

Loggerhead Shrike

Las Cienegas National Conservation Area - Part VII

The last of the habitats at Las Cienegas is the grasslands. There were lots of sparrows, including: Bairds, Grasshopper, and Botteri's; (probably Sage and Brewer's as well). None of those photos were good enough to display, so I'll give it another try as soon as I can get out.

Loggerhead Shrike

Lark Bunting

Cassin's Kingbird

Western Kingbird

Swainson's Hawk harassing a Red Tailed Hawk

Ironwood National Monument

Ironwood National Monument near Marana, Arizona is an area that I have not explored. So off I went with Christine and some guests for a scenic tour and hike.  The landscape is fascinating with the mountains, saguaros, and ironwood trees. The ironwood trees are the oldest trees in Arizona at 1500 years. 

Ragged Top Mountain is the biological and geological crown jewel of the national monument. Several endangered and threatened species live here, including the Nichols turk’s head cactus and the lesser long-nosed bat. The national monument also contains habitat for the cactus ferruginous pygmy owl. The desert bighorn sheep dwelling in the region are the last viable population indigenous to the Tucson basin. The area holds abundant rock art sites and other archaeological objects of scientific interest. Humans have inhabited the area for more than 5,000 years. More than 200 sites from the prehistoric Hohokam period (600 A.D. to 1440 A.D.) have been recorded in the area. 

The Bighorn Sheep are lambing now, so I resisted the temptation to find them. I'll wait until April when lambing season is over and see if I can find them.

The hike we took toward Ragged Top Mountain ended with a Bull standing in the middle of the trail and not wanting to move. We were ready to return to our car and continue on our way, so we turned around.

During our drive we came across an abandoned homestead, a Harris Hawk, Red Tailed Hawk, Gila Woodpeckers, a Loggerhead Shrike and a few other birds. Here are some of the day's photos:

Ironwood National Monument, Arizona

Old Abandon Homestead

Harris Hawk

Red Tailed Hawk

Gila Woodpecker

Loggerhead Shrike

Blocking the trail

Lots to see at Whitewater Draw

Yesterday I checked out Whitewater Draw in Southeast Arizona. Whitewater Draw is most famous for its wintering Sandhill Cranes. About 1,000 have already arrived. By January, there should be 30,000 to 40,000. But, as for yesterday, they were really too far away for a good photo. But, all was not lost. Lots of other photos:

White Faced Ibis

Cattle Egret and Long Billed Curlews

Great Egret

Belted Kingfisher

Least Sandpiper

Great Blue Heron

Eared Grebe

Clark's Grebe

Loggerhead Shrike

Ferruginous Hawk

National Wildlife Refuges

Cibola National Wildlife Refuge, Arizona, 1964

Cibola NWR is located in the floodplain of the lower Colorado River and surrounded by a fringe of desert ridges and washes. The refuge encompasses both the historic Colorado River channel as well as a channelized portion constructed in the late 1960's. Along with these main waterbodies, several important backwaters are home to many wildlife species that reside in this portion of the Sonoran Desert. Because of the river's life sustaining water, wildlife here survive in an environment that reaches 120 degrees in the summer and receives an average of only 2 inches of rain per year. 

Over 288 species of birds have been found on Cibola NWR, including many species of migratory songbirds, Gambel's quail, roadrunners, mourning and white-winged doves, phainopepla, greater sandhill cranes, Canada and snow geese, Vermillion flycatchers, grosbeaks and many more. The bald eagle, southwestern willow flycatcher and Yuma clapper rail are among the endangered birds that use Cibola NWR. Other listed species include the desert tortoise, razorback sucker, bonytail chub, and desert pupfish.


It is not uncommon to see desert mule deer, bobcat, and coyotes on the refuge, particularly while driving the auto tour loop in the early morning or evening. About 85% of Arizona's wintering goose population resides on Cibola NWR.


A host of species reside on the refuge year-around. Many of the aquatic birds nest in the backwaters of the river. It is a common sight to see western and Clark's grebe young riding on their parents' back in Cibola Lake during the spring. Other common sights may include a heron and egret rookery, nesting mourning and white-winged doves, barn owls, burrowing owls, kestrels, white-faced ibis and more.

Although the road to get to Cibola is not bad, the getting their is not very straightforward. You must go into California and then cross the Colorado River to get there. There is NO access from Arizona to this Arizona refuge (accept by boat). 

Sandhill Cranes Flying in front of the Palo Verde Mountains of California 

Sandhill Cranes and Snow Geese in the flatlands. The Colorado River is in the background among the trees.

Snow Geese on the Arizona side of the Colorado River

A little closer view of the Sandhill Cranes

Wonderful photo of a Great Egret (click to enlarge)

Western Meadowlark, one of many birds that frequent Cibola.

Loggerhead Shrike

Coyote Yipping Away at Dawn

Mule Deer are also frequent visitors

Fall colors among the Cottonwoods