Wildlife of The Azure Gate Bed and Breakfast - Part IX

More recent photos from The Azure Gate Bed and Breakfast:

Northern Cardinal

Northern Cardinal

Northern Cardinal

Pyrrhuloxia

Pyrrhuloxia

Phainopepla Female Singing

Phainopepla Female

Phainopepla Male

Cardinals

Continuing with my new photo book, Cardinals:

Cardinal Male

Cardinal Female

Pyrrhuloxia Male

Pyrrhuloxia Female

The Azure Gate Birds:

I sat outside my office for about 15 minutes with camera in hand just to see what would pass by. The results:

Male Gambel's Quail

Male Pyrrhuloxia

Female Pyrrhuloxia

New Wildlife Photos from The Azure Gate B&B

Spring has come early here -- at least the flowers anyway. Here a female Anna's Hummingbird is feeding from them:

Anna's Hummingbird

Spring also means mating season for some wildlife. We have a pair of Cooper's Hawks that nest in our large Aleppo Pine Trees. Here is the female sitting in one of those pines:

Cooper's Hawk

 Coyotes have been yipping away every night. Here a very beautiful one strolls through behind the office:

Coyote

And of course, cardinals are out and about. Here a male Pyrrhuloxia (Grey Cardinal) singing hoping to find a mate:

Pyrrhuloxia Male

Bug Eating Birds: Pyrrhuloxia

Pyrrhuloxia

Birding Pena Blanca Lake

As I mentioned in the last post, I didn't get my target bird: the Rufous Crowned Warbler at Pena Blanca Lake. I stood/sat along the cattails on the south side of the cove 1/3 mile above the boat lunch for two hours but the little guy never showed. However, I didn't come home without a photo. In fact, I got quite a few nice ones:

American Kestrel

Vermillion Flycatcher

Ruddy Duck

Black Phoebe

Ruby Crowned Kinglet

American Coot

Mallards

Vesper Sparrow

White Tailed Deer

Bridled Titmouse

Rufous Winged Sparrow

Great Blue Heron

Pyrrhuloxia

Red Tailed Hawk

Marsh Wren

Verdin

Pyrrhuloxia: The Gray Cardinal

Yesterday, it was the female pyrrhuloxia, today the male. This photo was taken in one of our Palo Verde trees:

Pyrrhuloxia

The Early Bird Catches the Pyrrhuloxia

Back to my series on "5" Star Photos. Today's photo was taken early one morning here at The Azure Gate. It is a female Pyrrhuloxia, also called the Gray Cardinal, that found a worm in one of our mesquite trees.

I love the "expression" on her face  -- it's "This is my breakfast ... you go get your own."

Pyrrhuloxia

Whitewater Draw: the End of Winter

Whitewater Draw was "drawing" down for the winter as well. There were still a couple thousand Sandhill Cranes, but most have left. And, still a couple hundred Snow Geese. Many of the wintering Ducks have also begun their Spring Migration home.  However, a few Green Winged Teals remained, as well as American Avocets, and Greater Yellowlegs. I was also pleased to find the American Bittern and a Great Egret that wanted his picture taken too. Oh, and the usually present Great Horned Owl. Here, then, the best from Whitewater Draw this trip:

American Avocet

Greater Yellowlegs

Sandhill Cranes

Pyrrhuloxia

American Bittern

Green Winged Teal

Great Egret

Great Horned Owl

Grosbeaks

Several species of birds with large beaks can be found in the US.  The Northern Cardinal's range is from Southeastern Arizona east to Florida and Maine. The Pyrrhuloxia's range is Southeastern Arizona, Southern New Mexico, and Southwest Texas. The Yellow Grosbeak is essentially a thin slice through Central Mexico with very rare sightings in Southern Arizona. The Black Headed Grosbeak is found throughout the Western US. The Rose-breasted Grosbeak is found from Southeastern Arizona to Florida and Maine. And, the Blue Grosbeak can be found across the Southern half of the US from California to Maryland. They are all about the same size except the Blue Grosbeak which is a bit smaller. But all have one thing in common: a Large Beak (hence the name Grosbeak).

Here are a few photos:

Female Black Headed Grosbeak

Male Black Headed Grosbeak

Male Blue Grosbeak

Male and Female Northern Cardinal

Female Pyrrhuloxia

Male Pyrrhuloxia