Galiuro Mountains, Southern Arizona

One of my favorite spots in Arizona is the Galiuro Mountains, the northern most of the Madrean Sky Islands of Southern Arizona. It is north of Willcox and extends almost to Phoenix.

It's a good place to go looking for Coatimundi,  Hooded Skunks, and Striped Skunks. I've also seen and photographed Bobcats, Javelinas, Coyotes, Pronghorn, Mule and White-tailed Deer, Antelope Jackrabbits, Mountain Cottontails, Gila Monsters, Gopher Snakes and Rattlesnakes, There is a fair population of Mountain Lions, Desert Bighorn Sheep, and Bears though I've not found them.

Birding can also be productive. Over the years I've photographed Long Eared Owl, American Kestrel,  Merlin, Grey Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Swainson's Hawks, Zone-tailed Hawk, Turkey and Black Vultures, Black-throated and other Sparrows, Cardinals, Grosbeaks, Tanagers, Phainopeplas, Meadowlarks, Shrikes, Flycatchers,  and Wild Turkeys.

My trip a couple of weeks ago gave me some nice photos:

Singing Black-throated Sparrow

Gray Hawk

Gray Hawk

Swainson's Hawk

Vermillion Flycatcher

Wild Turkey

Wild Turkey

Arivaca Cienegas, Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge - Part V

Arivaca Cienegas can be very birdie first thing in the morning. However, it can get hot by 10:00 am this time of year so birds are less vocal and not as often seen. 

Either that or they are practicing "Social Distancing" as you will see in the following photos:

Ash-throated Flycatcher

Bewick's Wren

Lucy's Warbler

Phainopepla

Summer Tanager

Vermillion Flycatcher

Yellow-breasted Chat

Flycatchers: Part IV

The Vermillion Flycatcher is conspicuously different than other flycatchers because of its brilliant red body and crown separately by a black mask.

Its range is very small in the US, limited to Southeast Arizona and Southwest Texas. Although its range is small it is more commonly found within that range.

It forages by perching on an exposed tree branch, post, or rail, sallying out to capture flying insects. It sometimes hovers a few feet off the ground and diving for small insects in the grasses.

Vermillion Flycatcher Male

Vermillion Flycatcher Female

Vermillion Flycatcher Juvenile

El Rio Open Space - Part II

Although I was focusing on the Reddish Egret, I did take a few other photos:

Great Egret

Great Egret

Green Heron

Green Heron

Vermillion Flycatcher Female

Huachuca Canyon

One of my favorite places to hike, bird, search for wildlife in Huachuca Canyon at Fort Huachuca. Dawn morning is best for animals, early morning good for Montezuma Quail and Trogons, and when the sun comes over the mountain for the other birds.

I got out early hoping to get animals, and of course there's always a deer or two or ten. But not much else. I did hear Elegant Trogons for an hour or so and got a few photos. And flycatchers were more abundant than warblers this time.

The monsoon rains brought lots of wildflowers -- which brought lots of butterflies. I'll show those next time.

Here are some animal and bird photos: 

Young White Tailed Deer Buck

Elegant Trogon

Greater Pewee

Vermillion Flycatcher

Birds of Sweetwater Wetlands - Part III

Continuing with typical birds of Sweetwater Wetlands:

Vermillion Flycatcher

Western Kingbird

Western Tanager

White Crowned Sparrow

Wilson's Warbler

Yellow Warbler

Las Cienegas National Conservation Area

One of my favorite places in Southern Arizona is Las Cienegas -- the home of Empire Ranch -- and about 50 western movies of old.

It's a great place for sparrows, kingbirds, and meadowlarks. They're everywhere. There is the Cottonwood Pond which can attract some rarities (Black Bellied Whistling Duck and Rosette Spoonbill to name a couple).  It also has a wonderful riparian wetland called Empire Gulch. And it's not just birds. Over the years I've seen Pronghorn, Deer, Javelina, Coyote, Rattlesnakes, Jackrabbits, and Black Tailed Prairie Dogs. 

Here are some photos from my trip earlier this week:

Belted Kingfisher

Black Tailed Prairie Dog

Pronghorn

Raven

Red Tailed Hawk

Vermillion Flycatcher

My Favorite Wildlife Photos of 2017 - 17

Continuing with my favorite wildlife photos of 2017 (in alphabetical order):

Vermillion Flycatcher

Found mainly in Southern Arizona, this very photogenic Vermillion Flycatcher let me get close for a photo.

Whitewater Draw in Early Morning

Getting an early start at Whitewater Draw can sometimes pick up birds that haven't left for the day yet. Such was the case last week. I arrived at dawn and found 20 or so Yellow Headed Blackbirds which were gone within an hour. I also found several Soras that were feeding in more open areas. An hour later they were back in the weed beds and no longer seen. And there were three Black Bellied Whistling Ducks that left within 15 minutes of my arrival.

Here then some photos from Whitewater Draw:

Anna's Hummingbird

Very poor photo of the three Black Bellied Whistling Ducks

Black Crowned Night Heron

Blue Grosbeak

Cassin's Kingbird

Green Heron

Green Heron

Killdeer

Pied Billed Grebe with little ones

Sora

Swainson's Hawk

Vermillion Flycatcher

Yellow Headed Blackbirds