Bluebirds

I have a new photo book coming out on birds of the Western United States. So I thought I'd preview some of those photos on our blog.

First up, Bluebirds:

Mountain Bluebird Male

Mountain Bluebird Female

 Western Bluebird Male

 Western Bluebird Male

 Western Bluebird Chicks

 Western Bluebird Female

Mount Lemmon Birds

I took a quick trip up Mount Lemmon -- needing to get back before the rains came. Nothing unusual to report, but as usual, some nice photos:

Brown Creeper with Bug

Red Faced Warbler

Spotted Towhee

Western Bluebird

Yellow Rumped Warbler

Birding Mount Lemmon - Part VII

Driving the Sykes Knob turn off on Mount Lemmon:

Western Bluebird

Young White Tailed Deer Buck

Birding Mount Lemmon

The best months for birding Mount Lemmon are April through the beginning of September. By October many of the migrants have moved on to their winter homes. Most of what remains are the birds that live in the Catalinas year round.

So I was somewhat surprised to see a Hermit Warbler the beginning of October:

Hermit Warbler

 The Olive Warbler is one of the few warblers that are year round residents:

Olive Warbler

Townsend's Warblers can usually be found year round though with much lower numbers in June and July (not a very good photo but just to confirm its presence).

Townsend's Warbler

Hermit Thrushes, Acorn Woodpeckers, Mountain Chickadees, Pygmy Nuthatches, and Western Bluebirds are year round residents so no surprise to find them on Mount Lemmon in October:

Hermit Thrush

Acorn Woodpecker

Mountain Chickadee

Pygmy Nuthatch

Western Bluebird

Mount Lemmon Birding

As Spring Migration continues and it gets down below, Mount Lemmon attracts birds (and people) of all sorts. Here are a few photos from yesterday:

Blue Gray Gnatcatcher

Olive Warbler Female

Olive Warbler Male

Red Faced Warbler

Spotted Towhee

Virginia's Warbler

Western Bluebird

Yellow Eyed Junco

Best Wildlife Photos of 2016: Western Bluebird

Another very colorful bird that could easily be a "Best Photo" every year:

Western Bluebird

New Photos: Western Bluebird

This Western Bluebird photo was taken at the Flagstaff Arboretum in Flagstaff:

Western Bluebird with Catch

More from Rose Canyon Lake, Mount Lemmon

Other nice photos from Rose Canyon Lake on Mount Lemmon:

Blue Grey Gnatcatcher

House Wren

Olive Warbler

Pine Siskin

Plumbeous Vireo

Western Bluebird

Incinerator Ridge, Mount Lemmon

Since Mount Lemmon is right out our back door, it is where I go when I don't have a lot of time. So yesterday, I made a quick trip up to Incinerator Ridge wondering what I might find this early in the season.  It was a bit windy and cold (49 degrees). No real flocks of birds yet, but with a little patience a few nice birds did present themselves:

American Robin

Hermit Thrush

Red Faced Warbler

Raven

Spotted Towhee

Stellar Jay

Western Bluebird

Birding Mount Lemmon, Arizona

I got a chance to bird Mount Lemmon with some dear guests and friends on Tuesday (April 11, 2016). Our target birds were the Olive Warbler and the Buff Breasted Flycatcher. Despite the snow still covering the ground, and the 38 degree temperature when we arrived at Inspiration Point, it was quite "birdy." Flocks of Western Bluebirds, Pygmy Nuthatches, Yellow Rumped Warblers; Red Shafted Northern Flickers chasing each other. Oh, and yes on both the Olive Warbler and the Buff Breasted Flycatcher. Here are some photos from the day:

Buff Breasted Flycatcher

Downy Woodpecker

Olive Warbler

Pygmy Nuthatch

Female Red Shafted Northern Flicker

Spotted Towhee

Western Bluebird Male