Lake Cochise

I drove over to Lake Cochise in Willcox looking for the Northern Waterthrush (one of the few Arizona Warblers I've not photographed).

No luck with the warbler, but as usual did come away with some nice photos:

Black Necked Stilt, American Avocet, and Western Sandpiper

Belted Kingfisher

Belted Kingfisher

Black Crowned Night Heron, Juvenile

Black Necked Stilt

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron

Wilson's Phalarope

Yellow Headed Blackbird

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

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

Santa Cruz Flats - The Alternate Universe

It's winter, so yesterday I was off to Santa Cruz Flats -- as Christine says, the alternate universe. Santa Cruz Flats is an area between Tucson and Phoenix, west of Picacho Peak. It is definitely as the name suggests, flat. Much of it is barren, not even cactus grows there. But much of it is cultivated, mostly cotton and turf farms. As such it is well irrigated and seeded which brings a multitude of birds, including waterbirds and raptors.

Lots of Red Tailed Hawks -- of all color varieties; many American Kestrel's; s a couple Prairie Falcons; a couple Harrier Hawks, and a Ferruginous Hawk. I did not see any Crested Caracaras or Black Vultures which I have seen on previous trips.

I did find a large flock of Mountain Plovers although too far or "flighty" to get good photos. Lots of Ravens too.

Here are a few photos from yesterdays trip:

Yellow Headed Blackbird

American Kestrel

Canvasback

Prairie Falcon

Ferruginous Hawk

Ferruginous Hawk

Horned Lark

Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge - Part IV

And a few other birds along the Green River complex at Seedskadee:

Yellow Headed Blackbird

Spotted Sandpiper

Killdeer

Northern Flicker