Huachuca Canyon

I got out to Huachuca Canyon a couple days ago continuing my search for Arizona's warblers. And, much to my delight added a new warbler to my list: the Nashville Warbler, which gives me 19 of the 22 warblers found in Southern Arizona:

Nashville Warbler

There were reports of the Sinaloa Wren, but all I found was the Bewick's Wren:

Bewick's Wren

 Also got some other nice photos:

Wilson's Warbler

Sulphur Bellied Flycatcher

Female Summer Tanager

Female Black Headed Grosbeak

Cooper's Hawk

We have several very large Giant Blue Agaves on our property. One such agave bloomed this year shooting up a 30 foot stalk. It has become a regular perching post for a great many birds including our Cooper's Hawk. 

Cooper's Hawk

Las Cienegas Revisited

I've been busy working on my new book: "A Photographic Journey to Finding Birds in Southern Arizona." So, I've been remiss in getting posts out. To catch up, today another trip to Empire Gulch in Las Cienegas National Conservation Area. I've been trying to get as many of the warblers as I can in preparation for the book. I've got 18 of the 22 warblers found in Southern Arizona. Here are a few from my latest trip to Empire Gulch:

Black and White Warbler

Wilson's Warbler

Lucy's Warbler

MacGillivray's Warbler

I got away yesterday and hit San Pedro River, Ash Canyon B&B, and Huachuca Canyon. 

The monsoon rains had pretty much created a muddy, buggy mess at San Pedro. I used a lot of bug spray but still a bit distracting when dozens of mosquitos are constantly flying in your face. I did the walk up and down the river where I could, then walked along the old dirt road. Nothing unusual to report. Got some photos of Tropical and Cassin's Kingbirds, Vermillion Flycatcher, Lark Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, Lesser Goldfinch, Common Ground Dove, and a nice Sharp Shinned Hawk.

Then decided to check out Ash Canyon B&B which I haven't been to this year. This was decidedly the best of the day. Lots of visits from male and female Lucifers -- as seen below.

Finally, went to Huachuca Canyon, but by the time I got there it was very overcast -- dark and ominous clouds and few birds to be seen and terrible lighting for a good photo anyway.

So, photos from Ash Canyon B&B: 

Male Lucifer

Female Lucifer

Male and Female Lucifer

Female Rufous

Female Rufous

Female Rufous

Sweetwater Wetlands

I spent the morning (before the monsoon rains started pummeling the area) at Sweetwater Wetlands. 

Sweetwater Wetlands is a water treatment facility run by the City of Tucson. It is also a wildlife habitat and outdoor classroom. It consists of serveral "ponds" and recharge basins.

Sweetwater has more than 2.5 miles of pathways through and around the ponds. Access to the large recharge basins is restricted so a scope is necessary for viewing birds in the basins.

It is the best birding spot in the city of Tucson, getting a wide variety of waterbirds, songbirds, flycatchers, woodpeckers, and raptors. I photographed my first Bobcat there as well.

It is an excellent place to look for the more "secretive" waterbirds: Virginia Rail, Sora, and Common Yellowthroat, that stay in the weed beds most of the time.

Sweetwater is probably the best place in Southern Arizona to find the Common Moorhen.

This is a "must visit" location for birders. 

During my three hours there I found: Great Blue Heron, Black Crowned Night Heron, and Green Heron; Great Egret and Snowy Egret; Double Crested Cormorants; Common Moorhens; and some of the more common ducks, songbirds, woodpeckers, and raptors. I also found but did not get good photos of a Sora. 

Today, I'll share with you some Green Heron photos I took this morning:

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

Las Cienegas National Conservation Area - Part VI

The "visitor's center" where the old ranch house was is also located along Empire Gulch, but a quarter mile up from the spring. Lots of very old, very big cottonwood trees as well as mesquites create a haven for song birds. Here are a few photos from last week:

Willow Flycatcher

Black Throated Sparrow

Hutton's Vireo

White Crowned Sparrow

Common Yellowthroat

Pacific Slope Flycatcher