Rare Birds to Southern Arizona: Forster's Tern

Another rare waterbird to Southern Arizona is Forster's Tern. This one I photographed at Lakeside Park a small Municipal Park in East Tucson:

Forster's Tern

Rare Birds to Southern Arizona: Common Merganser

Southern Arizona is not exactly noted for its Rivers and Lakes. Yet being in the "flyway" it sometimes gets some rare water birds.

This Common Merganser was photographed at Santa Cruz Flats in an area of turf farms:

Common Merganser

Rare Birds to Southern Arizona: Clay-colored Thrush

This Clay-colored Thrush was a first to Arizona. They are more typically found along the east coast of Mexico occasionally extending up into the southernmost tip of Texas.

This one was at Arivaca Cienegas for about 10 days in May of this year.

Rare Birds to Southern Arizona: Chestnut-sided Warbler

The Chestnut-sided Warbler is a rare bird to Southern Arizona. It's normal range is east of the Missouri/Mississippi River. In Southern Arizona it is reported every couple of years somewhere along or near the Santa Cruz River. This photo was taken in December, 2019, at Christopher Columbus Lake which is less than 100 yards from the Santa Cruz.  

Chestnut-sided Warbler

Rare Birds to Southern Arizona: Brown Pelican

The Brown Pelican is usually found along the Atlantic Coast, Gulf Coast, and southern Pacific Coast. Also along the Gulf of California which is only about 150 miles from Tucson (by air).

Here then, the Brown Pelican:

Juvenile Brown Pelican

Adult non-breeding Brown Pelican

Rare Birds to Southern Arizona: Blackpoll Warbler

The Blackpoll Warbler summers in most of Canada, migration through the Eastern half of the United States where in winters in the northern half of South America. Occasionally, one decides to rest in Southern Arizona. This photo was taken at Sweetwater Wetlands.

Rare Birds to Southern Arizona: Black-bellied Whistling Duck

More common in Texas and parts of Florida, the Black-bellied Whistling Duck is occasionally seen in the most southern waterholes of Arizona -- not more than about 50 miles from the US/Mexico border. This photo was taken at Cottonwood Pond, a small waterhole in Las Cienegas near Sonoita.