Birding On a Shoestring: The American Southwest via Southeast Arizona part 2

                                                               Gambel's Quail

                                                   Magnificent (Rivoli's) Hummingbird

                                                            Pink Sided Dark-eyed Junco

                                                          Gray headed Dark-eyed Junco

                                                                     Canyon Towhee

                                                                    Wilson's Warbler

                                                                   Acorn Woodpecker

                                                                       Mexican Jay

                                                                   Plumbeous Vireo

Cactus 

                                                            Broad-billed Hummingbird

                                                          Violet-crowned Hummingbird

                                                     Western     and     Clark's Grebes

                                                                  Western Grebe

                                                                    Clark's Grebe

                                                                       Black Phoebe

                                                                Male Lazuli Bunting

                                                       House Wren (western subspecies)

                                                                    Cassin's Kingbird


Many of these were taken in Madera Canyon, as well as in Patagonia, both in Santa Cruz
County, southeast AZ.  Most of the western and southwestern subspecies are clearly different,
very noticeably this grayer version of House Wren.  The eastern subspecies is clearly more colorful,
but it will blend in better in this ecoregion.

Also observe how the Cassin's Kingbird differs from the Western Kingbird.  It just has a white stripe
at the bottom of the tail, unlike the western, which has white on both sides of the tail.

Both the Clark's and the Western Grebes are much bigger than the ones that come from Central OK.
This is a lovely view of the breeding plumage for both.  They can even interbreed, and the intergrade shows interesting characteristics, such as the black on the head.  One side of the head can look like the western species and the other side can dominate with the headdress of the Clark's species.

There are also different towhees and juncos, all of whom are lumped into the sparrow family.  Not all of them can be seen in spring, but there are more species in the winter.

Arizona is also the hummingbird capital of the world, but again, they all cannot be observed at the
same time of year OR the same elevation.  For example, the Violet-crowned Hummingbird nests in
a very limited part of the southeast, and it is very rare and local in cottonwoods and sycamores.

As you can see, Gambel's Quail is much different than the Northern Bobwhit , and even less well known are the Montezuma and Scaled Quail, both of which are interested in different ecosystems.

Hopefully, you have enjoyed what some of Arizona has to offer in the winter, spring, and summer
even though it is spring now.  Stay tuned for part 3.