Tuesday, May 29, 2018
Sunday, May 27, 2018
Saturday, May 26, 2018
Friday, May 25, 2018
Sunday, May 20, 2018
Saturday, May 19, 2018
Boomer's Best For Spring Migration 2018
Male Bell's Vireo
Male Orchard Oriole
Female Summer Tanager
Lincoln's Sparrow
Mallard First Family 2018
Neotropic Cormorants
Common Yellowthroat
Green Heron Adult
Least Flycatcher
Brown Thrasher
Eastern Kingbird
May 2018
No sooner did I return from southeast Arizona, sleep overtook for a few hours, then it was back at
Boomer Lake to record summer residents, as well as neotropical migrants.
Fortunately, we have had a good showing for the migratory season. We will still gain a few birds, lose a few birds, and perhaps get some surprises as a result.
I'm sure that the Neotropic Cormorants are breeding somewhere nearby, but as yet, the mystery
remains unsolved.
Since our Green Herons set up a little early, perhaps an early clutch or two will be in order.
Even though spring migration will be slowing down for a while, there are bound to be a few more
late adventurers. Stay tuned for more news as it breaks.
Monday, May 14, 2018
Birding On a Shoestring: The Final Frontier On Southeast Arizona
Cassin's Finch
Magnificent Hummingbird
Wild Turkey (Southwestern Subspecies)
Hammond's Flycatcher
Wild Turkey (Southwestern Subspecies)
Lizard
Elf Owl
Ground Squirrel
Gray Fox
Lucy's Warbler
This was the final several days of an exciting two weeks in southeastern Arizona. If nothing else,
I learned that not all species that I wanted to see were available. On other trips, I'm hoping for the
Elegant Trogon, more hawks and owls, woodpeckers, chickadees, jays, and pit vipers, as well as the gila monster.
I'm pleased with the number of hummingbirds that I was able to locate and photograph, getting about half of them on my first trip.
The climate was drier, not making it seem as hot, and I met some wonderful people along the way that I will retain contact with.
A large part of what I learned was about a non-profit greenhouse that also employs disabled people.
They have the largest number of native plants for Arizona and their honor is for the top spot in the country. It gives me hope that Oklahoma will be able to support their own native plant community,
and perhaps have many more native birds as a result.
Even though this was a working vacation, it gave me many of the species that I came for, including
a few extra. This is just the beginning of more trips to Arizona, to learn more about the varied
ecosystems and how they all work together in order to achieve a common goal.
There are many of you, but for now, I wish to thank Carol and Paul, Skye, Nate and Amanda, Janine, and many, many others that made this a trip to never forget.
Sunday, May 13, 2018
Friday, May 11, 2018
Birding On a Shoestring: The Wilds of Arizona, Part 4
Abert's Towhee
Male Summer Tanager
Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Lizard
Lesser Goldfinch
Violet-Green Swallow
Spotted Towhee
Common Black Hawk
Rivoli's( Magnificent) Hummingbird
Hermit Thrush
Anna's Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird
Red Skimmer
Male Masked Bobwhite
Northern Cardinal (Southwest Subspecies)
Male Western Tanager
Iguana
Female Bighorn Sheep
Curve-billed Thrasher
Black-throated Sparrow
Brown Creeper
Common Raven
04-23 through 04-27-18
Abert's Towhee is common in dense riparian brush and the male Scarlet Tanager is common in mixed and coniferous woods, feeding in the upper level of trees and usually solitary.
The Broad-tailed Hummingbird is common in dry montane coniferous woods with openings like meadows and thickets of willows, which are common in the area where the photo was taken in Santa Cruz County, the most southern of southeast Arizona.
Lesser Goldfinch are residents and are found in patchy open habitat, like wood edges and riparian thickets.
Violet-Green Swallows are common summer residents, nesting in cliff faces and tree cavities in open areas.
The Spotted Towhee, also a resident, usually stays under cover and enjoys brushy undergrowth within forests and sunny clearings. It is a denizen of leaf litter, found scratching about for insects and seeds.
Common Black Hawks are rare and local located within mature cottonwood forests near streams. Hunting from a perch, their favorite food are snakes, frogs, and rodents.
The Magnificent Hummingbird is uncommon in montane pine-oak forests, is somewhat large, and favors flowers and feeders.
Hermit Thrush is a resident and common in the brushy understory of forests, usually in drier and brushier habitat than most other thrushes. It is seen all over the country in winter. It is distinguished by a narrow white eyering and has a contrasting reddish tail.
Anna's Hummingbird is one of the most common hummingbirds with the oak-chapparal habitat.
Rufous Hummingbird is common, nesting within open coniferous forest and riparian woods. These migrants are common in mountain meadows and is a small and compact bird with short wings.
The Masked Northern Bobwhite is very rare and local in the grasslands of southern Arizona.
The Black-th®mated Sparrow is common in arid desert scrub and sparse shrubby vegetation with patches of open ground.
The Curve-billed Thrasher is a resident, common in desert scrub and dense brushy woodlands with open areas. It forages on the ground, tossing leaf litter about to expose insects.
This Common Raven was found in a picnic area protecting small birds from feral cats when located. Upon arrival and discovery of the cats, they were kept at bay, while the raven looked on from the sky.
This female bighorn sheep was an amiable sort and enjoyed having her photo taken.
Wednesday, May 9, 2018
Birding on a Shoestring: The Beauty of the American Southwest in Spring, Part 3
Ruddy Duck
Abert's Squirrel
Cactus Wren
Female Phainopepla
Black-tailed Gnatcatcher
Steller's Jay
Red-faced Warbler
Male Coues' White-tailed Deer
Female Coues' White-tailed Deer
Black-throated Gray Warbler
White-throated Sparrow
Curve-billed Thrasher
Buff-breasted Flycatcher
Audubon's Yellow-rumped Warbler
Buff-breasted Flycatcher
on nest
Ramsay Canyon Leopard Frog
Rock Wren
Coyote
Gray Hawk
Burrowing Owl
04-25 - 04-29-18
After almost a week, finally getting into the groove of the hunt for these animals, which is the most
pleasurable element on the trip. Having someone point animals out to me detracts from the thrill of
locating them.
During this time period, this was not all the animals located. Only halfway through this memory card, there will be a number left to show you. We're not even into some of the wilder creatures of
this ecosystem, and unfortunately we are in the wrong season for poisonous vipers and the Gila Monster, so there will be a return trip.
Some of the rarer birds include the Red-faced Warbler and the Buff-breasted Flycatcher, some of which the average person will never observe. It is my great pleasure to show the beauty of these animals, as well as the secrets into the nesting behavior.
The Cactus Wren, Phainopepla and the Coues' White-tailed Deer are also a sampling of the heart of the desert's finest denizens.
The odd little Burrowing Owl is also a wonder in the birding world, making a home in old prairie
dog burrows. They can be found in the western half of the country.
The Ramsay Canyon Leopard frog is also an amphibian from only this restricted area, making it a
true treasure in Arizona.
The Black-tailed Gnatcatcher is restricted to the American Southwest and Steller's Jay makes its home in the west, preferring mature coniferous woods, as dense as possible, but will emerge from their confines from time-to-time.
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