Mormon Lake

On Saturday September 10th, I joined a Northern Arizona Audubon field trip to Mormon Lake. We spent an hour at the old overlook, twenty minutes at the new overlook and then an hour-and-a-half on the bluff road. The lake itself had many White-faced Ibis and American Avocet and 8 Greater White-fronted Geese. There were also many Elk on the lake and on the move because of a number of bow hunters in the area.

Elk

The bluff road yielded 5 warbler species, Gray and Dusky Flycatcher, Western Wood Pewee and a Gray Vireo. A Northern Harrier hunting the lake edge was one of five raptors seen.

Late in the day I went looking for a Hooded Warbler that had been present along Switzer Canyon Road since midweek. I had Wilson's and Nashville Warblers, saw more Lewis's Woodpeckers than I've seen in this part of town for a while but not the bird I was chasing.

I added 2 new species for 2011, the first of these took me to my target of 250 Arizona birds for the year. I ended the day on 534 for the year.