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| Hooded Oriole |
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| Brewer's Blackbird |
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| Bullock's Oriole |
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Spring Migrants in my Yard
On Friday April 13th I had my first Hooded Oriole and the first Brewer's Blackbirds in my yard in 2012. A foot of snow on Saturday saw the arrival of Brown-headed Cowbirds, and the departure of the Hooded Oriole.
I had my yard's first Broad-tailed hummingbird on Saturday April 21st, and my first Bullock's Oriole of 2012 on Sunday April 22nd.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Cave Springs and Page Springs
On Saturday April 7th, Matt and I stopped at Brian's place in Kachina Village for Evening Grosbeaks, life birds for Matt. We then drove into Oak Creek Canyon and stopped for the next target bird, American Dipper. This bird had been so easy to see in the past three months, but alas a Easter weekend crowd had replaced the bird and we did not find it. We did not see any birds that had not been around the previous weekend but the House Wrens and Painted Redstarts were both very visible.
We drove down the canyon and stopped next at the creek opposite Encinoso Picnic Grounds where we had Common Black-hawk, Matt's final target bird and fourth lifer for the weekend (he had Pinyon Jay at Pam's on Friday morning). This was followed by two more black-hawks along the road near Midgely Bridge and a pair at Page Springs. Lucy's Warblers were both plentiful and full song at Page Springs and I also saw my FOY Western Kingbirds.
We drove down the canyon and stopped next at the creek opposite Encinoso Picnic Grounds where we had Common Black-hawk, Matt's final target bird and fourth lifer for the weekend (he had Pinyon Jay at Pam's on Friday morning). This was followed by two more black-hawks along the road near Midgely Bridge and a pair at Page Springs. Lucy's Warblers were both plentiful and full song at Page Springs and I also saw my FOY Western Kingbirds.
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Snowbowl road
Northern Arizona visitor Matt, from Pennsylvania, and I went up to the Arizona Snowbowl around 4pm on Friday April 6th. Matt's target bird was Clark's Nutcracker and we had a lone bird fly over and perch for a few seconds. We did see much else of much interest: Pygmy and White-breasted Nuthatches, Mountain Chickadee and three pairs of our breeding race of Dark-eyed Juncos. We then went down to Hart Prairie where we were surprised to find singing Chorus Frogs at 8000 feet.
Matt and I returned to Snowbowl Road for some owling at 7pm on Saturday April 7th. We saw three elk on the road up and heard both a Great-horned Owl and a Flammulated Owl calling during a cold but wind-free vigil.
Matt and I returned to Snowbowl Road for some owling at 7pm on Saturday April 7th. We saw three elk on the road up and heard both a Great-horned Owl and a Flammulated Owl calling during a cold but wind-free vigil.
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