Another rare bird shows up at Pam's!

A Baltimore Oriole turned up at Pam's and after dropping my son at school on Friday May 25th, I invaded her privacy to add this bird to my state list.

Baltimore Oriole

On Saturday May 26th I spent a couple of hours on the Peaks finding my first Red-breasted Nuthatches in Arizona this year, but failing to find anything else on my wish list. I did spend a little while with a friendly House Wren.

House Wren

On Sunday, following a posting from Brain, we went to the Kachina Wetlands for rails. Both Sora and Virginia Rails were very vocal and we had a very quick look at a Sora before it disappeared into the reeds.

Yellow-headed Blackbird

Chasing birds in town and in Cameron

The bird alert had tales of a Rose-breasted Grosbeak at the courtyard at Cameron Trading Post and a Northern Waterthrush at the seep. These are two birds that should be on my state list! After dropping my son at school on Thursday morning, May 17th, I headed to Cameron. I spent a nice two hours in the courtyard and a bad half-hour at a very hot seep, but found neither of these targets.

Summer Tanager

Friday was a better day and I chased a Franklin's Gull at city pond, and then finally saw a Flammulated Owl on an evening trip with Tom, BB, Todd and Gretchen.

Franklin's Gull

Flammulated Owl

On Saturday I headed back to Cameron, this time with three heavy hitters - Tom, Jason and Chuck. Alas I saw the same birds that I had seen on my own on Thursday!

Sadly American Redstart, Northern Waterthrush and Worm-eating Warbler were seen in Cameron over the next few days ...

Rare bird in Flagstaff and the NAMC

While I was down South I had seen a posting of a rare bird in Flagstaff. Fortunately this bird stayed around and I managed to get this bird on the afternoon of my return. I stopped at Rio Salado on my way back, but it was hot and quiet. After getting my son from school I went out to Chuck's place to see the Common Grackle. Rich and Nanette joined me and unlike our fruitless search for the Black-capped Chickadee in cold Fredonia in January, we had the bird in just a few minutes. [The bird was in the same location over a week later!]

The next day, Saturday May 12th was the day of the NAMC and I did my usual route of the I-40 corridor. Both La Posada and McHood Park in Winslow were quiet but I saw many species around the Golf Course in Holbrook.

On Sunday 13th I had a birdingpal visitor from Perth, Australia and spent 3 hours with him at Elden Spring and the Walnut Canyon lakes.

Collared Lizard

Wilson's Phalarope

Short trip South

I headed south after work on Tuesday May 8th, spending an hour at the Glendale Recharge Ponds before sunset. I dipped on the Snowy Plover that had been there for a few days (but it wasn't seen afterwards), but had a good time late in the day in the company of Melanie.

I was up and out to beat the Phoenix rush on Wednesday, stopping first at Sweetwater where the highlight was a Great-horned Owl sitting quietly in one of the large trees.

Great-horned Owl

After an hour or so there, I headed to Madera Canyon where I planned to spend the rest of the day.  My main target bird was a Rose-breasted Grosbeak that had been visiting the Kubo and Chuparosa feeders.  A female White-eared Hummingbird had also been around, and I fancied a hike up to the Carrie Nation Trail for Elegant Trogon. However the weather had other plans and after just an hour or so I was caught in a torrential downpour and headed back to my room! Of course, it was Madera Canyon and I saw plenty of birds.

Wild Turkey

Mexican Jay

Thankfully my luck changed on Thursday and I found the two birds that I had wanted most - Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet and Buff-bellied Flycatcher. I had done my homework on e-Bird and went to Aqua Caliente Park for the former and lucked into a morning bird walk. Incredibly the group were taken to see the tyrranulet nest! A bird came in and I had this ABA bird before 8:30. I then drove up Mt Lemmon and spent 3 hours searching for the Buff-breasted Flycatcher in Rose Canyon. The whole area was full of birds and birders and I spent a wonderful morning in this lovely spot. 

Yellow-eyed Junco

Short Visits

On Sunday April 29th we visited the Kachina Wetlands for an hour just before sunset.

Kachina Wetlands

It was a disappointing trip in that Killdeer were the only waders (shorebirds) around, but I added three species or the year.

On Saturday May 5th we spent an hour in mid-afternoon at the Walnut Canyon Ponds. The best birds were my first Spotted Sandpiper of the year and my first Belted Kingfisher in Arizona this year. However the highlight was a Valley Pocket Gopher active above ground.

Valley Pocket Gopher

More Arrivals

MaA female Bullock's Oriole joined the male on Monday April 30th. I had my first Black-headed Grosbeak of 2012 in my yard on May 6th (compared to May 12th in 2011).

Female Bullock's Oriole

Black-headed Grosbeak

I also found my first Short-horned Lizard of the year on a drive down Lake Mary Road.

Short-horned Lizard