Phoenix

I drove down to Phoenix after work on Friday January 13th for the long weekend, and spent Saturday 14th birding around Phoenix. My first stop was at the Glendale Recharge Ponds where I found my target, an uncooperative Long-tailed Duck that spent long periods under water and only a few seconds in view.  The ponds had an expected variety of ducks as well as many Least Sandpipers. The most interesting sight was a large flock of American Pipits feeding around a seated Peregrine.

Peregrine Falcon

The next stop was at a stake-out spot in an alfalfa field in Goodyear/Buckeye. A Trumpeter Swan had been at the same spot for more than a week, sitting in the middle of the field a long way from any vantage point. A couple were already on the distant bird. This was a state bird for me, and a bird I had missed in the Pacific Northwest at Thanksgiving.

Trumpeter Swan

My next stop was at the Buckeye Thrasher spot where I beat the bushes for 90 minutes and found few birds. My wanderings began brightly with Gambel's Quail and three Sagebrush Sparrows, but I saw little else before running into a couple of Black-tailed Gnatcatchers nearly an hour later. I has just about given up hope of seeing any thrashers when I noticed a LeConte's Thrasher perched up waiting to be seen.

LeConte's Thrasher

My next stop was at Encanto Park where I had had good views on Rosy-faced Lovebirds a year ago. This time I added the bird to my year list through five birds calling as they flew overhead. I did manage to find a Verdin, a small group of Inca Doves  as well as my first Neotropic Cormorants of the year - looking so different to the Double-crested Cormorants I have become used to in San Jose.

Neotropic Cormorant

Inca Dove

 I ended the day at Papago Park where I immediately headed to the usual spot for Common Gallinule where I found not only that species but also a Green Heron. I dipped on Cactus Wren and Curve-billed Thrasher but also added Gila Woodpecker.

Common Gallinule

Green Heron