I went to Arizona two weekends ago for a 4 day birding and spring training excursion with my dad! I’ve finally gotten around to putting up the trip report: Day 1 – Friday 10th Today’s the day we drive up to Boise to hop on the plane to Phoenix! On the way there, I spot yearbird American White Pelican. Nothing really happened until we landed about 4 hours later. On the way to the hotel, I grabbed a few shots to get yearbirds Northern Rough-Winged Swallow and Great Egret. Driving into the Hotel Parking lot, I grabbed yearbird Northern Mockingbird. I hear a massive exotic-sounding raucous going on… lifer Great-tailed Grackles! I was so excited about a bird that got to be soooo annoying as the trip went on. After checking in, we drove right to Desert Botanical Gardens. On finding that the fee to get in was a little too pricy for us, we drove out. While pulling out of the parking lot, I spotted lifer Cactus Wren and got a crappy through-the-windshield shot: We drove around the area and ended up getting out of the car and walking around for a while. Lifer Verdin was extremely easy to find but still awesome! We found some ponds and looked around there for a while. In the middle I spotted yearbird Ruddy Duck: Right on the shore amongst some coots we spotted lifer Common Gallinule! On the picnic benches half-submerged in the water there was lifer Neotropic Cormorant: Floating there was also yearbird Northern Shoveler with some crappy shots. While standing in the shade (out of the 80 degrees we were NOT used to), I spotted 3 Green Herons flying around on the far shore! Got crappy pictures not worth sharing. On the shore was yearbird Double-crested Cormorant: While on the path a flock of Gambel’s Quail scuttled across: By that time we were both extremely hot and decided to grab some dinner. The authentic Mexican food was delicious! Day 2 – Saturday 11th This is spring training day, so we only have the morning and late afternoon to bird. We decided to go to Gilbert Riparian Preserve, a place we hung out at for pretty much the entire trip since there are so many big shady trees. As soon as we stepped out of the car we could hear Hummers going everywhere. Lifer Anna’s Hummingbird: Continuing along one of the many paths in the Preserve, I was greeted with some shorebirds I hadn’t seen in forever. Yearbirds Black-necked Stilts and American Avocets, along with lifers Long-billed Dowitchers: I also found a Myrtle Yellow-rumped Warbler which I have never had good views of: Lifers Curve-billed Thrashers seemed to be everywhere: So were lifers Abert’s Towhees: Lifer Gila Woodpecker: I got some better Gambel’s Quail and Verdin shots: Yearbirds Cinnamon Teal, Green-winged Teal, and American Pipit: And then I found it – a PEEP! Right on the shore in front of me! I quickly grabbed some IDable shots before creeping towards the adorable little thing. Lifer Least Sandpiper! I am no longer the Queen of not seeing peeps! Great Egret with SO MANY SHOREBIRDS: On the way out of the Preserve I spotted yearbirds Snowy Egret, Western Grebe, and Ruby-crowned Kinglet: Then was the Cubs v Rockies game! Really awesome to see the World Series winners play ball right in front of you. The game ended up with the Cubs winning! We had some time after the game to return to Gilbert Preserve to try for the continuing Black-and-White Warbler. Unfortunately, I dipped but did get yearbird Osprey and Orange-crowned Warbler: I also got some good views of a Green Heron: And got lifer Black Phoebe! Day 3 – Sunday 12th Today is the day I get the entire day for birding! After a good diner breakfast, we decided to head out to Coon Bluff campground. On the way there lifers Phainopepla were EVERYWHERE: In the parking lot when we realized we needed a permit to park there and it was half an hour to the nearest bit of civilization, I spotted lifer female Vermillion Flycatcher! We decided to fudge the rules and park on the side of the road on the way there. While walking around the area I spotted yearbirds Turkey Vulture and Greater Yellowlegs: A male Vermillion Flycatcher showed up! We spotted a lizard jumping around in a tree: On the way back to the car there was lifer Ash-throated Flycatcher! We quickly grabbed a permit at the nearest Walgreens and headed to Saguaro Lake. There I heard yearbird Rock Wren and spotted yearbird Lesser Scaup: These giant ground squirrel things were everywhere: By that time we were both completely tired and done for the morning. We headed to In-n-Out (COME TO IDAHO PLEASE) and grabbed some fries and a malt. It was only 2:30 so we decided to head to Gilbert Preserve again and try for the Black-and-White Warbler. We sat on a bench and waiting for it to show up. Literally as soon as I sat down I spotted it! We got to watch it for about 2 minutes. Lifer Black-and-White Warbler: On the way back we watched a Thrasher cooling off in the dirt: I got yearbird Spotted Towhee on the way out. So many shorebirds!
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Youtube:The first Kestrel chick fed!
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