There is a Great-horned Owl nest in my neghborhood. I took a slow walk past them yesterday afternoon and again this morning to get a good look.
This shot was taken in the late afternoon yesterday.
This weekend I took a trip to Tubac and Madera Canyon, and what a successful few days it was. Unlike other birders, I only count birds that I photograph well enough to make an idenification. I do not count birds based on sighting or hearing their call. That ultimately means that I come away with a far smaller count than other birders, but I am OK with that.
I started on Sunday by heading to Tubac. It was my first time in this lovely town - very artsy, with definite flavors of Mexico in the architecture. My first stop was at the historical museum, where I got a Common Raven. Not the most exciting bird, but it was a start to a great couple of days.
I only stopped at the museum to drink a coffee - it was 6am and he museum did not open for another 3 hoours, but I was able to park for a while and read about the De Anza Trail, which is where I would be birding for the morning. I enteredd the trail at Ron Morris Park amd was immediately greeted by Northern Cardinals and Lesser Goldfinches. I hiked the easy trail south to Clark's Crossing, getting images of Broad-billed Humminbirds, Lucy's Warblers, White-winged Doves, Gila Woodpeckers and Bell's Vireos. At Clark's Crosing I turned around and walked back to the bridge, north of the park.
At the bridge I continued into the wooded area and found snakes, bullfrogs, a hummingbird nest (no activity, but it looked fresh). The final discovery was a Rose-throated Becard nest, shaped like a butternut squash, hanging from a tree. I hoped I had caught an image of the female, but I am not convinced enough to declare an identification.
Bell's Vireo
I spent the following day moving up and down the Madera Canyon Road happy to spot whatever I could. Just south of Santa Rita I saw a group of birders at the side of the road. They were waiting for a Northern Pigmy Owl, but after a couple of hours I gave up and moved on. The 2 hours was not a waste though, and I snapped Yellow-eyed Junco, Dark-eyed Junco, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Tennessee Warbler, Hepatic Tanager, Painted Redstart, Red-naped Sapsucker, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Spotted Towhee, Wilson's Warbler, American Robin and Hermit Thrush. Back at Santa Rita in the afternoon for more humminbirds.
Black-chinned Humingbird
On day 3 I headed back down to the Northern Pigmy Owl spot, but this time I was able to locate the nesting hole. It was a little cooler, more wind and less light, so after an hour I headed off. I had been back at Santa Rita packing up my room for just a few minutes when another birder stopped by to let me know that the owl appeared a little while after I left. So, I headed back down and there they were!
Northern Pigmy Owl
I have missed posting the last few trips out - trips that have included some new lifers and trialling a new lens! I purchased a Nikkor 500mm PF ahead of my April trip to Madera Canyon - some of these images are using that lens, others are using my 300mm.
