Total ABA Species Recorded During 2010 - 731



Friday, July 9, 2010

Back in Arizona

Oh those early morning flights!  Today's departed at 5:45am for Atlanta where I connected with my flight to Phoenix.  Arrived on time and since I had no checked luggage, I quickly caught the van to the rental car headquarters where I met John.  We picked out our car and headed northeast out of town.  We were going to the Mount Ord area to get Gray Vireo, but when we got near the area where I had them before, it was now a dividied highway with no way to get to the parking area on the left side of the road.  We had to go 10 miles further down the road before we could turn around.  On the way back we pulled off on a spur that looked like it had good habitat.  The spur actually went under the roadway where the habitat was even better.  In fact we heard a vireo calling not too far away.  With only a little effort we got good looks at him (#654), and my watch said it was only just 12 noon.   Back on the road, we headed south toward Globe and beyond to Dudleyville and Aravaipa Canyon.  As we drove into the canyon area there was a Common Black Hawk (#655) with three Turkey Vultures.  We stopped and took a good look at our target bird, turned around, and headed south to Tucson.  We spent the rest of the afternoon on Mt. Lemmon at Rose Lake campground where we had lovely looks at a Cordillearan Flycatcher (photo, #656).  I also got a Rufous Hummingbird, a catchup bird (#657).  Back into Tucson where we got a motel and went nearby to eat at a chicken and shrimp place that was closing as we entered.  Tomorrow we'll head to Madera Canyon and see what we can find.

2 comments:

  1. Hey Bob - The AOU just officially split Mexican Whip-poor-will, so that is worth a chase, in case you did not hear one up at Boot Springs on the Colima Warbler hike. Winter Wren split is also official, the only other one that will help!

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  2. Congratulations on everything and hitting 650 so soon! Have fun in Madera. Hopefully the Flame-colored Tanager is still hanging around Kubo. We got him there in May!

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