Southern Arizona Apr 17-18 2013

For those following the blog you may be surprized to see we are in southern Arizona.  We awoke Apr. 17 fully intending to head to the Grand Canyon.  We found that it had snowed there so a complete change of plans.  We headed south and ended up in Huachuca City, not far from the Mexican border.  It was 5 degrees celcius last night here and 8 degrees back home in Abbotsford.  The wind was really blowing as we arrived.  The highway was shut down towards New Mexico because of dust storms.  It will get up to 63f today and low 80's by the weekend.  I am trying a new format for the blog-enlarging the pictures.  I hope that will improve the viewing.

Summer Tanager

Black-crowned Night Heron

Ring-necked Duck

Ash-throated Flycatcher

Ash Canyon Bed and Breakfast is a great place to donate a few dollars and bird in comfort.    The owner is at the far left and Dian is 3rd down the line.  Most of the following shots are from there.

Scotts Orioles were a common sight here. 

                                                    Mexican Jays showed up in groups. 

                                                               Magnificent Hummingbird

                                                                                           Magnificent Hummingbird female

                                                                             Lazuli Bunting

                                                                                    Lark Sparrow

                                                                   Ladder-backed Woodpecker showing crest.

                                                          Cotton Rats gobbled up the bird seed.

                                                                    Broad-tailed Hummingbird.

                                                              Broad-billed Hummingbird.

                                                                    Black-headed Grosbeak.

                                  Taken from the top of Coronado Mountain.  The dark line across the valley                            is the fence dividing Mexico and the US.  

 An Arizona Woodpecker at Coronado.  

   Plumbeous Vireo.  We encountered constant border patrol vehicles at Coronado.

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