Sierra Vista area Apr 19-20 2013 Patagonia and San Pedro House

The weather has been excellent lately.  The wind still appears in the late afternoon but not as severe as early days.  San Pedro house, Lake Patagonia, Ash Canyon B&B, and Pattons have been our points of interest so far.  We found Pattons in Patagonia not as birder friendly as Ash Canyon.  We were just too far away from the bird feeders.  At Ash Canyon we were in the midst of the action.  We did see a nice Indigo Bunting at Pattons though.  Off to Beatty's in Miller Canyon today and that will be the subject of the next blog..

Curved-billed Thrasher San Pedro House

Ground Dove San Pedro House

Cassin's Vireo San Pedro House

Bridled Titmouse Patagonia

Broad-billed Hummingbird Patagonia

Black-chinned Hummingbird Patagonia

Summer Tanager Patagonia

Northern Cardinal Patagonia

Vermillion Flycatcher female Patagonia

Dian in front San Pedro House

Looking towards san Pedro River and hiking trail San Pedro House

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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Cottonwood Arizona April 14 - 15 2013

Another post from windy Cottonwood.  The weather would be great except for the constant wind.  Yesterday we decided to go up Mingus Mountain, above Jerome.  I wore my shorts.  Big mistake.  It was 7 degrees Celsius 5500 feet up.  The sun was shining and when we hiked around we forgot about the chilliness.  Different habitat and different birds.

White-breasted Nuthatch

Zone-tailed Hawk.  Very similar to Black Hawk posted previously.

We saw many Western Bluebirds on top of Mingus Mtn.

This bird had us stumped for a while.  It is a Dark-eyed Junco - The Red-Backed form.

We joined a bird walk at Montezuma's Well. Nice to mingle with some nice locals.  This Canyon Wren was quite bold. 

A Ladder-backed Woodpecker caught a caterpiller.

It apparently doesn't like the chewed up leaves in the intestines so it shakes it until the green poop is extracted.

Much tastier this way.

A Lesser Goldfinch prefers dandelion seeds.

A view above Jerome looking into the Cottonwood area.  Our trailer park is down there somewhere.

The trailer park.  Spot the Airstream.

Apr 17 we leave for the Grand Canyon where overnight temperatures are below freezing.   BRRR.

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Cottonwood Az. Apr 8-Apr 13 2013

Our time in Cottonwood has been mostly spent hiking in the many gorgeous canyons here.  We did spend a day at Page hatchery and exploring the trails around the campsite though-both great birding spots.  The heat has returned and we are starting to anticipate our move next Wednesday to the Grand Canyon.  A camper at our site just returned from there and said it snowed.  The weather has got to change there soon.

Looking towards Sedona.

Scenery north of Sedona

Dian's Favorite

Redhead Duck at Page

Canvasbacks at Page

Common Blackhawk at Page

Common Blackhawk at Page

Vermillion Flycatcher in an interesting pose.

One of the prettiest birds we have seen-a Painted Redstart

Small flocks of Brewer's Sparrows heading north.

Vesper Sparrow is probably heading up to the Okanagan also.

A Virginia Rail is an unusual find in the open like this.

Another shot of the Redstart

Indian Paintbrush looks a little different than ours.

More Scenery

Sycamore Canyon- a great hike.

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