Ekrunkkala

May 27, 2024 Thick-billed Kingbird and Bronzed Cowbird, Box Canyon Old Dam 5-24-24 The Thick-bills and Hooded Orioles (2 pair) are nesting in the same tree at the top of Box Canyon, about 12 miles east of Green Valley. These two attractive species will not tolerate cowbirds anywhere near their nest sites. The same sycamore […]

May 16, 2024 Philadelphia Vireo, Box Canyon Old Dam, 5-15-24 This one was a big surprise. Totally unexpected. I was not sure about it in the field. On my computer it resolved quickly. This is about the best bird I’ve found. Very unusual in May. Philadelphia Vireo, Box Canyon Old Dam, 5-15-24 Berylline Hummingbird, Ramsey

May 7, 2024 Common Black-hawk, Tubac, 5-3-24 Zone-tailed Hawk,Madera Canyon, 5-5-24 Gray Hawk, Clark Crossing, 5-4-24 These three raptors are all first-summer birds, arriving locally a bit late. Indigo Bunting, Montosa Canyon, 5-2-24 As noted earlier, Indigo Buntings are being seen in several localities. The last three years they have been hard to find. This

April 26, 2024 Indigo Bunting, Rio Rico, 4-26-24 Indigo Buntings have started to arrive locally, being seen at feeders in Patagonia, Sonoita, and this bird at a private residence in Rio Rico. Rio Rico is a community a bit north of Nogales along the east side of I-19 and the Santa Cruz River. These birds

Nikon (Nikkor) has released a new traveling lens, a 28-400mm f4-f8 zoom. I ordered one through Tucson Camera Repair, an authorized Nikon Dealer. I got the lens in its first release on April 19th.The big advantage of this lens is that it weighs about half as much as my 500mm f5.6, and .75 pounds less

April 10, 2024 Violet-crowned Hummingbird, Paton’s, 4-7-24 A Magnolia Warbler was reported at Paton’s on 4-6-24 so I decided to give it a try. No Magnolia, but several spiffy male Audubon’s that could work as a stand-in. The Violet-crowned hummingbird is a year-round resident. Zone-tailed Hawk, Clark Crossing, 4-4-24 Zone-tailed Hawk (2), Clark Crossing, 4-4-24

March 29, 2024 Short-tailed Hawk, Tubac, 3-14-24 This bird has been seen at the Tubac Hawkwatch since March 3. It is suspected that this is one of the birds that has nested on nearby Mount Lemon in recent years. Another, lighter phase version has also been seen several times at Hawkwatch. This is the same

March 11, 2024 Hawk Watch, Tubac 3-8-24 The annual Tubac Hawk Watch is locally a big deal. Through March Peter Collins shows up and hosts the show. It is usually well attended. This morning I noted about 50 cars in the parking area at Ron Morriss Park in Tubac, just a short distance from the

March 3, 2024 White Ibis, Buckeye AZ, 3-3-24 I dipped three times on this Ibis. It has wintered with immense flocks of White-faced Ibis in the flooded fields in and around Buckeye, ranging all the way to Arlington. Yesterday, 3-2-24, it was reported by Nolan Walker. So Ted Wolff and I left Green Valley the

February 27, 2024 Northern Harrier, (M) AKA Gray Ghost, Buckeye 2-25-24 I made another voyage to Buckeye hoping to find the White Ibis that has been seen sort-of regularly in flooded fields around Buckeye. Had I found and photographed the ibis, the title of this post would be different. I left Green Vally at 4