November 21, 2020 Whitewater Draw
This bird is a pretty big deal. Another in an apparent invasion of finches and sparrows et al throughout the Southwest – especially Arizona.
On November 19th a single field sparrow showed up in Portal and the same day another was found along the Santa Cruz River near Tubac, and the next day, November 20, another was reported from Whitewater Draw. The Portal bird was not refound, and the Tubac bird was searched for by many for hours the day after it was first reported, but only one brief sighting was made. Amazingly, another was found in San Luis Obispo, CA, in a residential yard.
The Field Sparrow is an eastern bird, with only a few records in Arizona, so everybody wants to see this bird.
Whitewater Draw is an amazing oasis for migrating and wintering birds – especially Sandhill Cranes. There were between 3,000 and 6,000 there on the 21st.
Also seen was a Bonapart’s Gull. There were large numbers of the common ducks, i.e., American Widgeon, Pintails, and Mallards.
