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 bird was found singing in Montosa Canyon, at the same spot where the Five-striped Sparrows finally arrived.
Bendire’s Thrasher, Wilcox, 5-1-24
Wilcox, especially Lake Cochise and the adjacent golf course, are regular spots for Bendire’s Thrasher as well as Scaled Quail. The lake often gets unusual, for Arizona, peeps, gulls and quacks.
Bronzed Cowbird, Madera Canyon, 5-5-24
Thick-billed Kingbird, Box Canyon, 5-6-24
Regular breeding species locally. Most often seen in Box Canyon and at Santa Gertrudis along the mighty Santa Cruz River. This bird was conspicuous and noisy.
Northern Beardless-tyrannulet, Montosa Canyon, 5-2-2
Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Madera Canyon, 5-5-24.
I usually would not use a feeder-pic, but this bird would only show up on the feeders at Santa Rita Lodge.
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (f) , Box Canyon, 5-6-24
Notes on American Culture- Jonathan and Darlene Edwards
I was introduced to this famous duo at a dinner party given by parents of a high school band buddy on the occasion of our graduation from high school. A Jonathan and Darlene Edwards LP was placed on the turntable just as we sat down to a fine meal. It took a few moments before we noticed that something was amiss, like a faint annoying odor. Played softly as background music it might escape notice by the tone deaf. As it turns out, Darlene was actually Jo Stafford, a well known vocalist who had the uncanny ability to sing consistently about a quarter tone sharp or flat. Jonathan Edwards, her husband, real name Paul Weston, was a well known pianist who did musical violence on an out-of-tune instrument. The Edward’s career started with Paul’s concert act impersonating bad lounge pianists. Underground recordings circulated and the act became a thing. This led to albums being released under the names Jonathan and Darlene Edwards. Jo won a grammy award for comedy, her only major career award, for the album Jonathan and Darlene Edwards in Paris. Enjoy
