November 11, 2023
Pomarine Jaeger, Green Valley WTP, 11-8-23
This is a very odd bird, and a mega, to show up in the middle of the desert. It hung around since the 7th chasing pigeons and coots until it was exhausted. On the 11th it was taken to rehab in Tucson.
Prairie Falcon, Canoa Ranch 11-1-23
Pyrrhuloxia, Canoa Ranch 11-2-23
Northern Parula, Clark Crossing 11-8-23
Crested Caracara, Canoa Ranch 11-1-23
Bay-breasted Warbler, Arivaca Lake 11-7-23
This warbler was found by Janine McCabe on 11-6-23 kayaking the edges of Arivaca Lake. Amazing, this bird would likely never would have been found by birders on a hike. I initially rejected the notion of trekking and bushwacking through cat claw out to the site, but later in the afternoon it was revealed that there was perfectly good high-clearance road to the base of the dam, only about 100 yards from the bird’s favorite hangout. Brian Nicholas constructed a “teepee” marker at the bird’s spot. So the next morning Ted Wolff and I drove out in my old jeep 4×4. The short-cut was easy to find and negotiate. The last section, about 1/4 mile, had thick cat claws which added a couple of new stripes to my 25-year-old heep. We quickly found the bird exactly at the tee-pee, and after two hours it had appeared five times. It was not particularly confiding. The warbler was seen until 11-9-23.
Gray Fox, Pena Blanca Lake, 11-6-23
Black-and-white Warbler, Fort Lowell 11-4-23
Reakirk’s Blue, Florida Wash, 11-3-23
White-throated Sparrow, Santa Rita Lodge, 11-10-23