AZ-Birding

Migration is decidedly on for the rare raptors of the Southwest. The Santa Cruz River at Tubac has produced good flights of Common Black-Hawk and Zone-tailed Hawk the past days, and Gray Hawks are arriving on their breeding territories.

With the arrival of the Arizona spring, Patagonia’s Sinaloa Wren–the first and so far only individual in the ABA Area–is beginning to sing again. If this long-staying pioneer lingers, its increasingly vocal behavior bodes well for visiting birders this spring and summer!

Rich Hoyer has been guiding a great group of Florida birders through southeastern Arizona this week, and they’ve confirmed the persistence of virtually all the winter’s rarities, including Short-tailed Hawk, Ruddy Ground-Dove, Sinaloa Wren, Blue Mockingbird, Black-capped Gnatcatcher, and Rufous-capped Warbler. An Aplomado Falcon continues to be seen just across the border in New Mexico, too.