AZ-Birding » Alerts

Upper Santa Cruz Rarities

Rick Wright — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:24:40 +0000

The Upper Santa Cruz River between Tubac and Tumacacori is the current hotspot in southeast Arizona. A Rufous-backed Robin and a Varied Thrush–an uncommon conjunction–are being reliably seen feeding on berries, and yesterday Gavin Bieber and Jake Mohlmann discovered a female-plumaged Rose-throated Becard and a highly unusual lowland White-eared Hummingbird (photo: Jake Mohlmann).

MEGA: Great Knot in San Diego

Rick Wright — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 21:14:38 +0000

It’s not Arizona, but it’s not far off–especially not when the bird is a Great Knot.

Half an hour ago, San Diego birders reported an individual of that species “at Delta Beach along Silver Strand in Coronado.”

Wood Stork in Phoenix

Rick Wright — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 17:12:49 +0000

Once a fairly reliable post-breeding wanderer to Arizona, Wood Stork has been extremely rare in the state since about the 1920s.

One was photographed this morning at the Gilbert Water Ranch in Gilbert, a southeastern suburb of Phoenix.

Make It Two!

Rick Wright — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 21:25:18 +0000

The Patagonia area is now hosting two Plain-capped Starthroats, both bright adults. One bird is at feeders at the Spirit Tree Inn, the other at the TNC Patagonia Sonoita Creek Preserve; both birds were seen within a minute of each other this noon, ruling out the possibility that just one individual was responsible for the sightings.

Plain-capped Starthroat in Patagonia

Rick Wright — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 20:34:21 +0000

A bright Plain-capped Starthroat is visiting feeders at the Spirit Tree Inn in Patagonia. There are only about two dozen records ever of this extravagant hummingbird from the ABA Area, most of them from late summer in southeast Arizona.

Brown-backed Solitaire A N D Aztec Thrush

Rick Wright — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 18:15:47 +0000

The Brown-backed Solitaire in Ramsey Canyon was still being seen late Saturday afternoon.

Apparently two Aztec Thrushes were also seen this weekend in Ramsey Canyon. Favored locales for this west Mexican endemic during other recent late summer incursions have included Carr and Madera Canyons.

Brown-backed Solitaire

Rick Wright — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 17:22:36 +0000

The Brown-backed Solitaire appears to be setting up a feeding territory in Ramsey Canyon, and was heard and seen both weekend days.

Brown-backed Solitaire Continues

Rick Wright — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 18:57:52 +0000

Ramsey Canyon’s Brown-backed Solitaire began its daily concert this morning at 10:30. This is a great bird, and one you won’t want to miss even if you’ve already seen the species in Mexico or Central America.

Ramsey Canyon Solitaire Continues

Rick Wright — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 22:26:50 +0000

Are we starting to see a pattern? Again today–after being a no-show yesterday–the Brown-backed Solitaire played hard to get in the morning, then emerged from its lair at lunchtime.

Good news for rarity chasers who are fond of getting a little sleep!

Solitaire Now in Ramsey Canyon

Rick Wright — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 23:48:17 +0000

The Brown-backed Solitaire discovered Thursday in Miller Canyon has moved just a short distance north to Ramsey Canyon.

Or are there two?