Wilson's Warbler
Walt and I headed directly to Florida Canyon, hoping to see the warblers that had been reported there yesterday. We started on the rocky, and in some places, tricky to hike, trail. The first warbler species I saw this morning was another Wilson's, and then several Lucy's Warblers. The only other warbler species we saw there was a Townsend's.
Wilson's Warbler
Lucy's Warbler
Lucy's Warbler
Lucy's Warbler
Townsend's Warbler
But we did add a few new species to our trip list.
Rufous-crowned Sparrow
Hooded Oriole
Scott's Oriole
Scott's Oriole
Green-tailed Towhee
I saw another Swainson's Thrush, but it looked very gray, and reminded me of a Gray-cheeked Thrush. But this species is not found in Arizona, so it must have been an Olive-backed Swainson's Thrush sub-species.
Swainson's Thrush
Western Tanager
Summer Tanager
Male Phainopepla
Bell's Vireo
Cordilleran Flycatcher
We then headed over to Madera Canyon to look for warblers. When we first got there, the passenger side of Walt's car was close to another parked vehicle, and I had to twist my right leg at a funny angle to get out of the car with the door only partially opened. When I stood up to get out, a sharp pain hit my right knee and I let out a Yelp! I sat back down in the car seat, waited a minute for the pain to subside, and then got out of the car. I didn't know that 24 hours later, my knee would change our birding itinerary. I started hiking along the trail, saw a few species, and then got lucky to see a White-nosed Coatimundi.
Swainson's Thrush
Spotted Towhee
White-nosed Coatimundi
White-nosed Coatimundi
When I got back to the parking area, warblers had shown up. I saw Townsend's Warblers and a Painted Redstart, and got my Hermit Warbler life bird - finally!
Townsend's Warbler
Townsend's Warbler
Townsend's Warbler
Painted Redstart
Painted Redstart
Hermit Warbler
Hermit Warbler
Hermit Warbler
We saw a few more species before heading north to the Phoenix area.
Hutton's Vireo
Acorn Woodpecker
Broad-billed Hummingbird
Broad-billed Hummingbird
Wild Turkey
Wild Turkey
Walt and I stopped at the Sweetwater Wetlands Park in Tucson, where we hiked under hot and sunny skies.
Yellow Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Wilson's Warbler
White-crowned Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Gallinule
American Wigeon
Ruddy Duck
White-winged Dove
A rare Northern Jacana had been reported along the Santa Cruz River in Tucson, and had been seen from the West Ina Road bridge. We stopped for a look but didn't see it. There was another birder there who had been looking for it for a half hour, and he decided to climb over a railing and hike down to the river for a look. Walt and I chose not to go with him. He later said that he had gotten a quick look at it. As he hiked close to the river, we saw a larger bird fly, and I got one quick photo of it. It wasn't the Jacana, but appears to have been a Black-crowned Night-Heron.
Black-crowned Night-Heron
When we got to the Phoenix area, Walt showed me where his new house was being built, and three Greater Roadrunners were checking it out as well.
Greater Roadrunner
Greater Roadrunner