With a map from the rental car company , some directions from a phone call to the Tucson Audubon Society and LOTS of determination, we found the most unlikely place here in Arizona. Part of the challange was overcoming the closure of most exit and entrance ramps on I-10 in downtown Tucson!
The
Sweetwater Wetland is a sewer treatment pond, which attracts hundreds of ducks and other birds. I never would have thought of looking for ducks and water fowl in the Arizona desert, but we have always had good luck birding at water treatment ponds. We saw more varieties of ducks here than I normally would see in Kentucky or Indiana. Northern Shovelers were the most common, although we also saw:
American Widgeon, Mallard , Northern Pintail** , American Black Duck , Blue Winged Teal , Cinnamon Teal**, Green Winged Teal , Bufflehead (female) , Ruddy Duck (female)
As the sun set, a noisy flock of Red Winged Blackbirds, Yellow Headed Blackbirds and Brewer's Blackbirds sailed in for the evening and perched like bright yellow flowers.
A family of Harris Hawks lives nearby, and apparently views this territory as their own. We saw one hawk perched on a power pole, then saw it actually fighting (talons extended and everything) with a falcon! How's that for an exciting first day birding!
A bird resembling a Phoebe, but a bit larger, perched on a branch above the water, darting out for a bug and returning to wait for the next one. Turns out to be a Black Phoebe. We also got a quick glimpse of a Gambel's Quail and an Anna's Hummingbird. At first I thought it was a Costa, but closer examination of the field guide changed my mind.
24 species we could identify and 8 new additions to the life list. And there was afternoon, and there was evening of the first day. And it was good...
We just spent the most marvelous day at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, and did not get to do everything we wanted. But they have the best raptor program I have ever seen, and I see all I can go to. The program is on the grounds, among the Saguaro Cactus, rather than in a building - important point #1 - so these birds could fly away any time they want to. They fly from perch to perch, buzzing the heads of the viewers. I told Dick they must not like his red hat, he got strafed so often.
I could make about 5 separate posts here with just the pictures from each raptor we saw, let alone the other desert birds and landscape. Let's cut to the chase, and just go for the photos, which became easier after I saw the handler putting little bits of meat on the next branch the bird would go to.
They have a family of Harris Hawks who all came at one time in the afternoon show. It's amazing that no other raptor lives and hunts in a pack, essentially. The female is always in charge of the family.
This Chihuahuan Raven chuckled as he lightly touched someone's head while flying over. "Every time," quoth the Raven. "Ole"
Don't think this American Kestral is just a sweet tiny bird. It is a mighty hunter.
I wouldn't want a Ferruginous Hawk smiling at me from a branch. Looks like she's giving us the eye as her next breakfast! Her mouth is so wide she can swallow her prey whole if necessary.
I know, this isn't a raptor, but a Cactus Wren. They are all over the place, and noisy in the wren tradition. I was surprised to see they are about the size of a Robin, not the small eastern wrens I am familiar with.
And there was morning and evening of the second day, and it was good.....not even mentioning the little Costa's Hummingbird and Broad Billed Hummingbirds we saw. I can't spell Phainopepla without looking it up again, but we saw a bunch of them. Wishing has made it so once more - our first Western Tanager was in the aviary! Next on the wish list is a Roadrunner - meep! meep!
