Birds and Nature

This is another Painted Redstart I saw in close proximity, in the same tree, to an adult Painted Redstart today. Juvenal plumage has no red but this doesn't appear to be in (adult) Definite Basic plumage. So I suspect that this might be a first year bird that is molting from juvenal to Basic I plumage. SeEtta

After some birding a little this morning along the San Pedro Riparian area, the quickly rising temps and slow birding motivated me to head for a little higher elevation so I decided to try birding further up in Carr Canyon than the residence with the Plain-capped Starthroat I watched yesterday. I ended up at a moderate elevation not far inside the Coronado National Forest where I followed a small flock of Bushtits that intercepted a very nice mixed flock of passerines. In that flock were at at least 2 Painted Redstarts, one for sure an adult as shown in these photos. At least redstart was a juvenile which I post above and likely a second adult. These adults are just stunning. SeEtta

Though the Plain-capped Starthroat is not as colorful as some of the other hummers, the white stripes on it's head, it's large size and very long bill distinguish it. Another distinctive feature the large white tips on it's outer tail feathers that show nicely in this photo.  The species has a variable amount of red on the throat area.  BTW, I have no idea what kind of bug that has photo bombed this and another photo of the hummer. SeEtta

The Brodkins who have a residence in Carr Canyon a short distance south of Sierra Vista, AZ have had a Plain-capped Starthroat visiting their hummingbird feeders since yesterday. This species is a rare visitor from Mexico that has visited the feeders at this and nearly residences in and near Carr Canyon in previous years. Several other birders and myself were treated with brief views as this hummer tried to get some sugar water though it only got to perch for short periods as other hummers repeatedly chased off this more timid but larger hummingbird. SeEtta

While I was birding on Blue Heaven Road just a few hundred yards south of the Paton's yard I spotted this raptor that looked like a possible Zone-tailed Hawk. It was an adult Zone-tail--showing it's barred remiges, bright yellow cere and white tail bands in this photo- but it's feathers were in pretty condition. I looked up info on their molt cycle on Birds of North America online which noted that this was not well understood for this species but, "In Arizona, primaries and tail are renewed in Aug." That certainly fits for this bird.  Features can be seen better by clicking on photo to enlarge it.  SeEtta

Another neat find today and another lifer species--Varied Bunting. This is the distinctive male but first saw the female (see next post). After finding the Thick-billed Kingbirds along the north end of Blue Haven Road in the Patagonia, AZ area I stopped again at the famous Patagonia Rest area to see if I might find more there. Though I didn't find any more of them, I did find this male and the female Varied Bunting. Though reported in other areas of SE Arizona I have not seen any reports of them at this location so another lifer species I found myself and in an area not previously reported. SeEtta

I had hoped to get to see a Thick-billed Kingbird when I traveled to the Patagonia, AZ area today but it had not been reported since last week at the famous 'Patagonia Roadside Rest' where it had most recently been observed. I tried that location this morning on my way to Patagonia Lake State Park (where I went to see the Blue-footed Booby and did) but no luck. This afternoon I decided to check the Blue Haven Road, that runs from Paton's through the Nature Conservancy's Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve, for Zone-tailed Hawk. I did looked south of the Preserve where Thick-billed Kingbirds have been found but no luck. Then when I was looking for a Gray Hawk I heard north of the Preserve on that road I heard a repeated call I did not know so I stopped to check it out--it was a call of this Thick-billed Kingbird. Then a second Thick-billed Kingbird began calling also but I did not locate it visually. It appears that this is a first fall bird due to the yellowi...