Arizona Photography

 Lots of different species at the sanctuary today, including a lifer for me.  The Varied Bunting is a beautiful, colorful bird that I missed last year but heard about after he left.  I wish he had posed somewhere other than the feeder, but I'm still happy to have those photos. Bullock's Oriole (M) Bewick's Wren Lucy's Warbler (F) Scott's Oriole (F) Anna's (F) Broad-billed (M) House Finch (F) White-breasted Nuthatch Bridled Titmouse Blue Grosbeak (M) Lucifer (M) Bronzed Cowbird (M) Brown-headed Cowbird (M) House Finch (M) Varied Bunting (M) Varied Bunting (M) Verdin Bullock's Oriole (F) Canyon Towhee Black-headed Grosbeak (F) Black-headed Grosbeak (M) Anna's (M)

 Not many people or birds at the sanctuary today, the highlight was getting a few shots of the Lucifer Hummingbird.  Unfortunately, he never hovered within range, so I settled for poses on the feeder.  Hopefully there will be more chances for flight shots in the future. Just after leaving the sanctuary, I spotted a bird perched on a dead branch some distance away.  I thought it may be a Western Kingbird and snapped a few shots.  Looking at it on computer, it appears to be a Greater Peewee, which would be a lifer for me.  I'm trying to get confirmation, but for now that's what I'm going with. Lucifer (M) Anna's (M) Anna's (M) Anna's (F) Broad-billed (M) Black-headed Grosbeak (F) House Finch (M) House Finch (F) Phainopepla (F) Scott's Oriole (F) Lesser Goldfinch (M) Brown-headed Cowbird (M) Brown-headed Cowbird (F) Greater Peewee (Maybe)

 Mostly the same old birds today, with the exception of the Phainopepla that I don't see that  often.  And the male was still among the missing.  In the first photo, notice how the Anna's is trying to clean pollen off her bill. Anna's (F) Anna's (M) Black-headed Grosbeak (F) Black-headed Grosbeak (M) Brown-headed Cowbird (M) Bullock's Oriole (F) Bushtit (M) Lark Sparrow White-breasted Nuthatch Scott's Oriole (F) Bullock's Oriole (M) Verdin Blue Grosbeak (M Summer Tanager (J) Phainopepla (F)