Arizona Photography

 Before getting to the Ash Canyon visit, I'll post a couple thunderstorm photos from somewhere around Tombstone.  We've had one or two of those closer to home, but they were at night and I didn't bother to get up for them. Ash Canyon is still swarming with Hummingbirds and people from near and far to see them.  On this visit, the star attraction was a female Allen's who posed very nicely for me. Allen's (F) Allen's (F) Anna's (M) Anna's (M) Anna's (J) Fiddle Leaf Plumeria Gulf Fritillary Broad-billed (M) Broad-billed (M) Rufous (J) Rufous (J) Lucifer (M) Lucifer (M) Black-chinned (F) Black-chinned (M) House Finch (J) House Finch (J) Curve-billed Thrasher

 The hummers were out in force again today, buzzing around like crazy.  Flitting from feeders to trees and back again, chasing each other like the feeders might run out any minute.  There were quite a few people there also, likely the word has gotten out about some of the less common species visiting the sanctuary right now.  The parking lot was full, with plates from CA, FL, AK and OR along with local cars.  Again, very few birds other than hummingbirds, and I hope you're not tiring of them. Violet-crowned (M) Violet-crowned (M) Mexican Jay Canyon Towhee Calliope (F) Lucifer (F) Lucifer (M) Lucifer (M) Lucifer (M) Black-chinned (M) Black-chinned (M) Anna's (M) Anna's (J) Anna's (J) Anna's (M) Anna's (F) Anna's (M) Anna's (M) Broad-billed (M) Broad-billed (M)

 What a difference a week makes.  The sanctuary was swarming today with Hummingbirds that are obviously beginning their migration south.  It was a real challenge to track them as they swooped in and out of the trees and chasing each other from the feeders.  Many of them appeared to be juveniles from this year's broods.  Juveniles and females are harder to identify due to the lack of conspicuous color markings, so I may have some incorrect identifications. At the same time, there were fewer songbirds present, possibly discouraged by all the Hummingbird activity.  So, there will be more Hummingbird photos this time, along with a few butterflies, insects and lizards. Anna's (M) Anna's (M) Anna's (M) Anna's (F) Anna's (F) Rufous (J) Rufous (J) Black-chinned (J) Black-chinned (J) Broad-billed (M) Broad-billed (M) Broad-billed (M) Lucifer (M) Lucifer (M) Acorn Woodpecker (M) Spiny Lizard House Finch (F) Broad-billed (F) Black-Chinned (F) Gulf Fritillary Cloudless Sulp