Arizona Photography

 Wow, two lifers in one day!  The Zone-tailed Hawk never came close enough for really good photos, and the Warbling Vireo stayed among the branches during its very brief appearance.  Still, I was please to have the opportunities they gave me.  I had never even heard of that Vireo species and didn't know what I had until looking it up on the internet.  Also, while Hummingbird numbers have decreased noticeably, there were still plenty of photo-ops to be had. Zone-tailed Hawk Warbling Vireo Rufous (F) Lucifer (M) Lucifer (M) Pipevine Swallowtail Cloudless Sulphur Anna's (F) Anna's (F) Mexican Jay Lucifer (F) Lucifer (F) House Finch (M) House Finch (F) Western Kingbird Chipping Sparrow Lark Sparrow Anna's (M) Anna's (M) Costa's (M) Lesser Goldfinch (M) Lesser Goldfinch (F) Black-headed Grosbeak (F) Broad-billed (M) White-breasted Nuthatch Bewick's Wren Bridled Titmouse Curve-billed Thrasher

 This may have been the peak of Hummingbird migration, they were everywhere.  Since it was my birthday, I received a few texts and phone calls, which I thoroughly enjoyed while Hummingbirds buzzed all around me.  A decent birthday gift, I'd say. Anna's (F) Anna's (M) Anna's (M) Rufous (F,J) Broad-billed (M) Cloudless Sulphur Mexican Jay House Finch (F) House Finch (M) Chipping Sparrow Bridled Titmouse Acorn Woodpecker (M) Ladder-backed Woodpecker (M) Lucifer (M)

 As I entered the sanctuary, the volunteer approached me and asked if I had seen the rattlesnake.  I had not, so I wanted to know where it was.  He took me back to where my car was parked and pointed out the snake a few feet in front of my car, sleeping in a bed under a cactus.  Later, when I was leaving, I looked for the snake but it was gone.  In all my years of tromping around in the desert, this is only the second rattlesnake I've encountered, and both had to be pointed out to me by someone else. Western Diamondback Hummingbirds were still very active, so I took lots of photos and spent days going through them. Anna's (F) Anna's (M) Anna's (M) Anna's (M) Costa's (M) Costa's (M) Black-chinned (F) Calliope (F) Calliope (F) Cloudless Sulphur Costa's (M) Broad-billed (M) Broad-billed (M) White-breasted Nuthatch Lucifer (M) Lucifer (M) Blue Grosbeak (M) White-winged Dove House Finch (F) Lesser Goldfinch (F) Lesser Goldfinch (M) Canyon Towhee