sandee@fsu.scri.fsu.edu (Daan Sandee) (06/01/90)
Date: Thu, 31 May 90 12:56:00 MST
Reply-To: National Birding Hotline Cooperative <BIRD_RBA%ARIZVM1@AVM.CC.FSU.EDU>
Sender: National Birding Hotline Cooperative <BIRD_RBA%ARIZVM1@AVM.CC.FSU.EDU>
From: CWILLIAMSON%PIMACC.PIMA.EDU@AVM.CC.FSU.EDU
Subject: Tucson Az. RBA 5-31-90
To: Daan Sandee <sandee@VSSERV.SCRI.FSU.EDU>
Status: R
- Birds mentioned
Brown Thrasher
Buff-breasted Flycatcher
Dusky Flycatcher
Elegant Tern
Five-striped Sparrow
Gray Vireo
Mississippi Kite
Ovenbird
Rose-throated Becard
Striped Sparrow
Thick-billed Kingbird
Varied Bunting
White-eared Hummingbird
- Transcript
This is the Tucson Audubon Society's weekly bird report
updated as of Thursday, 31 May 1990. (602) 798-1005
This week has offered three unusual birds for southern
Arizona. On May 24th at the Ruthrauff sewage pond, 2 well
described ELEGANT TERNS were found. The birds were seen in late
evening on the SE east corner but could not be found on the
following morning.
And, in Bisbee on the 26th, 27th, and 28th, a BROWN THRASHER
was making regular visits to a private feeder. The bird has not
been seen since.
At the Patagonia reststop 3 miles south of Patagonia, an
OVENBIRD was discovered on the 28th. Also present at this
reststop were THICK-BILLED KINGBIRDS and ROSE-THROATED BECARDS.
One other summer rarity that was revealed after the fact by
word of mouth was an adult female WHITE-EARED HUMMINGBIRD that
was seen at the feeders 50 years down-road from the Ramsey Canyon
visitor center. The bird was present for at least a week, with
last positive sighting on the 22nd.
VARIED BUNTINGS have returned to their usual summer haunts.
The birds were seen in California Gulch on the 28th and 29th, at
Proctor Road on the 28th, and at a more unusual location of
Sabino Canyon on the 29th.
FIVE-STRIPED SPARROWS can also be found relatively easy, if
you're willing to torture your vehicle that is. The birds are
singing in California Gulch, as attested to by witnesses on the
26th and 29th. California Gulch is passable by nearly all
passenger cars; however, the last 200 yard segment that drops
down into the canyon should be avoided by parking atop the hill
in the large pulloff to the south.
On May 29th, a GRAY VIREO was seen in Reddington Pass. These
uncommon vireos nest here in the higher juniper hillside habitat.
In Dudleyville on the 26th, MISSISSIPPI KITES and THICK-
BILLED KINGBIRDS were easily found. The kites tend to fly over
the town as well as in the fields just to the north.
A few flycatchers worth noting include a DUSKY FLYCATCHER
seen at Kino Springs on the 26th and many BUFF-BREASTED
FLYCATCHERS in the upper canyons of the Huachucas.
If you happen to see the WHITE-EARED HUMMINGBIRD or the
OVENBIRD, would you please report it along with any other
interesting sightings that you may have come across this week to
Jack Holloway at (602) 722-3207.
- End transcript