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