This male Black-throated Blue Warbler stayed for a week during late October 2010. Within a few days, it was visiting our suet feeders (23 October 2010)
Quite a rarity in the U.S., this male Yellow Grosbeak showed up several times at the backyard pond (2 June 2007)
A locally rare Aztec Thrush at our pond. This male was photographed from the kitchen window (9 July 2006) (Karen LeMay photo)
Always a nice bird to see north of the Mexican border, this male Ruddy Ground-Dove was photographed from the kitchen window (27 January 2005)
Montezuma Quail are regular late summer and occasional winter visitors. This pair was photographed from the house as they scratched in gravel just outside the back door (25 July 2006)
This male Rose-breasted Grosbeak was an unexpected winter visitor (13 January 2007)
A much flashier male Rose-breasted Grosbeak showed up at suet on 1 May 2010 and remained for three days.
Black-headed Grosbeak is a common spring migrant. During a good migration, upwards of 20 may be present in the yard at once. They happily eat black sunflower seeds, home-made suet cakes, and grape jelly (11 May 2007).
Blue Grosbeaks nest locally and we often have six or more around the yard. This male came to seed outside the kitchen window (18 May 2011)
This was the third Red-faced Warbler to visit the yard. I was especially pleased to see it as I had missed the first two by being out of town (8 May 2011)
An out of range Ovenbird forages in the butterfly garden (31 May 2006)
Several years later, another Ovenbird visited and stayed for most of the day (19 May 2009). (Karen LeMay Photo)
Hermit Warbler has only shown up on a couple of occasions. This one dropped in for a bath on 3 May 2010.
A fine male Townsend's Warbler (one of perhaps five that visited the yard that day) takes a drink at the pond (6 May 2011).
A male Wilson's Warbler catches insects in Penstemons outside the back door (9 April 2011).
This male Yellow Warbler dropped in for a bath during spring migration (5 May 2011).
Far from any marsh or riparian area, our yard is poor habitat for a Common Yellowthroat. Here, a migrating male investigates the gravel for bugs (6 May 2011).
A splendid Yellow-breasted Chat photographed by Karen through the kitchen window (6 May 2007).
One of two Greater Pewees that showed up in the yard on an unseasonally cold afternoon (30 April 2010)
More likely to be seen in cottonwoods along the San Pedro River, Summer Tanager is an infrequent visitor to the yard (22 April 2010).
Western Tanager is a common spring migrant and we may see a dozen or more at a time-especially when there's fruit on the fig tree. This male, one of about eight present, took a drink and a bath at the pond (7 May 2011)
Lucifer Hummingbird is an exceedingly local U.S breeder. Happily, several pairs (apparently) nest in our neighborhood. Here, a male perches on a yucca leaf (23 April 2010).
Mexican Jays are a raucous element of the neighborhood avifauna. Expect them to eat more than their share of seed and suet cakes. (30 April 2010)
Although frequently present less than a mile from our house, it was more than six years before we saw a Western Scrub-Jay in the yard (31 March 2010)
This Townsend's Solitaire stayed for several months and was a faithful visitor to berries on our Pyracantha shrubs. Before departing, it spent many days singing its lispy, thrasher-like song (6 April 2010).
Swainson's Thrush is less than annual in the yard. Several appeared during the first week of May in 2011, one of which left an attacking Roadrunner with a mouthful of tail feathers ( 3 May 2011).
An icon of the Southwestern deserts, the Cactus Wren becomes less common as one ascends into the oaks. Here one waits its turn at a suet feeder (6 January 2008)
House Wren is an occasional visitor. This one, probably a migrant, was investigating a wood pile (20 April 2010)
Bewick's Wrens entertain us throughout the year, investingating every nook and cranny on the house and all of our trees. Here one sits on an agave perch outside the kitchen window (13 February 2007)
A female Cassin's Finch briefly joins the feeder flock (14 January 2008)
So far, the winter of 2007-2008 has been our best for Pine Siskins (23 January 2008)
Lawrence's Goldfinches appear in the yard several times a year. This was one of two males that visited the pond then fed below the kitchen window (23 October 2009).
In our yard, American Goldfinches appear less frequently than Lawrence's Goldfinches. Here, one feeds at a thistle sock (29 January, 2008).
These Yellow-rumped Warblers are clustered at a suet cage while 20 more wait their turn (28 December 2006).
Morning rush hour (24 July 2006).
Afternoon rush hour (13 September 2004).
Evening rush hour (17 Aug 2006).
A male Arizona Woodpecker at suet outside a kitchen window (5 April 2004).
A Northern Flicker comes in for a bath (17 October 2009) (Karen LeMay photo).
Spotted Towhee-one of our three winter towhees (13 February 2007).
Green-tailed Towhee is one of our favorite yard birds. We saw none during the winter of 2009-2010 but in late April three showed up for a couple weeks (30 April 2010).
Rufous-crowned Sparrows are a professional rocky slope birds and the gentle slope on Forest Service land behind the house serves them well. This one was visiting an irrigation drip head just outside the back door for a sip of water (5 June 2011)
Although they nest not too far from the house, Black-throated Sparrow is a rare visitor to the yard. This adult appeared several times during May of 2011 (3 May 2011).
"Gray-headed Junco" is the least common of the western races of Dark-eyed Junco that visit the yard (20 April 2010).
A Golden-crowned Sparrow found in the yard by Linda Feltner was a nice addition to the 2009 Ramsey Canyon Christmas Bird Count (19 December 2009).
A male Lazuli Bunting, one of about 15 in the yard then, visits a feeder (9 April 2011).
One male Varied Bunting is a rarity in the yard; two were quite unexpected (both photos from 5 June 2011)
Hutton's Vireo is a species often associated with oaks. Here, one feeds at our homemade suet cakes (21 January 2007).
-- MORE PHOTOS BELOW --
Yard List: Forever a Work in Progress
NOVEMBER 2003 Canyon Towhee Mourning Dove Mexican Jay Spotted Towhee Bewick's Wren Chipping Sparrow House Finch Lesser Goldfinch Bridled Titmouse Acorn Woodpecker Northern Flicker Gila Woodpecker Ruby-crowned Kinglet Red-tailed Hawk White-breasted Nuthatch Cooper's Hawk Rufous-crowned Sparrow Pyrrhuloxia Anna's Hummingbird Cactus Wren Red-naped Sapsucker House Sparrow Lark Sparrow Yellow-rumped Warbler Cedar Waxwing Chihuahuan Raven Ladder-backed Woodpecker Say's Phoebe Greater Roadrunner White-winged Dove Arizona Woodpecker Verdin White-crowned Sparrow Williamson's Sapsucker Cassin's Kingbird Bushtit Hutton's Vireo Hermit Thrush Curve-billed Thrasher DECEMBER 2003 Vesper Sparrow Steller's Jay Savannah Sparrow Magnificent Hummingbird Black-throated Gray Warbler Phainopepla Sharp-shinned Hawk JANUARY 2004 Gambel's Quail FEBRUARY 2004 Northern Mockingbird Black Phoebe #50 Vermilion Flycatcher MARCH 2004 Violet-green Swallow Rufous Hummingbird Lewis's Woodpecker White-throated Swift Broad-tailed Hummingbird Black-chinned Hummingbird Broad-billed Hummingbird Lucy's Warbler Turkey Vulture Hepatic Tanager Common Poorwill Scott's Oriole Bullock's Oriole Elf Owl Virginia's Warbler Hooded Oriole APRIL 2004 Dusky Flycatcher Lazuli Bunting Costa's Hummingbird American Robin Ash-throated Flycatcher Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Orange-crowned Warbler Calliope Hummingbird Cassin's Vireo Lucifer Hummingbird Dusky-capped Flycatcher Wilson's Warbler Barn Swallow Western Kingbird Rock Pigeon Bronzed Cowbird Brown-headed Cowbird Black-headed Grosbeak Common Raven Peregrine Falcon Northern Rough-winged Swallow Eurasian Collared-Dove MAY 2004 Wild Turkey Brown-crested Flycatcher Western Tanager Warbling Vireo Great Horned Owl Red-winged Blackbird Blue Grosbeak JUNE 2004 Montezuma Quail Zone-tailed Hawk Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher Band-tailed Pigeon #100 Common Nighthawk Continued above on right | JULY 2004 Yellow-billed Cuckoo Western Screech Owl Common Ground-Dove Violet-crowned Hummingbird AUGUST 2004 Painted Bunting Nashville Warbler Western Wood-Pewee Botteri's Sparrow Yellow Warbler #110 Canyon Wren MacGillivray's Warbler "Western" Flycatcher Summer Tanager SEPTEMBER 2004 Plumbeous Vireo Lincoln's Sparrow American Redstart (!) Inca Dove Varied Bunting OCTOBER 2004 Lawrence's Goldfinch #120 Northern Cardinal Yellow-breasted Chat Pine Siskin Dark-eyed Junco DECEMBER 2004 Western Bluebird JANUARY 2005 Ruddy Ground-Dove (!) American Goldfinch MARCH 2005 Cassin's Finch APRIL 2005 Rose-breasted Grosbeak Green-tailed Towhee #130 Hermit Warbler Townsend's Warbler Gray Flycatcher Red-faced Warbler MAY 2005 Indigo Bunting JULY 2005 Bell's Vireo Swainson's Hawk SEPTEMBER 2005 Vaux's Swift Brewer's Sparrow House Wren OCTOBER 2005 #140 Blue-throated Hummingbird Rock Wren NOVEMBER 2005 Northern Harrier Winter Wren Brown Thrasher (!) DECEMBER 2005 Meadowlark sp. American Kestrel MARCH 2006 Painted Redstart MAY 2006 Eastern Bluebird Ovenbird (!) JULY 2006 #150 Aztec Thrush (!) AUGUST 2006 Cassin's Sparrow SEPTEMBER 2006 Buff-breasted Flycatcher JUNE 2007 Yellow Grosbeak (!) SEPTEMBER 2007 Golden Eagle Black-throated Sparrow August 2008 Orchard Oriole Osprey May 2009 Swainson's Thrush September 2009 Common Yellowthroat October 2009 #160 Lesser Nighthawk December 2009 Golden-crowned Sparrow January 2010 Townsend's Solitaire FEBRUARY 2010 Yellow-eyed Junco MARCH 2010 Western Scrub-Jay APRIL 2010 Hammond's Flycatcher Greater Pewee OCTOBER 2010 Black-throated Blue Warbler (!) APRIL 2011 Black-chinned Sparrow MAY 2011 Olive-sided Flycatcher AUGUST 2011 # 170 Plain-capped Starthroat (!) FEBRUARY 2012 Western Meadowlark * * * |
Rufous Hummingbird in snow (19 March 2006)
One of a pair of Elf Owls that nested in our driveway utility pole (27 Mar 2004)
Lark Sparrows are with us pretty much year 'round. Here, one pauses for an afternoon sip at the pond (7 May 2007)
A Band-tailed Pigeon visits the garden (6 September 2006). Numbers of them visit the yard to feed on acorns.
Montezuma Quail foraging in monsoon green Bermuda grass (subsequently replanted)outside the kitchen window (15 July 2004)
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A Bridled Titmouse, one of our favorite birds, investigates a suet cake (19 Dec 2006) | This White-breasted Nuthatch dines at suet (20 Dec 2006) |
A Bushtit grabs a mouthful of suet cake (9 April 2011).
Robert A. Behrstock 2012
Images may not be reproduced without the Photographer's permission.