A quick AZ trip (08/12-14/2011)

A fun trip to AZ this last weekend yielded the following:

• Gray Vireo and Black-chinned Sparrow in the Pinal Mountains
• Mississippi Kite in Dudleyville
• Cassin’s, Botteri’s, Black-throated Sparrow and Varied Bunting near Proctor Rd at Madera Canyon;  also 2 Berylline Hummingbirds, but no Aztec Thrush
• Five-striped Sparrow at Montosa Canyon

This crisp Hutton’s Vireo was near the top of Pinal Peak.

This Berylline Hummingbird was often near/at the Kubo feeders. Another Berylline was near the fruiting chokecherry tree that the Aztec Thrush was reported from. A trogon put in a brief appearance for us, but I was only able to get a butt shot (that one is tack-sharp though).

The reflection of the red feeder on the breast of this Broad-tailed Hummingbird is interesting.

The Sulphur-bellied Flycatchers in Madera Canyon started out pretty quiet early, but by mid morning they were quite vociferous.

Near the fruiting chokecherry tree there also was a Yarrow’s Spiny Lizard.

Ptarmigan time! (Mt. Rainier, WA, 08/07/11)

I made my annual trek to Paradise this morning. I started bright and early at 6am long before the masses arrive. The trail was entirely snow covered until I got up to where the Golden Gate trail runs into the Skyline Trail. About 400yds up from this intersection I found 2 White-tailed Ptarmigan right next to the (snowfree) trail. Of course on the wrong side of the trail (the pix are all backlit), but you can’t beat getting that close. The fact that they didn’t have young and this wasn’t a nest site may mean that they won’t be breeding this year.