Yuma County Big Day - Sep 2007
by
Henry Detwiler
Richard, Jeff, Bob, and I spent a long day searching high and low for as many birds as we could find in Yuma County.
116 species--bird list is at the bottom of the page
Click on
thumbnail pictures for full-sized photos.
Richard, Bob, & Jeff, Quigley WMA
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We found our first bird at Kool Corner at 5:00 am, a Great Horned Owl perched on the tip top of a pine tree. This was followed by a pair of Western Screech-Owls which kindly responded to my whistles. Bob started up a cacophany of wounded rabbit squeals, and sure enough a Barn Owl floated into view overhead. We'd snagged all our expected owls!
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Along Mittry Lake we started to add on rails and waders, eventually hearing Least Bittern, Clapper & Virginia Rails, and Sora. As the sun rose we added Black-throated Gray and Wilson's Warbler, and Warbling Vireo. A half-hour drive took us to Imperial NWR, where we found a late Summer Tanager--a great bird! Watching ducks around the ponds we met this fine bobcat. It was one of several mammals of the day, which also included racoon, coyote, and cottontails.
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Bobcat, Imperial NWR
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American White Pelicans, Imperial NWR
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A flock of 23 American White Pelicans were resting in one of the new fish ponds at the refuge. Other water-loving birds included Common Moorhen, Redheads, Northern Pintails, Ruddy Ducks. and both Clark's & Western Grebes. On the way out a pair of Blue Grosbeaks crossed in front of us--they were the only ones we saw all day. |
The drive through Dome Valley produced the expected Baird's, Western, and Least Sandpipers, plus a Semipalmated Plover at feedlot sludge pond. Next to McLhaney were dozens of Common Ravens and Turkey Vultures swirling in kettles. At Tacna we headed north to the Quigley Wildlife Management Area. |
Turkey Vultures, Wellton
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Prairie Falcon, Tacna
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In the cottonwood/willow grove we found lots of Western Wood Pewees along with Wilson's, Yellow, & Orange-crowned Warblers. And then the prize for the day flitted into view--a pretty American Redstart. Driving east of Tacna we spotted this Prairie Falcon on a cross beam, with a gopher grasped in its talon. At the Couch's Kingbird neighborhood we missed the Couch's, but did add Inca Doves.
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Cooper's Hawk, Aztec
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Another haf an hour on the road put us at the Aztec Feedlot sludge ponds. This Cooper's Hawk made a pass for the peeps as we drove up, but fortunately for the numerious Least and Western Sandpipers, came up a feather or two short.
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The pond closest to the feedlot also had a couple of Long-billed Dowitchers, a Wilson's Snipe for the day's list, and a circling Black Tern for the day's list. The farther pond is deeper, and had ducks as well as seven Red-necked Phalaropes.
Red-necked Phalarope, Aztec Feedlot Ponds
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Western Sandpiper &
Long-billed Dowitcher
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As we were rounding the far corner of the deep pond, Bob sang out "Sora!" So now we added a visual to our earlier "heard only" Sora. I tried to get it with my camera, but was only quick enough to capture its body.
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Sora, Aztec Feedlot Ponds
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Vesper Sparrow
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There are a lot of grass crops planted for feed at Aztec, so the sparrows, swallows, and Horned Larks were plentiful. This was my first Vesper Sparrow of the season.
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Reddish Egret, East Wetlands
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Running late, I made a bee-line back to Yuma, and deprived my teammates of their hard-earned date shakes. At the East Wetlands Jeff spotted our lingering Reddish Egret and Bob found us a Greater Yellowlegs. At the West Wetlands I called out a Crissal Thrasher and Rich found us a Brewer's Sparrow. Along a canal close to home I pulled up to the local Burrowing Owls, and then at our feeding station, 116 birds later, we added Rufous Hummingbird. It had been an awesome day of birding!
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