Subject: Great Backyard Bird Count
Date: Feb 22 21:03:57 2003
From: Hugh Jennings - hughbirder at bigzoo.net


I had a very interesting GBBC list. I was on a driving trip to San
Jose,Tucson and back to San Jose during the GBBC. So, I entered reports for
wherever I was. On Friday, the first day of the count, I reported birds seen
in the rain at Santa Rita Lodge in Madera Canyon, AZ including Mexican Jay,
Bridled Titmouse, Chipping Sparrow and White-breasted Nuthatch. The second
day, I reported birds seen on trail at visitor's center in Saguaro NP on
east side of Tucson. Lots of Phainopepla, Curve-billed Thrashers, Gila
Woodpecker, Gilder Flicker, Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, Pyrrhuloxia, Northern
Cardinal. On the third day, I reported on a friend's backyard in Mesa, AZ.
It was desert landscaped and had many good birds, including Abert's Towhee,
Gambel's Quail, Verdin. Later in the day I reported on birds seen on a trail
at Hassayampa River Preserve near Wickenburg, AZ. We got back to my sister's
place in San Jose on Monday in time to walk the golf course ponds and
habitat to put in my final GBBC of the series. A number of waterfowl
including Canvasback, Common Goldeneye plus Black Phoebe, California Towhee,
Cedar Waxwing, Western Scrub-Jay and a Townsend's Warbler.

During this trip, I was able to go on a Tucson Audubon field trip to
Patagonia Lake SP and Paton's backyard in Patagonia. The highlight was a
Black-capped Gnatcatcher of the 59 species seen.

Hugh Jennings
Bellevue, WA
hughbirder at bigzoo.net