AZ birding fans:

Birded intensely down in s.e. AZ last weekend. Happy to share any tips on
stake-outs for those of you heading down, the birding has been dynamite--not
only for the canyon country specialties, but it's been a pretty good spring
for shorebirds and others, too. I managed the brilliant male Flame-colored
Tanager at Miller Canyon; then, a very likely Buff-collared Nightjar
appeared on the road mid-way down at dusk, but only gave some of the
clicking notes from the best-known vocalization on tape. They're not easy
(and I missed again, doggone it) but the Rufous-capped Warblers continue at
'ol French Joe. Drive a sturdy rig, put on your hiking shoes and best ears
to separate the song from the many Rufous-cr. Sparrows around. A
Rufous-backed Robin has been seen recently at Tubac, the nesting
Black-capped Gnatcatchers continue at L. Patagonia, and--if all this weren't
enough--a male Crescent-chested Warbler was seen off and on by a number of
lucky people (but not me) April 25-27 in Madera. In the migration doldrums
we've got going up here in Lake Stevens presently (where are the
passerines?!), kind of hard to not remember that birder-friendly s.e AZ.

Scott Atkinson
Lake Stevens
mail to: scottratkinson at hotmail.com



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