It's been a few months since I posted here. I've been keeping very busy and there hasn't been a lot of time to go birding. But here are a few things I've seen over the last three months.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLWHxatLi9_-vzshVXop2JuLiA-AFux2awJd2aWXlj9Ay85X-L7Va_qKPu2X-W4LZjiHeHIpF91g0BrUkWozVHftJJLTr8uCSMuL2OB_CLf-P5dqZFn_kGhtSAoYAmCP3TWjBovPcgqs5p/s1600/Harris's+Sparrow+12-29-13.jpg) |
Harris's Sparrow |
This Harris's Sparrow has been hanging around a city park here in Tucson since December, a great bird for Pima County. It was my tenth lifer of 2013, a nice way to end a slow birding year. I need to go back and try for some updated photos.
In January I made a trip out to Redington Pass between the Catalina and Rincon Mountains in search of Sage Thrasher and Juniper Titmouse. I missed seeing the titmouse, but picked up a couple of rare county birds.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNbIWdH1sO9wiQtYfRiJVFlHWrDRO4u8jOSCKQ8pjWkLi108MldNgZh90j9EUS3HyNbYh3LYSKlCHETr0JI2t6C4gGnjZcuFZybCMagxX4-fXWuwqGGu6VAsmcWb9KVM1dKww3Qk1F1WX3/s1600/Sage+Thrasher.jpg) |
Sage Thrasher |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifWCQzttoAzwPzayPZkuBKZ5WJeCIy-vmTC1_pT_NIftfy_B3khdKy3Deaz8m0cJNy2aJG7HTXZupkn-iJIMZjk01lQJc4RbUUKwh2YqcKbiOherWX9erz0vSGgJ33OL70ranDuFelAnw0/s1600/Townsend%2527s+Solitaire.jpg) |
Townsend's Solitaire |
There were plenty of my favorite sparrows and lots of bluebirds too.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ZL_PngisEQAdum1TKnttG7BlSxzR4W1aBiIMfzbxP39SaWCYedmvqTBlFN2MyVhxUAa9MgujHNtfCNJKgir7XE5mH3ed20kZhMr_U-oMQDkUt-NInBdvG7hBE19TD6IaT5q3FimPUcl9/s1600/Black-throated+Sparrow.jpg) |
Black-throated Sparrow |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9hC1syutaRWF52UBH6HfayEKxWKId0jWPQjhFwE_Vw8-fp2SJr1BtKHdjWCR8OMCR-HM80jMxF3V7Ghe0LKg653iGg7siEyuvLnjbPkOhGo_PerUXg-trO33XCUOWzxmyya0kr8lUo1ew/s1600/Western+Bluebird.jpg) |
Western Bluebird |
By far the coolest sighting I've had this year was of a Spotted Owl in a mesquite tree! This is an amazing bird for Tucson. Unfortunately someone entered the sighting on eBird and pinpointed its exact location, a definite no-no. They who shall not be named will no doubt feel the wrath of the birding gods who will surely punish them with only bad looks at common birds this spring. I on the other hand was "invited" to see the owl with the usual disclaimer to act more responsibly than those other people. Hopefully others acted responsibly too.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7AnKoYW9cYPfP9RBer1eNCnjLyw6EZ-HxRHXmZdJhMFzOZaaYsT7iWG9sh3POlQaaX5aNP-JPHWnA62HWKUW4cXQq9m-JziHFsLx_E5lo0ZU96VWF30Tt0YJQr3ECveFLgjYgAr7MYFFn/s1600/Spotted+Owl+2-11-14.jpg) |
Spotted Owl |
This weekend I was able to get out birding around town a couple times. First I looked for the "easy" Sage Thrasher that everyone else has been able to see at a local park. No luck. But there were lots of Lucy's Warblers singing away and a couple American Pipits, a first for me in town in spring.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu5myaunqEiQU_3lcwY0FXPtZdjPymmXdP-B2pz1Eky874REvPcUsIwoqkJTOtsQfhOAyH9eq_XUfefrzcXjuRWXDK-mcoeeaJUsMswiExkl2_lXsZma76kG3tNoW9XuxZfkpEX8J2oXuU/s1600/Lucy's+Warbler+1.jpg) |
Lucy's Warbler |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ow1OlSTH0j2DnQqKUVar9zvHt2yhgGjq92T2nS58oI6DUBpeEnawjnTB_jpXo1lO4qaOb2b52u_ALXsytTcg6K8CFSY2ZA9NvMdMDMwaTCQcSWFxhX4ed5iunAcMqeD7zHTniuBAEVeU/s1600/American+Pipit+2.jpg) |
American Pipit |
Yesterday I dragged the wife and crawler to my patch at a nearby park. The conditions were bad for photos but I couldn't complain about it being 67 degrees. As I got out of the car I heard more Lucy's Warblers singing here too. A Red-tailed Hawk swooped down just above us with a twig in its bill. It seems to be setting up a couple of nests on the ball field lights.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIp7SPuIa6FEDBKA13UenwqizXw9BvSOTthHl0aSxF9UlW9AUzJ9AQ9WnjHP8KJt2iPf_V6rcEo9VDLjdgI6iLuy0pNW0Kub3XvcizVaSv9F49U5jk-xv1rjs4gApYCzhjN-rVkJ1V9FM3/s1600/Red-tailed+Hawk.jpg) |
Red-tailed Hawk |
A pair of banded Cooper's Hawks were busy trying to start a family in a eucalyptus tree. Notice the larger female.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_q9mxbhWLofe_zLSk5CTc98Q3wX1d-88AMnhRGEG7RcyTzlKtuXw6AH2GRPLOFs8Pse3MEnyGEIhfEMG35fJm3IZGFaIKPqbpO1Vmv1MmWloBOG6N8XN2jO71OsBLG7eRKAYvQIctZ3JU/s1600/Cooper%2527s+Hawk.jpg) |
Cooper's Hawks |
Next we found a female Vermilion Flycatcher that eventually flew to her nest. This was a first for me, pretty cool! The nest seemed tiny. Spring was definitely in the air.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr0oF8Tyx5mqnPDeYKbY6oAnNk-1NXR3LaK1p1EXzzgoGL3AK4_1QCp2qszJ-PdnBIEuSIU3LPMrzkAJ5Dy9iBUovfbAFof-gHlCpCA7M92yI8NmUUztkmrsMzVGxiDYKFkdKu0XrcQu70/s1600/Vermilion+Flycatcher.jpg) |
Vermilion Flycatcher |
A squeaky male Ladder-backed Woodpecker was a nice addition to the patch list.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge82vxeQQK7q0C3FqqdeikE1qsIkDnT_aWgBRZsCseszrb-asPobuu12lP7znE5haO9Y-bb6oNLaJW6FWD8bQRP8xfbjjwpb9phEBLW53xzP76IARehIOqA81hLDUVdAHQT-ZAe-6WQpAF/s1600/Ladder-backed+Woodpecker+1.jpg) |
Ladder-backed Woodpecker |
Considering the lighting conditions, it's sad that these are my best Yellow-rumped Warbler shots to date.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1iso2xoCcuzape-SDIb3fKDvfI3U_QW4jYtefti9KWyAfJUu2FzhSCl2UP8xgHVWBDocRYThv4_qUEpbF2_aer3gXwG0qWMT3t4ktmU1ykfqddVVe1jJGjT0CczeV57SgYOw8VfwGBU2U/s1600/Yellow-rumped+Warbler+2.jpg) |
Yellow-rumped Warbler |
Hopefully I'll have more to post about after our trip to San Carlos, Mexico in a few weeks. Happy spring birding!