It's a rare bird for Pima County. In fact, it's my first one in the county. And it's extremely rare for June. Before this bird I'd only seen three in Arizona, all on different occasions at Lake Cochise in Willcox. I've seen a bunch in California and always enjoy watching them. It's there beautiful patterning and long bi-colored bill that I like the most. To the dismay of many birders, this bird was a one-day wonder.
Last night I experienced something I've never felt in my 36 years living in Tucson, a tremor! There was a 5.2 magnitude earthquake in Greenlee County just east of Safford, AZ at 10:00 pm. This is about 150 miles east of Tucson. I was watching TV when my bed began to shake and a few things rattled in the drawer of the bedside table for about 15 seconds. What a shock! I wonder if it startled the birds? I've felt a couple earthquakes in California while on vacation, but I never expected to feel one here. If you're from California you're undoubtedly laughing at this entire post. You probably don't even flinch at what I felt. Only Tucsonans would get excited over a Marbled Godwit and a little earthquake. It's also the same city where schools closed a few years ago because of an inch of snow. So California, you're not the only state that's laughed at us before about birds and forces of nature.
Now neighbors will have something more to talk about other than the blasted heat and why you're pointing binoculars at their house. Read and see more about the Tucson Tremor here.
