Date: 1/5/25 6:19 pm From: Mark Krenitsky <mkrenitsky...> Subject: [AZNMbirds] SEAZ: Sierra Vista EOP 5 January 2025
We had a full complement of 15 birdwatchers this morning at the EOP despite
the initially chilly weather. Our final species total was 69 and we had
multiple good sightings.
The bird of the day was the continuing melanistic Northern Harrier. It
periodically flew over the ducks and once landed in the shallow water
before all the birds flushed. It also harassed a second Northern
Harrier...the melanistic bird is apparently the boss.
The second best bird was a Sora out in the open. We got excellent looks at
it as it walked back and forth in the water.
And third best were a flock of 8 Lark Buntings. We saw them in the
cat-tails near the platform initially, and then some perched on the fence
for easy viewing.
Other Highlights:
14 species of ducks - the dozen expected plus the continuing Hooded
Merganser and 3 Lesser Scaup.
2 Common Egrets and 5 Great Blue Herons.
And five species of shorebirds - Greater Yellowlegs, Long-billed Dowitcher,
7 Least Sandpipers, 7 Wilson's Snipe, and several Killdeer.
