Date: 5/15/25 3:36 pm From: Doug Jenness <dougjenness...> Subject: [AZNMbirds] Global Big Day--Pinal County
15 May 2025
Hundreds of volunteers organized by county were in the field on Saturday,
May 10 to get a snapshot of spring bird migration as we've been doing for
the past 22 years. The tentative total for the state is 308, one of our
highest totals. When compilation of the state totals are complete, they
will appear on the Arizona Field Ornithologists website
<https://url.usb.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/YTXZCqAWOqfLygO3GsZfVfEHKoo?<domain...>.
In Pinal County, we tallied 191 species, our highest total for the 22-year
count. The previous high was 184 in 2021.
We added one new species to the Pinal County total for the annual migration
count—CALIFORNIA GULL at San Carlos Lake. The day’s totals were
particularly impressive because for big parts of the day we had very windy
conditions, including during the predawn hours, which led to our lowest owl
and nightjar counts in many years. Tentatively, our total species was third
highest after Cochise (231) and Pima (196) counties. The Cochise County
total appears to be the highest registered for the county and the highest
of any county in the state for the 22 years of the count.
Including California Gull, Pinal County registered its highest 22-year
totals for 11 species: Neotropic Cormorant (187), Horned Lark (61), Hermit
Thrush (4), Bank Swallow (10), Lark Sparrow (196), Brewer’s Sparrow (62),
Green-tailed Towhee (24), Nashville Warbler (4), MacGillivray’s Warbler
(14), and Pyrrhuloxia (10). Birds reported only once before were
Broad-winged Hawk and American Pipit. Species reported only two times
previously were Snow Goose, Nashville Warbler, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak.
We had the most Black-headed Grosbeaks (104) since 2012.
Our impressive results were due to the hard work and dedication of 37
volunteers organized in teams of one or more to cover specific areas. An
additional 16 individuals also submitted eBird lists.
