Date: 8/27/26 8:51 am From: Doug Jenness (via aznmbirds Mailing List) <aznmbirds...> Subject: [AZNMbirds] AZFO field survey results
8/27/2026
On Saturday 22 August, 19 stalwart volunteers, confronting temperatures up
to 112° F, surveyed an area in central Pinal County that includes extensive
stands of saguaro cactus and semidesert grassland. Most of the area is part
of an Arizona Field Ornithologists underbirded eBird Gaps Area.(See here
<https://url.usb.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/E2wACZZEkxiXpZvYAFzfVXhBvBi6?<domain...>). The area has many earthen stock
tanks with intermittent water. We found 107 species and more than 2,180
birds. Several participants camped at The Boulders on the Florence-Kelvin
Hwy. the night before, where the highlight was a stream of about 80 Lesser
Nighthawks moving east to west at dusk.
We were especially interested in finding four species: the desert
subspecies of Purple Martin, Crested Caracara, Cassin's Sparrow, and
Rufous-winged Sparrow. Five teams reported *79 Purple Martins*, an
impressive number! All but three were at 11 cattle tanks. Although no
nests were discovered, one team reported the likely presence of a family
group, suggesting nesting. Four Crested Caracaras were reported along the
Florence-Kelvin Highway area. Eighteen Cassin’s Sparrows, reported by the
team covering the Willow Springs Road grassland area south of the eBird
Gaps area, was a moderate number for this area. Five teams reported 19
Rufous-winged Sparrows, a respectable number as this area is towards the
northern part of their range. The most numerous raptor was Harris’s Hawk
(31), and one team reported a nest with a downy nestling. A few species
were new to the eBird Gaps area, including Northern Waterthrush, Baird’s
Sandpiper, and Painted Bunting. Other birds rarely seen in this area were
Belted Kingfisher, Black-necked Stilt, and Great Egret. There was a good
migratory movement of passerines, including 11 species of wood-warbler, as
well as orioles, tanagers, kingbirds, flycatchers, and sparrows. Sixteen
Yellow Warblers were notable.
