Date: 3/28/24 1:28 pm From: henry detwiler <henry_detwiler...> Subject: [AZNMbirds] [EXT]SWAZ: Yuma County
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Greetings Birders,
The early migrants are moving through, and we've had a number of summer visitors return already. Yesterday (Mar 27th) proved to be my best morning ever in Yuma County--I had 92 species before noon! I started out at Mittry Lake, where I first picked up all the rails: BLACK, SORA, VIRGINIA, and RIDGWAY'S. A good selection of waterfowl, LEBI, and swallows added to the count. LUCY'S WARBLERS have returned, and WILSON'S are passing through. At the West Wetlands I re-located the continuing BLACK AND WHITE WARBLER. A nice surprise at Cocopah RV was a female RUDDY GROUND-DOVE. But in the ag fields south of town, after noon, I struggled to add just two more species: SWAINSON'S and RED-TAILED HAWKS. I also found, to my disappointment, that the Wood Ducks had departed Coyote Wash. Close to Tacna I finally added a couple more species, LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE and SAGE THRASHER. And there were another two RUDDY GROUND DOVES, including a handsome male! At the McElhaney slop pond was an early WILSON'S PHALAROPE. My final stop was at the Solar Pond west of Wellton, where there is again water and the birds are back. AMERICAN AVOCETS and a COMMON GOLDENEYE were my final additions, to bring my total to 105 species for the day. I stopped by the Solar Ponds again this morning and photographed a GREATER SCAUP there. Last week I was finally able to track down the GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW at the Yuma East Wetlands, and for two days we had a visiting BROAD-BILLED HUMMINGBIRD in our backyard. A couple of eBird reports with photos:https://ebird.org/checklist/S166196416https://ebird.org/checklist/S166254725 Good Birding!Henry D. DetwilerYuma, AZ Finding Birds in Southwest Arizonahttp://www.southwestbirders.com/swb_SWAZ_Book.htmFinding Birds at the Salton Sea and in Imperial County, Californiahttp://www.southwestbirders.com/swb_Imperial_County_Book.htm
