Birding the Huachuca Mts. in SE Arizona

Day 2 of my Arizona birding adventure - and here is a jack rabbit! There are such interesting creatures living in the desert!
I really took alot of photos - it brings back great memories to see these again. We spent some time at feeding stations where we had a lovely assortment of hummers such as this Broad-tailed hummingbird. The photos do not do justice to the brilliance of the colors.

This may be my favorite photo ever - I think the streak is another hummer zipping by!!!!
Anna's hummingbird has the beautiful rose colored head.
The Broad-billed hummingbird has a reddish bill.
Another Anna's?
This poor one had some dog fur stuck on his feet, the feet may even be tied together! I am hoping it will fall off soon or perhaps some kind soul will catch it and fix this!!!
The black-chinned hummer....



Now this one is the blue-throated hummingbird.
Notice the bug :)
Ah, to have the trees loaded with hummingbirds... wow. See the beautiful tail!
They don't sit still long!

Look at the beautiful colors on this Anna's!
If the sun hits just right you can see the most beautiful iridescence on these White-eared hummingbirds!
Sometimes they roost and drink, other times they just hover and drink! This is a Blue-throated.

AWESOME!! This is the berrylline hummingbird, taking some of the dog hair which was provided for nesting material!

I had the camera on the fastest setting and still got a blurr.... but wow, what an amazing little creature.



Can you find the spotted owl in these woods?
Well, I will zoom in a little closer!
Another black-chinned!
Nice to have 2 different kinds feeding together, a black chinned and juvenile Anna's.
Hiking back down, we found the trail covered with tiny Spring Azure butterflies.
This one is a female Hepatic Tanager.
And this Yellow-eyed Junco let us get really close. Was there a nest nearby?


Looks like the violet-crowned hummingbird does not want company at this feeder.
Broad-billed?
I have never seen anything so beautiful! The Broad-billed hummingbird, all of 4".
I liked this picture because you can see the detail in the Broad-billed Hummingbird's tail!
Hmm, do I go for the color - or trying to see the wings!! Opting for a very fast shutter is tricky in bad lighting!
Boy, these Broad-billed are just exquisite!
They are just beautiful.


We saw lots of beautiful butterflies too, like this black swallowtail.

OOH - how did he get in here? This is the Swainson's Hawk.
I loved these Saguaro cactus condos... the Gila Woodpeckers nest in them!
Talk about sitting on pins and needles, this does not look too comfy to me.



Another Swainson's.
Here is a Red-tailed Hawk, keeping close watch over the cliffs.
We were so blessed to have nice weather - monsoons were around but didn't come our way!
Love this Phainopepla! (Who names these, anyway?)

Arizona's Santa Catalina mountains

I don't know where to begin - but have just returned from a wonderfully refreshing trip to SE Arizona. Here are some of the wonderful things I saw, beginning with the Red-Spotted Purple Butterfly.
This Black headed Grosbeak was overseeing our a picnic lunch.
Ok, this is pretty grainy, but it is a broad tailed hummer, far away!
This little Cliff Chipmunk found a peanut!
Ok, here is what I am talking about!! The Magnificent Hummingbird, one of our largest!
This feeder was hopping with Broad-tailed hummingbirds with beautiful color!
Here is the Magnificent Hummer again!
We were pretty surprised to also find turkeys up near the top...
... but expected the Common Raven.
The Rufous-winged Sparrow was one of the first birds of the day.
I thought the Canyon Towhee was awfully cute.
Not the greatest shot of a Gila Woodpecker.
I loved this Gambel's Quail.
And really enjoyed seeing the Gambel's Quail youngsters.
This is a neat bird!

The cactus forests were something special!

I think this is the Ash-Throated Flycatcher.
We were blessed with cool weather at the higher elevations, and a 2nd spring as the monsoon season had started.


The Pyrrhuloxia was guarding his territory.
He is kind of fierce looking!
YEA!!! the Western Bluebird!
What a sight for sore eyes.
This little guy is the Greater Pewee.
And this cutie is the Western Wood Pewee.
Who could not love these birds? This is a Cordilleran Flycatcher.
This Red-faced Warbler was spotted by Graham, in a moving car!
Wish I could take this scenery home with me!
Amazing views from Mt. Lemmon.
This was just a fascinating place.
We were serenaded by a little Rock Wren, who had a family several hundred feet below.



The Cooper's Hawk was also scoping out the area. Wow, what a day!