Sunday 30 August 2015

S.E.Arizona (5)

After yesterday's missed turning I returned to the sewage works to try for the NC...


Smaller head and bill but longer tail than Double-crested. A scarce bird in Arizona. We then found a Cooper's Hawk determined to show us his tail...




Next was a Rufous-winged Sparrow perched on a road sign obviously feeding young...


I was keen to see some WATER!!!

So, it was time to visit Wilcox.


Handily it's easily accessible form I10. Unfortunately we arrived at 1pm...thing is you've got to be somewhere at 1pm! I was happy to remain at Cochise Lake (great name) for the afternoon. We could drive right around the relatively small lake and view from the (air conditioned) car.

What would we see. Well, almost immediately I re-found a scarce bird for the state...Snowy Plover...


I'd seen plenty in Texas over the years but it was great to see one here. Other birds seen included the always impressive American Avocets...



We saw a lot of birds with their mouths open...I wonder why! We got great views of this Eastern (Lilian's) Meadowlark...


Hundreds of twirling Wilson's Phalarope's...


Long-billed Dowitcher's...


It was a really relaxing afternoon...and evening...



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