Yuma
- Territorial Prison, Mittry Lake, Colorado R.
Oct
26, 2001
-
75-90
degrees
A fine birding tour with Yen and Rosia Pan around Yuma.
87 species (list follows at end
of page)
Click on
thumbnail pictures for full-sized shots.
| We arrived at the Yuma Territorial
Prison Marsh just as the sun was beginning to rise. Marsh
Wrens were the first to serenade us, but soon other birds joined
in on the chorus. |
|
Rosia and
Yen
|
Before long we had picked up Least & Spotted
Sandpipers, a flock of Long-billed Dowitchers, Black Phoebes,
White-faced Ibis, several dove species, yellowthroats, and a
Clapper Rail. |
At Betty's Kitchen we saw Black-tailed and Blue-gray Gnatcatchers,
the first of many Yellow-rumped Warblers, and several Loggerhead
Shrikes. We watched a Sharp-shinned Hawk make a pass at a
flock of Yellow-rumps, and fly away empty-clawed. Yen &
Rosia were happy to get fine views of a Ladder-backed Woodpecker. |
Loggerhead Shrike |
|
female Gambel's Quail |
North of
Betty's Kitchen we got the first of many quail for the day, plus
our first really good bird, a Fox Sparrow. |
|
|
As we drove along Mittry Lake we stopped at the overlook and called out both
Virginia Rail and Sora. Farther north, as we drove the levee road
bordering the Gila Gravity Canal, we got our bird of the day--a striking
male American Redstart. |
Say's Phoebe
|
|
Wind-blown Loggerhead Shrike
|
At the Hidden Shores RV
Resort golf course, we watched a beautiful male Vermilion
Flycatcher, a Say's Phoebe, and several Black Phoebes. And
we spied yet another good bird, a Red-naped Sapsucker.
|
|
While looking at Common Snipe, Greater Yellowlegs, and Least Sandpipers
below the Gila Gravity Canal headworks, I got a glimpse of a Least Bitten
before it dove for cover. At West Pond was a small flock of
Red-breasted Mergansers and several duck species.
|
Gila Woodpecker
|
Our last good birds for the day were at Senator Wash, where we were
surprised to find a flock of 6 Snow Geese and 24 Common Loons. A fine
end to a great day of birding!
|
|
