Least Tern

The first day of a ten-day tour around SE Arizona…

Lisa Frank Ave, Tucson:

As is appropriate for any Fun Birding Tour, our first bird was a BURROWING OWL guarding one of the regular holes.

Sweetwater Wetlands:

Always a good introduction to SE Arizona, with its mix of habitats and typical birds of the region. However, we were lucky to also witness a local rarity – a splendid LEAST TERN.

Also at Sweetwater, lingering CINNAMON TEAL and NORTHERN SHOVELER, NEOTROPIC CORMORANT, GREAT EGRET, BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON, SPOTTED SANDPIPER, a couple of baby GREAT HORNED OWLS on a nest, a late BELTED KINGFISHER, a migrant OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE, a pair of TROPICAL KINGBIRDS, ABERT’S TOWHEE, and a late ‘MOUNTAIN’ WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW.

A great start to the tour!