Boyce Thompson Arboretum

Cactus Wren gathering nesting material at Boyce Thompson Arboretum.

Its field trip #2 with the More Birding With Cynthia Donald, the weather is gorgeous, and we're excited at the prospect of seeing 3 rare birds recently spotted at Boyce Thompson Arboretum - a Worm-eating Warbler, a Black-throated Blue Warbler, and a Gray Catbird.  But for a while it seemed all we were seing were common birds, atop electrical wires, of all things, at an arboretum full of wonderful trees.


Starling upon a most un-natural  perch.

  Things picked up though, and we all got a good look at a Red-naped Sapsucker who remained eerily motionless for quite some time.  I guess it doesn't require much motion to suck sap.  We also saw a Cactus Wren gathering nesting material and taking it to her well hidden nest draped over with palm fronds.  Ayers Lake was a bit sad though, with only one lonely Coot floating around on it.  Could have been that the Coopers Hawk lurking about was keeping everyone hiding in the reeds.

Red-naped Sapsucker who refused to turn around and smile.

Other birds of interest seen included a Black Phoebe, Hutton’s Vireo, Plumbeous Vireo, Warbling Vireo, Western Scrub Jay, Bewick’s Wren, Rock Wren, Canyon Wren, Marsh Wren. Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Hermit Thrush, Gray Catbird, Crissal Thrasher, Phainopepla, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Common Yellowthroat (heard but not seen), Green-tailed Towhee, Spotted Towhee (I saw close-up, after the group left), White-crowned Sparrow (yeah!  our little winter puff-balls are back!), Northern Cardinal, Broad-billed Hummingbird, Black-throated Sparrow, Pyrrhuloxia, Cooper’s Hawk (later reported to have caught a Northern Flicker and torn it apart out in the garden in front of God and everyone, glad I missed seeing THAT), and Red-tailed Hawk.

Click on image below to see slide-show.