The Birds of Sabino Canyon

Hermit Thrush by kathiesbirds
10-14-08

The summer birds are gone and the winter population is moving in. We counted this little bird near Sabino Dam in the thick of the brush.

Whitecrowned sparrow by kathiesbirds 10-14-08

Out in the sunshine a White-crowned sparrow looks over the land.

Hammond's Flycatcher 9-16-08 by Kathiesbirds


In September the last of the hummingbirds were still hanging around. Only a few linger now. Nearby this little Hammond's Flycatcher hunts insects in the brush.



Juvenile Cooper's Hawk 9-16-08 by kathiesbirds

Across the creek a juvenile Cooper's Hawk keeps watch for the slightest movement.


Clark's Spiny Lizard eats insect 9-16-08


We rarely finish our hike without seeing at least one lizard, but it was a real treat to find this Clark's Spiney Lizard with a mouth full of beetle beneath some brush. Burp!



Come back tomorrow for MY WORLD TUESDAY!

Sabino Canyon Bird Counts:

Location: Sabino Canyon Recreation Area

Observation date: 9/16/08

Notes: IBA Survey transect with Jean, Peggy and Pam. I counted all the way back to the car as well, a half mile farther than the transect.

Number of species: 28

Gambel's Quail 3
Turkey
Vulture 2
Cooper's Hawk 3
Red-tailed Hawk (Western) 2
Prairie Falcon 1
Mourning Dove 5
Broad-billed Hummingbird 4
Black-chinned Hummingbird 6
Anna's Hummingbird 3
Gila Woodpecker 3
Red-naped Sapsucker 1
Hammond's Flycatcher 1
Black Phoebe 1
Bell's Vireo 5
Plumbeous Vireo 2
Common Raven 1
Verdin 4
Cactus Wren 3
House Wren 4
Curve-billed Thrasher 2
Lucy's Warbler 2
Wilson's Warbler (Mountain West) 2
Green-tailed Towhee 1
Abert's Towhee 2
Northern Cardinal 1
Black-headed Grosbeak 1
House Finch 1
Lesser Goldfinch 20

Location: Sabino Canyon Recreation Area

Observation date: 10/14/08

Notes: IBA survey plus the hike in and out. 44F@ 7:00AM. No wind or clouds. We weren't seeing many birds until we were halfway through the transect. This is probably due to the cold temps and the construction going on at the beginning of the transect where 2 new restrooms are being built. Transect is along Sabino Creek. Once we were south of
the construction zone and the sun started to hit the canyon the birds came out in force.

Number of species: 19

Gambel's Quail 15
Mourning Dove 6
Gila Woodpecker 3
Black Phoebe 1
Common Raven 1
Verdin 5
Cactus Wren 7
Rock Wren 4
House Wren 2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1
Hermit Thrush 1
Northern Mockingbird 4
Curve-billed Thrasher 2
Phainopepla 5
Abert's Towhee 4
Song Sparrow 1
White-crowned Sparrow 1
House Sparrow 10