Arizona 31st January 2015

We spent a few hours again around Lake Havasu in the morning. We tried along the Planet Ranch Road first where we had our first views of Crissal Thrashers. This had been a regular spot for Nutting's Flycatcher but they haven't been seen here for a while now unfortunately. We had another quick look around the Bill Williams Rivers area. We were lucky to see one young Black-chinned Hummingbirds at the feeders in amongst the numerous Costa's and Anna's Hummingbirds. This was to be our only Black-chin of the trip.

From here we continued West as we going to be heading across the State border into California later in the day. We had some good birds along the roadside of Mohave Road such as Prairie Falcon, a distant Ferruginous Hawk and Sandhill Cranes. We also had a brief stop in a small park at Ehrenberg where we had a pair of fly-over Ladder-backed Woordpecker, a tame Say's Phoebe and Black-tailed Gnatcatchers. Overnighted in Palm Springs, California.



Cattle Egrets, Mohave Road, Arizona.

Greater Scaup and Redhead, Lake Havasu, Arizona.

Redhead, Lake Havasu, Arizona.

Redhead, Lake Havasu, Arizona.

Sandhill Cranes, Mohave Road, Arizona.

Sandhill Cranes, Mohave Road, Arizona.

American Kestrel, Mohave Road, Arizona.

Prairie Falcon, Mohave Road, Arizona.

Prairie Falcon, Mohave Road, Arizona.

Ring-billed Gull, Lake Havasu, Arizona.

Anna's and Black-chinned Hummingbird, Lake Havasu, Arizona.

Costa's, Anna's and Black-chinned Hummingbird, Lake Havasu, Arizona.

Male Costa's Hummingbird, Lake Havasu, Arizona.

Black-chinned Hummingbird, Lake Havasu, Arizona.

Female Anna's (?) Hummingbird on the nest right beside the main entrance to the visitor centre at Bill Williams River NWR, Lake Havasu, Arizona.

Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Ehrenberg, Arizona.

Say's Phoebe, Ehrenberg, Arizona.

Twats in a speedboat, Lake Havasu, Arizona.

Group shot on Planet Ranch Road.

Planet Ranch Road

 

Florida 18th November 2012

Ducks, ducks, ducks! I spent the whole day in St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge which is well known for its wildfowl and newly established wintering flock of Whooping Cranes. I was too early for the latter and also a little early for the large numbers of the former. Although the numbers were low I did see Gadwall, American Wigeon, Blue-winged Teal, Shoveler, Green-winged Teal, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Greater Scaup, Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead, Hooded Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser and Ruddy Duck during the day. Earlier in the trip I had already seen Black-bellied Whistling Duck, Mottled Duck, Pintail and Surf Scoter at several other sites. I would also catch up with Wood Duck the next day. One of my main reasons for heading this far North was in hope of seeing a few Canvasbacks but even this apparent reliable site for them failed to produce any sightings which was a little disappointing. Great to see Lesser Scaup at such close quaters in the company of Greater Scaup.

Left to right Redhead, Lesser Scaup, LS, Greater Scaup & 2 LS.

Lesser Scaup

Spot the Greater Scaup?

Greater Scaup on the left of three Lessers

Greater Scaup and Bufflehead with Lesser Scaups.

Lessers with a Greater on the right.

First-winter (female?) Lesser Scaup

First-winter female and adult male Lesser Scaup.

Adult female Lesser Scaup

First-winter male Lesser Scaup, not as advanced as the bird below.

First-winter and adult male Lesser Scaup, note eye colour difference and different moult. Also note the green sheen to the adult compared to the purple sheen below, this changed depending on posture and angle to sun.

Adult male Lesser Scaup

Greater Scaup with Lesser behind showing diagnostic bill pattern.

Greater to the front left with Lesser Scaup.

First-winter male Greater Scaup

First-winter female Greater Scaups with adult male Lesser.

Male American Wigeon

Male and female American Wigeon

White-winged Dove

Red-bellied Woodpecker

American Goldfinches

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Eastern Towhee

White-crowned Sparrow

White-tailed Deer

Florida 9th November 2012

Started off at the Viera Wetlands, typical drive through site. Decent selection of species on the well vegetated ponds. A few duck on the nearby "Click Ponds" also.
Finished up at Three Lakes Management Area where I had Brown-headed Nuthatch, Eastern Bluebird, Eastern Meadowlark, Snail Kite, Purple Gallinule, Prairie Warbler, etc..

Juv-female Blue-winged Teal

Belted Kingfisher with European Starlings.

Northern Mockingbird

Boat-tailed Grackles

American River Otter

Wilson's Snipe

Anhinga

Female Ring-necked Duck

Female Redhead



Female Red-winged Blackbird

Wilson's Snipe

Red-shouldered Hawk

Double-crested Cormorant

Savannah Sparrow

Male Ring-necked Duck

First-winter female Lesser Scaup and female Redhead

Male Ring-necked Duck, first-winter female Lesser Scaup and female Redhead

First-winter female Lesser Scaup

First-winter female Lesser Scaup

Alligator

Adult Blad Eagle

American Robin

Brown-headed Nuthatch

Common Ground Dove

White-eyed Vireo

Blue-grey Gnatcatcher



Pine and Yellow-rumped Warblers