I went for a hike in San Timoteo Canyon today and noticed that the Cliff Swallows are nesting under the bridge. I took about a zillion shots of them, many of which will not see the light of day...ever. However, a few were OK to passable, some even pretty good. This one shows the swallow coming to the nest to feed his mate--it looked as if most of them are still sitting on eggs--I didn't see any evidence of chicks yet. 4/18/19 Judith Sparhawk
I got back from my trip late last night, after a wonderful week in the "wilds" of southeast Arizona....even out of cell or internet contact most of the time. This is an Elegant Trogon, a very special bird that mostly lives in Mexico and beyond, but does occur in some of the mountain canyons in SE Arizona. Birders travel from all over the country, and even from around the world for this bird. If they are lucky they may get a view of this "grail" bird, and many go home disappointed. I have seen this trogon several times over the years, but certainly not every time I've tried for it. This was a very lucky year--when I first saw this bird it was almost completely obscured by foliage, but I tried for a photo anyway. As I moved closer, I was amazed and thrilled as he moved closer to me, almost posing for me on a branch. Every time he moved, he came closer--it was a very special moment. My comment...bestill my heart! Arizona, August, 2019 Judith Sparhawk
Wayne posted Thrasher pics, but he didn't have these species, so thought I'd add them in for fun. The one on the left is a Crissal Thrasher, photographed in Las Cruces, New Mexico. This bird is usually very secretive, hiding in bushes. I was lucky to catch this one out in the open, singing like crazy. Note his very decurved bill, the rufous color of his undertail coverts, and the black stripes by his bill. The one on the right is a Brown Thrasher which is similar to the Lont-billed Thrasher posted by Wayne, but has a different geographical range. This one was photographed in a tree right next to the shore of Lake Michigan, in northern Michigan. It was also perched and singing, giving lots of photo ops. This shot doesn't show its back and tail, which are a very pretty rufous brown. It has a wide range in northern and eastern US. 12/20/19 Judith Sparhawk
