Greetings Birders!
It’s August and it’s hot here in Yuma, Arizona. No doubt when the birds leave home and head south, they have no idea what they’re heading into. Suzanne and I spent thirty minutes at the West Wetlands this morning and noted a “new” COOPER’S HAWK flying by; we saw him later dining on a MOURNING DOVE. Aside from the hawk, it was mostly residents–lots of VERDINS, ABERT’S TOWHEES, WHITE-WINGED DOVES, GILA & LADDER-BACKED WOODPECKERS, NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRDS, and a young BLUE GROSBEAK. Along the Salinity Canal were two returning SPOTTED SANDPIPERS and thirteen BURROWING OWLS. Back at home we had two additional “winter” visitors coming to our tiny pond, a WESTERN TANAGER and our first ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER of the season.
Stay cool out there!
Burrowing Owl Juveniles