Greetings Birders,
This morning (Apr 1, 2013) I spent about 2 1/2 hours at Cibola NWR and came up with a list of 50 species. Best birds were 2 NEOTROPICAL CORMORANTS at the farmer’s pond in Palo Verde and a MASKED DUCK at the Hart Mine Marsh.
A CRISSAL THRASHER was close to the new Colorado River bridge. A BELL’S VIREO was singing on the Cornfield Nature Trail, but otherwise the trail was pretty quiet. As expected, the geese, waterfowl, and cranes have all departed. Three BURROWING OWLS were visible along the Goose Loop.
At the Hart Mine Marsh a KILLDEER was incubating four eggs and the YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS were drowning out everything but the MARSH WRENS. Didn’t hear one rail. The best bird of the day (the MASKED DUCK) showed briefly, and then disappeared in the reeds. A poor photos follows:
Masked Duck at Cibola NWR
Directions to these areas are in my new La Paz County bird-finding guide: http://www.southwestbirders.com/swb_LaPaz_County_Book.htm
Good hunting!
Henry