Sweetwater Wetlands, Tucson (28 October 2010)

Did some casual birding at Sweetwater Wetlands this afternoon from 3PM-6PM with an out-of-town birder.  Passerine activity was a bit slow, but since the diversity at this spot involves much more than just songbirds, I tallied almost 50 species.  Not too bad for a single loop in the afternoon starting at 90ºF!



Highlights for me:

-All 3 species of teal, though only one obvious male BLUE-WINGED TEAL
-A nice bright REDHEAD at close range on the north side of Keyhole Pond
-DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT (sitting on the stone berm between Recharge Basins 5 and 6)
-4 Rallids: SORA (2 seen very well at NW edge of Gazebo Pond), VIRGINIA RAIL (heard only), COMMON MOORHEN, and of course AMERICAN COOT
-HARRIS'S HAWK (perched in trees on north side of Sweetwater Drive)
-COOPER'S HAWK bombing after LADDER-BACKED WOODPECKERS near Hidden Pond (unsuccessfully)
-YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS by the score, swirling in from the sky to roost in the reeds throughout the wetland

Good birding,
John Yerger
Tucson, AZ
john@adventurebirding.com
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Adventure Birding Company
Specializing in flexible, personalized guiding in SE Arizona
www.adventurebirding.com
520-495-0229

Sweetwater Wetlands is perhaps the best place in southern Arizona to see Sora.

This Tucson hotspot is also a very reliable place to look for Harris's Hawks.

Visiting birders can find many common desert denizens here, as well, such as this Ladder-backed Woodpecker.