Sweetwater Wetlands and Christopher Columbus Park in Tuscon, AZ

On Saturday, March 23, Carrie and I met up with Craig and Barb Thayer at Christopher Columbus Park in Tuscon, AZ. They would be our guides for our final day of birding in Arizona. Craig and Barb are two of the most enthusiastic and friendly birders I have ever met. They seemed excited about every bird including the common ones and this made birding with them a lot of fun. We started at Christopher Columbus Park at 7:00 a.m., hoping to see Lawrence's Goldfinches, which Craig had seen in an area in this park. Unfortunately there was a group flying their remote control airplanes in this area of the park. However, just a few minutes after we got out of our cars, Craig and Barb were able to direct our attention to the first lifer of the day for Carrie and me--Neotropic Cormorant.



We also had amazing looks at Black-necked Stilts and American Avocets. This stilt was a lifer for Carrie.





I was watching a pair of American Avocets through my camera when I observed an interesting behavior. The smaller avocet, which I assumed to be the female, lowered her neck to the surface of the water. The larger avocet beside her at first seemed to pay little attention to this behavior, and I was confused as to its meaning. Then, suddenly, the larger avocet mounted the smaller avocet, which had lowered her neck, and I understood.







Here is a list of the other birds we saw at this park before going to Sweetwater Wetlands. Carrie also saw a White-crowned Sparrow, which I did not see.

Christopher Columbus Park, Pima, US-AZ
Mar 23, 2013 7:02 AM - 8:12 AM
Protocol: Area
6.0 ac
23 species

Gadwall 15
Mallard (Northern) 5
Northern Shoveler 300
Green-winged Teal 5
Neotropic Cormorant 8
Great Blue Heron 3
Red-tailed Hawk (Western) 1
American Coot 15
Black-necked Stilt 30
American Avocet 7
Killdeer 4
Least Sandpiper 15
Long-billed Dowitcher 4
Ring-billed Gull 3
Mourning Dove 20
Anna's Hummingbird 1
Vermilion Flycatcher 3
Phainopepla 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) 8
Abert's Towhee 4
Red-winged Blackbird 15
Great-tailed Grackle 15
Lesser Goldfinch 8

Next, we followed the Thayers to Sweetwater Wetlands, and Carrie got another lifer again just moments after we got out of the car. Near the entrance, Craig and Barb led us to this Sora.



Next, thanks to the Thayers, Carrie was able to see the bird at the top of her target list--Yellow-headed Blackbird. Actually we saw about 16 of them, and later saw the flock in flight. And this was another lifer for both of us, but this was the best picture I was able to get.



While we were watching the Yellow-headed Blackbirds in the reeds, we were also observing numerous Cinnamon Teals in the water. This was yet another lifer for both of us. Here is one of the females . . .



and here is one of the males . . .



Though I had seen plenty of Northern Shovelers in the past, it was nice to be able to get so close to them here. The waterfowl were very approachable here.



This pair of Cinnamon Teals seemed to be posing just for us.



Here is one of several Common Gallinules we saw at the wetlands.



And here is a male Ruddy Duck up close and personal.





Carrie really likes this shoveler photo because of the reflection.



Before leaving the park, we saw this Black Phoebe and the Gambel's Quail below.





We had hoped to see a Harris's Hawk inside the park, but we were unable to find one. The Thayers took us around the exterior of the park where we saw this one in a tree across the road from the wetlands. This was lifer # 4 for the day for me and lifer # 6 for the day for Carrie.





Although we missed Lawrence's Goldfinch, my only true disappointment was that we could not keep birding with the Thayers all day. Carrie and I both really enjoyed their enthusiasm. Here are our totals from Sweetwater Wetlands, which has got to be one of my top five favorite places to bird of all time. It was the perfect place to go on the last day of our vacation.

Sweetwater Wetlands, Pima, US-AZ
Mar 23, 2013 8:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Protocol: Area
5.0 ac
25 species

American Wigeon 5
Mallard 5
Cinnamon Teal 26
Northern Shoveler 500
Ruddy Duck 18
Gambel's Quail 3
Cooper's Hawk 1
Harris's Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk (Western) 2
Sora 1
Common Gallinule 5
American Coot 22
Black-necked Stilt 5
Ring-billed Gull 5
Anna's Hummingbird 1
Black Phoebe 1
European Starling 4
Orange-crowned Warbler 2
Common Yellowthroat 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) 8
Abert's Towhee 4
Song Sparrow 2
Red-winged Blackbird 25
Yellow-headed Blackbird 16
Great-tailed Grackle 30

I birded a little more by myself around the golf course at the Green Valley Country Club. I did not really see anything new, but I managed a few decent photos.













Written and published on November 10, 2013.