Date: 5/5/25 2:33 pm From: John Williams <john...> Subject: [AZNMbirds] Arthur Pack Regional Park, NW Tucson, fallout
I can’t say this was a fallout a la High Island, but the number of Lazuli Buntings increased beyond my ability to count it. I reported 44 on eBird but it easily could have been double that.
They were centered on the many flowering mesquites, as were six warbler species, Bullock’s Orioles, Western Tanagers. Even White-crowned Sparrows are up in those flowers. (White-crowns have all been dark-lored over the last week. Warblers present the problem of near perfect camouflage in the yellow blossoms.
Duck species were down to four this morning. The 9th pond had well over 100 swallows feeding on the cool morning…. That’s where the bugs are. Only saw Northern Rough-winged, Bank and Violet-greens, but did see two Vaux’s Swifts and one White-throated Swift.
Flycatchers were represented by Western-wood Pewee (3) Olive-sided, Multiple Vermillion, Ash-throated and Brown-capped Flycatchers, several Western Kingbirds and a single Cassin’s Kingbird.
At the 7th hole pond there were four Black-necked Stilts, two Spotted Sandpipers, a Solitary Sandpiper and a male Wilson’s Phalarope.
Lark Sparrows were down, probably due to mowing machines all going strong.
At home, I watched a clumsy GH Owl fledgling joining its parents in a pine tree. It did manage its landing.
Yesterday, 0.072” inches of rain, which had a bit of hail mixed it.
