Date: 2/27/26 7:41 pm From: henry detwiler (via aznmbirds Mailing List) <aznmbirds...> Subject: [AZNMbirds] SWAZ: Mittry Lake
Greetings Birders,
This morning I spent a few hours at Mittry Lake, starting off at Betty's Kitchen and ending at the Laguna Division Conservation Area. Our temperature has been averaging 15 degrees above normal, and the morning was beautiful. The birds seemed to be enjoying the weather, too, and the woods and marshes were filled with birdsong. Another sign of spring was the mass exodus of our American Coots on Mittry Lake--where there were thousands several weeks ago, today there were only dozens. The Cliff Swallows have returned, and are building nests under some of the bridges and dam structures. It was a great morning for rails, and I had a total of 4 Ridgway's Rails, 5 Black Rails, 3 Virginia Rails, and 6 Soras. I don't think I've ever heard this much Rallidae activity this early in the season. Also fun was a small herd of Bighorn Sheep coming down to drink in a canal across from Betty's Kitchen.
Two days ago I had two female Wood Ducks in the flooded Gila River channel east of Wellton. These guys are fairly common in southeastern Arizona, but they're rare in Yuma County.
eBird reports, the first has a couple of photos:https://url.usb.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/bHWLCLAmQOfm25qz4SBf7Iy7UZZ?<domain...>
Good Birding!Henry D. <Detwilerhenry_detwiler...>, AZ
Finding Birds in Southwest Arizonahttps://url.usb.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/xiq0CM7nRPIRYGPnWtkh6I8gDdo?<domain...> Birds at the Salton Sea and in Imperial County, https://url.usb.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/Mn6JCN7oVgIEp1LgXfjiwIykjN3?<domain...>
