Over the last few weeks, I’ve written about migration activity in the Prescott area. Large numbers of wild birds have been moving through, including stilts, ibis and terns at Willow Lake, a variety of sparrow species at the south shore of Willow Lake, and hummingbirds at backyard feeders. Birds are on the move.
While we are not on a significant flyway, we still get our fair share of migratory birds moving through the Arizona Central Highlands. This week, the one family of birds where I’ve seen a lot of migration activity has been warblers.
For over a week, there has been at least one northern waterthrush in Watson Woods Riparian Preserve. While the name “waterthrush” doesn’t sound like a warbler, it is in the warbler family.
On Sunday I heard the “chipping” call notes of a warbler in my backyard, so I grabbed my binoculars and spotted a MacGillivray’s warbler moving through the shrubby bushes. Earlier this week, in Watson Woods, I saw a variety of warblers, including orange-crowned, common yellowthroat, Wilson’s, Nashville, and yellow.
The trick to seeing warblers is getting out in nature. If you think you can spot warblers while sitting at home watching your seed feeders, you will be disappointed. Watching seed feeders for warblers is a waste of time, as warblers are not seed eaters. Rather, they are insect eaters.
Right now, the best place to see warblers is in brushy habitats, especially in fields of wild sunflower plants. These plants act as a host for insects, which in turn attracts warblers. This is also a good place to spot seed eaters, such as lazuli buntings, blue grosbeaks, and sparrows.
Each day I receive a rare bird alert email notification for Yavapai County through my eBird account. I like to read through the rare bird emails to see what other people are seeing out in nature. In the last week there have been a few reports of American goldfinches.
On Monday of this week, I saw an American goldfinch in Watson Woods Riparian Preserve. It was pretty drab (probably a juvenile) as it didn’t have much yellow on it, but it did have bold white wing bars indicating it was an American goldfinch, not a lesser goldfinch.
There have already been a few reports of white-crowned sparrows, which is early. Be on the lookout, as it is just a matter of time. By the end of this week—or next—you will start seeing white-crowned sparrows at your feeders.
Last week, I lead a store-sponsored bird walk to the recharge facility out by the airport. This is a restricted area. If you want to go on to the property, give me a call and I will tell you what the process entails in order to access the property.
The water levels were super low, which meant we saw very few shorebirds or water birds. It was a little disappointing. However, we still saw a lot of birds—especially red-winged and yellow-headed blackbirds. We saw hundreds of them in mesmerizing twisting and turning flocks.
One of the unexpected finds was a white-winged dove. It is probably the only one I have seen in Yavapai County this year. We also saw a couple of Swainson’s hawks, which will soon be on their way to Argentina for the winter!
As a reminder, our 16th Annual Wild Bird Photography Contest submission period is in full swing and runs through September 30th. For more information, stop by The Lookout to pick up a flyer, or visit our website at www.thelookoutaz.com to see the contest guidelines. I invite you to participate!
Until next week, Happy Birding!
Eric Moore is the owner of The Lookout, in Prescott, where you will find a Hallmark Gold Crown Store, wild bird products, and Swarovski and Vortex optics. Eric has been an avid birder for over 55 years. Eric can be contacted at eric@thelookoutaz.com.
