Sadly, the peak of spring wild bird migration has passed. This year’s spring migration was an amazing event with many lazuli buntings, green-tailed towhees, summer and western tanagers, and black-headed and blue grosbeaks. There will still be a few stragglers moving through.
I had a warbling vireo in my yard this past Saturday. The month of June is the time of year when really rare birds show up, as sometimes birds get their navigation wrong. When songbirds that occur in eastern United States migrate up out of the tropics, their route typically takes them east of the Rockies.
Every so often, birds that should be going east will take a left where they should have taken a right, and they end up on the west side of the Rockies. Just over a week ago I received an email, with pictures, of a rose-breasted grosbeak at a feeder! If you see a rare bird in your yard, I would love a call or an email.
This past week I’ve had a male cardinal in my yard. Our doors and windows are often open when we’re at home, and we can hear him singing. I haven’t seen a cardinal for months, and now he’s back enjoying our platform feeder.
On Tuesday night of this week, I saw my first family of quail, with babies in tow. There were four babies, and I would guess they are between two to three weeks old. Be on the lookout for baby quail, as this is definitely the time of year when they are hatching.
If you have a ground-level bird bath, remember to keep the water very shallow, maybe only a half-inch deep. All too often baby quail will go into a bird bath that is deep (for them) and they end up drowning.
If you have not registered for the annual Hummingbird Festival hosted by the International Hummingbird Society, I encourage you to consider attending. The festival is next month at the Performing Arts Center on the campus of Sedona High School. You can register online at sedonahummingbirdfestival.com.
There will be daily birding trips, hummingbird workshops, hummingbird banding demonstrations, hummingbird garden tours, a hummingbird breakfast (no, you will not be served hummingbirds for breakfast, but you will enjoy a lovely breakfast while observing hummingbirds), a Hummingbird Central Marketplace, and a hummingbird photo contest. Festival dates are July 25-27.
The week after the Hummingbird Festival is the annual Southwest Wings Birding and Nature Festival in Sierra Vista. I really enjoy attending this festival each year—in large part due to where it is held. Sierra Vista is situated at the base of the Huachuca Mountains, one of the Sky Island mountain ranges in southeastern Arizona.
The proximity to Mexico creates the opportunity to see species that are more common in Mexico, but the northernmost extension of the range for many bird species extends into southern Arizona. When I attended this festival two years ago, I saw thirteen hummingbird species! You’d be hard pressed to see that many hummingbird species anywhere in the United States.
As at all birding festivals, there will be daily field trips, workshops, seminars, a marketplace and a keynote speaker and dinner event. Festival dates are July 30-August 2, and registration is open at swwings.org.
One final plug: the Alta Vista Garden Club biennial garden tour is on Saturday, June 21st, from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. This year’s Prescott Garden Tour features five uniquely original home gardens in Prescott. Tickets are $20.00, and are available at The Lookout or online at www.AltaVistaGardenClub.org.
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.
