This past week, for the second week in a row, I led a guided bird walk to the Watson Woods Riparian Preserve, including the Peavine Trail and the southeastern edge of Watson Lake. Our three-hour bird walk was super productive—we saw 53 species!
It was interesting to take note of the differences between the two bird walks. We saw several species this past week that we missed the previous week, such as broad-tailed hummingbird, vermilion flycatcher, western tanager, western wood peewee and surprisingly, several white-crowned sparrows! That was a very late sighting for this species, and I haven’t seen any since. I suspect they have left for the summer by now.
The number of species observed is a direct correlation to the time of year. The first two weeks of May are probably the best two weeks of the year to see the largest variety of bird species in this area. Based on my personal observation, I’d say the peak of spring migration has now passed.
I’m still seeing some lazuli buntings and a few black-headed grosbeaks, but not in the same numbers as I was seeing them just a week ago. Interestingly, the next few weeks is the time of year when we frequently experience rarities showing up—birds that shouldn’t occur here according to range maps in field guides.
Each year there are a number of birds that get off course. As wild birds migrate up out of the tropics and approach our southern border with Texas and New Mexico, they sometimes take a left when they should have taken a right. This means that eastern bird species which typically occur east of the Rockies, show up on the west side of the Rockies.
Examples of this would be things like hooded warbler, ovenbird, rose-breasted grosbeak, gray catbird, and a host of other uncommon birds (for Arizona) that occasionally show up in our state.
Recently I had customers share with me photo documentation of a gray catbird in their yard. This is a species I’ve seen on many occasions in a variety of states east of the Rockies—and even in Mexico—but never have I seen one in Arizona, let alone in Prescott.
Unfortunately, I didn’t go out and see it when the sighting was reported. By the time I went to their home the bird had left. If you hear of an unusual bird in the area, don’t wait a day or two to go looking for it. Chances are the bird will already be gone by the time you get there.
If you are participating in the 2023 Birding Challenge, the month of May is a critical time to get out and take in the variety of bird species passing through this area as they migrate northward. This is especially true at our local lakes. This is the time of year where we get a good variety of water-dependent species such as pelicans, gulls, terns, grebes, and ibis at both Willow and Watson Lakes.
Many of these species stay only long enough to rest and refuel, so their stay is very short-lived. This is why I encourage birders to get out frequently during the month of May. The variety of birds showing up in our area can literally change daily—even hourly.
This week I will be in Cortez, Colorado attending the Ute Mountain/Mesa Verde Birding and Nature Festival, both as a vendor and as a guide. This is a festival we attended regularly until Covid struck. The festival is being revived, and this will be our first time back since 2019. I’m looking forward to birding in Colorado!
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 Vortex and Swarovski optics. Eric has been an avid birder for over 55 years. Eric can be contacted at eric@thelookoutaz.com.
