Typically, by this time of year, migration is over. Bird species that were moving north in the spring have reached their summer breeding range, and species that migrate south are still busy defending their territories, breeding, and rearing young.

The end of June is usually a very stable time of year when it comes to the bird species that occur here in the Arizona Central Highlands. But this year, it just seems different.

For example, most of the duck species that winter at our local lakes start to head north in March. By the month of May they are usually long gone. However, as recently as Monday of this week, I saw an amazing variety of duck species at Willow Lake.

I saw mallards, ruddys, gadwalls, redheads, cinnamon teal, pintail, wood ducks and a shoveler—eight different species! I think that is remarkable for the end of June. I also saw a western grebe, which is considered rare for this time of year.

When a local birder found a long-billed curlew at Willow Lake last week, I went out the same day it was reported. In addition to finding the curlew, I counted over fifteen Forster’s terns. Just one Forster’s tern would be considered rare, but to have fifteen was highly unusual for mid-June. The next day there were none. Where they came from and where they went is a mystery.

What makes a bird rare? There are several possibilities. Even very common species can be considered rare when they show up either during the wrong time of year or in a location in which they are not normally found.

Several years ago, I was surveying my assigned Christmas bird count area in preparation for the Christmas bird count. It was mid-December, and I was birding at Granite Basin. Imagine my shock when I found a black-throated blue warbler!

This is a species that breeds in northeastern North America—think Maine and Nova Scotia—and winters in the West Indies. And yet, I found one in December, in Arizona! That certainly qualified as a rare bird on both accounts—wrong time of year, and out of its normal range.

Interestingly, Willow Lake is currently at its lowest level in probably twenty years. And yet, in spite of the low water level, the variety of birds at the lakes seems above average. Does the lower water level provide a greater benefit to the birds that occur there than higher water levels for the same time of year? I don’t know the answer.

The most amazing recent rare bird sighting happened on Monday of this week. A birder in the Verde Valley discovered a least grebe at Bubbling Ponds Wildlife Viewing Area in Page Springs.

Email after email of this rare bird alert kept coming through as more individuals went to Page Springs to see the Least Grebe. My day was pretty full, and I didn’t see how I could possibly get over there, but the wheels were turning in my head.

So, Tuesday morning I got up at 3:45 a.m., and was on the road shortly after four. When I arrived at Bubbling Ponds the gates were still closed! It didn’t even occur to me that I wouldn’t be able to access the facility.

Fortunately, the gates open automatically at 5:30. I quickly made my way to the pond where it had been seen the day before, and it was still in the same location. Success! I got back to Prescott in time to open the store that morning.

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.