Doug Backlund Travel and Photography

Just More Photos

Nothing very exciting has happened around here. The weather has been very nice, not cold at night and warm days. About all I’ve been doing is birding and taking photos. Now the full moon is past and I will be starting to do some astro again, clouds permitting.

One evening I found this Vermilion Flycatcher on a perch, so I parked the truck fairly close with the setting sun behind me, and pretty soon it came back! Always nice to get a good shot of birds like this.

Within minutes, it was replaced by this Loggerhead Shrike!

Western Bluebirds coming to water at Highway Tank.

An Ash-throated Flycatcher in nice light. This is the first one I’ve seen since arriving in Ajo.

And here is the first Gray Flycatcher I’ve seen since getting here.

Here is what could have been a great bird except I can’t tell what species it is. I found this bird at the golf course one afternoon. Tropical Kingbird and Couch’s Kingbird are nearly identical except for their calls and songs. This bird never vocalized so remains Tropical/Couch’s Kingbird. I guess either way it is a new species for the year. Tropical Kingbirds are usually gone from Arizona by fall and would have been a life bird for me. This time of year, according to Arizona birders, Couch’s Kingbird is more likely but still very rare. I’ve seen Couch’s Kingbirds in Texas. Three of us looked for this bird the following morning but could never find it again.

These two Killdeer at Highway Tank made an interesting mirror image in the water.

A Sonoran Toad in December? Yes, here it is. According to all the literature, Sonoran Toads spend the winter in underground burrows. Apparently this one decided to stay in the water. I’ve seen two of these at Highway Tank and another that came out of the water and died on the bank. I’m not sure what is going on here.

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