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Birding Photography Travel

On The Move Again

I left Ajo on Sunday morning and drove to the Las Cienegas National Conservation Area, near Sonoita. I’ve stayed here many times, it is free, quiet, and usually good birding. Like most everywhere else in Arizona, it is very dry. There is still water in the spring though and the cottonwoods are leafed out and green. The uplands are dry and brown. Had a nice rain this afternoon and now the forecast is for a low of 35F tonight! I would not be surprised to see some snow on the mountains in the morning.

Today Mark Otnes and I birded around Patagonia Lake where we had some good luck with a Least Tern.

I haven’t photographed Gila Woodpeckers for a long time, they are very common. But, this was a shot I couldn’t pass up.
A Least Tern at Patagonia Lake State Park. We saw it flying around the lake several times but then it landed on the beach. The tern let us walk up very close.
I took nearly 200 photos as it preened and rested.
More of the same.
It is always nice to get photos of birds doing something beside just resting.
A Black Phoebe at the Patton’s Hummingbird Center.

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