Last week I wrote about a number of unusual bird sightings reported in Yavapai County recently. Since then, there have been two more rare bird sightings; this time in Camp Verde.
I made a quick trip over to Camp Verde last Saturday to see if I could find a Mississippi kite, a type of bird of prey. It had been observed the day before in a residential area near the Verde River.
When I arrived and saw how many trees there were in the area, I thought it might take a while to find the one bird I was seeking. Well, I didn’t have to wait long. In less than a minute, a Mississippi kite flew into view, caught a cicada in mid-flight, and perched at the top of a cottonwood tree directly in front of me, affording me excellent views. Wow, that was too easy—mission accomplished!
Using my Ollin digiscoping adapter, I shot several photographs and videos through my Swarovski spotting scope. Within ten minutes I was heading back home. Of course, I didn’t come straight home. I made several birding stops along the way as I looked for other target birds.
Earlier this week, a homeowner in Camp Verde discovered an unusual looking bird on her property. She showed a picture of the bird to a birder who was looking for the kite, and the birder realized the homeowner had discovered a very rare bird—a yellow-crowned night heron.
I have not yet made it over to the Verde to see the heron, but I’m hoping it will stick around. There is no way of knowing how long it will stay, so going over as soon as possible increases my odds of finding it. I have only seen a yellow-crowned night heron once in the state of Arizona!
Avid birders, like myself, appreciate property owners allowing birders to come onto their property. Over the years I’ve welcomed countless birders to my yard to see a rare bird. Years ago, when I was living in Utah, I discovered a grasshopper sparrow in my garden. Within an hour, I had a dozen birders in my backyard!
One year, here in Prescott, I had an ovenbird in my yard. This is a species of warbler typically found east of the Rockies. Another time, I had a hooded warbler in my yard. Sharing rare bird sightings allows individuals to see species they may have never seen before, or least in Arizona.
On another note, I am happy to report that we are again offering our fee-based bird walks. We have offered free guided bird walks every week for over a decade, and now we will be offering longer trips where we will go further in the field.
One of the advantages of participating in these fee-based bird walks is that we will take you places where you may have never been before. Through relationships we have fostered over the years, we have access to private property where excellent birding opportunities await.
Our next fee-based bird walk will be to the confluence of the Verde River and Granite Greek, in the Rimrock area, northeast of Chino Valley. The trip includes a healthy lunch prepared just for our birding group by the staff at Little Thumb Butte Bed & Breakfast, which is situated on a volcanic bluff overlooking the Verde River.
Target species for this trip include golden eagle, common black hawk, yellow-billed cuckoo, burrowing owls, and river otters. Please call the store to sign up, as there is a ten-person limit.
Until next week, Happy Birding!
Eric Moore is the owner of The Lookout, in Prescott, where you will find a Hallmark department, 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.
