After a crazy time at the Thrasher site we headed east of Phoenix, to the Superstition Freeway, and on to the town of Superior. We’d been told that Gray Vireo’s were found in the area.
We pulled into various spots, along the highway, playing the Vireo call and glassing the shrubbery. Lot’s of birds were moving about, but nothing resembling that resembled a vireo. We went from spot to spot for an hour and were about ready to give up, when in came two Vireo’s. They quickly disappeared into the foliage of a nearby tree but popped up moments later at the top, giving us both a great view.
I could never mistake a Gray Vireo for anything else, ail is unique and they are almost totally gray. The tail looks like a short version of a Fork-tailed Flycatcher’s. Unmistakable.
ABA Bird #647 – GRAY VIREO
Leaving Superior batting 100% we headed to Winkelman, where a Common Black-Hawk pair were nesting. We found the rodeo grounds and scanned the hillside across the Gila River. It took a while but we found an adult actively hunting the hillside to the south of the river, getting decent but far away looks. It was hunting an area near Highway 77, so we left the rodeo grounds and headed for the bridge over the river on 77.
I had already photographed a Black-hawk in Central America, so I wasn’t that disappointed that it never really came close. There’s always next time.
My photo from Belize….
ABA Bird #648 – Common Black-Hawk
Ciao for now…..
BIRDQUEST2004 