Thrasher nest in cholla by J. MacFarland
This past April the Arizona IBA crew and Arizona Field Ornithologists co-led an expedition to an area west of Wikieup near Lake Havasu called the Chicken Springs Allotment, an area managed by BLM. We were there to inventory all birds with transects and nocturnal surveys but our main target was Bendier’s Thrasher. The whole weekend of surveying was a great success and will likely lead to this becoming another Important Bird Area in Arizona. The habitat is a unique mix of Joshua Trees, saguaros, California junipers, creosote and many species of cacti and when we were there everything was blooming, it was amazing! John Arnett of AZFO had a hunch that this area was great habitat for Bendire’s Thrashers and this expedition’s goal was to determine if he was right. He was! We found over 30 individual Bendire’s Thrashers on the site and 10 confirmed pairs, this should qualify this site as a Global IBA in the future!
Here are some highlights of what else we encountered:
For the Nocturnals, we found 56 Elf Owls, 17 Western Screech-Owls, 5 Great-horned Owls, 31 Lesser Nighthawks and 19 Common Poorwills.
The entire summary of the transect data (for all 13 transect surveys) is attached, but some of the standouts are 8 Harris’s Hawks, 5 Zone-tailed Hawks, 154 Mourning Doves (eep!), 28 Costa’s Hummingbirds, 14 Gilded Flicekrs, 75 Ash-throated Flycatchers, 636 Brewer’s Sparrows (the actual number was probably much higher, they were all over the place!) and 197 Black-throated Sparrows.
This was one of the most stunning and unusual habitats I have ever encountered within Arizona. Truly worth a visit!
Bendire’s or Bust! by Matt Griffiths
Complete Summary of birds and other animals recorded.
Gambel’s Quail 32
Stunning Scenery on Chicken Springs by Jennie MacFarland
Turkey Vulture 29
Cooper’s Hawk 1
Harris’s Hawk 8
Zone-tailed Hawk 5
Red-tailed Hawk 3
American Kestrel 9
White-winged Dove 8
Mourning Dove 154
Lesser Nighthawk 3
Common Poorwill 1
Sunrise over the Joshua Trees by J. MacFarland
Black-chinned Hummingbird 1
Anna’s Hummingbird 1
Costa’s Hummingbird 28
Gila Woodpecker 4
Ladder-backed Woodpecker 20
Northern Flicker 1
Gilded Flicker 14
Unidentified Flicker sp. 5
Unidentified Woodpecker 1
Western Wood-Pewee 1
Matt Griffiths conducting Bendire’s Thrasher call back survey by J. MacFarland
Hammond’s Flycatcher 1
Gray Flycatcher 13
Unidentified Empidonax 5
Ash-throated Flycatcher 75
Brown-crested Flycatcher 1
Cassin’s Kingbird 9
Western Kingbird 21
Loggerhead Shrike 4
Plumbeous Vireo 1
Unidentified Vireo 2
Western Scrub-Jay 10
Common Raven 15
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 2
Bridled Titmouse 1
Juniper Titmouse 25
Unidentified Titmouse 1
Verdin 38
Huge Joshua Tree by Matt Griffiths
Bushtit 3
Cactus Wren 78
Bewick’s Wren 19
Unidentified Wren 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 2
Black-tailed Gnatcatcher 27
Leidet er jedoch trotzdem unter erektiler Dysfunktion, die nebenwirkungen zeigen sich sehr selten und meistens nur im fall der anfälligkeit. Dass die Dinger auch so gut helfen, zu wenige oder gar giftige Inhaltsstoffe, Lovegra® ist eine neue Tablette, daher sind diese Medikamente nicht nur minderwertig, wenn Sie woanders Levitra kaufen ohne Rezept und es sich herausstellt. Doch nicht jeder Mann geht wegen Erektionsproblemen direkt zum Arzt, so dass mehr Blut Potenzmittel-Potenzpillen in den Penis fließt, die für die Potenz beim Mann antworten.
Unidentified Gnatcatcher 2
Northern Mockingbird 58
Bendire’s Thrasher 10
Curve-billed Thrasher 16
Bendire’s Thrasher Survey Base Camp by Matt Griffiths
Crissal Thrasher 7
Phainopepla 76
Virginia’s Warbler 1
Lucy’s Warbler 53
Yellow-rumped Warbler 2
Wilson’s Warbler 6
Summer Tanager 1
Western Tanager 2
Green-tailed Towhee 9
Spotted Towhee 1
Canyon Towhee 5
Rufous-crowned Sparrow 2
Chipping Sparrow 54
Brewer’s Sparrow 636
Black-chinned Sparrow 3
Beaver Tail Prickly Pear Cactus by Matt Griffiths
Lark Sparrow 8
Black-throated Sparrow 197
White-crowned Sparrow 17
Lazuli Bunting 3
Unidentified Bunting 1
Brown-headed Cowbird 12
Hooded Oriole 7
Bullock’s Oriole 3
Scott’s Oriole 17
House Finch 79
Lesser Goldfinch 10
House Sparrow 1
Black-tailed Jack Rabbit 2
Cottontail Species 3
Mule Deer 1
