Avra Valley Sewage Ponds

Doug wrote a great article in my Birding magazine department, “Sources,” a little while ago; I’d really enjoyed working with him, and was delighted when I found out that he and his fiancée, Elizabeth, would be in Tucson. So we met up and headed out to the sewage beds; our morning together confirmed everything our e-mail exchanges had led me to believe about him, and we had a great time birding and talking about Roger Tory Peterson, the subject of a forthcoming authoritative biography Doug has completed.

Bird diversity seemed a bit low to me, spoiled local that I am, but it was a pleasure to watch Doug and Elizabeth connect with a few southwestern specialties they hadn’t seen for a while: Greater Roadrunner, Vermilion Flycatcher, Abert’s Towhee. I was especially glad to see a Ross’s Goose on the north pond; white geese don’t often stay around very long, so you have to be lucky enough to show up when they do. And it’s always a great day when you see 15 Bufflehead! I’m a sucker for a puffy white duck, no matter how “common” it is.