Snow

Our winter rains did in fact start yesterday evening, but at elevations only slightly higher than ours here in Tucson, the precipitation turned quickly to snow. Darlene and I drove through steady snow to Benson this morning, with the desert ground white around us. If you think Vermilion Flycatchers are beautiful, you should see them in the snow!

The Benson sewage ponds were quite active, with a dozen species of waterfowl including amorous Buffleheads and, appropriately enough, the continuing Snow Geese. Eared Grebes and American Coots floated around with clumps of snow on their backs (”hey, isn’t this what we came south to get away from?!?”), while Great Blue Herons, a Great Egret, and a Green Heron were hunting the golf course ponds, looking dour as the flakes fell around them.

Our biggest surprise was a cold-looking Barn Swallow, hunting low over the waters of the largest pond. It was a short-tailed, dull-plumaged bird, but seemed generally healthy enough for a Barn Swallow in the late-December snow.

And no, no swans….