Urban Birding

Like many cities in the US, Tucson has its quiet corners where tangled vegetation thrives and native birds go about their business.

Just a mile or so south of the WINGS office is this messy stand of willows, mesquites,  and introduced palms and tamarisks, all taking advantage of the pond bordering the Randolph golf course.

A lot of the wildlife to be observed here is, strictly speaking, “trash,” Red-eared Sliders released by disappointed pet owners and ratty Mallards waddling across from the zoo, but this scraggly patch of water, trees, and cattails is also a stronghold for native species looking for a peaceful oasis in the city.

It’s unsurprising to find three or four heron species hunting the dirty water–a noontime visit earlier this week produced multiple Great Blue Herons and Great Egret, but yesterday I found only a couple of Green Herons, among them this beautiful dappled juvenile. This is one of the “eastern” species that continually surprises visiting birders, particularly when it’s at a busy intersection in town.

The open water can be good for waterfowl, with large flocks of American and the odd Eurasian Wigeon most years; thus far this autumn, we’ve had to be content with this odd couple, a drake Ring-necked Duck and his apparent consort, a female Lesser Scaup.

If this “pair” stays the winter, they’ll no doubt provide illustrative material for any number of impromptu Aythya workshops.

Passerines are very fond of the tangles, too, with male Verdins already starting to build their feather-lined nests, and Black Phoebes hunting quietly in the shade.

Orange-crowned Warblers are particularly fond this site, joined yesterday by a few Audubon’s and a single male Black-throated Gray Warbler, all of them probably planning to stay the winter–and all of them providing potential prey for the raptors that like this little corner so much, too.

The wintering Red-tailed Hawks on the golf course aren’t much of a threat, more interested in big, greasy Rock Squirrels than in willowy little warblers; but this big Cooper’s Hawk lurking in the leaves meant business.

I’ll keep checking this area as the winter goes on, in hopes of a minor rarity or two. In winters past, I’ve seen Swamp Sparrow here, and yesterday’s visit turned up a latish Western Flycatcher. Nothing earth-shattering, but not bad at all for a quick lunchtime walk in the middle of the city!