I skipped my annual pilgrimage to Rondeau Park this year for the warbler migration, done so for the last 14 years, only missing 2 years for covid.
Instead, I finally got to complete my planned Arizona " Owl and Warbler" trip which had been constantly delayed for last 3 years ...due to covid and travel restrictions. I had been planning this trip for over a year before covid hit, and knew the best time to travel to Arizona for owls would be the 2nd week of May, due to half of the owl species migrate south and just starting arriving back then, only complicated matters as best warbler migration there is last 2 week of April but owls were priority over warblers.
Trip was a great success and anyone wishes to add to their life lists needs to go to Arizona in spring, as this place has the greatest diversity of species, as compared to Ontario in North America. In the end over, 4.25 days I managed to see 139 species...... which included 91 new birds seen, 7 species of owls ( with total of 19 individuals found), 13 species of warblers, 9 species of Hummingbirds, just about every flycatcher and Oriole known.
Much of these sightings were possible because of my excellent guide and her abilities. Note, all of these owl shots were taken under restrict ethical birding practices, no calls or lures being used and shots were taken from safe distances with long lens and pictures enlarged. The night shots of elf owls were from a backyard of a Bed-in-Breakfast, where the owls have been nesting for last 15-20 years ( different nesting pares) and lighting is from patio lights that are on at night and owls are accustomed to. The barn owls were in a nesting box, 100ft in back of property, shot from window of car with Nikon P1000, when you see original shot, all you see is a big white box with a black hole, but when you Photoshop the picture and enlarge....faces can be see.... Barn owls were my primary goal for this trip.... ended up seeing 6
Saw lots of interesting lizards.... no rattlesnakes, I looked.......but did find a very rare Gila Monster which made up for lack of snakes
