ARIZONA 
There has been an increase in records of Yellow-throated Warbler in Arizona over 
the past few years, and spring 2009 produced two records. This individual was 
along the San Pedro River near Sierra Vista 30 March through 9 (here 3) April. 
Photograph by Tom Martin. 
sual transient away from the Colorado R.; 
among scattered reports, groups of 9 at Will- 
cox 10 Apr O&MH), 7 at Prescott 1 1 Apr (ph. 
S. Burk), and 4 at Granite Reef 11 Apr (M. 
Hartley) coincided and stood out. 
Decades ago. White-winged Pheasants 
were released along the upper Gila R. near 
Duncan and Thatcher-Safford. During the At- 
las, pheasants were found near Duncan but 
not downstream from there. In late May, 
pheasants were “all over the place” along the 
Gila R. in the Eden-Fort Thomas area (R. 
Hunt). Wild Turkeys again appeared out of 
habitat in se. Arizona, with 11 reported from 
eight locations in May (m.ob.). Common 
Loon is a rare transient away from the Col- 
orado R., mostly before mid- Apr. A sick indi- 
vidual was at Gila Bend 9 May (DP), one was 
found freshly dead on a road at Tacna 23 May 
(PEL, BC), and one was at Willcox 26 May 
(N. Hetrick et al.). As last spring, an unex- 
pectedly large number of Eared Grebes was 
on L. Havasu in late May, with 310 present 22 
May (PEL, BC). Following the rare winter 
Brown Pelican influx, there were more re- 
ports. One continued at Tempe Town L. 
though 6 Mar (m.ob.), and singles were at 
Roosevelt L. 12 Mar Q- Wike), above the Rim 
at Cholla L. 27 Mar (EH), and at San Carlos 
L. 19 May, where 2 were seen 22 May (PN). 
Neotropic Cormorants continue to expand 
their range beyond Patagonia L. and greater 
Phoenix, though mostly in small numbers. 
More than 100 were at Gillespie Dam 4 Mar 
(R. Hoyer), up to 3 wandered around Tucson 
all season (m.ob.), up to 3 were in Prescott, 
where accidental, 28-30 Mar (ph. S. & D. Ras- 
mussen), 2 were at B.W.D. 25 Apr (fide JY), 
and singles were e. to Willcox 30 Apr+ (SH) 
and Benson S.T.P 14 May-r (DS), 
A Little Blue Heron was a good find at 
G.W.R, 15-18 May (ph. B. Grice, MMo). Cat- 
tle Egrets nested again in the Parker Valley, 
with an estimated 400 pairs ac- 
tive at the heronry 25 Apr (fide 
JY) and 200 on 21 May (PEL, 
BC). Still very scarce in the 
state, a Glossy Ibis was at 
Avondale 12 Apr (ph., tTC), 
another ad. was in the Parker 
Valley 21 May (vt., tPEL; BC), 
and the same ad. (vt. PEL) 
plus a first-spring individual 
and an apparent hybrid Ple- 
gadis were in the Parker Valley 
31 May (tPEL). White-faced 
Ibis also nested again in the 
Parker Valley, with a peak nest 
count of 75 on 31 May (PEL). 
A Black Vulture was out of 
range at Agua Caliente, Mari- 
copa 31 May (PEL). A White-tailed Kite re- 
ported near Dolan Springs, Mohave 11 May 
(H. Howard, fide DD) was far nw. of the 
species’ known range. With only one prior re- 
port from Greenlee, a pair of Mississippi Kites 
at Duncan 9 May (PN) was intriguing. They 
are seldom found away from the San Pedro R. 
in Arizona. A sparse spring migrant, a Broad- 
winged Hawk report came from Patagonia 24 
May (TJ&MH). A pair of Gray Hawks was 
found again at the species n. extreme in the 
state, H.R.P 21 Mar-r (MH), and 2 ads. and a 
yearling were noted upstream in Wickenburg 
9-31 May (TC). An ad. Short-tailed Hawk re- 
turned to Barfoot Park, Chiricahua Mts. 14 
Apr-h (N. Moore-Craig et ah). In Madera 
Canyon, where the species was first docu- 
mented last year, one was seen 14 May (tCC). 
A Crested Caracara wandered to the 
Tubac-Carmen area 12-20 Mar (LH, JM, JY), 
and 2 were in the Santa Cruz Flats 9 May (D. 
Jenness). A hock of 22 Sandhill Cranes was 
an unusual sight near Kingman 2 Mar (ph. J. 
Porter). The lone summering crane was at 
Luna L. again 26 May (D. Touret). 
SHOREBIRDS THOUGH 
WOODPECKERS 
There was a good showing by Black-bellied 
Plovers, with individuals at Yuma 16 Apr 
(HD), Vicksburg 24-26 Apr (ph. AC et al.), 
and Arlington 30-31 May (CB). Even more 
notable, single American Golden-Plovers were 
at Whitewater 4 May (J. Fagan, ph. DS), a dif- 
ferent bird there 8 May (ph., tDS), and at Roo- 
sevelt L. 16 May (ph. S. Tjotta). A few Snowy 
Plovers were found setting up territories at 
Paloma 27 Mar (B. Grossi), the only place in 
the state that they have nested in recent years. 
The only migrant Snowy Plovers reported 
were one at San Carlos L, 24 Apr (PN) and 2 
at Prescott 7-9 May (N. Houghton, S. Drown, 
ph, S. Burk). Nine Semipalmated Plovers were 
at Yuma on the locally early date of 15 Apr 
(HD). Rare n. of the Mogollon Rim, a pair of 
American Avocets was at Holbrook 10 Apr-2 
May (EH), and one behaving territorially at 
Chinle S.T.P. 28 May (DS) suggested nesting. 
Whimbrels are rare in most of the state but are 
known to pass through Yuma in numbers. The i 
highest reported count there this spring was 
230 on 16 Apr (HD). Elsewhere, one was at 
Paloma 26 Apr (K. & C. Radamaker), 3 were 
at Chandler 9 May (ph. S. Frye), another was 
at Paloma 9 May (DP), one was at Pintail 
Slough 15 May (DD), and one was at Paloma 
30 May (CB). A Marbled Godwit was late at 
Aztec 23 May (PEL, BC). A Sanderling along 
the Agua Fria R., Phoenix 8 May and 2 at Will- ] 
cox 14-20 May (DS et al.) were good finds, but 
a strong rain storm on 21 May brought down : 
an impressive 21 at Willcox (T. Godfrey, T. » 
Lenz, C. Wiley). A few reports of Semipalmat- 
ed Sandpipers were received with details: sin- i, 
gles near Arlington 15 Apr (TC), at G.W.R. 9 i' 
May (D. Pearson, ph. MMo), and at Gila Bend ' 
23 May (vt. PEL, BC). A Baird’s Sandpiper in , 
Marana 23 Mar (ph. AC) was early in se. Ari- jj 
zona. Though generally rare in spring, 6 ; 
Baird’s were at Paloma 26 Apr (K. & C. : 
Radamaker), and 7 were at Willcox 10 May || 
(DS), along with a scattering at other loca- l| 
tions. At Yuma, 2 Dunlins were early migrants li 
16 Apr (HD). Stilt Sandpiper is a casual spring i 
migrant in the state; 2 at Prescott 7 May (ph. j 
S. Burk) and one at Willcox 13-19 May (R. j 
Wilt, DS) were good finds, but numbers on 21 
May at Willcox were off the charts: first 31 
were reported (DS), then, as the storm pro- 
gressed, 120 (T. Godfrey) and finally 310 (T. 
Lenz, C. Wiley), with 30 remaining the next 
day (AS). With no prior spring se. Arizona 
records, a Ruff among the Stilt Sandpipers 21 || 
May was surprising (C. Wiley, ph. T Lenz). 1 
Also impressive in spring, the storm brought 
down 50 Red-necked Phalaropes 21 May (DS 
et al). At Tucson, a Red Phalarope was a good 
find 23 May (ph. J. McCabe). 
At L. Havasu, California Gulls outnum- 
bered Ring-billed 5 to 2 on 22 May (PEL, BC), 
contrary to published reports. Terns were 
more numerous than usual this spring. At 
least 14 Least Terns were reported 5-26 May 
(m.ob.). At Glendale, two pairs were present 
and exhibiting courtship behavior 22 May+ 
(MH; ph. M. Weber, T. Loomis), with one nest 
confirmed by 30 May (MH). Even with num- 
bers of migrants rising substantially over the 
past decade, this first Arizona nesting of Least 
Terns was astounding. Details will be pub- 
lished elsewhere. A Caspian Tern at Imperial 
Dam 30 May (PEL) was late. Away from the : 
L.C.R.V, 6 other Caspians were reported. j 
Black Terns were seen at Willcox again in | 
478 
NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS 
