ARIZONA 
Though the species has nested several times in Arizona, Streak-backed Oriole ap- 
pears less than annually in the state. This male visited a feeder in Stump Canyon, 
Huachuca Mountains 1 May 2009. Photograph by Pete Sockness. 
good numbers for spring, with up to 20 re- 
ported there 19-20 May and a remarkable 44 
there 21 May (DS), with 23 remaining 22 May 
(AS). Elsewhere, small numbers were seen at 
multiple locations statewide. 
At Slaughter Ranch, 2 Ruddy Ground- 
Doves continued through 18 Apr (m.ob.). In 
Avondale, where large numbers have been 
found in recent years, 11 were seen 13 Mar 
(TC), with only one found 18 Apr (TC). 
Rarely reported, a Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl 
was at Organ Pipe Cactus N.M. 17 Apr (CB). 
Seldom seen in migration, a Short-eared Owl 
was high overhead at Sweetwater 28 Mar (ph. 
S. Pipkin); another was in the White Mts. 27 
May (PN), a rather late date. A surprising 8 
Northern. Saw-whet Owls were reported on 
Mt. Lemmon 27 May (K. Kampepjide AS). At 
the Oro Blanco Mine site near California 
Gulch, a Buff-collared Nightjar was reported 
10 May+ (M. Ali et al). Surprising away from 
the mts., a Whip-poor-will was seen in day- 
light at Whitewater 16 May (ph. B. Zimmer). 
Broad-billed Hummingbirds at the margins of 
the species’ range were along the lower Verde 
R. 29 Apr (TC), at H.R.P. 9 May (TC), and well 
n. to Tuzigoot N.M. 21 May (M. Ali). White- 
eared Hummingbirds returned to Miller 
Canyon by 18 Apr (K. Krebs), and up to 3 
were in Madera Canyon 3 May-t (C. Blouin, G. 
Bieber, LH). A Berylline Hummingbird in low- 
er Florida Canyon 23 Apr (D. Danforth, tR. 
Wright) may be the first documented in Pima. 
In Madera Canyon, a Berylline was present 17 
May+ (B. Postmus, ph. G. West), and one ar- 
rived in Miller Canyon 27 May+ (D. Pearson, 
ph. G. Brousard, S. Heinl). Lucifer Humming- 
birds returned to Ash Canyon 26 Mar-^ (M. J. 
Ballator), and singles were in lower Ramsey 
Canyon 1-14 Apr (J&MH), at Miller Canyon 7 
Apr and 5-20 May (T. Beatty), at Portal 9 Apr 
(M. Decker), and in Stump Canyon 13 Apr 
(PS). A Costa’s Hummingbird was casual at 
Prescott 2-22 May (S. Drown, fide CST, ph. A. 
& N. Silacci). Typically elusive, an Eared 
Quetzal was reported from Echo Canyon, 
Chiricahua N.M. 31 May (D. LeClair, tA. 
Demko). A Red-naped Sapsucker was late at 
Cameron 16-18 May (CL), as was one at Las 
Cienegas N.C.A. 31 May-1 Jun (K. Kamper). 
FLYCATCHERS THROUGH PIPITS 
A Pacific-slope/Cordilleran Flycatcher along 
the Santa Cruz R. near Tubac 18 Mar (PC) 
was very early for a migrant and may have 
wintered locally. An early Cordilleran Fly- 
catcher was in Marshall Gulch, Santa Catalina 
Mts. 29 Apr (AS). Buff-breasted Flycatchers 
have continued to establish themselves in 
both the Santa Rita and Chiricahua Mts., with 
several reports from both ranges this spring. 
Reports away from normal 
breeding areas included one in 
the Patagonia-Sonoita Creek 
Preserve 12 Apr (M. Patten), 
which represented one of the 
only reports ever away for the 
mts. in Arizona, one in Bear 
Canyon 1-9 May (CC), then 
Willow Canyon 10 May-i- (B. 
Bickel), establishing only a 
2nd recent record from the 
Santa Catalina Mts., and one 
out of habitat along Proctor 
Rd. below Madera Canyon 24 
May (R. Palmer). Casual to 
rare in the state in spring (pos- 
sibly holdovers from winter). 
Eastern Phoebes were reported 
at Muleshoe Ranch 24 Mar (H. 
Flores, ph. A Cockman) and at 
Granite Basin 5-13 Apr (F. 
Guerrero). Dusky-capped Flycatcher is casual 
anywhere n. of se. Arizona, so one along Web- 
ber Cr., Gila 18 Apr (B. Ison, fide], Estis) and 
one seen carrying nesting material to a cavity 
at Aspen Springs, Yavapai 25-31 May (CST, S. 
& S. Burk) were of interest. Tropical Kingbird 
is casual in w. Arizona, so one at Ahakhav 
Tribal Preserve s. of Parker 31 May-1 Jun (vt. 
PEL) was notable. Thick-billed Kingbirds 
were found nw. of their breeding areas in the 
state along the Santa Cruz R. in Tucson 10-11 
May OY, J- McCabe) and at Catalina S.R 16 
May (D. Smyth, J. Hamed). Casual in the 
state during spring, a Scissor-tailed Flycatch- 
er was at Hereford 29 Apr (ph. J. Woodley). 
Again this spring, there we no reports of 
Rose-throated Becard; this species has be- 
come very irregular in Arizona. 
A singing White-eyed Vireo, casual in the 
state, was near Sierra Vista 18-19 May (v.r. M. 
Pretti). Found at a higher elevation than usu- 
al, and out of habitat, a Bell’s Vireo was at Wil- 
low L. 13 Apr (CST). A pair of Gray Vireos 
nested for the 2nd consecutive year at Molino 
Basin, Santa Catalina Mts. 23 Apr + (MR 
MMS). In recent years, reports of Yellow- 
throated Vireo have increased, with no fewer 
than 5 reported this spring; one along South 
Fork of Cave Cr. Canyon 12 May (tS. 
Shadick), one at Montezuma Well 19 May-6 
Jun (MA; ph. D. Rasmussen), one at Tumaca- 
cori 26 May (MA, M. Brooks), one along the 
San Pedro R. s. of Hwy 90 on 29 May (ph. D. 
Beaudette), and one at Las Cienegas National 
Conservation Area 31 May+ (KK, JM; ph., 
tDS), A late migrant Plumbeous Vireo was at 
Quigley Wildlife Area near Tacna 31 May 
(PEL). Early Warbling Vireos were at Mesa 6 
Mar (R. Hunt), Patagonia L. 8-9 Mar (RH), at 
Yuma 9 Mar (A. & H. Borgart), and at Tucson 
10 Mar (MMS, MP). Red-eyed Vireo is a 
species that is rare to casual in the state; this 
spring, one was at Cameron 16-18 May Q- Lo- 
gan, T. Linda, tCL), and another was near 
Wellton 22 May (tPEL, tBC). 
At least 2 Tree Swallows were at Crescent 
L., Apache 26 May (DS), and another 8 were 
at nearby Sunrise L., also 26 May (DS); this 
species has been confirmed as a scarce breed- 
er at the higher elevations across n. Arizona. 
The Sinaloa Wren that was discovered in the 
Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve in Aug 
2008 remained there throughout the spring 
and built two nests in May (MB, RB). As- 
tounding was the discovery of another 
Sinaloa Wren in lower Huachuca Canyon on 
Fort Huachuca 14-18 Apr (TDT; vt. R&RT; 
ph. LH); this will likely represent a 2nd 
record for Arizona and the United States, re- 
markably soon after the first! At least 7 Win- 
ter Wrens were reported during Mar and Apr, 
all apparently “western” birds. Two Marsh 
Wrens at the Cameron seep 18 May (CL) were 
late for Arizona away from confirmed breed- 
ing areas in the state along the L.C.R.V Black- 
capped Gnatcatchers are (for now) well es- 
tablished at a number of locations in canyons 
in se. Arizona, including Proctor Rd., Mon- 
tosa Canyon, lower Florida Canyon, Sonoita 
Cr., California Gulch, and Guadalupe 
Canyon. Two pairs found this spring in Chino 
Canyon 29 Apr (ph., tDS; MP) and a single in 
Sycamore Canyon 25 May (ph., tJY,JM) were 
all at locations where this species had nested 
in the past but not recently. 
Eastern Bluebird has a limited breeding 
range in Arizona, mainly in the Huachuca 
Mts, and near Patagonia, but the species has 
occasionally been found elsewhere, such as in 
the Chiricahua and Santa Catalina Mts. This 
VOLUME 63 (2009) • NUMBER 3 
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