Mad AZ Monk

Spring is Sprung

I live in Sedona, AZ, a place that USA Today declared last year to be "the most beautiful place in America." It's famous for its dramatic red rock formations, complemented by Kaibab limestone and volcanic basalt, all at around 45-6500' above sea level.

Anyway, rain continued sporadically moving through today. This is such a relief as we've been suffering through debilitating drought. And as I was sitting on the deck of the new house I moved into the other day, I was privileged to witness a full double rainbow shimmering late this afternoon in front of the dark northern stormclouds. This seemed a good omen (although I also broke my favorite coffee mug...gotta have a little yang with your yin, I suppose.)

And indeed, I had a wonderful day of birding, both at Sedona Wastewater and the Page Springs Fish Hatchery (again, in the desert, it's axiomatic that where there's water, there're birds). Probably saw about 70 species all told. New spring arrivals included Black-chinned Hummer, Cassin's Kingbird, and Phainopepla. First Western Kingbird also reported, along with Lazuli Bunting and an astonishing Ross' Goose, the first sighting I've heard of in Yavapai County since I moved here in 2000. One has been hanging around on a golf course in Flagstaff to the north, however.

Got my basic feeders up today, and made up sugar water for the hummers. 11 yard birds already but nothing to write home about. Of course I'll report on killer drop-ins.

Since this is such a global community, I hope others will take some time in their blogs to give a sense of place as well as birds sighted. I really have no good understanding of the British locations and would love a fuller picture.