Photos from the field season so far....

I'm currently working as a field biologist for Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory (RMBO) in southeast Arizona. Basically, my job consists of walking 1-thousand meter transects in the desert, identifying the birds flushed from the transect line by sight/sound on the way out, and recording some basic vegetation data on the walk back to the start point.  The whole thing can take anywhere from just over an hour to almost 2 hours, depending on how many birds there are and how nasty the veg is, and I do 3 such transects a day.  The rest of my work day consists of driving (often 2 or more hours a day) and contacting landowners to gain access to their land.

When I'm not birding for work, I'm usually birding for fun.  My work partner Dave and I have been trying to bird hard since Jan 1, and I think we've been doing a good job of it.  Since we've never hit 500 species for the year before, we're both trying this year.  I've got a nice start with 244 species since Jan 1, mostly from southeast AZ, but I got a few on a San Diego pelagic as well.

Here are a bunch of photos from the season so far....

                                         
American Goldfinch is an uncommon bird in winter in southeast AZ.  This bird was at the San Pedro House feeders.

Black-capped Gnatcatcher showing tail graduation and long bill.  Rare AZ bird.  Usually only found in 1 or 2 locations every year.

  Canyon Towhee at the San Pedro House.

Curve-billed Thrasher.

It's been a really good winter for Lawrences's Goldfinches.  This male was at Sweetwater Wetlands in Tucson.

Lesser Goldfinch at the San Pedro House.

 Rufous-capped Warbler in Florida Canyon, Santa Ritas.  Rare in AZ.  Not present every year.

Male Summer Tanager at Sweetwater Wetlands in Tucson.  Rare in winter in southeast AZ.