Salome Road

Well known among veteran birders, Salome Road southwest of Phoenix, took longer than normal to find due to a closed Baseline Road. Usually taking Baseline to the intersection with Salome ends at THE area for observing LeConte's Thrasher. SOME trip participants did see the target bird (none was singing) but there several sparrows and gnatcatchers at the site. LeConte's Thrasher was seen scurrying, tail cocked in picture-book fashion, or flying from bush to bush.

Later at the old Arlington school site, farther southwest, trees hid a Great Horned Owl that finally flew tree to tree and, surprisingly, a Barn Owl. There, a Vermilion Flycatcher was present also.

Including those seen at Wildlife World Zoo and in farm fields enroute the bird species list was: Black-crowned Night Heron, White-faced Ibis, Turkey Vulture, Black-bellied Whistling Duck, Northern Harrier, Cooper's Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, American Kestrel, Merlin, Gambel's Quail, Killdeer, Wilson's Snipe, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Great Horned Owl, Barn Owl, Anna's Hummingbird, Gila Woodpecker, Say's Phoebe, Vermilion Flycatcher, Loggerhead Shrike, Common Raven, Verdin, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, Bendire's Thrasher, LeConte's Thrasher, Abert's Towhee, Brewer's, Vesper, Lark, Black-throated, Sage and White-crowned Sparrows, Red-winged Blackbird, Western Meadowlark, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, House Sparrow, European Starling.

Participants were: Tom Lazelle, Loretta and Chuck Richards, Donna Smith, Ian Jeffrey, Chuck Richard, Vera Markham, Carol Sharplin, Clara Mae Ryder, Bob Cirillo, Barb Meding, and Eleanor Campbell, leader.