When Chris and I were at Lakeside Park last week we came upon a pair of yellow-headed blackbirds apparently “grazing” on the side of the steep hill that runs down to the lake.
If you would like to see all the birds we saw at Lakeside Park just click on the link:
Vermillion Flycatcher 10-9-12 Lakeside Park
Lakeside Park is an urban oasis on the east side of Tucson. A small lake that is stocked with fish for urban fishing, it draws people and birds alike. I have seen osprey and a juvenile brown pelican here before. It is one of my favorite places to see spotted sandpipers in the winter and vermilion flycatchers year round. The park itself is over 30 acres with 14 acres of water. There is a one mile walking trail around the lake. Beside being a nice park, it is also an eBird Hotspot!
Because of the fish in the lake the park is also a great place to see egrets and herons. Today we saw Black-crowned Night Herons as they took flight as well as a Great Blue heron, and, later on, we saw a Great Egret gliding like a white angel over the water.
Vermillion Flycatchers seemed to be everywhere!
I saw my first widgeons of the year!
Lakeside Park is a reliable place to find coots!
Vermillion Flycatcher in mesquite tree by the dam.
Vermillion Flycatchers will use anything for a perch!
Mallards flying overhead.
Red-tailed Hawk in tree.
As Chris and I rounded the curve of the lake we were surprised to find this pair of Yellow-headed blackbirds grazing on the lawn!
High in the branches of another tree a kestrel blends into the branches.
Mourning Doves were seen all over the park.
Chris and I crossed the bridge to the far side of the lake.
Here in the mesquite we found White-crowned Sparrows,
Verdin,
and a Western Kingbird! It looked so pretty against the bright blue sky!
We watched it fly down to the water several times.
Yellow-rumped Warbler 10-9-2012 at Lakeside Park in Tucson.
