Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary

After spending the past week pulling late shifts chasing thunderstorm activity, I decided to trade radar screens for real life this morning. I cashed in a couple of hours off and made the quick 20-minute drive out to Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary.

I went for the hummingbirds, and was not disappointed. Of course the challenge is trying to get good shots away from the feeders. These are two that I liked:

Broad-billed Hummingbird

Anna’s Hummingbird

The volunteers mentioned a Costa’s Hummingbird had been frequenting a couple of the feeders earlier. Naturally, it vanished the moment I unhitched my lens cap. Had I caught it, I definitely would have compromised my "no feeders in the photo" rule for that one.

Of course there were other birds in the yard. I can never pass up a shot of a Curve-billed Thrasher (this is one of my favorite Arizona birds).

I also like running into groups of the Mexican Jays:

I even got to add a reasonably good image to my Woodpecker collection:

Ladder-backed Woodpecker

Finally, a reminder that free seeds will attract anyone with a free morning … feathered or otherwise.

If you want to visit Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary yourself, it’s pretty easy to get to. About 20 minutes south of Sierra Vista down Hwy 92 (GPS directions are accurate). Once you get there, it is a suggested $10 donation. But that pays to keep the feeders filled. There’s a bathroom, drinks, snacks, and exceptionally thoughtful volunteers who offered me bug spray … about ten minutes after the local mosquitos had already feasted on my legs. 🙃

Let me know if you’re planning to visit. Maybe I’ll grab my camera and drive back down there again too.

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