Jacked About Lifers

Once you start getting into birding, it’s pretty hard to not keep a list of who you see and it’s pretty exciting to get a lifer (a bird when it is first seen and positively identified by a birder. To qualify as a lifer, birds must be observed in the wild and under appropriate conditions to be added to a life list).

So, I’ve had an exciting week where I’ve seen and photographed FOUR lifers! They’ve all been in Phoenix, in 3 different locations, and none are overly common.

Western Wood-Pewee, above

Warbling Vireo

I only got one shot of that little guy but he’s (she’s?) awfully cute.

And I got 2 lifers today at the park I go to once every weekend, Granada Park, and where I see quite a few birds but haven’t seen any lifers lately.

Lesser Nighthawk

Nighthawks are those birds you often see flying around at night at brightly lit stadiums or close to freeway lights, hunting insects. But, in the daytime, they lay low and are usually camouflaged. I was very surprised to see this guy just standing on the trail, posing for me. He did take off and fly into some brush after a few shots.

Northern Rough-Winged Swallow

There was a small flock of these in a tree I passed by. I had heard they were in this park but I had never come across them in my frequent visits there.

Northern Rough-Winged Swallow, fledgling with adult

I hope my luck continues and I keep cranking out these lifers so that I can have a Big Year!