ML613546696

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Observation details

First found by biologist Mike Lopez on 11/27-28, reported to bird community via Troy Corman and Sue Sitko. Along marshy area with fruiting Russian-olives here: 34.2912240, -110.0640590 . Photos and videos to add. The bird was occasionally feeding on the berries. To get to the area, drive the road along the south side of Telephone Lake and then head west on the powerline road. I parked at 34.2935390, -110.0633600. Note that access is a bit tricky at the marsh area where the Rusty Blackbird is. It is currently surrounded by barbed wire (including lowest strand) fence, with electrified fence materials staged that look like they’ll be put up soon. There aren’t any “no trespassing” signs, it appears this is to keep out cattle and perhaps because it is wastewater being naturally treated. The ranch gate at the northeast corner has a lock on it, but this is where I parked and then crossed over at a spot ungulates had bent the fence low on the east side. You pretty much need to be inside this riparian area to see the blackbird, I think one’s view from outside the east fence would be obscured by the junipers. However, if you go over to the west fence, there is a PVC pipe on the top strand of the fence for elk to cross in/out, so that might be easier for some folks to use. As far as I can tell, this is part of what some older documents call Redhead Marsh and is part of the Allen Severson Memorial Wildlife Area (AZGFD), but managed (co-managed?) by the City of Show Low. This area is closed April 1-July 1 for waterfowl nesting season, but looks like it would be a migrant trap with the water and Russian-olive (fruiting in fall), cottonwoods, and willows. There are two other marsh areas to the west you can see on satellite imagery, ie Google Maps. I checked out access to the northern one and there is a gate with Wildlife Area sign that one would park at and hike in. I’m not sure what access/view is like with fences around those ponds.

Technical information

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1024 pixels x 729 pixels

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195.16 KB