ML644488994

Media notes

Chorus of songs and chatter of a large flock of LAGOs gathering to water where runoff from Double PhD ponds at SBNWR flow out into a small channel choked with tall grasses and lined with mesquite shrubs. There were at least 80 birds, maybe 100, in this direction, vocalizing from the shrubbery. Birds that were flying off rarely called at all, being mostly silent in flight. We would ulitmately estimate 110 for the morning, most of them right here. It is the most we've ever seen on the refuge. This has proven to be an irruption year for many montane species, and LAGOs have been turning up in larger numbers in Cochise Co. than we’ve ever recorded before. Background includes: a distant Common Raven & what are likely some contributions from White-crowned & Lincoln's Sparrows, both of which were also in the area, as well as some frogs. I suppressed low frequencies of continuous background noise from trucks streaming past in adjacent Sonora. Recorded with a Zoom-F3, using a Sennheiser ME67 and foam windscreen.

Observation details

[1100m] fascinating experience, as flocks flew in from the west and landed in the 2-3 m mesquites along the edge of the Double PhD (SW most ponds on the refuge) outflow 7-7:30 a.m., then dropping to drink in the outflow water that permeates the weeds at the base of the mesquites; moderate chorus of rather quiet song from perched flocks, also a few calls from perched birds, but flocks in long-distance flight seemed silent; 82 A.C. in departing flocks, heading generally NW, with 15-20 still present in the mesquites, and a few more later in the cottonwoods and over at Hackberry, 110 seeming a safe minimum figure, 3-4 x my prior high count here; no idea where they are feeding; situation similar to the recent sightings in Portal at Steve W.'s home, the early morning arrival at a drinking spot at the edge of mesquites, departing thereafter to points unknown; recorded;

Additional species

• Common Raven Corvus corax