Photo by Ted Grussing.
In this image (Above), American Avocets in breeding plumage hunt the shallow waters in Lake Pleasant looking for food, insects and crustaceans. They are on their way to breeding grounds and will be in Arizona in the fall.
Photo by Ted Grussing.
In the meadows and prairies of the West, brilliant blue-and-rust colored Western Bluebirds sit on low perches and swoop lightly to the ground to catch insects. Deep blue, rusty and white, males are considerably brighter than the gray-brown, blue-tinged females. This photo shows two of the birds perched on a log in a shallow pond getting a drink of water.
Photo by Ted Grussing.
The Wood Duck is one of the most beautiful of all birds and has intricate patterns on almost every feather. This male wood duck is landing on a local lake.
Photo by Ted Grussing.
A pair of Gambel’s Quail is perched in a bush and has each other’s backs.
Photo by Ted Grussing.
Gilded Flickers are a type of woodpecker that primarily eat ants, their larvae, as well as other insects. They are found in the mid-to-lower Sonoran Desert extending somewhat north of Lake Pleasant, Arizona.
Photo by Ted Grussing.
The Belted Kingfisher is found along streams and shorelines and nests in burrows into mud banks. They patrol the shorelines in search of food and are found nearly everywhere.
Photo by Ted Grussing.
The Vermilion Fly Catcher is a tiny spot of brilliant red in the desert or along shorelines in the Southwest. Often seen perched above ground, looking for insects to drop down and eat. They only weigh about half an ounce.
Photo by Ted Grussing.
The Harris’s Hawk is found throughout the Southwest and is thought to be the most social of the raptors.
Photo by Ted Grussing.
The Great Horned Owl is one of the largest owls in North America, weighing in at three to six pounds. They can take on other raptors and animals. They are ubiquitous and what everyone’s idea of what an owl is. This bird is settled in her nest in a small cave in the side of a cliff. The nest was successful, producing three owlets.
