Birding Sweetwater Wetlands Tucson Arizona

William Wise Photo Nature Notes is a wildlife, birding and nature photography blog documenting the beauty, design and wonder of God’s creation. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message

The Abert`s towhee, Pipilo aberti, is a bird of the family Passerellidae, native to a small range in southwestern North America, generally the lower Colorado River and Gila River watersheds, nearly endemic to Arizona. Photographed in Sweetwater Wetlands, a reclaimed wastewater treatment facility managed for wildlife habitat in Tucson, Arizona. It is a stream riparian oasis in the southwestern desert. Duckweed filled ponds are surrounded by Cottonwood, Willow, Saltbush, Bulrush, Cattail, Mesquite and Wolfberry. Photographed in June 2018.

Thursday, June 14 - Having some time in the afternoon, I made another visit to Sweetwater in the heat of the day.  Although it was 106 degrees, the vegetation and the pools at this oasis kept it feeling cool in the shade. Most of the birds were hiding in the shady vegetation. 

Aberts Towhee. Pipilo aberti photographed in June 2018 in Sweetwater Wetlands Park, a reclaimed wastewater treatment facility managed for wildlife habitat in Tucson, Arizona.

Lucy`s Warbler bird perched on cattail. Photographed in Sweetwater Wetlands, a reclaimed wastewater treatment facility managed for wildlife habitat in Tucson, Arizona.

Lucy`s Warbler bird perched on cattail. Photographed in Sweetwater Wetlands, a reclaimed wastewater treatment facility managed for wildlife habitat in Tucson, Arizona.

The Abert`s towhee, Pipilo aberti, is a bird of the family Passerellidae, native to a small range in southwestern North America, generally the lower Colorado River and Gila River watersheds, nearly endemic to Arizona. Photographed in Sweetwater Wetlands, a reclaimed wastewater treatment facility managed for wildlife habitat in Tucson, Arizona.

Female mallard hen photographed in June 2018 in Sweetwater Wetlands Park, a reclaimed wastewater treatment facility managed for wildlife habitat in Tucson, Arizona.

Neotropic Cormorant, Phalacrocorax brasilianus, on driftwood in a pond. A bird of the tropical waterways of Central and South America, the Neotropic Cormorant reaches the upper limits of its range in Texas and occasionally, the Great Plains. Although it superficially resembles North America`s other freshwater cormorant, the Double-crested Cormorant, the Neotropic Cormorant stands apart in various aspects of behavior, as well as range. Sweetwater Wetlands is a reclaimed wastewater treatment facility managed for wildlife habitat in Tucson, Arizona.

Neotropic Cormorant, Sweetwater Wetlands Tucson Arizona, USA

Neotropic Cormorant, Phalacrocorax brasilianus.

Neotropic Cormorant, Phalacrocorax brasilianus, on driftwood in a pond. A bird of the tropical waterways of Central and South America, the Neotropic Cormorant reaches the upper limits of its range in Texas and occasionally, the Great Plains. Although it superficially resembles North America`s other freshwater cormorant, the Double-crested Cormorant, the Neotropic Cormorant stands apart in various aspects of behavior, as well as range. Sweetwater Wetlands is a reclaimed wastewater treatment facility managed for wildlife habitat in Tucson, Arizona.

Gila Woodpecker bird, Melanerpes uropygialis, perched on Saguaro Cactus eating fruit. Photographed in the arid scrub desert of Tucson in southeastern Arizona, USA.

Gila Woodpecker on Saguaro Cactus, Tucson Arizona desert

Gila Woodpecker on Saguaro Cactus, Tucson Arizona desert

Gila Woodpecker on Saguaro Cactus, Tucson Arizona desert

Gila Woodpecker on Saguaro Cactus, Tucson Arizona desert