10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 22, 2017

In addition to the hundred or so species of birds I regularly find here, there are Desert Foxes, Bobcats, Mountain Lions, Desert Bighorn Sheep and Mule Deer. Black-throated Sparrows. Despite the eyesore that is this mine, the wildlife continues to thrive in this harsh environment. Brown Pelicans. Loggerhead Shrikes.

Mountain Lions 100

Mountain Lions Mules Sheep Lions 100

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 20, 2017

The other remarkable success story of Hart Mountain is the return of the Desert Bighorn Sheep. In 1954, with stringent controls on the grazing of domestic animals, a herd of 20 Desert Bighorn Sheep were re-introduced and have flourished. A White-crowned Sparrow is always a beautiful subject!

Sheep 128

Sheep Oregon Mules Livestock 128

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 31, 2018

Today, with assistance from the Tucson Audubon Society, this world-famous destination is “The Place” to go for not only rare hummingbirds, but dozens of other species as well. By the time we left there four hours later, I checked off, seven total hummingbird species. 2 House Sparrow. 4 White-crowned Sparrow.

Tucson 113

Tucson Costa Rica Arizona Woodpeckers 113

10,000 Birds

JULY 23, 2014

There are the endemics, which are odd in their own way, and then there introduced species, which are so varied in their type and origin that you get the feeling you’ve arrived at the aftermath of a small zoo that escaped. What is surprising is quite how many species did end up here, and how economically unimportant they were.

New Zealand 163

New Zealand Possums Rabbits Ferrets 163

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 3, 2018

In talking to the local guides, and Rangers, they all agreed that they had not been seeing too many species around in the last couple of weeks. Crows, Ravens, Clark’s Nutcrackers, White-crowned Sparrows and assorted waterfowl were all still present, but that was about it. Little Big Year species – 888.

Wyoming 111

Wyoming Wolves Grizzly Bear Mountain Goats 111

10,000 Birds

JUNE 17, 2011

Besides the American bison that the refuge was founded to protect, there are pronghorns, elk, bighorn sheep, mule and white-tailed deer, and black bears. Things started on a promising note, with Mountain Bluebirds and the pale local race of Song Sparrow both evident in the visitor center parking lot.

Rattlesnake 165

Rattlesnake Bald Eagle Mules Mammals 165