cardinalis (dignitary of the Roman Catholic Church who wears scarlet robes) sinuatus (curved)
Monday, April 2, 1984 — 7:30 am
Coronado National Forest, Arizona — Sabino Canyon Recreation Area
As I was watching the Brewer’s Sparrows fly from one mesquite bush to another, I saw this Pyrrhuloxia fly into the bush vacated by the sparrows. It sang a short Cardinal-like song. The area was a scrubby desert on the flats at the base of the canyon along the road from the visitor center.
spizella (finch) breweri (given in 1856 by John Cassin, Philadelphia ornithologist, in honor of Thomas M. Brewer, Boston physician, ornithologist, and friend of John James Audubon)
Monday, April 2, 1984 — 7:30 am
Coronado National Forest, Arizona — Sabino Canyon Recreation Area
My mom and wife dropped me off at the entrance to the recreation area at 7:00 a.m. I was the only person there, and I’m not sure the place was even open. I walked past the visitor center and across the flats toward the canyon. It was chilly that early in the morning, and I had on my heavy green roofing sweatshirt and a down vest. As I started up the trail, a Roadrunner walked ahead of me, keeping about 20 yards away.
I was still on the flats, in a saguaro forest with a lot of scrub, when I spotted the Brewer’s Sparrows. They were perched in a mesquite next to the road. They flew to another mesquite near a small water hole.
myioborus (from myna, a fly, and borus, greedy) pictus (painted)
Sunday, April 1, 1984 — 5:00 pm
Coronado National Forest, Arizona — Ramsey Canyon Preserve
Wow! Wow wow! Wow wow wow! This is a bird. I saw it sitting near the top of a very tall pine near the parking lot. It foraged briefly, then took off out of sight. It was a good, but short view. Fortunately, I got a better, closer, and longer view in Madera Canyon two days later.
And thus ended my favorite day of birding ever. I added 21 new lifers, among which are some of my favorite birds. And it took place in some of the prettiest birding sites I’ve ever been to. If I could go back and relive one day of my birding career, this would be it. But next time, I would bring a camera.
lampornis (from lampis, a lamp, and ornis, bird) clemenciae (given in 1830 by Rene Primivere Lesson, French naturalist, explorer and collector of birds for his wife, Clemence, a painter of flowers and birds)
Sunday, April 1, 1984 — 4:45 pm
Coronado National Forest, Arizona — Ramsey Canyon Preserve
This Blue-throated Hummingbird hovered briefly a few times at one of the feeders by the cabins in the narrow, wooded canyon. Many hummingbirds were constantly darting in and out of the woods along the nearby creek. After a half hour in the canyon, I was frozen stiff, but I could have stayed indefinitely. Unfortunately, the preserve closed at 5:00.
cynanthus (from kyanos, blue, and anthos, bright) latirostris (from latus, wide, and rostrum, beak)
Sunday, April 1, 1984 — 4:45 pm
Coronado National Forest, Arizona — Ramsey Canyon Preserve
Up to this point, and maybe since, this was the most fun I ever had birding; exotic locale, exotic birds. I was loving it. The Broad-billed Hummingbird was hovering at one of the feeders by the cabins in the narrow, wooded canyon.
