While a day trip out to the mountains for birdwatching can be a lot of fun, there's plenty to be said for the variety that can be found closer to home. Here's a few of my favorite sites in the Phoenix metro area for birdwatching.
- Tempe Town Lake
- Both the lake and the marshy habitat area downstream can be great places to see birds. Cliff swallows throng here in the summertime, and you can see a variety of water birds such as herons, egrets, and cormorants. It's a good place for raptors, too: I've seen ospreys here, and though I haven't sighted them I hear there's a pair of bald eagles in residence.
- Gilbert Riparian Preserve
- This great little site is located in the city of Gilbert, where it serves triple duty as a city park, a wildlife habitat, and a water recharge site. There is a wide variety of waterfowl to be found here, including many duck species, bitterns, and pelicans. It's also a good habitat for songbirds, such as the white-crowned sparrow, red-winged blackbird, and many different warblers.
- Desert Botanical Garden
- Located inside Papago Park, the Botanical Garden is a great place to spend an afternoon in addition to being an excellent birding site. I've seen phainopepla, pyrrhuloxia, Gambel's quail, and our state bird the cactus wren here. Admission can be a little pricey, but here's a hot tip: you can get free admission for two by checking out a Culture Pass at the Tempe Public Library! Just make sure to use the pass quickly, because it's only good for a week after checkout.