Jake Mohlmann from his ongoing tour to Southeastern Arizona

Our first few days were stuffed with rare and exciting birds. One of best was a very approachable pair of Rufous-capped Warblers at one of their few known locations in the U.S., while a pair of Golden Eagles soared overhead and Black-chinned Sparrows bathed nearby. The group's photographers were glued to their viewfinders.

Rufous-capped Warbler

In world-famous Madera Canyon a showy male Elegant Trogon perched high above an equally garish male Hepatic Tanager that was visiting a suet feeder while a pair of Arizona Woodpeckers fought for space on a particularly productive branch and took turns flaking off bark to search for morsels.

<pHepatic Tanager

<pArizona Woodpecker

At Patagonia Lake another rare breeder, Black-capped Gnatcatcher, all but posed for pictures while serenading the group with its cat-like mewing calls.

Black-capped Gnatcatcher

All this excitement in such splendid surroundings and still so much to come....

A Southeast Arizona winter view