
The morning at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum started off slow. I like to hike to the top of the property where there is a pond called Ayers Lake. On the walk to the pond, I saw very little in the way of passerines along the trail. When I got to the lake, I found a solo Pied-Billed Grebe and a single American Coot on the water to keep each other’s company. I sat quietly in the warm morning sun at the edge of the trail and observed. Eventually the small birds began passing through. I worked on the flycatchers (Say’s Phoebe & Phainopepla), gnatcatchers (Black-Tailed), Verdin and the kinglets (Ruby-Crowned) that foraged in the mesquite along the trail. I also noticed a Red-Naped Sapsucker in the area, but I didn’t get great shots when I first saw it.
Another bird photographer wandered into the area and explored a nearby trail and found a Honey Mesquite tree where the sapsucker was working. Afterwards, he was kind enough to describe the location to me. I eventually walked into the gulch he pointed to and discovered the tree in question. I sat quietly and observed while the sapsucker teased the sap from the tree. As I watched the Red-Naped Sapsucker, a Gila Woodpecker came in and chased the sapsucker away, only to forage on the weeping sap from the holes the red-naped bird had made. The Gila Woodpecker wasn’t the only bird in the neighborhood interested in the food source. Later, I saw a Verdin come in and work on the sap, as did a Ruby-Crowned Kinglet, and an Anna’s Hummingbird.
By noon the day had heated up. The four hours that I spent here wore on me and I needed a break. It was a beautiful cloudless day with a breeze, and I greatly appreciated a shady rest on a bench.
After my break, I called it a day. I’ve visited the arboretum in the past, during much busier bird seasons, and it inclined me to remain until the day’s end. This mid-November day was lovely, but not the best time to meet birds. Still, I was grateful for the opportunity the sap tree gave me to observe behaviours I’d not seen before. At the end of the day, I enjoyed the company of an American Coot, Anna’s Hummingbirds, Bewick’s Wrens, Black-Tailed GnatCatchers, Gila Woodpeckers, Northern Cardinals, Northern Mockingbirds, Phainopeplas, a Pied-Billed Grebe, a Red-Naped Sapsucker, Ruby-Crowned Kinglets, Say’s Phoebes, and Verdins.
Later, when I reflected on the events of the day, I wondered: How much sap could a sapsucker suck if a sapsucker could suck sap?

American Coot(Fulica americana) |
Description: Ayers Lake is more like a large pond, and on this morning the only waterfowl on the water was a lone coot and a lone grebe (Pied-Billed). I spent an early mid-November morning at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Superior Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:16 8:51 |
Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: AmericanCoot_D5X0243-BoyceThompson |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Anna's Hummingbird(Calypte anna) |
Description: I spent an early mid-November morning at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Superior Arizona, where I found a sap tree made by a Red-Naped Sapsucker. Several other species were reaping the benefits of this food source. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:16 10:38 |
Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: AnnasHummingbird_D5X0810-BoyceThompson |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Anna's Hummingbird(Calypte anna) |
Description: I spent an early mid-November morning at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Superior Arizona, where I found a sap tree made by a Red-Naped Sapsucker. Several other species were reaping the benefits of this food source. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:16 10:38 |
Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: AnnasHummingbird_D5X0820-BoyceThompson |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Bewick's Wren(Thryomanes bewickii) |
Description: I spent an early mid-November morning at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Superior Arizona, where I met several of the 'usual suspects', such as this bird. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:16 9:53 |
Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: BewicksWren_D5X0456-BoyceThompson |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Bewick's Wren(Thryomanes bewickii) |
Description: I spent an early mid-November morning at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Superior Arizona, where I met several of the 'usual suspects', such as this bird. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:16 9:55 |
Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: BewicksWren_D5X0501-BoyceThompson |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
Description: I spent an early mid-November morning at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Superior Arizona, where I met several of the 'usual suspects', such as this bird. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:16 9:29 |
Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: BlackTailedGnatCatcher_D5X0371-BoyceThompson |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
Description: I spent an early mid-November morning at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Superior Arizona, where I met several of the 'usual suspects', such as this bird. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:16 9:35 |
Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: BlackTailedGnatCatcher_D5X0426-BoyceThompson |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
Description: I spent an early mid-November morning at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Superior Arizona, where I met several of the 'usual suspects', such as this bird. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:16 9:55 |
Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: BlackTailedGnatCatcher_D5X0478-BoyceThompson |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Gila Woodpecker(Melanerpes uropygialis) |
Description: I spent an early mid-November morning at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Superior Arizona, where I found a sap tree made by a Red-Naped Sapsucker. Several other species were reaping the benefits of this food source. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:16 10:41 |
Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: GilaWoodpecker_D5X0885-BoyceThompson |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Gila Woodpecker(Melanerpes uropygialis) |
Description: I spent an early mid-November morning at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Superior Arizona, where I found a sap tree made by a Red-Naped Sapsucker. Several other species were reaping the benefits of this food source. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:16 10:41 |
Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: GilaWoodpecker_D5X0890-BoyceThompson |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Gila Woodpecker(Melanerpes uropygialis) |
Description: I spent an early mid-November morning at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Superior Arizona, where I found a sap tree made by a Red-Naped Sapsucker. Several other species were reaping the benefits of this food source. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:16 11:22 |
Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: GilaWoodpecker_D5X1367-BoyceThompson |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Northern Cardinal(Cardinalis cardinalis) |
Description: I spent an early mid-November morning at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Superior Arizona, where I met several of the 'usual suspects', such as this bird. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:16 10:13 |
Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: NorthernCardinal_D5X0589-BoyceThompson |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Northern Mockingbird(Mimus polyglottos) |
Description: I spent an early mid-November morning at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Superior Arizona, where I met several of the 'usual suspects', such as this bird. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:16 10:32 |
Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: NorthernMockingbird_D5X0758-BoyceThompson |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Phainopepla(Phainopepla nitens) |
Description: I spent an early mid-November morning at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Superior Arizona, where I met several of the 'usual suspects', such as this bird. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:16 10:11 |
Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: Phainopepla_D5X0575-BoyceThompson |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Pied-Billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
Description: Ayers Lake is more like a large pond, and on this morning the only waterfowl on the water was a lone coot and this lone grebe (Pied-Billed). I spent an early mid-November morning at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Superior Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:16 8:52 |
Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: PiedBilledGrebe_D5X0267-BoyceThompson |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Pied-Billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
Description: Ayers Lake is more like a large pond, and on this morning the only waterfowl on the water was a lone coot and this lone grebe (Pied-Billed). I spent an early mid-November morning at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Superior Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:16 8:53 |
Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: PiedBilledGrebe_D5X0301-BoyceThompson |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Pied-Billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
Description: Ayers Lake is more like a large pond, and on this morning the only waterfowl on the water was a lone coot and this lone grebe (Pied-Billed). I spent an early mid-November morning at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Superior Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:16 8:53 |
Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: PiedBilledGrebe_D5X0307-BoyceThompson |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Red-Naped Sapsucker(Sphyrapicus nuchalis) |
Description: I spent an early mid-November morning at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Superior Arizona, where I found a sap tree made by this Red-Naped Sapsucker. Several other species were reaping the benefits of this food source. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:16 10:37 |
Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: RedNapedSapsucker_D5X0770-BoyceThompson |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Red-Naped Sapsucker(Sphyrapicus nuchalis) |
Description: I spent an early mid-November morning at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Superior Arizona, where I found a sap tree made by this Red-Naped Sapsucker. Several other species were reaping the benefits of this food source. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:16 10:37 |
Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: RedNapedSapsucker_D5X0786-BoyceThompson |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Red-Naped Sapsucker(Sphyrapicus nuchalis) |
Description: I spent an early mid-November morning at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Superior Arizona, where I found a sap tree made by this Red-Naped Sapsucker. Several other species were reaping the benefits of this food source. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:16 10:39 |
Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: RedNapedSapsucker_D5X0868-BoyceThompson |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ruby-Crowned Kinglet(Regulus calendula) |
Description: I spent an early mid-November morning at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Superior Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:16 10:56 |
Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: RubyCrownedKinglet_D5X1019-BoyceThompson |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ruby-Crowned Kinglet(Regulus calendula) |
Description: I spent an early mid-November morning at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Superior Arizona, where I found a sap tree made by a Red-Naped Sapsucker. Several other species were reaping the benefits of this food source. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:16 10:57 |
Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: RubyCrownedKinglet_D5X1042-BoyceThompson |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ruby-Crowned Kinglet(Regulus calendula) |
Description: I spent an early mid-November morning at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Superior Arizona, where I met some of the winter visitors, such as this bird. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:16 10:58 |
Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: RubyCrownedKinglet_D5X1084-BoyceThompson |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ruby-Crowned Kinglet(Regulus calendula) |
Description: I spent an early mid-November morning at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Superior Arizona, where I found a sap tree made by a Red-Naped Sapsucker. Several other species were reaping the benefits of this food source. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:16 11:17 |
Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: RubyCrownedKinglet_D5X1347-BoyceThompson |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Say's Phoebe(Sayornis saya) |
Description: I spent an early mid-November morning at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Superior Arizona, where I met several of the 'usual suspects', such as this bird. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:16 9:59 |
Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: SaysPhoebe_D5X0519-BoyceThompson |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Say's Phoebe(Sayornis saya) |
Description: I spent an early mid-November morning at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Superior Arizona, where I met several of the 'usual suspects', such as this bird. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:16 10:01 |
Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: SaysPhoebe_D5X0549-BoyceThompson |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Say's Phoebe(Sayornis saya) |
Description: I spent an early mid-November morning at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Superior Arizona, where I met several of the 'usual suspects', such as this bird. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:16 10:01 |
Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: SaysPhoebe_D5X0550-BoyceThompson |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Verdin(Auriparus flaviceps) |
Description: I spent an early mid-November morning at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Superior Arizona, where I met several of the 'usual suspects', such as this bird. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:16 10:25 |
Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: Verdin_D5X0743-BoyceThompson |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Verdin(Auriparus flaviceps) |
Description: I spent an early mid-November morning at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Superior Arizona, where I found a sap tree made by a Red-Naped Sapsucker. Several other species were reaping the benefits of this food source. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:16 11:07 |
Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: Verdin_D5X1283-BoyceThompson |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Verdin(Auriparus flaviceps) |
Description: I spent an early mid-November morning at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Superior Arizona, where I met several of the 'usual suspects', such as this bird. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:16 11:10 |
Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: Verdin_D5X1316-BoyceThompson |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Verdin(Auriparus flaviceps) |
Description: I spent an early mid-November morning at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Superior Arizona, where I found a sap tree made by a Red-Naped Sapsucker. Several other species were reaping the benefits of this food source. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:16 11:20 |
Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: Verdin_D5X1366-BoyceThompson |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |

Click map markers to reveal further information