March 30, 2017
This is the bird. A White Wagtail, common in Europe and Asia, and usually easy to find in western Alaska. But in the Sonoran Desert? Arizona? A mega rarity.
It was very difficult to photograph due to distance and usually poor light. All of my photos are huge crops.
This is why I got up at 3 AM. A widefield image of the Ophiuchus region, taken with a Sigma 35mm f1.4. In the lower right is Antares and the associated nebulas and dust clouds I've photographed before. In the center and upper left is Sharpless 2-27, which surrounds the star Zeta Ophiuchi in the constellation of Ophiuchus. Sharpless 2-27 is a huge nebula, spanning over 10 degrees of space, but completely invisible to the eye. This is about 1.5 hours of exposure.
A Desert Spiny Lizard in breeding colors.
Birders who came to see the White Wagtail. It was useful to back pickups up to the gate to get a better view. Some people brought ladders.
Find a rare bird and then wait to meet all the top birders in Arizona. They were all here.
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