It was an achievement to get this bird.

Erica and I had been trying to see a Black-chinned for years. We would find a birding spot where they were reported, and spend hours search, but find nothing but Black-throated Sparrows. It became clear to us that many Black-throated Sparrows were being reported on Ebird as Black-chinned.

They're very different species and they behave completely differently.

After spending a day birding around Portal with John Yerger, we were headed back to the Huachucas for some more birding, when we decided to try one more spot for the Black-chinned. With some guidance from a local resident, we set off on East Turkey Creek and got a pair of these fabulous birds.

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