Tour Narrative
In Brief: The winter of 2010/2011 in Arizona was an especially hard one, with a very significant and extended freeze in February combined with virtually no recorded rainfall. The arid conditions and relative lack of moisture and flowers seemed to drive many migrants down into the valley floors, where they congregated anywhere that surface water could be found. As a result we recorded amazing numbers of Swainson’s Thrushes, Hammond’s Flycatchers, Lazuli Buntings and Wilson’s Warblers, and encountered migrant birds virtually everywhere we stopped (the Townsend’s Warbler feeding in an ocotillo in downtown Tombstone provided an excellent example). Our tour was somewhat complicated by a large fire in the Chiricahuas which prevented us from visiting Cave Creek and Portal, but none-the-less our tour was a great success. We sampled a wide variety of the habitats available in Southeastern Arizona, from cottonwood willow riparian strips to Sonoran Desert, and from Madrean pine-oak woodland to the high conifer forest, and the birds were as diverse as the habitats. We tallied an amazing 9 species of owls, and 230 species overall, which demolished the previous record. Highlights were many but I suspect the calmly sitting male Montezuma Quail that we stalked for a half hour before achieving perfect views, very cooperative Northern Pygmy and Spotted Owls (among 9 species of owls for the tour), great views of 9 species of hummingbirds and the very confiding and improbably patterned Red-faced Warbler (among 17 species of warblers) were among the participant’s favorites. Of course, the in-depth study of no less than six species of Empidonax flycatchers (among an amazing 19 species of flycatchers) could well be considered a highlight as well!
In Detail: In our first afternoon we elected to take advantage of the warm conditions and lack of wind by making a concerted effort at finding nightbirds along the Catalina Highway. After an early dinner we drove up to about 8000ft on Mount Lemmon and worked our way back down the highway. Over the course of the evening we heard several Flammulated Owls, a couple of Elf Owls, Mexican Whip-poor-will’s and a single Whiskered Screech-Owl. Despite the fact that the birds were unresponsive, it was a great evening to be out, and the audio experience was superlative. A Striped Skunk crossing the road was an added and delightful bonus to our first evening out!
On the second day we traveled north into Pinal and Gila Counties. Here in the higher country amidst fantastic carved canyons and an amazingly complex geologic history are a few species that are very rare, or not findable elsewhere in Southeastern Arizona. We started the morning along the San Pedro River in the little town of Mammoth. The riparian scrub hosted a nice array of migrants and a few territorial species as well, with standouts including Bell’s Vireo, Phainopepla, and Wilson’s, Lucy’s, Yellow and Yellow-rumped Warblers. Several species of swallows were seen hawking insects over the small sewage ponds near the river. On the ponds were a small flock of Wilson’s Phalaropes, the females in their full breeding finery, and a pair of Mexican Ducks (close to a pair of Northern Mallards for comparison). A few Hooded Orioles and a pair of Black-throated Sparrows rounded out an excellent stop. Next we traveled to the very beautiful Aravaipa Canyon. This cottonwood and willow filled canyon provides a permanent water source in an otherwise parched landscape, and is a reliable location for nesting Common Black Hawks. After some searching we were treated to views of a perched and occasionally flying adult. As a special treat there was a Zone-tailed Hawk perched in the cottonwoods at the same spot, allowing for excellent comparisons (once we had sorted out the confusion) of these two similarly patterned raptors. Along the entrance road to the canyon there is a stretch of several miles of Sonoran Desert scrub, and while passing through we studied our first Brown-crested Flycatchers, Black-tailed Gnatcatchers, Broad-billed and Black-chinned Hummingbirds, Black-throated Sparrow, and Greater Roadrunners. A small flock of Inca Doves offered a surprise, as this species is becoming increasingly difficult to locate in the state. After our success here we went further north in search of Gray Vireo and Black-chinned Sparrows. In the scrubby habitat that they favor we had great success with several of the attractively colored Black-chinned Sparrows as well as Scott’s Oriole, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Common Bushtit and Spotted Towhee, but sadly failed to locate any singing Gray Vireos. Once back in Tucson we made a few stops at some local parks to enjoy some lingering waterfowl, and a few foraging migrant Western Tanagers before heading to dinner. A short owling excursion west of town produced brief views of a Great Horned Owl and several Lesser Nighthawks, rounding out a nice first full day of birding.
On day three we explored the various life zones available by taking the highway up to the top of the Catalina Mountains. This 25-mile drive starts in upland Sonoran Desert and ends in Spruce-Fir forest similar in feel to Washington State! We stopped regularly, each time accessing a slightly different avifauna. On the lower slopes we found a surprising migrant Gray Vireo singing amidst a Saguaro studded ridge. Also here were several attractive Virginia’s Warblers, which can be hard to pin down on their breeding grounds. We then elected to go straight to the top of the mountain where we soon found a small flock of foraging Evening Grosbeaks along the road. This species is erratic and rare in Arizona, and is generally in decline over much of its range. A short walk along the road near the crest produced a fine mix of warblers, including Townsend’s, Hermit and the incomparable Red-faced, as well as some montane breeders such as Yellow-eyed Junco, Mountain Chickadee and Red-breasted Nuthatch. In the pine forests around Rose Canyon we found a pair of Buff-breasted Flycatchers (with a Cordilleran Flycatcher present for comparison), as well as a few Hermit Thrushes, American Robins and a Hairy Woodpecker. A stop at a private house in Willow Canyon produced our first views of Magnificent Hummingbird, Pine Siskin, and Acorn Woodpeckers. Once back in Tucson we stopped to admire a stake-out Western Grebe and then drove north to look (successfully) for a Burrowing Owl in an agricultural area just north of town. A late afternoon visit to Madera Canyon was productive, with active feeders and several new birds. Dozens of Black-headed Grosbeaks and many Western Tanagers and Lazuli Buntings were coming into the feeders, and among them we picked out some other species of interest such as a flock of Wild Turkeys, a male Indigo Bunting, a pair of the stocky Bronzed Cowbirds, and a few Chipping Sparrows. Overhead in the canyon we detected a small number of migrant Vaux’s Swifts in a flock of Violet-green Swallows. Shortly thereafter a true rarity appeared overhead, as an adult Broad-winged Hawk was found soaring above the canyon. We closed the day with studies of Rufous-winged and Black-throated Sparrows, and Pyrrhuloxia in a desert wash below the mouth of Madera.
Day four found us exploring the diverse and scenic Santa Cruz County. We started off at a series of agricultural fields with small flooded sections along the Santa Cruz River. An impressive 144 Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, and our first Black Phoebe, Yellow-headed Blackbirds, and Black Vultures dotted the fields. Nearby we were successful at tracking down a previously reported Tricolored Heron foraging in a small vegetated pond. With Great Egret, Great Blue Heron, Black-crowned Night-Heron and Green Heron also present it was quite a wading bird show for Southeastern Arizona! We then headed south down the Santa Cruz river to Kino Springs. This developed golf course and residential community has hosted an array of vagrants over the years, and every visit seems to turn up a surprise or two. On this occasion we stopped to look at the golf greens which were littered with a veritable artist’s pallet of colorful migrants. The most obvious were over a hundred glowing Lazuli Buntings, but interspersed were the oranges of Black-headed Grosbeaks, the reds of Vermilion Flycatchers, Yellow-rumped and Wilson’s Warblers and a gross of Lark Sparrows. Sifting through the throngs proved productive, with several Brewer’s Sparrows and two (!) Clay-colored Sparrows foraging under a row of pines lining the fairway. As if this kaleidoscope of color were not enough a walk around the main ponds produced great views of a Gray Hawk, a surprise Gilded Flicker, two Gray Flycatchers and our first Canyon Towhees. We then continued on for a mornings visit to Patagonia Lake, where we had scope views of Neotropic and Double-crested Cormorants, several Cinnamon Teal, a swimming flock of American Avocets, a late Osprey and three loafing Ring-billed Gulls. While walking in the riparian vegetation on the lake’s east end we located several Swainson’s Thrushes, a cooperative MacGillvray’s Warbler and appreciated the instructive views of Hammond’s and Dusky Flycatchers. After the lake we feasted upon a great lunch at a small café in the little town of Patagonia. At the nearby Paton’s feeders were the requisite (and dazzling) Violet-crowned Hummingbirds, our first Blue Grosbeaks, yet another Clay-colored Sparrow, Scott’s Orioles and some striking Yellow-breasted Chats feeding on oranges. After a brief break at the hotel we made the pilgrimage to the remote but beautiful California Gulch. The very dry conditions did not seem to bother the Ocotillos, which were in riotous bloom on the slopes of the canyon. After a bit of searching we located several Five-striped Sparrows, one of the most local breeders in the United States and also one of the most attractive sparrows in the new world. A cold front moved in mid-day and temperatures were well below normal, but after a picnic dinner (complete with Carrot Cake) we still managed to drum up a perched Elf Owl on the way back to our hotel.
On our next morning we set off for the Huachuca Mountains, making several stops along the way. In the grasslands near the entrance to Patagonia Lake we encountered a pair of Rufous-crowned Sparrows, our first Eastern (Lillian’s) Meadowlarks, and a largely uncooperative Botteri’s Sparrow. The fruiting mulberry and hackberry trees at the Roadside Rest in Patagonia were playing host to a truly impressive number of Swainson’s Thrushes, as well as our first Northern Beardless Tyrannulet and lots of migrant warblers. We enjoyed a fine lunch in Sierra Vista and then dedicated the afternoon to exploring two of the most famous birding spots along the East flank of the Huachuca Mountains. A hike up into Miller Canyon was extremely rewarding, with a responsive Northern Pygmy-Owl that came right in to our whistled imitations of its call, and a very cooperative roosting Spotted Owl, perched at eye level just a few feet off the trail. The Spotted Owl was seemingly unconcerned at the presence of 14 birders, and the views in the scopes were unbelievably vivid. Once sated with this pair of owls, and our first Hutton’s Vireos and Painted Redstarts we sat down to watch the hummingbird feeders on the Beatty’s property. Although the number of individuals using these feeders is higher in August the show in May is excellent. Literally hundreds of hummingbirds wheeled through the trees, most too close to focus on with binoculars. Among the throng of Broad-taileds we worked through the identification of Black-chinned, Anna’s, and Broad-billed Hummingbirds. It was likely the big hummingbirds that stole the show however, with several Magnificent Hummingbirds and a few Blue-throated Hummingbirds repeatedly visiting the area as well. The show wasn’t limited to hummers, as a Brown-crested Flycatcher swept in and caught (and then ate!) a female Black-chinned Hummingbird just a few feet away from us. Also here we had an all-to-brief view of a male Flame-colored Tanager that moved through the feeder area and then up canyon! A late afternoon visit to Ash Canyon, at the Ash Canyon Bed and Breakfast provided us with views of two stunning male Lucifer Hummingbirds and a very late female Calliope Hummingbird as well as a host of orioles, tanagers and sparrows. Mary Joe’s hospitality and the reliability of her Lucifer Hummingbirds are always a special treat, and we finished the day with a very respectable 8 species of hummers. After dinner we made a brief foray into lower Carr Canyon in a successful bid to see Whiskered Screech-Owl. After just a little searching on a very cold night, a pair of owls came right in and repeatedly perched for us, quite a grand way to end a fun day in the field!
Due to a large fire in the Chiricahua Mountains that sprung up during the course of our tour we had to alter the second half of the tour to accommodate the closure of much of the eastern flank of the Chiricahuas and the entire town of Portal. Although very few Trogons had been reported this year in Arizona we elected to make a special run to the very under-birded western flank of the Huachuca’s in an attempt to locate Elegant Trogons in one of their main centers of abundance, Scotia and Sunnyside Canyons. The drive over Montezuma Pass (southern tip of the Huachuca’s) was splendid, and provided excellent views of our only Western Scrub-Jay of the tour. Scotia Canyon, like the rest of SE Arizona was very dry, but the creek bed did hold flowing surface water for about a mile, and we found a lot of bird activity along the creek. Of particular interest were our first Brown Creepers (here a subspecies found mainly in Mexico, with a bright chestnut rump and different call from the more familiar American Creepers), a host of vocal and conspicuous flycatchers (including several Buff-breasted, Cordilleran, Dusky, Hammond’s, and Gray, among 13 species for the day), and a couple of the Southwestern “Eastern” Bluebirds, likely a candidate for species status. Our prized bird of the walk though was surely the cooperative male Montezuma Quail that we stalked down just before lunch. Tracking the calling bird down slowly over the course of nearly 45 minutes made the lengthy and excellent views all the better, and ranked among the top experiences of the tour for many of this year’s participants. Lunch at the scenic Parker Canyon Lake gave us a nice assortment of migrant warblers foraging in flowering mesquite trees along the lakeshore, including a second Nashville Warbler. We then drove east to the town of Willcox, our base for the next two nights. A brief stop at the Benson Sewage Ponds netted a huge number of swallows foraging low over the ponds, affording an excellent chance to work through the differing flight styles of this sometimes tricky to identify group of birds. Once in Willcox we elected to stop in at the premier location for waterbirds in the county, the Willcox Twin Lakes. This large pond near the northern tip of the arid Willcox playa has played host to an amazing assemblage of rarities over the years and nearly every visit during migration turns up a surprise or two. On our first visit the lake provided our first (and only) Snowy Egret, two Red-necked Phalaropes lurking in a flock of over a hundred Wilson’s, a Greater Yellowlegs and a few Least and Western Sandpipers, several flocks of Scaled Quail, and a very surprising Palm Warbler. The warbler was foraging along the lakeshore, and with its extensively yellow underparts may represent the eastern subspecies of Palm Warbler rather than the more expected (but still barely annual) Western Palm Warbler. The green laws of the Willcox golf course were littered with migrant birds, with hundreds of Lazuli Buntings and another Clay-colored Sparrow being the standouts.
Our next day we set off for the western flank of the Chiricahua Mountains, birding on our way up through the pine and fir covered Pinery Canyon to the spruce/fir rich Rustler Park. On our several stops through Pinery Canyon we located a nice array of migrant birds, including our first Cassin’s Vireo, and enjoyed fantastic views of perhaps the Chiricahuas marquee bird, the handsome Mexican Chickadee. Along the open ponderosa pine forests on Onion Saddle we found a wealth of bird activity, with several beautiful Olive Warblers, flocks of cute and inquisitive Pygmy Nuthatches, an amazing density of migrant Hammond’s Flycatchers and a flyby Sharp-shinned Hawk. The smoke from the fires was clearly visible from the viewpoints along the ridge, and the largely unrecovered slopes burned in the 1994 Rattlesnake Fire were a sobering reminder of the power of wildfires in the region. We elected to hike up to the top of Barfoot peak, stopping several times along the way to admire mixed flocks containing many Townsend’s and Hermit Warblers and a holdover wintering Red-naped Sapsucker. The view from the lookout was superlative and watching White-throated Swifts and Violet-green Swallows course by at and below eye-level was a wonderful experience. After lunch we headed back down to Willcox for a siesta and an early dinner. After several owling outings that proved good for audio encounters but a little weak for visual ones we had high hopes for a return trip up Pinery Canyon. The warmer night, and relatively bright moon buoyed our expectations and we were rewarded by one of the best night outings that the leaders have ever had. En route to the mountains we glimpsed a Great Horned Owl (one of three for the night) sitting on a roadside telegraph pole. We stopped to try to relocate it and instead managed to call in a cooperative Common Poorwill from the grassy slopes near the Dos Cabeza Mountains. Once in the lower slopes of Pinery Canyon, where juniper and sycamores still dominated the landscape we enjoyed great views of both Western and Whiskered Screech-Owls (within just a few yards of each other), affording a great opportunity to learn how best to separate this species pair by sight and sound. A calling Elf Owl here gave us our 4th owl species of the night. Further up canyon I spotted a small owl flying past our headlights and a quick check with a spotlight along the roadside revealed a Flammulated Owl perched below eye-level right along the road! This diminutive owl can be a real trial to locate, and our views were among the best that I have ever had of this species. Not done yet, we tracked down a couple of calling Mexican Whip-poor-will’s (a recent split from the eastern Whip-poor-Will) that were along the road just a few miles on from the Flammulated Owl. Our final (and 6th) species of owl for the evening came in the form of a calling (but uncooperative) Northern Saw-Whet Owl near the upper reaches of Pinery Canyon. Flush with success we drove back to Willcox for a much-deserved sleep, with stops along the way to admire an “Eastern” Cottontail and several Black-tailed Jackrabbits.
On our final day in the field we made a brief stop in at the Willcox Twin Lakes, which held a single Baird’s Sandpiper, a pair of American Pipits, a few Green-winged Teal and two flocks of Lark Buntings. We then journeyed south through the largely agricultural Sulphur Springs Valley. The brushy areas around the fields yielded our two prime targets for the morning; Bendire’s and Crissal Thrashers, as well as several coveys of the adorable Scaled Quail. A restroom stop in the town of Elfrida proved vastly more interesting than I had imagined, as a local dispute between two Elfrida residents culminated in the destruction of a pickup truck by a car crusher just outside the gas station that we were visiting! An excellent visit to the isolated wetland of Whitewater Draw proved very productive for migrants, with MacGillvray’s Warbler, and Gray and Willow Flycatchers providing the most excitement. Also here was a very late Swamp Sparrow, a soaring Golden Eagle, and a pair of Great Horned Owls. We elected to have lunch in downtown Tombstone, certainly a unique place for a stop, although I couldn’t talk any participants into catching a gunfight at the O.K. Corral or into taking an old-time photo in costume. In the afternoon we made a stop at an artificial wetland in Tucson, where we quickly connected with our final three additions to our tour trip list, Common Gallinule, Abert’s Towhee and Tropical Kingbird. In all we tallied an incredible 230 species of birds, wholly within the confines of Southeastern Arizona, and enjoyed a wealth of beautiful scenery and local cuisine, all made even better by the addition of an excellent crop of tour participants! I for one certainly am looking forward to what the 2012 tour may bring.
- Gavin Bieber
Updated: June 2011