Arizona: Owls & Warblers Roundup
May 2025 saw two departures of the always popular Owls and Warblers tour ramble its way across the Sky Islands of Southeast Arizona. Skye Haas and Louie Dombroksi ran near concurrent tours and between the two groups, tallied in a very impressive 220 species of birds as well as a delightful array of other species like Ringtail, Hog-nosed Skunk, Maderan Alligator Lizard and a Sonoran Mountain Kingsnake!
The bird highlights were numerous and included species like Montezuma Quail, 11 species of hummingbirds including Berylline and Calliope, both species having only been recorded on five or fewer previous tours over the years (This is the 23rd year this tour has run!). 16 species of shorebirds was a great total, with the standouts being the first ever American Golden Plover and Red Phalarope for the tour history as well as other goodies like Snowy and Semipalmated Plovers, Stilt Sandpipers and Long-billed Curlew. Also in the notable waterbird department were numerous Franklin's Gulls and a Laughing Gull (2nd ever for these tours!).
Owls of course are a major component to this tour, and eight species were recorded including Northern Pygmy Owl, Spotted Owl and Flammulated Owl, the latter being a shocking lowland roosting bird providing uncharacteristically good looks of this shy and diminutive mountain species!
A Prairie Falcon was a nice pick-up as a flyby in the high Chirichaus, and nearby Mexican Chickadees frolicked in the pines. Another standout rarity was stunning looks at a pair of Flame-colored Tanagers in Miller Canyon, with a Northern Goshawk further up the trail. Other standout raptors include Zone-tailed Hawk, Gray Hawk and Golden Eagle. A comment must be made about the abundance of migrants present for these tours. Spring was obviously running late this year, and migrants and lingering wintering birds were seen in profusion. Lingering birds like Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Green-tailed Towhees and Brewer's Sparrows were all surprisingly late and still in good numbers, and true migrants like Hammond's Flycatcher, Swainson's Thrush and Hermit Warblers were all seen in numbers that far exceed a typical year.
Of course I would be remiss to not mention the amazing amount of Black-headed Grosbeaks and Western Tanagers that were passing through Southeast Arizona while we were there; such a mend-bending wash of colors to get to see at all times!
Speaking of warblers, we did very well for warblers with 16 species recorded including Grace's and MacGillivray's Warblers, Northern Waterthrush and the first ever Hooded Warbler for these tours!
And a final goodie that bears mentioning is the strange and beautiful male hybrid Lazuli x Indigo Bunting we watched one morning at our catered (and delicious!) breakfast by Jackie Lewis at the George Walker House.
In all, a great set of tours, and we're already looking forward to next year!
