Jake Mohlmann on his just concluded tour, Arizona: A Winter Week in the Southeast

It was another wonderful week in the desert southwest as our Winter Week tour came to a close. Many highlight were had, including a meowing Black-capped Gnatcatcher in the foothills of the Santa Rita Mountains, the first of 3 gnatcatcher species seen during the week. We encountered 4 owl species, all during the day, including a placid Western Screech-owl (below), catching the first rays of light to warm its face from a nest hole. Several warbler species were seen, and the highlight was a Yellow-throated Warbler that decided to spend the winter in Patagonia … who wouldn’t!?

A fond memory for most birders who encounter a Canyon Wren (below), is always having the cascading song to remind them of the wonderful places they’ve been. We lucked out and had an emphatic male sing to us from 10 feet away!

The Sandhill Crane show in the Sulphur Springs Valley continued the tradition that this tour is known for: thousands of birds floating by in waves (below); but perhaps the highlight of the trip was a showy male Elegant Trogon (below), that sat for 20 minutes allowing everyone to get their souvenir shot of this southeast Arizona specialty.  

Western Screech-owl 

Canyon Wren

Sandhill Cranes

Elegant Trogon