It is good to be home after being on the road the last two weeks. This past week I was in Sierra Vista, Arizona for five days participating in the Southwest Wings Birding and Nature Festival.
On the drive down, we stopped at the famous roadside rest stop on State Highway 82, just west of Patagonia. It is hard to believe that I have been visiting this birding hot spot for over fifty years!
After the rest stop, we birded at the Paton house in Patagonia. The property is owned and managed by the Tucson Audubon Society. The property borders Sonita Creek and has an amazing habitat. Highlights included violet-crowned hummingbirds and yellow-billed cuckoo.
That evening, after setting up our vendor booth, we headed down to Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary in the Huachuca Mountains. This property is managed by a 501c3 nonprofit, and is probably the best place in the United States to see Lucifer hummingbirds—which we saw!
Each morning before our vendor booth opened, and each evening after our vendor booth closed, we were somewhere out in nature. On Wednesday, we drove over to Willcox, Arizona and birded at Lake Cochise and Twin Lakes Golf Course. We had a fabulous morning logging more than fifty species, including a golden eagle.
Another morning, we visited Beatty’s Guest Ranch in Miller Canyon. This is a pay yard, where one can pay to go onto the property to bird watch. Our target bird that morning was the flame-colored tanager, and we were successful in finding it!
One evening, we went to Ramsey Canyon, only to find that the property—owned and managed by The Nature Conservancy—was closed. We birded at the adjacent Ramsey Canyon Lodge and the surrounding habitat, and saw a nice variety of southeastern specialty birds such as blue-throated mountain gem (a type of hummingbird), Rivoli’s hummingbird, and yellow-eyed junco.
Another evening, we visited the San Pedro National Riparian Conservation Area. Wow, was it birdy! In spite of the time of day, we saw a great variety of species including western screech owl, Cassin’s sparrow and several painted buntings, which was a great find. It is only the third time in my life that I have seen painted buntings in Arizona.
On our last morning, we drove up Carr Canyon Road, into the heart of the Huachuca Mountains. The elevation gain on the drive is so sudden. It changes from a Chihuahuan Desert habitat to Chihuahuan pines in just a few miles. This is one of the few places in Arizona where eastern bluebirds are found—and we found them!
We also saw the diminutive and uncommon buff-breasted flycatcher, along with greater pewee, Grace’s warbler, black-throated gray warbler, Virginia’s warbler, and three species of jay—Mexican, Steller’s and Woodhouse’s.
Returning home to Prescott, I learned of a rare bird—a purple gallinule—at Willow Lake. I went after work Monday night, and searched high and low to no avail. While I missed the gallinule, I saw a variety of shore birds including long-billed dowitchers, spotted sandpipers, greater yellowlegs, white-faced ibis, Wilson’s phalarope, and least sandpiper. Migration at our local lakes is in full swing!
We will be hosting a wild bird photography class in our conference room on Wednesday, August 21st, at 3:00 p.m. The class will be taught by Joe Webster, an award-winning photographer, who specializes in landscapes, macro images, and wildlife. The class is open to the public, and is free. We can accommodate up to forty participants. Please call the store to sign up for this fabulous event.
Until next week, Happy Birding!
Eric Moore is the owner of The Lookout, in Prescott, where you will find a Hallmark Gold Crown Store, wild bird products, and Swarovski and Vortex optics. Eric has been an avid birder for over 55 years. Eric can be contacted at eric@thelookoutaz.com.
