Western Tanager, Piranga ludoviciana
The Western Tanager, Piranga ludoviciana, breeds from the western area of Northern Mexico to Alaska and winters to Costa Rica.
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May 21, 2013
Western Tanager, Piranga ludoviciana
January 20, 2013
Glen Canyon, Arizona
“Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world’s great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time. On some of the rocks are timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs. I am haunted by waters.”
- Norman Fitzroy Maclean
Situated in Arizona and Utah, the Glen Canyon has been carved out of the Vermilion Cliffs by the Colorado River. The image is of Horseshoe bend which can be reached off Highway 89, about 6 km. south of Page. It is about a kilometer walk from the parking lot to the overlook.
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January 18, 2013
Southern Arizona-Santa Catalina Mountains
Rock Wren
Located in the Coronado National Forest, the Santa Catalina mountains rise on the Catalina Highway to over 9000 feet from the desert floor north of the city of Tucson.
You start up the mountains from a base filled with Saguaro cactus, the eastern portion of the Saguaro National Park, and you will find the birds of the Sonoran Desert, such as Gambel’s Quail , Gila Woodpecker , Black-tailed Gnatcatcher , Verdin and Black-throated Sparrow .
Farther up near the Molino Basin is an area of Arizona Oak as well as Blue and Emory Oaks. Typical birds of this area include Bridled Titmouse , Mexican Jay , Rock Wrens and Scott’s Orioles as well as the hunting Cooper’s Hawk below.
Past Molino Basin is an area that was badly scarred by a fire in 2003 but recovery has been apparent. Bear Canyon at milepost 10 is an excellent area particularly favored by warblers in migration and breeding. Commonly found are the western or “Audubon’s” Yellow-rumped Warbler , Grace’s Warbler , Painted Redstarts , Black-throated Gray Warbler , and the spectacular Red-faced Warbler . They are joined by Arizona and Acorn Woodpecker , Western Wood-Pewee , Hutton’s Vireo and Yellow-eyed Junco .
Red-faced Warbler
As you get above 7000 feet, you get into stands of Ponderosa Pine and can expect to find Band-tailed Pigeon , Steller’s Jay , Mountain Chickadee , Pygmy Nuthatch , and Northern Raven . Near the top you will find species found in the Canadian Life Zone.
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January 14, 2013
Southern Arizona – Tucson area
Cactus Wren
The city of Tucson is located in the Sonoran desert, one of the most interesting habitants in the world. The Sonora desert is one of the largest and hottest in North America, and with an area of 120,000 sq. miles, sprawls over the border of Mexico and the United States. It is home to some 350 species of birds, 60 mammals, 100 reptiles and over 2000 native plant species. You can see a small sample of the plants at the following link:
Sugarro Cactus at Sunset
The famous and beautiful Saguaro Cactus is only found in this area and Saguaro National Park has been set aside to protect this unusual plant.
I followed the advice of “A Birder’s Guide to Southeastern Arizona” by Richard Taylor, and visited the intersection of Shannon and Broadway on Tucson’s eastern edge, at first light. Before the sun became too hot, I was able to see Gambel’s Quail , Greater Roadrunner , Gilded Flicker , and a Gila Woodpecker which had a nest hole in a Saguaro cactus. Cactus Wren and Curve-billed Thrasher were common, and Black-tailed Gnatcatcher were a welcome sight.
One of my favorite places around Tucson is the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum. It is a museum, botanical gardens, zoo and aviary all in one. It is devoted to educating about the Sonoro Desert and and all it’s exhibits and animals relate to that. It is a great place for a family visit, especially combined with the nearby Old Tucson exhibit.
The museum has two aviaries. The first is devoted to hummingbirds and includes Broad-billed, Black-chinned, and Magnificent Hummingbirds. The other aviary has a great number of the desert species including Inca Dove, Gila Woodpecker , Cactus Wren , Curve-billed Thrasher , Western Tanager , Northern Cardinal , Pyrrhuloxia , Black-headed Grosbeak , and Hooded Oriole .
Gilded Flicker
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November 25, 2012
The Grand Canyon at Dusk
Grand Canyon at Dusk
Dusk’s last rays of light brink out the color of the Grand Canyon.
Grand Canyon at Dusk
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November 21, 2012
Antelope Canyon, Arizona
“The purest and most thoughtful minds are those which love color the most” – John Ruskin
Antelope Canyon, outside of Page, Arizona, is the most famous slot canyon in the southwest. It is a mecca for photographers. Situated on Navajo land, it can only be visited by permit only, generally this means taking an established tour out of Page.
For a gallery of Antelope Canyon, visit the following link:
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November 17, 2012
Southern Arizona-Patagonia and Sonoita
White-tailed Deer
Patagonia and the Nogales area are close to the Mexican border and they account for more strays and rare birds than any other area of Arizona.
If you are coming from the Huachua mountain area south on Highway 82 towards Nogales, you will come to the town of Patagonia where the Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve is situated.
Run by the Nature Conservancy, their hours of operation are a bit complicated, so check their website before you go. As of this writing they list their openings as follows:
April-September: Wednesday-Sunday, 6:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
October-March: Wednesday-Sunday, 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
Closed: Mondays & Tuesdays all year & on Thanksgiving, the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas & New Year’s Days.
Some of the Park’s usual birds are Bell’s Vireo , Gilded Flicker , Verdin , Cactus Wren , Bridled Titmouse , Northern-Beardless Tyrannulet, and Rufous-crowned Sparrow . It is not uncommon to find White-tailed Deer which are comfortable with visitors.
Violet-crowned Hummingbird
Just before the Creek on the road going into the Park is the Paton’s home. Their wealth of feeders have attracted a regular wealth of good birds and the feeder area is open to the public. Gray Hawk are resident just behind the house and commonly seen. Hummingbirds are excellent here and it may be the best place in the U.S. to find Violet-crowned Hummingbird . Another rarity often found in the summer months is the Plain-capped Starthroat. Other regulars include Broad-billed , Black-chinned , and Anna’s . Other birds that may be found are Gambel’s Quail , Ladder-backed Woodpecker and Gila Woodpeckers , Inca Dove , Bewick’s Wren , Northern Cardinal , Bronzed Cowbird and Lesser Goldfinch .
Lesser Goldfinch
On Highway 82 at the south end of town is a rest area which has been very productive of rarities through the years. In fact, two first records for the United States have been found here, Black-capped Gnatcatcher and Yellow Grosbeak . In 1969 a colony of Five-striped Sparrows was found here but by 1977 they had disappeared. In the last few years both Fan-tailed Warbler and Yellow-Green Vireo have made appearances. While you may not find a first national record here, you will find some great birds like Gray Hawk , Rose-throated Becard , White-winged Dove , White-throated Swift, Cassin’s Kingbird , Brown-crested Flycatcher , Phainopepla , Pyrrhuloxia , Bullock’s and Hooded Orioles , and Rufous-crowned Sparrow .
As you move south toward Mexico, you reach the town of Nogales on the border. There are numerous excellent areas for birds here including the Nogales Sewage Ponds, a prime area for waterfowl. One of the best spots for Gray Hawk is the Country Club Ponds off of Interstate 19. A downside is the amount of traffic, but their are a few places to pull off.
Gray Hawk
Traveling north on Highway 19 from Nogales towards Tucson brings you to the Juan Bautista De Anza Historical Trail. The 4.5 mile trail (one way) winds along the Santa Cruz River and has a wide variety of birds. Depending on the season, you may see Gray Hawk , Cooper’s Hawk , Sharp-shinned Hawk , White-winged , Mourning and Inca Doves , Yellow-billed Cuckoo , Broad-billed , Black-chinned , Anna’sand Costa’sHummingbirds , Gila Woodpecker , Gilded Flicker , Bewick’s Wren , Phainopepla , Pyrrhuloxia , Northern Cardinal, Canyon and Abert’s Towhees , Hooded and Bullock’s Orioles . In migration you can expect almost anything.
North of this are is the rest stop from Exit 53 (from the southbound road). It is worth a stop because it has Rufous-winged Sparrow behind the buildings.
Rufous-winged Sparrow
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November 3, 2012
Southern Arizona-Santa Rita Mountains
Arizona Grasslands
Just south of Tucson in the Santa Rita Mountains, is Madera Canyon, one of the finest birding destinations in Arizona and the U.S. The entrance lies off of Exit 63 on Highway 19 going south from Tucson.The grasslands of the lowlands gives way to Pine-Oak Woodland as the land rises. The grasslands may have Greater Roadrunner , Red-tailed Hawk , Say’s Phoebe , Gambel’s Quail , Curve-billed Thrasher , Northern Raven , Verdin , and Cactus Wren .
Farther in you will come to three one-way bridges. If you stop near the third bridge(not on a bridge!), you can look along this area called Florida Wash may produce Ladder-backed Woodpecker , Phainopepla , Northern Cardinal , Pyrrhuloxia , Canyon Towhee and Black-throated Sparrow . Rufous-winged Sparrow are also found along with Bell’s Vireo and Lucy’s Warbler .
Black-throated Sparrow
I stayed at Santa Rita Lodge, part way up the road, an excellent base which has feeders which attract a lot of birds. At this point you can see Turkey Vulture , Northern Flicker , White-winged Dove , Arizona and Acorn Woodpeckers , Mexican Jay , Bridled Titmouse , Bushtit , Bewick’s Wren , Black-throated Gray Warbler , Hepatic and Western Tanagers , Black-headed Grosbeak , Spotted Towhee , Brown-headed and Bronzed Cowbirds , and Scott’s Oriole .There is an Elf Owl with a roost hole in a telephone pole and many birders watch it emerge at dusk. Hummingbirds are also well represented and commonly include Broad-billed, Blue-throated , Magnificent , Black-chinned , Anna’s and Broad-tailed . Less common are Calliope, White-eared, Violet-crowned , Lucifer and Berylline Hummingbirds .
Elf Owl
Farther up the Canyon is the Madera Kubo cabins which also feature feeders. While I was there, a rare Flame-colored Tanager was making regular appearances there
At the end of the road is the Josephine Fork parking area, which provides access to a series of trails. This is a reliable area for Elegant Trogon . If you learn their soft call, you will more easily locate them. Remember that the use of bird tapes is not allowed in Madera Canyon.
Black-headed Grosbeak
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