Arizona summer 2011

If you want to fill up your American bird list, a visit to Arizona is a must. If you go in late July early August as we did you will not only see both the specials for this region but also some of the birds that migrate through this region. This trip was made with my good friends Jim Royer and Nick Armstrong, both very knowledgable about the birds of North America. We met at Phoenix airport and drove immediately down to our lodging close to Sonora Desert Museum where we started our birding the next morning. The landscape in Arizona is very fascinating with all the different cactuses with the Saguaro as the classic one. One of the reasons to go here is the great possibility to see many different species of hummingbirds, like this Anna´s Hummingbird and Broad-billed Hummingbird which both are quite common to the more seldom seen Violet-capped Hummingbird and Costa´s Hummingbird.

In southern Arizona there are a couple of mountains that are really good both for resident species as well as some rarer migrants. At Madera Canyon we had such great luck that we saw an Aztec Thrush. At Ramsey Canyon we had a great walk and I saw one of the most wanted, the Red-faced Warbler. Too far to get a picture though but this Black Bear and a female Broad-tailed Hummingbird were more cooperative. 

Close here we also saw the local Mexican Jay as well as the quite abundant Western Wood-Peewee.

We then drove to more flat country, the San Pedro River where we had special encounter of a mating pair of Western Diamond-Backed Rattlesnake. I more or less stepped at it and had the experience of hearing the classic rattle right beneath me. I guess no one of them bit me as they were occupied with more pleasant stuff.

At this visitor center I took these pictures of House Finch, Canyon Towhee, Curve-billed Thrasher and Gila Woodpecker.

At French-Joe Canyon we had a strenuous walk and at this time the same thing happened for Nick, this time a beautiful Black-backed Rattlesnake.

You can see my sweaty back taking photos of the snake as well as 3 happy "Tres Gringos" after the return.

We then continued to the legendary Chiricahua Mountains which was the home of the Apaches. On this road we saw several resting Swainson´s Hawks.

The town Paradise once was a big mining town full of shops, banks and even its own "Red district" but today only a few houses remain. Still perfect for birds and we also had the opportunity to be part of banding hummingbirds. Look at this tiny Calliope Hummingbird in my hand, just 5 cm long. Also the table where the activity took place.

Here the hummingbird had a party visiting the feeders and among them the stunning Magnificent Hummingbird as well as the most common one, the Rufous Hummingbird.

On the at this beautiful place we saw the Black-tailed rattlesnake again, this time in the middle of the road. We had to lift it away as it did´t want to leave and also clearly showed by body language that it did´t like the presence of us.

A very special moment was when the bats came to feed in the dark but be able to see them because of infrared light. What amazing thing you can be part of when you travel.

Thank you Jim and Nick for all the planning and driving (I had a nice time in the back seat) and for your splendid company. I finish this blog with this classic view of Arizona in sunset.

Full bird list.

1. Mallard: 10 ex day one at Sweetwaters.
2. Cinnamon Teal: 3 ex day 1.
3. Northern Shoveler: 1 ex day 1.
4. Ruddy Duck: 2 ex day 1.
5. Scaled Quail: 3 ex 5/8
6. Gambel´s Quail: Common day 1 plus 1 ex 5/8
7. Wild Turkey: 5 ex 5/8
8. Least Grebe. 3 ex 2/8 gave Jim a new american bird viat Pena Blanca.
9. Pied-billed Grebe: 2 ex day 1
10. Double-crested cormorant: 1 ex 2/8 Pena Blanca
11. Great Blue Heron: 1 ex each 2 and 5/8
12. Green Heron: 1 ex 2/8
13. White-faced Ibis: 1 ex 7/8
14. Black Vulture: 5 ex 2/8
15. Turkey Vulture: 1-4 ex seen most of the days.
16. Osprey: 1 ex 2/8
17. Cooper´s Hawk: 1 ex each dag 1 and 4/8.
18. Northern Gooshawk:  2 ex 6/8 at a nest, Chiricuhuas Mountains.
19. Harris´s Hawk: 2 ex at stake-out road for this beautiful bird.
20. Gray Hawk: 2 ex 2/8 plus 1 ex 4/8.
21. Swainson´s Hawk: A few birds seen sporadicly while driving.

22. Red-Tailed Hawk: 1 ex each during 4 days.
23. American Kestrel: 3 birds seen through out.
24. Sora: Heard day 1.
25. Common Moorhen 2 ex day 1.
26. American Coot: 3 ex day 1 plus 1 ex 2/8.
27. Killdeer: 10 ex day 1.
28. Black-necked stilt: 2 ex day 1 plus 30 ex 7/8
29. Spotted Sandpiper: 1 ex 2/8 plus 2 ex 7/8
30. Greater Yellowlegs: 1 ex 7/8
31. Western Sandpiper: 10 ex 7/8
32. Least Sandpiper: 10 ex day 1 plus 25 ex 7/8.
33. Baird´s sanpiper: 1 ex 7/8.
34. Solitairy sandpiper: A pair at Sweetwaters Wetlands 7/8.
35. Rock Pigeon: A few.
36. Band-tailed Pigeon: 1 ex 4/8.
37. White-winged Dove: common.
38. Mourning Dove: common.
39. Common Ground Dove: 10 ex 2/8 plus a few more on other days.
40. Yellow-billed Cuckoo: Heard 2/8 samt 1 ex seen well 3/8 Patagonia.
41. Greater Roarunner: 1 ex first morning at tee nr. 10 plus 1 ex5/8.
42. Western Screech-Owl: 1 ex heard plus one more seen breifly during owling at Paradise 6/8.
43. Whiskered Screech-Owl. 1 bird seen and heard day(night) 1.
44. Elf Owl: 1 bird heard at the first night.
45. Lesser Nighthawk: 10 ex at arrival day close to our lodging. Also 1 ex each 4 and 5/8.
46. Commin Poorwill: 1 ex seen in the lights from the car. Also heard  at the same time 6/8.
47. Mexican Whip-poor-will: 1 ex the same same night seen and heard.
48. White-throated Swift: 2 ex 4/8 plus 1 ex 5/8.
49. Broad-billed Hummingbird: Common (+10) day 1 and 2 plus 5 ex 4/8.
50. Berylline Hummingbird: 1 ex day 1 plus one more 4/8.
51. Violet-crowned Hummingbird: 1 bird each day 1 och 2 plus two more 4/8.
52. Blue-throated Humminbird: 1-2 ex day 1 plus 5 more 7/8.
53. Magnificent Hummingbird: 4-5 birds each day except 2/8.
54. Lucifer Hummingbird: 1 bird the firts day plas one more 4/8 of this splendid bird..
55. Black-chinned Hummingbird: Common 5-10 birds each day except 2/8.
56. Anna`s Hummingbird: 1-2 ex first day plus 4-5/8.
57. Costa´s Hummingbird: 1 ex each 1 och 3/8.
58. Calliope Hummingbird: 1 ex 4/8 plus 3 ex each 6-7/8. This juvel was also banded.
59. Broad-tailed Hummingbird: 3 ex 4/8 plus 5 ex 6-7/8.
60. Rufous Hummingbird: 1-5 ex most of the days but very common during banding day (+50).
61. Elegant Trogon: hörd flera gånger1/8 samt sågs väl 3/8 at Ramsey Canyon.
62. Acorn Woodpecker: 3-5 birds most of the days by this special ”pecker”.
63. Gila Woodpecker: Same as above.
64. Ladder-backed Woodpecker: 1 ex 2/8 plus2 ex 5/8.
65. Hairy Woodpecker: 1 ex 1/8.
66. Arizona Woodpecker: 6 ex 1/8 plus 2 ex 3/8.
67. Northern Flicker: 1 ex day 1 and 6/8.
68. Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet: 1 ex at Patagonia Roadside Rest of this scarce bird.
69. Greater Pewee: Finally we managed to see one bird high up in the Chricuhuas Mountains.
70. Western Wood-Pewee: Common, seen every day.
71. Cordilleran Flycatcher: 1 ex 1/8 plus. 6/8.
72. Buff-breasted Flycatcher: Lots of seaching before we eventually found one at ”middle level” at Chiricuhuas Mountains.
73. Black Pheobe: 3-5 ex during 5 days.
74. Say´s Phoebe: More or less the same as its black fellow.
75. Vermillion Flycatcher: 5 ex 2/8 and 2 ex 5/8 of this stunning flycatcher.
76. Dusky-Capped Flycatcher: 2-3 ex 1,4 and 6/8.
77. Ash-throated Flycatcher: Seen most of the days with 1-2 ex.
78. Brown-crested Flycatcher: Same as above.
79. Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher: 2-3 ex the first two days of the trip.
80. Tropical Kingbird: Surpriceingly 3 different birds of this mexican species seen 5/8.
81. Cassin´s Kingbird: A total of 7 birds seen during the trip.
82. Thick-billed Kingbird: One bird seen well at classic stake-out vid Roadside Rest, Patagonia.
83. Western Kingbird: Relativly common.
84. Loggerhead Shrike: 1-3 ex seen during 5 dagar, often by the roads.
85. Warbling Vireo: 1 ex each4/8 and 6/8.
86. Bell´s Vireo: 5 ex sang and were also seen at Arviaka creek, Buenos Aires.
87. Plumbeous Vireo: A few birds through out.
88. Hutton´s Vireo: 4 ex 1/8 plus a few birds 3-4/8.
89. Steller´s Jay: Heard 4/8 plus seen with 2 ex 6/8.
90. Western Scrub-Jay: 1 ex the first day plus one more 6/8.
91. Mexican Jay: Quite common, seen most of the days.

92. Chihuahuan Raven: 2 ex 2/8.
93. Common Raven: Much more common.
94. Purple Martin: 4 ex day 1 plus 2 ex 7/8.
95. Violet-green Swallow: More than 100 birds seen 3/8 plus 10 more 6/8.
96. Northern Rough-winged Swallow: 2 ex day one.
97. Tree Swallow: 1 ex 5/8
98. Bank Swallow: 1 ex 5/8
99. Cliff Swallow: +10 ex 5/8
100. Barn Swallow: 2 ex 5/8
101. Mexican Chickadee: One bird in the birdwave at Chiricuhuas mountains.
102. Bridled Titmouse: 3-5 ex during 4 days.
103. Juniper Titmouse: 1 pair had their nest at Paradise rest, Chiricuhuas Mountains..
104. Verdin: Aprox. 10 birds first morning at the golf course..
105. Bushtit: 5 ex 1/8 plus aprox. 10 ex 4/8.
106. Red-breasted Nuthatch: Heard 4/8 plus 1 bird seen 6/8.
107. White-breasted Nuthatch: Quite common, 2-8 birds all days.
108. Pygmy Nuthatch: 1 ex 1/8.
109. Brown Creeper: 1 ex each 1/8 och 4/8.
110. Cactus Wren: Common day one and a few more birds through out.
111. Rock Wren: After many stops we finally saw two birds between Buenos Aires och Pena Blanca.
112. Canyon Wren: 1 ex each 2-4 /8.
113. March Wren: 1 ex Sweetwaters.
114. Bewick´s Wren: 1 ex each 2-3/8 och 5/8.
115. House Wren: A total of 6 birds during the first 3 days.
116. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher: 1ex at the bottom of Madera Canyon.
117. Black-tailed Gnatcatcher: 1 ex at Sonora Desert Museum.
118. Hermit Thrush: 4 ex 1 /8.
119. American Robin: 1 ex 4/8 plus 10 ex 6/8.
120. Aztek Thrush: One female was discovered by Nick at Madera canyon.
121. Northern Mockingbird: 1-3 birds most of the days.
122. Bendire´s Thrasher: 2 birds seen at a stake out close to the entrance to the Chiricuhuas Mountains.
123. Curve-billed Thrasher: 3 ex day 1plus 4 ex 5/8.
124. Crissal Thrasher: Heard at stake-out vid Chiricuhuas and also seen briefly.
125. European Starling: 1 ex day 1.
126. Phainopepla: More than 20 birds at Patagonia Preserve plus 4 more 4/8.
127. Olive warbler: 1 ex 1/8 plus 1 bird in the birdwave at the Chiricuhuas of this ”important warbler”.
128. Lucy´s Warbler: 2 birds at Sonora Desert, 5 ex 5/8 plus 2 more 6/8.
129. Yellow warbler: During 5 days we saw 1-3 birds each day..
130. Yellow-rumped Warbler: 1 bird at Madera Canyon together with the flock of Grace´s.
131. Black-throated Gray warbler: 1 ex 1/8, 5 ex in the birdwave at the Chricuhuas plus 3 ex 7/8.
132. Hermit warbler: 1 ex in the same birdwave as above.
133. Grace´s warbler: + 8 ex Madera Canyon plus aprox. 10 birds in the birdwave at the Chiricuhuas.
134. Commion Yellowthroat: A fewbirds most of the days through out..
135. Red-faced Warbler: 2 ex Ramsey Canyon plus 1 single bird in the Chiricuhuas-birdwave of this juvel.
136. Painted Redstart: 4 ex Madera Canyon plus 6 more atRamsey Canyon. Another stunner.
137. Yellow-breasted Chat: Aprox. 10 birds at different spots, mostlya at  Arivaka Creek.
138. Hepatic Tanager: 1-3 ex during 6 days.
139. Summer Tanager: 4 ex Madera Canyon plus 5 more 2/8.
140. Western Tanager: 1-4 birds during 3 days.
141. Spotted Towhee: 2 ex Arivaka Creek plus 1 ex Ramsey Canyon.
142. Canyon Towhee: 2-4 ex the last 4 days.

143. Albert´s Towhee: 2 ex day 1 plus 2 ex Sweetwaters.
144. Rufous-winged Sparrow: 2 ex Sonora Desert Museum.
145. Cassin´s Sparrow: 2 ex at the bottom (fields) of Madera Canyon plus 2 more at San Pedro river
146. Botteri´s Sparrow: 4 birds at the same spot as above plus 3 ex San Pedro River.
147. Rufous-crowned Sparrow: A few birds each day on the first 4 days.
148. Chipping Sparrow: 1 ex Patagonia plus 2 ex Cave Creek.
149. Black-chinned Sparrow: Hard and tricky. Finally got one in when tapeing close to Paradise
150. Lark Sparrow: Aprox.10 birds spread out during the trip.
151. Black-throated Sparrow:  6 ex Sonora Desert Museum, 2 ex French Joe Canyon plus 4 ex San Pedro River.
152. Song Sparrow: 1 ex Sonora Desert Museum, 1 ex French Joe canyon plus 2 ex San Pedro River.
153. Yellow-eyed Junco:  6 ex Madera Canyon plus 2 ex Chiricuhuas Mountains.
154. Northern Cardinal: A total of 10 birds during 4 days.
155. Pyrrhuloxia: Totaly 6 birds in suiteble dry habitats..
156. Black-headed Grosbeak: 3-6 ex during most days, common at the feeders.
157. Blue Grosbeak: Aprox. 20 birds seen during 4 days of which  10 were seen at Arivaka Creek.
158. Lazuli Bunting: Jim saw 1 bird at San Pedro River
159. Varied Bunting: 3 ex Sonora Desert Museum.
160. Red-winged Blackbird: common in suiteble habitat.
161. Eastern Meadowlark: 2 ex French Joe Canyon.
162. Yellow-headed Blackbird: +200 ex Sierra Vista water ponds.
163. Great –tailed Grackle: A few bird the 3 first days. 10 birds the last day.
164. Brown-headed Cowbird: Quite common.
165. Hooded Oriole: Seen during 5 days with 1-5 ex.
166. Bullock´s Oriole: Jim saw one at San Pedro river.
167. Scott´s Oriole: 4 ex French Joe Canyon.
168. House Finch: Common, seen most of the days.

169. Lesser Goldfinch: Common.
170. House Sparrow: A few.

Others:

Black Bear: One at Ramsey Canyon plus one captured in a trap at Paradise.

Black-tailed Rattlesnake: A pair at French Joe Canyon plus one more one the road up in the Chiricuhuas Mountains.

Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake: I almost stepped on a pair mating which proably saved me from beeing bitten. Both werehuge and fat and the ”rattle” was quite scary. This was at a path at San Pedro River.