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Tucson Audubon Society
Tucson Audubon Afield: April/May 2007
Recent Field Trips and Sightings in
Southeast Arizona
by Liz Payne See also Tucson Audubon Afield home page
(This article first appeared in the July/August 2007 Vermilion Flycatcher, the newsletter of the Tucson Audubon Society. To receive the Vermilion Flycatcher in the mail, become a Friend of Tucson Audubon.)
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Almost summer. Perhaps the broiler switch hasn’t been formally thrown, but HOT season has begun to affirm itself. As our lovely Sonoran Desert spring wanes, Palo Verdes lose their glorious glow; the moist petals that were prickly pear and saguaro blooms shrivel to husks. Ready for the blast furnace?
Blissfully though, April and May offered stellar weather, fantastic birding and many beautiful outings. Often, mornings were refreshingly cool, some even downright cold at elevation or in canyons and shady realms. Our first-rate Tucson Audubon field trips continue to be extraordinarily popular; many agreeable hours and exciting discoveries were shared by all.
Overall, it still seems most folks’ favorite sightings were our beloved hummingbird specialties. Broad-billed, Blue-throated, Magnificents, Lucifers, Black-chinned, Costa’s, Broad-tailed, et al. the gang’s all here and, to the delight of residents and visitors, they did not disappoint.
Jim Hays began the month with a trip to Fort Huachuca on May 1. Tally was 69 species with excellent views of three fine specialties: male and female Elegant Trogon, a Buff-breasted Flycatcher and two Spotted Owls. Sparrows were well represented, 6 species in all, including Botteri’s and Cassin’s. An Olive-sided Flycatcher was seen by a few. An afternoon stop at Ash Canyon B&B delivered 7 more species, with extended views of a beautiful male Lucifer Hummingbird.
SweetwaterWetlands was the spot for Cynthia Taylor and a group of 11, on the May 5 beginners day out. Several out-of-towners in the mix were charmed by the show of resident Harris’s Hawks, Ruddy Ducks in breeding plumage, brilliantly colored Red-winged Blackbirds, nesting Verdins, Common Yellowthroats,Wilson’s and Townsend’sWarblers, three species of swallows, and Western Kingbirds. Further highlights: aWhite faced Ibis, Black-headed Grosbeak, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Eurasian Collared-Dove and Western Tanager. Forty species in all.
Calgary, Colorado and Washington guests joined trip leader Bev Postmus for an exciting Madera Canyon outing. Bev was primed; before leaving McDonald’s parking lot, the group studied a recording so they’d know what to listen for in the grasslands.
“Eureka!” is a great feeling, isn’t it? The morning’s first bird proved a lifer for many: a Botteri’s Sparrow was singing around milepost 9. The group quickly heard it and got it into the scope. Great way to start a trip! Rewards continued as a group of Whitethroated Swifts soared above the ridges at Proctor and a few Rufous-crowned Sparrows obliged. A Black-capped Gnatcatcher was heard, not seen, but also sighted were a Band-tailed Pigeon, WesternWood-Pewees, Summer Tanagers and a handsome pair of Cardinals. Raptors included a Goshawk, and soaring Cooper’s and Red-tailed Hawks. Grape jelly enticed Kubo’s Flame-colored Tanager, so everyone had a gratifying look. Along with Magnificent Hummingbirds, Hooded Orioles and Acorn Woodpeckers, the trail produced more goodies: Dusky-capped Flycatcher, Townsend’s and Grace’sWarblers and Plumbeous Vireo. A Blue-throated Hummingbird flew with nesting material in her bill. Some lucky ones saw the male Trogon and increased their life lists. Nice!
Migrants were slim at San Pedro River Inn, (another incredibly dry season?) but Michael Marsden and company were ready all the same. The only conspicuous transient was Western Tanager with at least a dozen sighted along the trails. The real highlight was a snake—a rather large Mexican gartersnake.
Raptors present were the adult female Barn Owl in the nest box; two Grey Hawks who gave nice shows, as did a Northern Harrier over the west fields. AWhite-tailed Kite hunted before the walk started, and an adult Great Horned Owl and a recently-fledged juvenile were seen by the river, as well as Gilded Flicker, a solo male Wood Duck, Tropical Kingbird, and more usual suspects. 54 species recorded. Despite relatively lower numbers, sometimes less is more. The trip was high on quality and everyone had a great day.
In a quick fill-in for Jim Hays, Diane Touret guided a group over the better-surfaced roads along Humboldt Canyon. The Patagonia Mountains are gorgeous, so, not surprisingly, the day started out well with Summer Tanager and Bullock’s Oriole in the post office parking lot. Later Hooded Orioles and more tanagers, Summer, Hepatic and Western, would flesh out the list. A Northern Beardless Tyrannulet made a happy appearance and more splendid raptor shows enthralled all. A Red-tailed Hawk brought its mammal-prey to fluffy white young in a sycamore nest; Gray Hawk soared, and the group reveled in fantastic (close!) sightings of a Golden Eagle pair. Also well-sighted were Zone-tailed Hawks, one screaming by a possible nesting tree.
Montezuma Quail were heard but only glimpsed. Black-headed Grosbeaks, Thick-billed Kingbirds and an invisible Sulphurbellied Flycatcher called. All three Myiarchus were listed, too. Allin all, six birders either saw or heard about 70 species. Thanks Diane. Especially impressive for a mostly-roadside expedition.
And sometimes more is, well, more. At month’s end, 37(!) birders, with visitors from Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Canada, joined brownie-baker Barb Bickel for a local jaunt through the lower Catalinas. Great views of perched Violetgreen Swallow, Black throated Gray and Grace’s Warbler. Painted Redstart and a Hepatic Tanager pair. Further highlights included accommodating Broad-billed, Magnificent, Black-chinned, and Broad-tailed hummers; and an Ash-throated Flycatcher pair carrying insects into a nest cavity. A 10-car caravan made logistics interesting, and 41 species totaled the outing. Lastly, the group enjoyed mouthwatering brownies, lemonade and lunch together on her deck at Willow Canyon, to boot.
The season in full swing and southeast Arizona sports the avian wonders we all love.Want more? Easy. Besides brilliant field trips, Tucson Audubon is in the field in other ways, too. Our favorite fundraiser, the 20th Annual Birdathon was a huge success and a great way to raise funds for future education, restoration, and recreation programs. The esteemed Institute of Desert Ecology was again held at Catalina State Park in April. A do-not-miss event since 1971, the IDE was thoroughly enjoyed by 45 participants. See our website for specifics.
Other recent area sightings and miscellaneous April notes from the Tucson Audubon Birdathon showed more variety: a Black-capped Gnatcatcher pair at Madera Canyon; Goldencrowned Kinglet and other high-elevation species. BlackbelliedWhistling-Ducks, stunning White-faced Ibis, Scaled Quail and American Avocet.Willet at Green Valley,Marbled Godwit in Willcox. Lingering Green-winged Teal, Semipalmated Plovers,Wilson’s and Red-necked Phalaropes, Ring-billed Gulls, Forster’s Tern. American Goldfinch, Purple Martins, Indigo Bunting. Black-necked Stilts commencing breeding activities; an Eared Grebe in handsome breeding plumage. A beautiful circling courtship flight by Gray Hawks, and Ruby-crowned Kinglets with exploding red crowns, even a pair of Wild Turkeys.
I’ll stop here, but you shouldn’t.
Visit the Tucson Audubon Nature Shops for books, supplies, ideas and information. The electronic ListServ will keep you abreast of the regional play-by-play. Check out the Tucson Audubon website for subscribing instructions.
That said, get ready for the blast furnace. Resident hummers return to feeders as other blossoms recede and I’m fairly certain that June and July will kick it up a notch or fifteen. But don’t let soaring mercury keep you from experiencing the skins and feathers that make Tucson Audubon trips so worthwhile. Good birding and see you in August!
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This page was updated on 01/30/07