Seven Springs Recreation Area, Maricopa County, AZ

Monday, February 12, 2018
Since my trip to Seven Springs Recreation Area (less than two weeks ago), I’ve visited some good local spots including Goldfield Rec Area along the Salt River with Hinde; Saguaro Lake with the neighborhood group of birders; Gilbert Water Ranch, and Coon Bluff Rec Area along the Salt.

Spring Cleaning, imprinted upon me by my mother, hit me this month so on the days I didn’t go birding, I power washed the exterior of my house (at least part of it) and cleaned out and organized my shed. Amazing how “junky” a space can become in just a year’s time.

With no overriding “to-do list” accompanying me, then, I was more than ready to lead my friends to Seven Springs Recreation area north of Cave Creek/Carefree. Why return so soon? — Because I hadn’t done sufficient homework to locate the precise place to enter Lower Camp Creek from Seven Springs Road on my last visit January 31st.

Until the recent (2017) publication of the third edition of Birds of Phoenix and Maricopa County Arizona, I hadn’t realized its location and hadn’t noticed other eBird users posting from that location. But now, reports of great birds flowed in from Lower Camp Creek.
[For detailed directions, also see: birderfrommaricopa.com]

My good friends, Kathie Story and Lynne Eaton, visitors from Ontario in the winter months, were responsible for re-igniting my interest in birding early in 2011. As you can fathom from my blog, that interest has developed into a passion for the birds. Recently, I managed to pull Kathie and Lynne away from their deep participation in our resort activities and volunteer efforts to schedule a day to visit the birds at Seven Springs. The only caveat: they had to be “game” for me leading them to a place I had yet to “find”. Birder friend, Glenda Jones (also from Ontario) joined us for the day.

What a delightful surprise - Lower Camp Creek!  Before we even walked around the gate, we began taking photos of birds that left the security of the adjoining shrubs to peck in the dirt road: HERMIT THRUSH (2) in the road; SPOTTED TOWHEE; WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW (3); CRISSAL THRASHER.  

HERMIT THRUSH (above and below)

SPOTTED TOWHEE  [Photo by Glenda Jones]

WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW [Photo by Glenda Jones]

CRISSAL THRASHER (above; below, showing its throat pattern)

Kathie Story, Lynne Eaton & Glenda Jones

Birds scattered, of course, once we walked around the gate, but the creek (spring fed?) was a marvelous surprise. Althouth the Louisiana Waterthrush did not show up at its appointed time and place, we were thrilled with the number and variety of birds here. Some, like the many (7) BROWN CREEPERs were foraging like mad. Their voices were obvious the moment I got out of the car and suggested we all stay alert for those very camouflaged birds against tree bark. Here, working their way up skinny white-barked tree trunks, the bird's belly could be seen when it went to the "back" of the tree; they were not camouflaged at all. They were moving quickly, furiously--like a rat running up a tree. Had never seen so many in one place! Nor, moving so fast.

Most of our birds were gathered in one big tree.  

RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET  [Photo by Glenda Jones]

Before leaving Lower Camp Creek, we saw eighteen (18) species of birds, including this beautiful CANYON WREN, a bird known for its pleasant song, that is more often heard than seen.

CANYON WREN  [Photo by Glenda Jones]

As we left that green oasis of riparian habitat, rain sprinked the car.

By the time we reached the "sparrow spot" along Humboldt Mountain FR562, the temperature had dropped to 9°C. On a mission to find a Grasshopper Sparrow coming into breeding plumage, the four of us scoured the grassland. It may have been elsewhere! But we refrained from anymore wet grass ventures and happily settled for the BLACK-THROATED and VESPER SPARROWS. Although I frequently run across VESPER SPARROW, I don't know that I've ever had such a good photo opportunity (except for the dark sky).

We didn't want to leave without checking out the Group Picnic Site where we stayed in the car to eat lunch. By then, the drizzle had returned to a light mist so we walked the loop trail picking up just a few birds, with AMERICAN ROBIN, being the most frequent.

Despite less-than-favorable weather, we were all thrilled with the experience at Seven Springs Recreation Area. My friends decided a trip later in spring would be great!

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View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S42711831

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S42712159

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S42712375