Seven Springs area of Tonto National Forest, Maricopa County, AZ

March 6, 2019
Having met Mary McSpaden in a shopping center parking lot along Carefree Highway (Rt. 74), it didn't take terribly long to get beyond Carefree onto Cave Creek Road that turns into Seven Springs Road.

With places along that road like Hackensack Canyon and, farther along, a picnic site/campground built by the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) in 1934, these places might be enough for most explorers. 

But varied habitat and a roadway up to Humboldt Mountain add great pleasure for birders. A bit early in the season on a cool day with an increasing breeze, bird species were not plentiful but many birds in those species created flocks!

With Lower Camp Creek, Humboldt Mountain Road F562, and Seven Springs Recreation Area providing our birds today, I must say that hearing a lone WESTERN MEADOWLARK is a totally different experience than hearings fields of them singing at once! To say they were abundant is understatement, yet how do you count so many heard but not seen?

Rarely within range for photos, many WESTERN MEADOWLARK were present from the beginning to the end of our drive through Seven Springs.

With a bit of haze in the air, Mary managed some very clear bird pics of note:

AMERICAN ROBIN - usual for Seven Springs but not in the lower desert of Phoenix
 [photo by Mary McSparen]

WOODHOUSE'S SCRUB JAY - also common at that elevation. [photo by Mary McSparen]

WESTERN BLUEBIRDS were a thrill to see in great numbers.  [Photo by Mary McSparen]

Sometimes, birds will "kite" or hover in one place in the air before pouncing on prey. One bird neither of us had previously observed doing so was a RED-TAILED HAWK. (Not just one, but two of them.) The winds must have been just right for them to "kite" and after they flew out of that mode, the RTHA would return to the same area along the mountain road and repeat kiting over a specific spot.

RED-TAILED HAWK  [photo by Mary McSparen]

The black jeep was a good ride through all the places we explored and Mary now has a super "birdmobile". On our ride back out of the very green and wet area, we saw a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK appear through our windshield - perched right beside the road. Leaning across Mary in the driver's seat, I managed a reasonable photo out her open window.

Our intended stop at Rackensack Canyon on the return trip was foiled by off-road vehicles out there stirring up dust and noise. If that's still the place to find FOX SPARROW, I'm thinking it would have been a zero sighting today.

Although birds in some areas had quieted down by the time we reached them, it was still a good day in the field! And, Mary, who lives a lot closer to Seven Springs can now visit at will knowing where the birding hot spots are located.
To view our three checklists, click on the links below.

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View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S53526837

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S53527168

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S53527356