Weekend in Marble Canyon and San Francisco Peaks area, Coconino County, AZ

Saturday/Sunday: March 23 & 24, 2019

It had been fifteen years since I saw my first CALIFORNIA CONDOR by looking over the edge of the South Rim of the Grand Canyon! It was tucked in among the rocks looking very much like a Turkey Vulture….until it took flight.....spreading its 9-foot wings outward to catch an updraft where it soared higher and higher.

What a sight! Just then, a Ranger came by with a telemetry tracker (small dish-like antenna).  He was looking for a specific bird with a number and very light-weight tracking device threaded through its wings….all part of the process of managing the recovery program for these birds.  US Fish & Wildlife Service, along with its partners, has reintroduced the captive-bred condors to the wild since 1992. Now, instead of just a few birds in the wild that were captured for the re-breeding program, a population of over 400 CALIFORNIA CONDOR are flying the skies again, mostly in Arizona and California.

Hoping to find for birder friend, Glenda Jones, at least one or two CALIFORNIA CONDOR (CACO) at the Navajo Bridge, I knew it was a gamble worth taking. If successful, we would be viewing a bird that stands as high as my waistline (I’m short). Its head and face are as ugly as ugly can get. The skin of the head and neck come in various shades — intensely pink/orange during breeding season. 

Photo by Glenda Jones

Not a hunter, a Condor, like other scavengers (Turkey Vulture), have no feathers on its face/neck area to keep it free from the blood and guts that its sharp powerful bill can unleash by piercing a dead animal’s hide. 

Its appetite for dead deer, whales and cattle can bring death and disease if the bird ingests lead bullets in the meat of its carcass. That’s one reason for the tracking devices that can maintain a census and whereabouts of these recovered CALIFORNIA CONDOR and their offspring.

So, weren’t we thrilled when we walked out a very short distance from the parking lot unto the highest pedestrian bridge in North America (470-foot-high OLD NAVAJO BRIDGE) and spotted two CACO perched on a steel beam below the new bridge just west of us, the one we drove over to reach the parking area for the old bridge.

Immediately, our cameras were clicking. These birds, however, were perched with backs to us looking downstream of the Colorado River. Not a particularly great shot, but it’s THE TARGET BIRD!  Click…click.

When I turned to see what else might be around, Laurens Halsey, local bird guide, came up to tell me that three CACO were perched on the cliffside near the far end of the bridge.  Dang, it took me awhile to get there because of a fly-under Condor! It took off from beneath the bridge I was on and flew up and over the ridge of the river canyon wall, downstream, beyond my sight.

Juvenile CALIFORNIA CONDOR (gray- not red- head)
Also, no tag visible on this bird.

P-4 is a mature CACO with red head/face/neck with two juveniles on a flat rock at south end of old bridge

These two Condors (#T-3 & 17) both juvies, are downstream beyond the west-side new bridge on the north side of the canyon wall.

Back to P-4: looking to take off. [Downstream south side of old Navajo Bridge}

#17 had been west of the new bridge but flew in to perch beneath me on the old Navajo Bridge.
Note its number tag and electronic antenna.

Same bird as above with its ugly gray head extended.

Saving the best photo for last:

Glenda's photo of #54 in flight overhead

What a thrilling experience!! TEN (10) CALIFORNIA CONDOR in one location! 

We stayed a full hour to watch the behavior of these intelligent, social birds.

We identified 9 tagged birds: T5, T7, 9, T3, V, V9, and 17 - all juveniles; and P4 & 54, adults.
Apparently, the bird in the first photo above was untagged.

Marble Canyon views below:  (Helps explain why I spend so much time in the field!)

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S54133897

From there, we checked out for the second time that morning, the site where BLACK ROSY FINCH was still reported on March 10th. Nada earlier; nada, again.

Heading south then, we landed at our next Hot Spot in Flagstaff at 3:45 p.m Rio de Flag, Museum of Northern Arizona.
The pine trees on the grounds were hosting MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE, PYGMY NUTHATCH, STELLER'S JAY and PINYON JAY, among other usual forest birds.
Uncommon to us, living in the Phoenix desert, were the AMERICAN CROW. (5)

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S54151391

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Sunday, March 24th, 2019
After a good night's sleep, we arrived at KACHINA WETLANDS at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday morning.

San Francisco Peaks, Flagstaff, AZ

From Kachina Wetlands, we had an awesome view of the mountains just north of us. Birds at the wetlands were terrific, too.

Two Pair CINNAMON TEAL - note red eye of drake

Pair CINNAMION TEAL

For some reason, several CANADA GOOSE came out of the water to graze on land. As we walked past, they returned to the ponds but came ashore again as soon as we had passed by.

CANADA GOOSE

Perhaps the geese didn't like so many COMMON MERGANSER swimming, foraging, preening in their space!  But 26 handsome Mergansers giving us reasonably good views was enough to step up my heart rate!

Pair COMMON MERGANSER  - above & below

As we walked the various ponds (with reeds matted low in the water for excellent viewing), a BALD EAGLE flew over and perched in a tall tree at the north end of the wetlands. A local birder was very excited and credited us with bringing him good luck: he had never seen a BALD EAGLE at Kachina Wetlands before.

BALD EAGLE - landing

Portrait by Glenda Jones

Additional waterfowl included EARED GREBE:  [Photo below by Glenda Jones]

Just outside the north edge of the wetlands, several WESTERN BLUEBIRD were flying around the trees, including this male:

As we turned to leave Kachina Wetlands, an OSPREY flew over.

OSPREY photo by Glenda Jones

Possibly Fremont Peak in the SFO Peaks of Northern Arizona
Kachina Peaks Wilderness Coconino National Forest.

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S54174937

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A quick drive back toward Flagstaff to pick up Lake Mary Road took us past both the Lower and Upper Lake Mary, both of which held more water than I have ever seen there.

We continued on to high-water Mormon Lake, viewed from the road through the Village.
CANADA GOOSE and AMERICAN WIGEON were plentiful; CINNAMON TEAL (6) always seem to be a good find; EARED GREBE and GREAT BLUE HERON rounded out our waterfowl.  

ACORN WOODPECKER, MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD and DARK-EYED JUNCO were new species for this trip.

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S54198391

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Driving home the "back way" (off of I-17) was leisurely and stress-free.  Arriving at Payson, we checked out the ponds at Green Valley Park where 22 RING-BILLED GULL floating around in the largest pond caught our attention. Other waterfowl was expected and noted.

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S54186083

Having enjoyed cool fresh air on both days, I felt invigorated by the activities of the full weekend. 

Until I venture out again. . . go find those birds!

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