Cool long day at ten locations on Mt. Lemmon & a visit to Sweetwater Wetlands, Pima County, AZ

Monday, August 5, 2019
By driving down to Tucson the back way, Hinde Silver and I arrived at Gordon Hirabashi Recreation Area in the lower portion of Mt. Lemmon at 7:00 am.

Dr. Gordon Hirabayashi, who was a senior college student at University of 
Washington in 1942, challenged the constitutionality of internment based on 
race or ancestry.   [Hirabashi v United States] 
For defying the government’s illegal internment camps, he was put into the
Catalina Federal Prison Camp during WWII. 
In 1999, this prison camp was renamed Gordon Hirabashi RA.

It was at that very place that Hinde and I began birding under an overcast sky with cool (for August) temps in the mid-70s F.

A female and a juvenile BLUE GROSBEAK caught our attention in a dense tree. The early hour and dark sky proved challenging for photos all day—beginning here!

Female BLUE GROSBEAK

Juvenile BLUE GROSBEAK
(brown back and some brown on belly that will turn deep blue as an adult male)

At such a low elevation on the mountain, we saw a handful of our desert PHAINOPEPLA but it was a call from the hillside of a MONTEZUMA QUAIL that thrilled us. [weirdly strange call - google it] 

If you can’t find this elusive quail, the second best thing is to hear it! Both of us already had it down as a Life Bird, and I think it was only the second time I heard its “outer space” call.

Next stop going up Mt. Lemmon was Middle Bear picnic area that seems always to provide different species each time I visit. Same today! Best species for me was the ARIZONA WOODPECKER and HERMIT WARBLER. But TURKEY VULTURE, perched in multiple trees provided the best photo op. Counting 37 altogether, the vultures apparently roosted at this location overnight.

Two of many TURKEY VULTURE

Rose Canyon and Lake, our next destination, covers much territory so instead of walking in as I often do, Hinde drove in. No one was at the pay station when we arrived, so I did it the usual Forest Service way with an envelope. I had hoped for a map with our fee but with good signage along the road, we were able to find all the camping areas we wanted to check for birds. An OLIVE WARBLER and a single PAINTED REDSTART were nice finds. And WESTERN BLUEBIRD were plentiful. Although we didn't connect with many birds recently seen at this location, the place is beautiful in and of itself.

Not every day do I get to see an AMERICAN ROBIN

YELLOW-EYED JUNCO were plentiful here and elsewhere on the mountain

Arriving at one of my favorite locations at 10:30 a.m., I discovered, at least on this day, I was late to catch the birds. Very quiet. And, no photos.
At Incinerator Ridge, a few YELLOW-EYED JUNCO were scratching around right on the dirt road trail. PYGMY NUTHATCH called from the hillside as they flew from tree to tree. We heard three WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH but only one each of PLUMBEOUS VIREO and GRACE'S WARBLER. Dipped on our target warblers. Hope birds picked up for a group of British birders arriving as we reached the car. The guide looked at me questioningly. "Quiet, isn't it? " 
"It was for us, but maybe it's time for them to come out again," I suggested.

Palisades Visitor's Center proves good for hummingbirds when feeders are up on the outside deck. Today, just one feeder at the front was fantastically busy. Three species were in constant flight and fight!  ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD, slightly larger than the others, always came in and just sat right at a port. But BROAD-TAILED and RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRDs couldn't get enough and would zip, zoom, dive and grab a port for a few seconds before being scooted away by another. 

BROAD-TAILED HUMMINGBIRD

At Aspen Vista Point, birding was quiet but Hinde spotted a TOWNSEND'S WARBLER as our only new species at that location. 

Summerhaven, our next stop, gave us another round of the same three species of hummingbird doing much the same thing as at Palisades. In addition, a BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK, STELLER'S JAY and PINE SISKIN gave us some good looks. We did see another ARIZONA WOODPECKER that is always a good find. Not rare, but it's not everyday a birder gets to see one, either.

BLACK-HEADED GROBEAK - female

One of my favorite spots on the mountain is Marshall Gulch. Downhill from Summerhaven, the gate was open (closed for high water or fire danger) so we were able to go to the lowest parking lot. We saw only four species but I spent most of our 30 minutes on one bird: HOUSE WREN.

HOUSE WREN - above and below

By the time we reached the top of Mt. Lemmon around 1:30 p.m., the sky had darkened significantly; thunder rumbled in the distance so we birded more efficiently, taking in the scene from the road outside the Iron Door Restaurant of their hummingbird feeders serving the exact same three species as at our last feeder stops. 

Driving west from the restaurant to the Mt. Lemmon Trailhead, we figured the storm was blowing southeast and we could get in a nice walk to stretch our legs and search for birds that weren't already hunkered.

Indian Paintbrush was in bloom as were many Black-eyed Susan plants.

From our viewpoint at over 9,000' elevation and without getting too close to the edge, I managed a panorama of Tucson spread out below.

With the storm sounding closer with each thunder clap, we decided to head down the mountain with one stop -- Inspiration Rock. Love this place. And, it was one of the birdiest of  our day. In just thirty minutes, we had nine good species.

With only a few adult WESTERN BLUEBIRD present, we marveled at the number of juveniles bopping around.

WESTERN BLUEBIRD (juvenile) - above and below

We had the usual YELLOW-EYED JUNCO and PYGMY NUTHATCH, but also another PLUMBEOUS VIREO. Finally, I felt like I was getting the birds I expected with: WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE and HAIRY WOODPECKER. A NORTHERN FLICKER sounded off in the distance as it flew from a tree in this area.

We wrapped up there about 3:30 p.m., giving us an 8.5-hour day. Can you say "tired"? We had worked for our 38 species but had enjoyed the special sightings and the environment so much, we couldn't refer to the number as "measly".  

Stopping at Subway on the way to our lodging, we had been in our room just five minutes before the sky opened up with a downpour that lasted as a gentle rain throughout the night.

Tuesday, August 6th.
In the morning, we set off for Sweetwater Wetlands, arriving at 7:15. In two hours, we had spotted 28 species! (compared to our 38 in 8 hours on Mt Lemmon).  Expected.

A few pics from Sweetwater:

COOPER'S HAWK

TROPICAL KINGBIRD (2 above photos)

Having the good fortune of hearing a GREATER ROADRUNNER we were given a bit of a spectacle as I think we may have stumbled upon a mating ritual. Having already bred in the spring, sometimes our desert species will mate again in August. The male flew out of a thick palo verde tree across the street from where it "coo-ed" to its hidden (to us) mate.

Positon for uttering deep COO oooo sound from deep in its throat
This was the Roadrunner across Sweetwater Drive from us

In the Cuckoo family, the first time I heard this sound I was out at Tribal San Carlos Lake near the dam, birding. I heard this terrible low long-drawn-out hoo ooooooo that I assumed was an injured owl or something. Having no clue as to the sound, I scanned and scanned the rocky wall along the road beyond the bridge.  Nothing.  When I drove across the dam and stopped, I just sort of acknowledged that if I was going to figure this out, it would (or would not) happen. As I searched the water below, I caught a glimpse of something moving near the rocks where I stood. And, there it was! A GREATER ROADRUNNER! It had been Cooing, not hooting. A most mournful sound. . .from such a spectacular bird. We all know roadrunners from cartoons. But just look at the legs on this bird - it can outrun a human!
It's a slinker, with stealth and grace.  Most often moves in a crouch, head down. Its tail is half its length. Especially in mating display, the tail moves up and down, swishes side to side and even does circles to impress!  

Then, right in front of us was the distant roadrunner's mate!

GREATER ROADRUNNER

What a way to end our trip!!

Over the two days, Hinde and I saw 61 species of birds from a dozen spots. 

As we headed home, we hoped the rain had reached our dusty corner of the desert, but, no, it had not. 

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