Babs' Birding Experiences : Birding the western side of the Mogollon Rim; Coconino, Yavapai, and Gila Counties, AZ

Thursday, August 27, 2020

Tired of waking up quite early (4-5 a.m.) with temperatures already at 90°F, it was time I got myself up to cool country for a respite. The high heat - reaching 112-115°F by late afternoon — was now compounded with acrid smoke from nearby lightening-stoked wildfires in our Superstition Mountains.

Friend and birding buddy, Hinde Silver happened to be staying for a while up in Show Low in the White Mountains. She suggested I come up to the Mogollon Rim and she’d come down to meet me. Via AZ87 up to Payson, then east (right) on AZ260, the turn-off for the Woods Canyon Lake and store along the lake (our meeting place), was about a five (5) mile drive in on paved FR#300 Rim Road located almost directly across the highway from the Mogollon Rim Visitor’s Center accessed from AZ260. I had to drive farther east to turn into the westbound lanes to get access as I must have missed the sign.

1. WOODS CANYON LAKE, Apache-Sitgreaves Forest, elevation 7500’

We set about birding the perimeter of the parking lots before setting out on the trail eastward. It can be so irritating to see these birds moving so quickly, the bird is seen in pieces. I wasn’t ready to call this one yet as I hadn’t seen its head/face but finally it confirmed my guess, NASHVILLE WARBLER. What I saw is what you get:

PYGMY NUTHATCH were calling from various corners; DARK-EYE JUNCO (Red-backed) were the only birds I noted working the ground at that point. An adult AMERICAN CROW was trying to keep her three (3) young fed and quiet — on a low thick tree limb.

At the Lake, of course, were OSPREY - both adult and juvenile. It’s the first time I knowingly landed a photo of a juvenile OSPREY so I took many as most of them were circling the lake over and over again.

Juvenile Osprey

Out on the trail, we found another ground bird - a thrush - YAY! SWAINSON’S THRUSH! Dark under the tall trees gave us no photos.

Walking up away from the trail into the forest where the birds congregated provided some good views of STELLER’S JAY; quick views of several ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER; quick view of a TOWNSEND’S WARBLER, then single observations of GRACE’S and RED-FACED WARBLER.

Whoop! Whoop! - Good birds!

This file photo of Steller's Jay taken at Mt. Lemmon in 2014

GRACE'S WARBLER (from my files taken in 2017 from Woods Cyn Lake)

RED-FACED WARBLER (file photo taken in 2017 at Woods Canyon Lake)

By its drumming, we tracked down a DOWNY WOODPECKER and on the way to the car for our first “lunch” we spotted a BALD EAGLE fly over the lake.

DOWNY WOODPECKER

Being a first visit to this site for Hinde, I wanted her to get a good view of the edge of the Mogollon Rim from the Vista Overlooks before we continued on to our next birding site. I never quite get used to the fact that you could probably just jump off the Rim; I preferred looking out over the vistas below.

2. Personal Spot: CHRISTOPHER CREEK LOOP — 5960’ elevation

Continuing west on Hwy 260, we pulled off to drive the loop around Christopher Creek community. Woodpeckers were the mother-lode here: ACORN, HAIRY and 3 NORTHERN RED-SHAFTED FLICKER. BROAD-TAILED HUMMINGBIRDs were also present in numbers but no photos!

ACORN WOODPECKER

NORTHERN FLICKER (Red-shafted)

Rear view of HAIRY WOODPECKER

3. TONTO CREEK FISH HATCHERY - Payson; 6500’ elevation

Should have checked the website first. Drove the 4 miles in to the Hatchery entrance only to find it blocked and closed during Covid. Knowing that our good birds at the hatchery were found in the trees surrounding the parking lot there, Hinde started off on a trail into the forest beside the road-closed sign.

Located closer to Payson at reduced elevation, the outside temperature was 93°F. In fifteen(15)minutes, we spotted a couple STELLER’S JAY, a CORDILLERAN FLYCATCHER,

two WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE and a pair of SUMMER TANAGER.

With cumulus clouds growing increasingly heavy and dark overhead, Hinde departed for Show Low (through rain she reported later). I wandered on down the entrance road toward 260, stopping only at a trailhead restroom before hitting the highway toward Payson. When I came out from the restroom a VIRGINIA WARBLER greeted me!

4. GREEN VALLEY PARK, Payson, AZ. 5000’ elevation

As I continued down the mountain toward Payson, I was hopeful for some rain to wash my car! Turning at Main Street in town, I headed to the lake at Green Valley Park where I pulled in at a remote spot to eat my second “lunch”.

Directly in front of me were reeds filled with YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDs!

I love them! Raucous calls were muted among themselves as they perched, then flew down to the grass beside the lake, flew off and returned again to the reeds — giving me ample opportunity for photos. As I prepared to back up and leave, I spotted, through my driver’s side window, a WESTERN BLUEBIRD on a wall. Raining birds - but no water from the sky there or on my way home.

[Many other waterfowl and birds were present but I was not there for birding so did not make a complete list.]