California Gulch/Warsaw Canyon confluence, etc. in Santa Cruz and Pima Counties, AZ

Saturday/Sunday: July 7 & 8, 2018

Saturday, July 7, 2018

Having invited Lois Lorenz to join me for a rare visit to bird the confluence of California Gulch & Warsaw Canyon with the Tucson Audubon group on Saturday afternoon and evening, we decided to add some additional birding around that special adventure.

Some three weeks had elapsed since Lois and I had dipped on our search for the ROSE-THROATED BECARD, so we set that as our first stop on Saturday morning. 

Arriving at the deAnza Trail in Tubac at 8:25 a.m., I was more properly prepared for finding the rarity than on our first attempt. Being met with a proud GREATER ROADRUNNER carrying breakfast is always a good omen!

GREATER ROADRUNNER

Soon after embarking on the correct trail (thank you, Bryan and Tracy), we birded our way northward. There were other somewhat rare birds we were hopeful to see. But I wasn’t expecting to hear one so soon -- a YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO calling from within a tall dense cottonwood tree. Another answered from fairly close by. We saw the answering one fly into the big cottonwood confirming what we already knew from hearing them: 

2 YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO!

YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO
Photo taken last July in Madera Canyon (no leaves makes for better photos)

SUMMER TANAGER, DUSKY-CAPPED FLYCATCHER, GRAY HAWK and COMMON YELLOWTHROAT delighted us as we continued walking north.

SUMMER TANAGER [from my files 2017]

GRAY HAWK  [from my files]

COMMON YELLOWTHROAT  [from my files]

After walking quite a distance and still not coming upon our target bird, I took a baby step in using GPS. I opened an App on my phone called: “Where Am I” that provides a GPS coordinate for right where I stand. Comparing that to a coordinate posted the previous day, I determined we had a short distance farther to walk north, and then, probably east.  At our northern spot, we immediately heard other birders east of us. Gail was quite friendly and pointed out the two “old” nests to us. We watched, then, for quite some time as both the male and the female ROSE-THROATED BECARD came into their old nest. This tropical bird has been found in each of the past few years at several locations north of Mexico, mostly in Arizona. Currently, another pair is along the deAnza trail farther south in Tumacacori.

BECARD Nest directly above the trail

Male ROSE-THROATED BECARD

Female ROSE-THROATED BECARD

Having enjoyed our target bird, we returned to the car and headed over to Patagonia to check out the Paton Center for Hummingbirds (Paton's yard).  A mid-day arrival provided an interesting "cooling" technique of some GAMBEL'S QUAIL.

Mama is digging a hole in the moist ground (near pond) for her young (and some not so young) to stay cool.
Thought some of these looked like Scaled Quail but am not accustomed to seeing young ones.

Not certain how many young are beneath Mama, but two adolescents are also above the tinier ones

The VIOLET-CROWNED HUMMINGBIRD is almost always a sure sighting at this location and it did not disappoint.

VIOLET-CROWNED HUMMINGBIRD

With clouds gathering and our time running along, we drove back to Green Valley, had an early check-in at our motel, gathered what we needed for our Tucson Audubon Trip, then rested for ten minutes!  

Five cars headed out from McD's in Green Valley at 3:30 with clouds, heavy with moisture, gathering overhead.  Melody Kehl had organized us into specific cars and 20 or more of us reached our destination an hour and a half later. Fortunately, Lois and I were in Melody's car that gave us a smooth ride over the rough, sometimes rocky or washboard dirt roads.

About ten miles north of the border, we had entered a beautiful hilly area of mountains and canyons. We entered via Warsaw Canyon since Melody didn't know the water levels at California Gulch which is, essentially, a drainage (that flows down the roads).

Ah! An opening where the cars parked; birders set up their chairs in an observation circle in front of the rock where our target bird usually visits once it gets dark. Target: BUFF-COLLARED NIGHTJAR.

Still light, we ate our own food for dinner, then wandered around the immediate area searching for FIVE-STRIPED SPARROW and whatever else showed up. I heard, but didn't see, two of the FIVE-STRIPED SPARROWs. About twenty big heavy drops of rain fell, but that was the extent of our "shower" for the evening. 

Then, we saw a creature I thought did not exist -- an Antelope Jackrabbit! It is huge!

Much bigger than our usual Black-tailed Jackrabbits.

Antelope Jackrabbit at a nearby salt lick  (Jackalope?)

As dusk turned darker, LESSER NIGHTHAWK were the first to show up. Nighttime photos are not my forte so I spent my time observing when the target BUFF-COLLARED NIGHTJARs put in an appearance at two separate rocks. We watched for a considerable amount of time; then, left the birds to enjoy their night free of our interlude.

So, the successful field trip was over!  Yay!  The best sighting I've ever had of that bird! The collar was very visible as I followed the bird's movements.

After loading everything back in the cars, we headed out the way we had entered. Oh, one thing. We had come down hill to reach the confluence of Warsaw Canyon and California Gulch. Now, one of the vehicles had trouble getting up the hill in an unfamiliar rental car, with an out-of-state driver not accustomed to our "hills".  

Getting five cars turned around on that narrow Warsaw Canyon Road was quite a feat and took some time. Melody knows that territory thoroughly, had checked the weather several times to make sure we could stay without risk, and handled our situation with calm.  

The narrow road proved tough for turning around, but Melody managed while most others backed up far enough to give them more space without fear of going over an edge. I think Eric backed down the whole distance to our start spot (or close to it) and then, we were off again to head out via California Gulch since it was still quite dry and wasn't as steep.

As we moved in that direction, we came upon some people. Melody stopped; apparently she had seen and talked to them earlier in the evening. I couldn't believe my eyes. What are these Phoenix area birders doing here in this remote, desolate and rugged country? Well, birding, of course. It was Laura Ellis, Caleb S. and a friend of theirs, Josh. What a surprise! We were interrupting their excitement over a tarantula!  

And, then we were off to Green Valley arriving around 11 p.m.

Sunday, July 8, 2018

After 119 days with no measurable rain in our desert area, the monsoon arrived Monday in Apache Junction with attitude....and loss of electricity for several hours as I write this blog. When power was restored, my internet was not ready to perform.

So, here goes, on Tuesday, to wrap up our very successful visit to Pima and Santa Cruz Counties.
Having talked with some folks on our field trip about the stake out for the FIVE-STRIPED SPARROW in Box Canyon, we felt confident about finding its location. Only once had I traveled that road - from its opposite end on AZ Route 83 - and didn't realize that after the paved Greaterville Road ended, the dirt road became Box Canyon.

The FIVE-STRIPED SPARROW would be a Life Bird for Lois. Having seen it several times, I could take it by sound but she needed a good view. Entering Box Canyon at 7:30 a.m., we were stunned by its beauty. Amazing how driving a road from a different direction can stimulate attention. Whether it was another CASSIN'S KINGBIRD on an overhead wire or another one of about seven White-tailed Deer, we were loving the lushness of this desert canyon that had obviously enjoyed sufficient rain in the not too-distant past.

CASSIN'S KINGBIRD

White-tailed Deer

TURKEY VULTUREs fighting over breakfast in the road.
Thank you, scavengers for keeping our roadkill cleaned up.

As you already know, my camera always stops for a VERMILION FLYCATCHER

Mostly, what amazed us on this drive was the green ocotillo. In dry conditions, it is a sad looking bunch of thorny sticks rising out of the ground. We drove through forests of ocotillo fully leafed out.

Ocotillo - only a few in bloom but all were green!

At the stake-out for our target sparrow, we came upon two Tucson birders: Gail who had slept over in her car because of the lateness of getting back to Green Valley; and Diane T. who often posts on the listserv.  They had waited at the stake-out spot for a couple hours before seeing the FIVE-STRIPED SPARROW. They gave us a description of its behavior. By the time they explained that, Lois had found the bird - her Life Bird - the FIVE-STRIPED SPARROW. Its behavior followed the precise pattern described by the other birders. It came up from the low part of the canyon to our right, bush to bush; then it lifted over our heads, landed in its preferred bush and proceeded to forage on the upside of the canyon. It was still doing that when all four of us left the area. Not only a great sighting, but a good behavioral one at that. Lucky for us, the other two birders were still there when we arrived.
Also, not a small thing, we heard MONTEZUMA QUAIL while at the stake-out.

Box Canyon Road joins paved Greaterville Road soon before ending at AZ Route 83 close to Las Cienegas grasslands, our second destination. Already 10 a.m., by the time we entered at the north end, birds were quiet. We drove into Empire Ranch which usually harbors a few species; this time, a new species for the trip = HORNED LARKs.  Again, a male VERMILION FLYCATCHER captured my camera.

VERMILION FLYCATCHER

First-year female VERMILION FLYCATCHER

Continuing, then, to drive all the way through the grasslands, we headed out on the South entrance/exit road where we finally started hearing a few BOTTERI'S SPARROWs.
A stop at Cottonwood Tank about half-way down the 8-mile south road was well worth it with a lot of good sightings:  BROWN-CRESTED FLYCATCHER, COMMON YELLOW-THROAT, LARK SPARROW, RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROW and a BLUE GROSBEAK.

BLUE GROSBEAK perched on edge of tank

Continuing forward, we eventually heard our first-of-season CASSIN'S SPARROW. Music to our ears! They arrive with the monsoon and the sky was full of cumulus clouds. Not only did the bird sing, we enjoyed its skylarking, too.

CASSIN'S SPARROW

We heard only three of these "monsoon birds" but the time is here, so they appear to be moving in and setting up territory about two miles prior to the end of the South Entrance.

CASSIN'S KINGBIRDS kept us company throughout the grasslands.  Since they are more rare than what we see in the desert, I was happy with that.

CASSIN'S KINGBIRD - wings out; mouth open much of the time - keeping cool

We finished up with a few more unsuccessful runs for possible birds before heading home, arriving around 3:30 p.m.

What a great birding trip - meeting so many other good birders, including Shelli and adult daughter, Meghin, doing a Big Year (for themselves).

Lois and I collected 74 species from eight locations, mostly Year Birds for me but Lois got several Lifers.

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View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S47088748

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S47089127

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S47089466

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S47089846

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S47089956

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S47090163

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S47090305

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S47090415

Western Slope of Rocky Mountains; Eagle, Pitkin & Garfield Counties, Colorado

June 18-29, 2018

Didn’t realize my visit with sister-in-law, Barb Fretz, would provide me with so many birding opportunities. But she and my brother, Bruce (who passed in 2012), had done much hiking in Aspen where they had lived so Barb was more than ready to spend time outdoors with me. 

Very recently, she moved to the lower elevaton of Basalt for heart-health reasons yet had no qualms about hiking a trail along Independence Pass from 9300 to 9600’!  

Saw just a handful of birds in this beautiful thick aspen/juniper forest but got my best look ever at a CORDILLERAN FLYCATCHER. Its olive green back looked like velvet in the forest shade.  A BROWN CREEPER, BROAD-TAILED HUMMINGBIRD and AMERICAN ROBIN rounded out my list for this one-hour hike over uneven upward trail. For those of you down in the hot hot Valley of Phoenix, our temperature for this hike stayed at about 68°F! [I'll be back with you all way too soon!]

At Maroon Bells, where the lake sits at 9600’, we climbed the slightly inclined trail for good views of the waterfall. Two birds stand out in my memory from that visit: the RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER and the AMERICAN DIPPER taking food to its nest.

RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER trying to stay out of sight on back side of very skinny tree

Beneath this pedestrian bridge at the center vertical support was an AMERICAN DIPPER NEST

AMERICAN DIPPER NEST

I tucked down in the bushes to get a photo of the Dipper at the foot bridge

I watched the Dipper come and go to the nest. Sometimes it would swim beneath the surface of the water right there, but most often it flew a short distance upstream before returning with food that it delivered directly to the nest on its return. Then, it would perch for take-off once again.

AMERICAN DIPPER

I'm on left of sister-in-law, Barb Fretz

The Golden-mantled Marmots were fascinating to watch as we waited for our bus to return down the mountain.

GOLDEN-MANTLED MARMOT

I'm a bit at a loss to explain the purple cones on this fir tree. Google gives various sources, one of which is Korean Fir tree. They certainly caught my attention!

INDIAN PAINT BRUSH is another attention-getter on the dark forest floor

While Barb went many places with me, she was also instrumental in connecting me to other bird leaders. 

She set me up with Liz Bokram, field-trip leader of the Roaring Fork Audubon group to bird the Crystal River Trail from the bridge in Carbondale. Since I left my camera battery plugged in back at the house, I was without photos except with my iPhone.

Liz Bokram with me along Crystal River Trail.
Tree Swallows made a nest in the box the Audubon group installed there.

Best sightings for me at that location were the: LEWIS'S WOODPECKER, young PINYON JAY, and CEDAR WAXWING.

After the group walk ended, Liz kindly drove me to various places for more birding, including the Crystal River Fish Hatchery, Blue Creek Open Space and Spring Park Reservoir. Wonderful birding day!

At the Fish Hatchery, two OSPREY in the same tree begged for a photo that I couldn't begin to get with my phone. One was on the nest; the other higher in the same tall cottonwood.

Blue Creek Open Space along the Roaring Fork River offered good forest birds including another LEWIS'S WOODPECKER, WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE, CORDILLERAN FLYCATCHER, 5 YELLOW WARBLERs (with nest) and at least six (6) HOUSE WRENS, including fledglings begging from various tree limbs to be fed. 

SPRING PARK RESERVOIR, located in a higher elevation, provided excellent views down over the valley below us, as well as birds on the water. Liz had another appointment so we didn't use the spotting scope but numerous CANADA GOOSE were joined by at least one (1) TRUMPETER SWAN. I would return to this spot a few days later to look for an earlier report of SANDHILL CRANEs (nada), and was able to photograph the TRUMPETER SWAN.

TRUMPETER SWAN

Many days, I birded right beside Barb's condominium next to a private lake and marsh. 

Barb's front yard from patio: marsh along diversion stream for lake.

Molting Drake MALLARD tucked into the edges of the riparian stream 

Saw an abundance of YELLOW WARBLERs every day, and learned to stand and watch a grove of tall cottonwoods at the far end of the lake off the paved walking path.

DOWNY WOODPECKER

BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEEs

BARN SWALLOW (above and below)

BLACK-BILLED MAGPIE (previously a jinx for photos; finally one cooperated)

A visit with Barb to Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES) turned out to be auspicious; I was able to sign up for the last spot available on an upcoming outing along the Frying Pan River from Basalt to the Ruedi Dam.  [The reason for the unusual name of the river is that when a group of trappers were attacked by a band of Ute Indians, only two men survived, one of whom was injured. Leaving his wounded friend in a cave close by, the last man left to summon help, but not before hanging a frying pan in a tree so that he could find the cave again on his return.[1][4][5 - Wikipedia.

Rebecca Weiss and Mark Fuller led about sixteen of us on this all-day (7-hour) outing.
We all introduced ourselves with first names and I found everyone to be friendly and quickly lined up a ride to the library after we were finished so I could meet Barb for a ride home.

Beginning in Basalt, we birded two trails along the Roaring Fork (just below its confluence with the Frying Pan River). One trail was on the side accessed by the public library; the other by parking at the Rocky Mountain Institute. It was about 7 a.m. when we got out of our cars at the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI). The group noticed immediately that the head of that project was also arriving to go to work: Amory Lovins!  He is cofounder and Chief Scientist of Rocky Mountain Institute where he has been working on energy efficiency projects (and more) for decades. I recognized his name from articles I'd read about him back in the 1970s. Nicollette (who writes for newspapers) was able to give us more details about the work of the Institute. Their building is the most energy efficient for its size at its elevation of any in the country (or world?). Apparently, architecture itself makes a tremendous impact on our environment.

We made many stops along the Frying Pan River as the morning progressed. Not only did we see a variety of birds; nests were pointed out to us, too.

LEWIS'S WOODPECKER

SONG SPARROW singing from its rock perch out in the river

WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE

Distant RED-TAILED HAWK

Sue, in our car, made a great spot of a COMMON MERGANSER as we drove along the narrow road beside the Frying Pan. At the first opportunity to pull off safely, all our cars stopped to let us hike back a bit to see if it would still be on the rock where she had spotted it.  Sure enough!

COMMON MERGANSER that had been busy preening

All cleaned up, the merganser settled back down on the rock giving us great looks.

A LAZULI BUNTING was another good sighting by Rebecca who had scouted the area the previous day. It was quite distant and flew off before I could snap a photo.

Many VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWs were flying over the river; this one perched

One of our stops involved walking up a meadow.

Rebecca Weiss, leader, carrying the scope

There we picked up a few good sightings: DUSKY FLYCATCHER, CORDILLERAN FLYCATCHER, WARBLING VIREO, WESTERN TANAGER and BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER. At the barbed wire fence, it was suggested we stop as the ranch on the other side belongs to Neil Diamond. (I still harbor a bit of celebrity celebration that gave me a bit of a rush at that info, but not as much of a rush as a Life Bird!)

Terrible photo, but I love this bird: WESTERN TANAGER

Back at the river, I searched and searched for the CORDILLERAN FLYCATCHER nest and finally...finally found it.

Look closely at that wide-eyed Cordilleran on its nest. It appeared to get up and roll eggs before sitting back down. Note how its nest is hidden on a shelf of rocks.

On our way to the next stop, someone mentioned that of the couple I met as Aran and Margo (an interracial couple), Margo was not only a writer of the book but worked on the movie, too, of HIDDEN FIGURES: the history of NASA's black female scientists. Some of you may have read the book or seen the movie. Margot on our bird outing was Margot Shetterly! She said her husband, Aran, was the birder.

There was a nest at the next stop, too.

AMERICAN DIPPER made a nest in this accumulated moss. Its hole with stick pointing out faces downstream.

A steep path led down to the edge of the river; three women went down immediately. Unusual for me, I held back!  I think Angelica was one of them; Margo was another.

Margo Shetterly, author of HIDDEN FIGURES coming up from the Frying Pan River Dipper Nest

When we reached Ruedi Dam, Rebecca set off at a good pace uphill for something. Her long legs, probably accustomed to hiking these mountains, were no match for me and I found myself lagging. But the short trek up was worth it.  An adult BALD EAGLE was perched on a narrow utility tower next to a very large eagle nest with a tiny little head and neck stretched out trying to look out over it. Mark suggested that behavior aged the young one at about ten days to two weeks old.

Adult  BALD EAGLE keeping watch over its nest

Eventually, the second adult returned--presumably with food as the young one dropped down out of sight.

Ruedi Dam was the final stop of this exceptional birding day!

ACES (Aspen Center for Environmental Study) also has a working ranch down in Basalt!
Barb and I stopped by one evening just to get the lay of the land so I could bird it the next morning. Everyone was very friendly and I got all the details I needed.

So, the next morning Barb dropped me off at the parking lot at 7:15 a.m. with an agreement to return about 10:30. Excellent day!

Have you heard of INDIAN RUNNER DUCKS?  These have been raised at the ranch and are not yet fully grown. Just recently released to the pond, they also swim.

Note how closely together they huddle in this new experience.

Female RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD

Male RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD

BLACK-BILLED MAGPIE were numerous

KILLDEER

When I reached the Roaring Fork River, I could find no trail but bushwhacked a short distance to a fence. Unable to go farther, I returned to the mulched picnic table and bench beside the river.
As I sat on the bench, a Mule Deer appeared on the other side. We both viewed one another for a long while without moving. When it turned its head to look downstream, so did I. A flotilla of CANADA GOOSE were swimming upstream.

Looking at the deer across the river from the bench at Rock Bottom Ranch

The deer continued to look back at me - to make sure I didn't harm the geese???

Look how closely the CAGO resemble rocks in the water

The trail from the River led back to the parking lot where I had started birding a couple hours before.

Building at Rock Bottom Ranch to host classes and visitors

Not yet 10:30 (meeting time for pick up by Barb), I decided to walk the road and could easily have walked all the way back to her place. (approx a mile or two)

The fields along the way were filled with Prairie Dogs. Although they reminded me of the Gunnison Prairie Dogs we have in the White Mountains of Arizona, they might have been Black-tailed Prairie Dogs.

Slight black tip on tail.

Barb came along before I got to the end of the spur road. As we drove the short distance back to her place, I realized that, definitely, my two-week visit with her had been a Rocky Mountain High for me!

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