Madera Canyon, Santa Rita Mountains, Arizona - Part II

Continuing with Madera Canyon

Arizona Woodpecker

Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher

When in Madera Canyon it is always worth checking out the Feeding Station at the Santa Rita Lodge -- and Kubo Cabins. In this case, a continuing rarity, the Berylline Hummingbird. The Berylline is not  seen -- or at least reported every year. It comes from Mexico and only visits the extreme Southeastern Mountains of Arizona (Santa Ritas, Huachucas, and Chiricahuas).

Berylline Hummingbird

Magnificent (Rivoli's) Hummingbird Female

Magnificent (Rivoli's) Hummingbird Male

Birding Madera Canyon

Wednesday and Friday of this past week I got a chance to bird Madera Canyon. Wasn't the best time of day 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. Both days I started at the Whitehouse Picnic area and hiked up the trail to the Amphitheatre (about a mile each way).

Nothing unusual, but some nice photos:

Bridled Titmouse

Dusky Capped Flycatchder

Hepatic Tanager

Plumbeous Vireo

Acorn Woodpecker

Arizona Woodpecker

Black Throated Gray Warbler

Mexican Jay

Western Wood Pewee

White Tailed Deer

Chiricahua Mountains of Southeast Arizona

I spent two days in the Chiricahua Mountains of southeast Arizona. Today, I thought I would share with you the woodpeckers I was able to find and photograph:

Acorn Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker

Arizona Woodpecker

Gilded Flicker

Ladderback Woodpecker

Arizona Woodpecker

What else can I say, the Arizona Woodpecker is a cute little woodpecker. Its northernmost range is Southeastern Arizona, the extreme Southwestern part of New Mexico, and the northern high mountain Sonoran Desert of Mexico.  It had been listed as Strickland's Woodpecker, but has been reclassified and renamed to differentiate it from a similar Central Mexico species. So, if you want to see this little guy you'll need to visit Southern Arizona. 

Arizona Woodpecker, Male

Return to Ash Canyon

Ash Canyon has proved to be a great birding spot for the past month. Barring any important interruptions, I'll cover the various species for the next few days. Today, the Woodpeckers. An Acorn Woodpecker showed up and and wanted to have his photo taken. I had not seen one there before -- but, I am sure they are occasional visitors. I find them more in a little higher altitude. Next the Arizona Woodpeckers, both male and female. They have a wonderful milk chocolate back made of fine corinthian leather -- I mean feather.  And, as always the Ladderback Woodpeckers, again male and female posed for photos. There were also Gila Woodpeckers, but we have so many of them here at the Azure Gate, I passed on trying to photograph them. Anyway, here are todays photos for you:

Acorn Woodpecker

Arizona Woodpecker - Male

Arizona Woodpecker - Female

Ladderback Woodpecker - Female

Ladderback Woodpecker - Male

Ash Canyon

I went out to Ash Canyon after breakfast this morning hoping that the Lucifer Hummingbird had arrived from Mexico. The quick answer is "No". However, I was very pleased with some other photos I took. I'll start today with the Arizona Woodpecker. The Arizona Woodpecker is very similar to Strickland's Woodpecker and in many accounts a subspecies of the Strickland's. It is find only in Southeastern Arizona, Southwestern New Mexico, and Sierra Madre Occidental of Western Mexico. It is a relatively small woodpecker at 7-8 inches (the Gila Woodpecker is 8-10; and the Gilded Flicker is 11-12). Both the male and female were around in Ash Canyon today.

Female Arizona woodpecker

Male Arizona Woodpecker

Woodpeckers: Part IV

The Huachuca Mountains in Coronado National Forest have also provided me with a Strickland's Woodpecker, also referred to as the Arizona Woodpecker. The male as seen below has a red patch in the back of its head. Although, fairy common in its range, the range is quite narrow just barely extending into Southern Arizona from Mexico. It is found in pine and mixed oak forests between 4,500 and 7,000 feet, as was this one.

Strickland's Woodpecker, Coronado National Forest, Huachuca Mountains, Arizona