Miscellaneous Birds of Southern Arizona - Part II

Part II of miscellaneous birds photographed last week:

Mexican Jay

Red Faced Warbler

Stellar Jay

Birding Madera Canyon

Christine and I birded the area between Proctor and Whitehouse in Madera Canyon hoping to find those little Black Capped Gnatcatcher -- and maybe the Elegant Trogon that had been reported.

No luck on either, but did find some birds to photograph.

Birding Fort Huachua

First, let me welcome the 131st Country to visit our blog: Malawi. I must admit that I had to look it up to find out exactly where it was -- and some information about it. It is in East Africa bordered by Zambia, Tanzania, and Mozambique. It is about the size of Ohio but Lake Malawi takes up about a third of its area. And while the population of Ohio is about 11 million, the population of Malawi is about 16 million.

As for birding Fort Huachuca:

The Huachuca Mountains have become arguably the best birding spot in Southern Arizona, which is often said to be the best birding in the United States. Within the Huachucas there is Miller Canyon, Carr Canyon, and Ramsey Canyon all providing wonderful birding. There is also both Huachuca Canyon and Garden Canyon within the boundaries of Fort Huachuca. So it does require a pass to get on the post.

Christine and I went out birding last week early in the morning to try to beat the monsoon rains which can pummel the mountains rendering birding impossible.

The monsoons did finally arrive but not before get some nice photos on the way up Garden Canyon:

Blue Grosbeak

Hepatic Tanager

Loggerhead Shrike

Mexican Jay

Sulphur Bellied Flycatcher

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

31 Days of My Best for 2014

December 16, 2014

Mexican Jay

Mexican Jay or Grey Breasted Jay

Back to my alphabetical series on my "5" Star Photos.

The Mexican Jay, which used to be called the Grey Breasted Jay, ranges from Central Mexico to Southeastern Arizona, Southwestern New Mexico, and extreme Southwestern Texas. It is similar in size to a Stellar Jay, but is the heaviest of all the Jays. They usually fly together in groups and are quite noisy. Like the Western Scrub Jay it usually finds higher elevation picnic sites looking for scraps to eat. It is a very beautiful and because it likes those picnic areas can be photographed relatively easy. 

Mexican Jay

Chiricahua Mountains - the last ones for now

DeWitt Jones, a photographer for National Geographic, once said (he may have said it more than once) that occasionally the nature photographer should leave the camera behind and just enjoy being in nature and soaking up all it has to offer. The Chiricahua Mountains are certainly one of those places to enjoy even without a camera.  When I go, even if I don't come home with lots of incredible photos I feel refreshed and alive. So with the exception of the Tiger Swallowtail - Blue Throated Hummingbird - Arizona Thistle episode, the photos weren't as rewarding as the visit itself. With that, here are the last of the photos from my trip to the Chiricahua's:

Curved Bill Thrasher

Mexican Jay

Montezuma Quail

Pipevine Swallowtail

Variegatated Fritillary

Cochise Stronghold: Dragoon Mountains, Arizona

First some wonderful history:

Cochise Stronghold is a canyon on the East side of the Dragoon Mountains of Southeastern Arizona 50 miles from the Mexican border. This rugged natural fortress was, for some 15 years, the home and base of operations for the famed Chiricahua Apache Chief, Cochise.  Cochise and about 1,000 of his followers, of whom some 250 were warriors, located here.  Sentinels, constantly on watch from the towering pinnacles of rock, could spot their enemies in the valley below and sweep down without warning in destructive raids.  No man, woman or child within a hundred miles was safe from these attacks.

Born in present-day Arizona, Cochise led the Chiricahua band of the Apache tribe during a period of violent social upheaval. In 1850, the United States took control over the territory that today comprises Arizona and New Mexico.  Not hostile to the whites at first, he kept peace with the Anglo-Americans until 1861, when he became their implacable foe because of the blunder of a young U.S. Army officer, Lt. George Bascom.   In that year, Cochise and several of his relatives had gone to an encampment of soldiers in order to deny the accusation that they had abducted a child from a ranch. The boy was later proved to have been kidnapped by another band of Apaches. During the parley, Cochise and his followers were ordered held as hostages by Bascom, but Cochise managed to escape almost immediately by cutting a hole in a tent. Bascom later ordered the other Apache hostages hanged, and the embittered Cochise joined forces with Mangas Coloradas, his father-in-law, in a guerrilla struggle against the American army and settlers. The capture and murder of Mangas Coloradas in 1863 left Cochise as the Apache war chief.   The U.S. Army captured him in 1871 and prepared to transfer the Chiricahua to a reservation hundreds of miles away, but he escaped again and renewed the resistance campaign. The following year after negotiating a new treaty with the help of Thomas Jeffords, his only white friend the band was allowed  to stay in their homeland. 

The portion of the Butterfield Stage Line run from Fort Bowie to Tucson crossed just off the northern tip of the Dragoon Mountains.   This line was a favorite target of Cochise's warriors, they killed 22 drivers in a 16 month period.  The Butterfield Stage Line established a station stop on the north end of the Dragoons in 1858.  It was called the "Dragoon Springs" station due to the natural springs located there.  A massacre occurred at this site on September 8, 1858.  On October 5, 1869 a Col. John Finkle Stone, the 33-year-old president of Apache Pass Mine, near Ft. Bowie, headed back to his home in Tucson aboard a mail coach. He had an escort of four soldiers. When they approached the abandoned stagecoach station at the north end of the Dragoon Mountains, a group of Apaches came out of a gully and hit them fast and hard, killing everyone.  (The ruins of the station stand today although the springs were rerouted by mother nature in an earthquake in the late 1800's.)

Cochise is reputed to have been a master strategist and leader who was never conquered in battle.   For ten years Cochise and his warriors harassed the whites by raiding lonely ranches and attacking stagecoaches and miners.  Cochise retired.  He died peacefully on the newly formed Chiricahua  reservation in 1874.  His son, Taza succeeded him as chief.   Upon his death, he was secretly buried somewhere in or near his impregnable fortress -- what is now called Cochise Stronghold.  The exact location has never been revealed or determined. 

There are both picnic grounds and campsites located at the trailhead. A very short walk takes you around several kiosks where the history (a longer version of the above) is explained. There is a half-mile nature trail with spurs for longer trails, including one - the historic Indian Trail -- that goes over the mountain to the west side. The elevation gain is about 1100 feet. These are wonderful hikes with spectacular views.

Christine and I have hiked there 6 or 7 times. I must say that I have never been very lucky finding wildlife to photograph though. Still a great hike. Typically, we are met by a dozen or more Acorn Woodpeckers at the picnic/campgrounds. Both there and as you begin the hike the woodpeckers are joined by Mexican Jays. Since parts of the hike are rocky, there are always lots and lots of lizards. On parts of the hike I always expect -- well, hope -- to come across a black bear, but that has never happened. The canyon which has varying degrees of water would attract coatimundi, but that has never happened either (for me, anyway).

Yesterday, Christine and I picnicked there and hiked about 5 miles. Not a lot to report, but here are a few photos:

Acorn Woodpecker

Another Acorn Woodpecker

Mexican Jay

Yarrows Spiny Lizard

Rockfellow Dome

Madera Canyon Picnic & Hike

Yesterday, Christine and I went for a picnic and hike in Madera Canyon. We hiked along the canyon's creek that was filled with flowing water. Everything around it was green. Guess they have had several monsoon rains. (Still not much at our place, though). What I like about hiking is that there is almost always something to photograph. Although nothing rare, here are a few of the photos from yesterday:

Wild Turkey

Wild Turkeys have been hanging around in Madera Canyon near the lodge for two years now. They stay close to the stream bed, but occasionally wander up the hill to the lodge.

Turkey Vulture

This is the season for Turkey Vultures. They are found throughout the US during the summer, although year round in the Southeast and Mexico. In my view, they are undeserving of their "less than wonderful reputation," because they are actually quite beautiful when seen up close; and the grace with which they soar and glide through the air is as beautiful as any bird. Even more so.

Mexican Jay

The Mexican Jay is found only in Arizona and Mexico. Like most Jays it is about 11.5 inches long, but with a little longer wingspan (19.5 inches).  A very noisy bird that travels in groups and loves picnic areas. I think as soon as I noisily opened the "potato chip bag" he was there. Of course he was gone after about two minutes when he realized I wasn't going to feed him.

More from Madera Canyon

Continuing with birds of Madera Canyon, we start with the Mexican Jay another bird found only in Southern Arizona and Central Mexico. The Mexican Jay is a noisy bird typically traveling in groups, always in the mountains, and often around campsites or picnic grounds. The second photo is Abert's Towhee, another found only in Arizona along mountain/canyon creeks. The third photo is a flock of Wild Turkeys resting near Madera Creek.  Those of you familiar with the Wild Turkeys of the Eastern US will notice the lack of rufous coloration on the lower back and tail. Madera Canyon also has a pair of Elf Owls that nest outside the Lodge each year. I have yet to be there when the owls are visible, though. Madera Canyon has lots of hiking trails which can take you along the canyon's creek or mountain edges.

Chiricahua Mexican Jay

I will have to come back to Mule Deer later. We went to the Chiricahua National Monument to hike the Echo Canyon Trail. The Echo Canyon Trail is in my "Top Five" best hikes for its sheer beauty. (The Redwood National Park is another). As many of you know, there are certain birds that seem to hang around picnic areas. The Mexican Jay is one such bird. And so, if you spend much time picnicking in Arizona mountain wilderness country, you are likely to see the Mexican Jay. And, in fact, likely to get a decent photo. So, it is not really a rare bird; or, a difficult bird to photograph. And, yet there are occasions when you get a photo that turns out better than expected -- one you can be particularly pleased with. This is one of those.