Mount Lemmon Birds

I took a quick trip up Mount Lemmon -- needing to get back before the rains came. Nothing unusual to report, but as usual, some nice photos:

Brown Creeper with Bug

Red Faced Warbler

Spotted Towhee

Western Bluebird

Yellow Rumped Warbler

More from Mount Lemmon

Twice this past week I birded the Upper Sabino Canyon Trail which is at the end of Turkey Run Road in Summerhaven. It's a bit different than Incinerator Ridge or Rose Canyon which are my favorite birding spots on Mount Lemmon. Upper Sabino Canyon Trail is almost another 1000 feet in elevation and there you find Aspens and Douglas Firs. The Douglas Firs are magnificent. You get the feeling of standing inside Mother Nature's Cathedral. They appear to reach the heavens they are so tall.

Both days the predominant bird was the Red Faced Warbler. They seemed to be everywhere.They are easier to find than many of the warblers since they prefer foraging in trees and brush less than 15 feet. And, they often don't seem to mind people around.

Here are a few photos from those two trips:

Brown Creeper

Cordilleran Flycatcher

House Wren

Pine Siskin

Raven

Red Faced Warbler

Red Faced Warbler

Spotted Towhee

Townsend's Warbler

Turkey Vulture

Yellow Rumped Warbler

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.

Brown Creeper and Painted Redstart

After finding and photographing the Olive Warbler at the Alder Picnic Area on Mount Lemmon, I decided to check out Incinerator Ridge -- a favorite birding spot just down a bit from the Alder Picnic Area.

While I didn't find anything unusual I did get two photos that I really liked. The first is a Brown Creeper. It is the composition here that sets it apart; the moss on the tree and the wreath-like arch encircling the bird.

Brown Creeper

Although plentiful on Incinerator Ridge, this particular Painted Redstart stopped foraging for a few moments to ensure that I got a nice, crisp, detailed photo:

Painted Redstart

Birding Huachuca Canyon

Next on my "Great Day Birding" in Huachuca Canyon, the Brown Creeper.

I've seen Brown Creepers over the years. They aren't abundant, they are solitary. And they live pretty much in old mature wood forests. They fly to the base of an old tree and zigzag up the trunk looking for insects in the bark. (Always up the tree, seldom if ever down).

Because of their camouflage it is difficult to find them unless you see them flying to a tree. And because of their small size and camouflage photographing them is a challenge.

In order to get a good photo you really need to get a side view which means moving around and potentially scaring them off.

So I have been looking for them this summer hoping to get that "perfect" photo. And the news is that while in Huachuca Canyon I came close:

Brown Creeper

As you can see, not a great photo. I needed to move away and to the side without disturbing him:

Brown Creeper

Much Better!

Rose Canyon Lake, Mount Lemmon, Arizona

Took a quick trip up Mount Lemmon to Rose Canyon Lake to see if the Spring Migrants have arrived. The answer: Some.

Here are a few photos from the trip:

pygmy nuthatch

house wren

cassin's vireo

ash crested flycatcher

abert's squirrel

spotted towhee

western bluebird

brown creeper

american robin

hermit thrush

Mount Lemmon: Brown Creeper

A quick trip up Mount Lemmon to Rose Canyon Lake produced some nice photos. I'll share some over the next few days. First up, a Brown Creeper:

Brown Creeper