Galiuro Mountains, Southern Arizona

One of my favorite spots in Arizona is the Galiuro Mountains, the northern most of the Madrean Sky Islands of Southern Arizona. It is north of Willcox and extends almost to Phoenix.

It's a good place to go looking for Coatimundi,  Hooded Skunks, and Striped Skunks. I've also seen and photographed Bobcats, Javelinas, Coyotes, Pronghorn, Mule and White-tailed Deer, Antelope Jackrabbits, Mountain Cottontails, Gila Monsters, Gopher Snakes and Rattlesnakes, There is a fair population of Mountain Lions, Desert Bighorn Sheep, and Bears though I've not found them.

Birding can also be productive. Over the years I've photographed Long Eared Owl, American Kestrel,  Merlin, Grey Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Swainson's Hawks, Zone-tailed Hawk, Turkey and Black Vultures, Black-throated and other Sparrows, Cardinals, Grosbeaks, Tanagers, Phainopeplas, Meadowlarks, Shrikes, Flycatchers,  and Wild Turkeys.

My trip a couple of weeks ago gave me some nice photos:

Singing Black-throated Sparrow

Gray Hawk

Gray Hawk

Swainson's Hawk

Vermillion Flycatcher

Wild Turkey

Wild Turkey

Hawks: Part IV

The Gray Hawk is very rare to the United States. Estimates are about 100 nesting pairs. They migrate into the US along the Santa Cruz River from Nogales to Tumacacori and Tubac. From there they either stay and nest along the river, or go 20 miles east across the Santa Rita Mountains to Patagonia Creek. They will also go another 20 miles further east across the Huachuca Mountains to the San Pedro River. These are the most likely spots to find this rare hawk.

Unlike the Ferruginous Hawk, the Gray Hawk primarily eats lizards found on tree branches that it spots either from a perch or flying along the river/creek.

The Gray Hawk migration can be seen each March usually between the 10th and the 20th. Birders gather at Morriss County Park in Tubac as the hawks arrive daily (usually between 8:30 and 2:00).

Tanque Verde Wash: Raptors

Here are a few of the Raptor photos from our hike in Tanque Verde Wash:

Juvenile Gray Hawk

Adult Cooper's Hawk

Juvenile Sharp Shinned Hawk

Pena Blanca Lake, Arizona

And another day at Pena Blanca Lake:

zone tailed hawk

zone tailed hawk

zone tailed hawk

turkey vulture

gray hawk

Predators with Their Prey: Raptors

Raptors don't have an easy time of it either. However, they succeed often enough to survive.

Bald Eagle with 30 pound Salmon

The rare Gray Hawk with a bird of some kind

Osprey with 24 inch Rainbow Trout

Sharp Shinned Hawk with Mourning Dove

Yes, and a Turkey Vulture with a Coyote

Patagonia Creek Preserve

The Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve run by The Nature Conservancy is another great birding spot with maybe two miles of trails. It is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, so I didn't go in, but I traveled along the back road paralleling the Preserve. In doing so I came across a Gray Hawk that had just caught something which it was eating. It took some photos through the front windshield -- which, of course, never turn out quite as well. When I tried to "quietly" open the door he flew across to the other side of the road a little further back. But this enabled me to get some clear photos through the drivers side window. Gray Hawks are rare in the US. Some have been reported in the extreme southern tip of Texas and in the extreme southwestern corner of New Mexico. In Arizona, we are a little luckier. They inhabit most of the southern Sky Island mountain ranges -- although not common and only occasionally seen. Here then, our the photos:

Here is the Gray Hawk as seen through the front windshield.

Now having flown to the other side of the road.

Here you get a good look at the pattern on his underside.