Wildlife of The Azure Gate Bed and Breakfast - Part IX

More recent photos from The Azure Gate Bed and Breakfast:

Northern Cardinal

Northern Cardinal

Northern Cardinal

Pyrrhuloxia

Pyrrhuloxia

Phainopepla Female Singing

Phainopepla Female

Phainopepla Male

Arivaca Cienegas, Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge - Part III

More from Arivaca Cienegas, Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge:

Northern Cardinal

Blue Grosbeak Singing

Bullock's Oriole

Birding Saint Gertrudis Lane, Tumacacori, Arizona

One of my favorite birding spots is the Juan Bautiste de Anza Trail just north and south of Saint Gertrudis Lane in Tumacacori.

Susie and Steve (guests of ours) and I headed down after breakfast a couple of days ago in hopes of relocating the reported Sinaloa Wren and Rufous Backed Robins. No luck with either but we did find it very "birdie," and came away with some nice photos:

Bewick's Wren

Bridled Titmouse

Northern Cardinal

Common Yellowthroat

Grey Hawk

Swainson's Hawk

Wilson's Warbler

Today at The Azure Gate

We have had several nesting Anna's Hummingbirds this year, so there are several immature birds "humming" around. Here's a nice close up of a young male Anna's:

Young Male Anna's Hummingbird

And a nice close up of a male Cardinal:

Cardinal

Birding the Tumacacori Mountains, Santa Cruz County, Arizona

A forrest road from Exit 29 on Interstate 19 takes you into the Tumacacori Mountains. This is a very primitive area: no facilities and no signs of human existence other than the "road." This is a 4x4 high clearance road only. I should add with an experienced off road driver as well, i.e. it is not for beginners. The road is mostly rocky. (I have a Jeep Rubicon with very good off-road tires).There are times when going up a hill you will not be able to see the road in front of you, and at the top not be able to see the road below. There will be times you will have to get out of your vehicle to check to see 1) which way the road goes, or 2) if the road is passable. (It could be washed out, full of water, or with a downed tree or boulder in the way.

As such, human traffic is significantly limited. And, as such has a significant amount of wildlife is present. On my trip in I saw black tailed jackrabbits, mountain cottontails, and deer. Javelina are also present though I didn't see any. There were thousands (or more) Butterflies. And, there is a report (unconfirmed) of at least one Black Jaguar living in the area. 

I went into this area looking for a Yellow Billed Cuckoo -- which I found but was unable to photograph. Also seen but not photographed was a Golden Eagle I startled. I did photograph a nesting Warbling Vireo, numerous male and female Northern Cardinals, Black Throated Sparrows, Rufous Crowned Sparrows, Lark Sparrows, Western Kingbirds, Brown Headed Cowbirds, and Varied Buntings. 

Here are a few photos:

Black Tailed Jackrabbit

Mountain Cottontail 

Northern Cardinal Male

Northern Cardinal Female

Warbling Vireo at her Nest

Varied Bunting

From Mothers with Babies to Husbands and Wives.

More pairs. Now,  Husbands and Wives.

Mr. & Mrs. Cardinal

Mr. & Mrs. Cinnamon Teal

So What Happened in the Chiricahuas?

First the birds. The best was a female Elegant Trogon. Trogons typically migrate to the Madrean Sky Islands of Southern Arizona in March and stay for the Spring and Summer. They often nest in holes of Sycamore Trees. This female let me get close for a photo, but then took off up the mountain.

Female Elegant Trogon

 The Black Headed Grosbeak and Cardinal are more common in Southern Arizona:

Female Black Headed Grosbeak

Male Cardinal

 The Blue Throated Hummingbird, another migrant, is a typical summer resident of the Chiricahuas, the Huachucas, and occasionally the Santa Ritas (although not in large numbers):

Female Blue Throated Hummingbird

 This Red Tailed Hawk posed nicely for me:

Red Tailed Hawk

 As did this Raven:

Raven

Grosbeaks

Several species of birds with large beaks can be found in the US.  The Northern Cardinal's range is from Southeastern Arizona east to Florida and Maine. The Pyrrhuloxia's range is Southeastern Arizona, Southern New Mexico, and Southwest Texas. The Yellow Grosbeak is essentially a thin slice through Central Mexico with very rare sightings in Southern Arizona. The Black Headed Grosbeak is found throughout the Western US. The Rose-breasted Grosbeak is found from Southeastern Arizona to Florida and Maine. And, the Blue Grosbeak can be found across the Southern half of the US from California to Maryland. They are all about the same size except the Blue Grosbeak which is a bit smaller. But all have one thing in common: a Large Beak (hence the name Grosbeak).

Here are a few photos:

Female Black Headed Grosbeak

Male Black Headed Grosbeak

Male Blue Grosbeak

Male and Female Northern Cardinal

Female Pyrrhuloxia

Male Pyrrhuloxia

Chiricahua Mountains - more

Although hoping to find an Elegant Trogon -- which eluded me -- I was able to find and photograph some of the more common birds of the Southwest:

Black Headed Grosbeak - Male

Northern Cardinal - Female

Northern Cardinal - Male

Pyrrhuloxia - Female

Quick Trip to Pattons in Patagonia

After breakfast Christine let me loose to see what was happening in Patagonia. I stopped at Patton's for about an hour. Came away with some nice photos:

Summer Tanager

Gila Woodpecker

Violet Crowned Hummingbird

Female Cardinal

Male Cardinal

Just Another Spring Morning in Southern Arizona

I had a few minutes before breakfast yesterday so I sat outside my office in one of the rocking chairs for 20 minutes taking photos of the birds. Here are some of those photos. (not bad for 20 minutes in a rocking chair):

Anna's Hummingbird

Black Headed Grosbeak - Female

Northern Cardinal - Female

Curved Bill Thrasher

Gambels Quail - Female

Gambels Quail - Male

Gila Woodpecker - Male

House Finch - Female

Lesser Goldfinch - Female

Lesser Goldfinch - Male

Mourning Dove

White Winged Dove