Birding Mount Lemmon

Mount Lemmon provides some great birding opportunities. Though rarely rare birds, it provides first time birders to Arizona opportunities for "Lifers." Arizona birds like Oliver Warblers, Red-faced Warblers, Painted Redstarts are relatively easy to find. Western birds like Acorn Woodpeckers, Black-headed Grosbeaks, Mountain Chickadees, Spotted Towhees, and Western Tanagers are also relatively easy to find. 

Acorn Woodpecker

Black-headed Grosbeak

Hermit Thrush

Mountain Chickadee

Olive Warbler

Painted Redstart

Red-faced Warbler

Spotted Towhee

Western Tanager

Wild Turkey

Abert's Squirrel

Morse Canyon, Chiricahua Mountains, Arizona

Morse Canyon is on the less frequented east side of the Chiricahua Mountains. The "Prize" for the past month has been three Crescent-chested Warblers. For the first week or two they were providing good looks near the end of the Turkey Creek Road where the trailhead starts.  The last couple of weeks they have been seen more often about a half mile up the trail. It appeared from my perspective that they had built a nest high up in a Ponderosa Pine tree -- maybe 60 feet off the ground. The trail gets steep and the tree is in the canyon floor so you could get a better view further up the switchback -- though a bit further away. Occasionally, they would fly down to the trail just to tease birders/photographers. But while I was there they didn't stay close long enough to get a clear and in-focus photo.

There were always people around looking at or looking for this rare bird. And jockeying around on a  steep uphill trail -- especially for someone with balance issues was a bit challenging. 

The Crescent-chested Warbler has been reported in Arizona less than 10 times. So it is quite special in that regard. But like many warblers, they very attractive.

Although you might be at the right place, at the right time (Morse Canyon early morning) --- it might not be exactly the right place or exactly the right time. Early on in my "birding career" I noticed something. Maybe a brilliant grasp of the obvious, but Birds Have Wings. Yes they do. And, they often use them. Of course, this has all been during the Pandemic, so the birds may have simply been practicing "social distancing."

Anyway, while looking for the C-C Warbler, there were a few other birds around:

Crescent-chested Warbler

Dusky-capped Flycatcher

Gilded Flicker

Montezuma Quail

Red-faced Warbler

Western Tanager

Cordilleran Flycatcher

White-tailed Fawn

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

Madera Canyon, Santa Rita Mountains, Arizona - Part I

Two trips to Madera Canyon last week yielded a wonderful surprise, a Northern Pygmy Owl.

A pair of Northern Pygmy Owls nested in a large Sycamore Tree. A beautiful little owl only 6-7 inches tall. The Northern Pygmy Owl preferred habitat is forests of oaks and conifers -- and obviously Sycamores. Madera Canyon has a very high population of Acorn Woodpeckers (and Arizona Woodpeckers, Gila Woodpeckers, Red-naped Sapsuckers, and the occasional Red-breasted Sapsucker). With the abundance of woodpeckers comes an abundance of ready-made nests. So it is not surprising that Madera Canyon has a high population of Owls (Northern Pygmy Owl, Elf Owl, Western Screech and Whiskered Screech Owls.

The Northern Pygmy Owl's range is Mexico and north through Arizona, California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. 

It does hunt during the day, so seeing one is just a matter of patience when you know where it is nesting. 

Northern Pygmy Owl in Nest

Northern Pygmy Owl with Lizard

Box Canyon, Santa Rita Mountains, Arizona

Although we have the Coronavirus Pandemic around the world, people are still visiting our site. This week we have had visitors from: Romania, Germany, Hong Kong, Canada, France, Czechia, United Kingdom, Ireland, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Indonesia, Pakistan, Thailand, Turkey, and Moldova as well as the United States.

Today, I'll show some photos from Box Canyon which is a dirt road up into the Santa Rita Mountains from Arizona Highwy 83 just north of Sonoita to Florida and Madera Canyon. There are some great views, but also great birding.

Here are some photos I've taken there these past two weeks:

Blue Grosbeak

Northern Mockingbird

Blue Grosbeak on Ocotillo

Canyon Wren

Rock Wren

Cassin's Kingbird Singing

Cassin's Kingbird "Hiding"

Bullock's Oriole on Ocotillo

Not very good photo of a Scott's Oriole

Lesser Goldfinch

Lucifer Hummingbird female Drinking from a Western Coral Bean Plant

Arivaca Cienegas, Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge - Part V

Arivaca Cienegas can be very birdie first thing in the morning. However, it can get hot by 10:00 am this time of year so birds are less vocal and not as often seen. 

Either that or they are practicing "Social Distancing" as you will see in the following photos:

Ash-throated Flycatcher

Bewick's Wren

Lucy's Warbler

Phainopepla

Summer Tanager

Vermillion Flycatcher

Yellow-breasted Chat

Arivaca Cienegas, Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge - Part IV

Continuing with recent photos from Arivaca Cienegas, Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge.

Black Vulture

Turkey Vulture