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One of the most local birds in North America, the Five-striped Sparrow only occupies a few canyons near the Mexican border. We enjoyed stunning views of a singing bird in California Gulch. (Photo by participant Larry Wright)
We enjoyed a great ten days of birding in one of North America's premier locales. We started right off on the first afternoon by birding the quite green Sonoran Desert outside of Tucson, where we saw the Saguaro-loving Gilded Flicker before heading back to town to view Lesser Nighthawks and thousands of Free-tailed Bats emerging at dusk. Heading to Sierra Vista the next morning, we watched a family of Burrowing Owls before spotting Mississippi Kites soaring near St. David. That afternoon we hiked up Miller Canyon and located a wonderful Spotted Owl on a day perch. Birding in Huachuca Canyon the next morning we came upon six different Elegant Trogons and our first Painted Redstarts. A visit to a feeding station brought us a couple of male Lucifer Hummingbirds before we enjoyed Whiskered Screech-Owl and Common Poorwill after sunset. Greater Pewee, Olive Warbler, and Buff-breasted Flycatcher were the highlights the next morning before we moved east toward Portal and the Chiricahua Mountains.
Known as one of the best birding spots in the US, the Chiricahua Mountains are also one of the most beautiful. Driving into Cave Creek Canyon the first time we spotted a pair of Montezuma Quail at the road edge. Over the next three days we found Mexican Chickadees, Red-faced Warbler, Northern Pygmy-Owl, Black-chinned Sparrow, migrant Hermit Warblers, displaying Cassin's and Botteri's sparrows, Crissal and Bendire's thrashers, Mexican Whip-poor-will, and multitudes of hummingbirds highlighted by a Plain-capped Starthroat at a desert feeder.
We loaded up and drove west to Patagonia and the Nogales area for our final stay and tracked down Grasshopper Sparrow, a perched Zone-tailed Hawk, Violet-crowned Hummingbird, Thick-billed Kingbird and a handful of Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks on the way. The next day found us making the drive into California Gulch, where we had great looks at Five-striped Sparrow, Varied Bunting, Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet, and Rufous-winged Sparrows. It took us a while to track down a Black-capped Gnatcatcher near the Santa Rita Mountains as the list of new bird possibilities was dwindling. Our last morning found us in the well-known birding site of Madera Canyon where another Plain-capped Starthroat put on a good show.
We had a plethora of fantastic scenery surrounding us with mountains, canyons, deserts, and riparian habitat that were quite green from the good monsoonal rains this summer. We also encountered a number of lizards, a quite uncommon Ornate Box Turtle, and a roadside Black-tailed Rattlesnake, and we drove through an amazing hatch of flying ants that numbered in the tens of millions as they lined up along the middle of the road up to Montosa Canyon.
It was great to travel with all of you and enjoy so many wonderful birds! I look forward to the next time we can get together.
--John
KEYS FOR THIS LIST
One of the following keys may be shown in brackets for individual species as appropriate: * = heard only, I = introduced, E = endemic, N = nesting, a = austral migrant, b = boreal migrant
BIRDS
Anatidae (Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl)
We had tremendous views of a family group of Elegant Trogons, one of the most after birds in southeastern Arizona.(Photo by participants Brian & Ginny Murphy)
WOOD DUCK (Aix sponsa) – A molting male was at the park in Tucson where we looked for the not present Tricolored Heron.
AMERICAN WIGEON (Anas americana) – We saw a lone bird at Sweetwater on our first afternoon.
MALLARD (NORTHERN) (Anas platyrhynchos platyrhynchos)
MALLARD (MEXICAN) (Anas platyrhynchos diazi)
CINNAMON TEAL (Anas cyanoptera) – A few were at Whitewater Draw and at Sweetwater Wetlands.
RUDDY DUCK (Oxyura jamaicensis)
Odontophoridae (New World Quail)
SCALED QUAIL (Callipepla squamata) – Ginny spotted a pair off the side of the dirt road in the desert flats near Portal.
GAMBEL'S QUAIL (Callipepla gambelii) – We saw these on many days including a few with a good number of young in tow.
MONTEZUMA QUAIL (Cyrtonyx montezumae) – We had a few great encounters with this often difficult species. Our first good ones were right along the side of the road as we drove into Cave Creek Canyon. The pair ended up crossing the road right in front of us and climbed the slope. We later had two similar encounters and flushed another from the edge of the track as we walked the Herb Martyr Road.
Phasianidae (Pheasants, Grouse, and Allies)
WILD TURKEY (Meleagris gallopavo) – There were about 10-12 birds in a group near Rustler Park in the Chiricahuas.
Podicipedidae (Grebes)
PIED-BILLED GREBE (Podilymbus podiceps)
Phalacrocoracidae (Cormorants and Shags)
NEOTROPIC CORMORANT (Phalacrocorax brasilianus)
Ardeidae (Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns)
GREEN HERON (Butorides virescens)
BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON (Nycticorax nycticorax) – We saw two at Sweetwater on our first day.
Threskiornithidae (Ibises and Spoonbills)
WHITE-FACED IBIS (Plegadis chihi)
Cathartidae (New World Vultures)
BLACK VULTURE (Coragyps atratus) – A few individuals were perched in a dead tree near Nogales.
TURKEY VULTURE (Cathartes aura)
Accipitridae (Hawks, Eagles, and Kites)
MISSISSIPPI KITE (Ictinia mississippiensis) – We finally ended up seeing three birds flying about near St. David. This is a quite restricted species in Arizona.
COOPER'S HAWK (Accipiter cooperii)
NORTHERN GOSHAWK (Accipiter gentilis) – We only heard a young bird calling up the steep slope in the Chiricahuas. [*]
HARRIS'S HAWK (Parabuteo unicinctus) – Great views of a pair of these very handsome raptors in a neighborhood in Sierra Vista.
Plain-capped Starthroat is a very rare hummingbird in the U.S., and we managed to see two! (Photo by participants Brian & Ginny Murphy)
SWAINSON'S HAWK (Buteo swainsoni)
ZONE-TAILED HAWK (Buteo albonotatus) – Our first flew right over us at Carr Canyon, then we saw a perched bird along Sonoita Creek near Patagonia.
RED-TAILED HAWK (Buteo jamaicensis)
Rallidae (Rails, Gallinules, and Coots)
SORA (Porzana carolina) [*]
COMMON GALLINULE (Gallinula galeata) – We saw one at Sweetwater.
AMERICAN COOT (Fulica americana)
Recurvirostridae (Stilts and Avocets)
BLACK-NECKED STILT (Himantopus mexicanus)
AMERICAN AVOCET (Recurvirostra americana) – There were about 300 individuals at the lake at Willcox.
Charadriidae (Plovers and Lapwings)
KILLDEER (Charadrius vociferus)
Scolopacidae (Sandpipers and Allies)
SPOTTED SANDPIPER (Actitis macularius)
LESSER YELLOWLEGS (Tringa flavipes) – There was a single bird at Whitewater Draw on our way to Douglas.
LONG-BILLED CURLEW (Numenius americanus) – Five of these large shorebirds flew in while we were birding at Willcox.
BAIRD'S SANDPIPER (Calidris bairdii) – There were about 200 individuals at Willcox.
LEAST SANDPIPER (Calidris minutilla)
PECTORAL SANDPIPER (Calidris melanotos) – One, an early migrant, waa at Whitewater Draw.
SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER (Calidris pusilla) – We happened upon Dave Stejskal at Willcox who led us to a single individual. This is a quite uncommon but regular migrant in Arizona.
WESTERN SANDPIPER (Calidris mauri) – Only a few were at Willcox.
LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER (Limnodromus scolopaceus)
WILSON'S PHALAROPE (Phalaropus tricolor) – Hundreds were at Willcox.
RED-NECKED PHALAROPE (Phalaropus lobatus) – Dave Stejskal also had one of these nailed down for us at Willcox.
Columbidae (Pigeons and Doves)
ROCK PIGEON (Columba livia) [I]
BAND-TAILED PIGEON (Patagioenas fasciata) – We had a couple of birds, including one perched, in Carr Canyon in the Huachuca Mountains.
EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE (Streptopelia decaocto) [I]
WHITE-WINGED DOVE (Zenaida asiatica)
MOURNING DOVE (Zenaida macroura)
INCA DOVE (Columbina inca) – We saw a couple in Portal and another in Patagonia.
COMMON GROUND-DOVE (Columbina passerina)
Cuculidae (Cuckoos)
It's always a difficult species to view well, but we scored big time with four encounters with Montezuma Quail in the Chiricahua Mountains. (Photo by participants Brian & Ginny Murphy)
GREATER ROADRUNNER (Geococcyx californianus) – One of the iconic birds of the desert, we saw a few along the roadsides.
Tytonidae (Barn-Owls)
BARN OWL (Tyto alba) – We inadvertently flushed one from a building and saw it fly out across the desert.
Strigidae (Owls)
WESTERN SCREECH-OWL (Megascops kennicottii) – Nice looks near Portal of a calling bird in a large oak tree.
WHISKERED SCREECH-OWL (Megascops trichopsis) – Great close views of one in the Huachucas on our first evening of nightbirding.
GREAT HORNED OWL (Bubo virginianus) – Nice looks at the two birds at Whitewater Draw.
NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL (Glaucidium gnoma) – Good views of a calling bird that flew in to a large pine in the upper elevations of the Chiricahua Mountains. For a while it had a number of smaller birds upset with it.
ELF OWL (Micrathene whitneyi) – We sure worked hard to see this tiny owl but it came in to a very dense tree and it could not be seen through all the branches. The angle where I finally found it didn't keep it long enough for anyone to get to it in time. [*]
BURROWING OWL (Athene cunicularia) – Great views of a family near the airport in Tucson.
SPOTTED OWL (Strix occidentalis) – We ended up with nice looks at this quite special owl. We hiked up Miller Canyon a good ways and through the dry creek bed before reaching a day perch where we spotted it in a Douglas Fir off the trail.
Caprimulgidae (Nightjars and Allies)
LESSER NIGHTHAWK (Chordeiles acutipennis) – We had great looks at the edge of Tucson at several individuals on our first evening.
COMMON POORWILL (Phalaenoptilus nuttallii) – A calling bird flew in and landed on a post during our first evening of nightbirding. We also got a look at it on the ground.
MEXICAN WHIP-POOR-WILL (Antrostomus arizonae arizonae) – We did better than expected with seeing this quite restricted species. We ended up getting it in the telescope as it perched on a branch in the Chiricahuas.
Apodidae (Swifts)
WHITE-THROATED SWIFT (Aeronautes saxatalis)
Trochilidae (Hummingbirds)
MAGNIFICENT HUMMINGBIRD (Eugenes fulgens) – This aptly named species was seen at several of the feeding stations.
PLAIN-CAPPED STARTHROAT (Heliomaster constantii) – We enjoyed great views of two individuals of this very rare bird in North America. The first came to the Rodrigues feeders outside of Portal where it had not been reported in a few days and then we saw it again on our last morning in Madera Canyon. It is a quite strikingly large hummingbird.
BLUE-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD (Lampornis clemenciae) – Good views of several visiting the feeders at the Research Station.
LUCIFER HUMMINGBIRD (Calothorax lucifer) – We saw two males at the Ash Canyon feeders where it didn't take us long to find this rarity. The birds made a handful of visits during our visit.
We saw Magnificent Hummingbird -- the largest US hummer -- many times during our birding outings. (Photo by participant Larry Wright)
ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD (Calypte anna) – We saw several in Miller Canyon and at Ash Canyon.
BROAD-TAILED HUMMINGBIRD (Selasphorus platycercus) – Most of those we saw were males.
RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD (Selasphorus rufus) – Several returning migrants were visiting feeders where they are quite pugnacious.
CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD (Selasphorus calliope) – We had great looks at an adult male at a feeder in Portal as we walked through town.
BROAD-BILLED HUMMINGBIRD (Cynanthus latirostris) – Many seen well.
VIOLET-CROWNED HUMMINGBIRD (Amazilia violiceps) – There were probably three different birds coming to the Paton's feeders in Patagonia. For many years this has been the best place to see this species.
Trogonidae (Trogons)
ELEGANT TROGON (Trogon elegans) – On our first morning in the Huachuca Mountains we watched a male, female and three juvenile birds flying about, feeding and calling. Further up the canyon we saw another male calling softly while it had a preying mantis in its bill. It was a great treat to see these colorful birds so well. Yip! Yip! Yip!
Picidae (Woodpeckers)
ACORN WOODPECKER (Melanerpes formicivorus)
GILA WOODPECKER (Melanerpes uropygialis) – We saw several of these in the lower parts of the desert.
LADDER-BACKED WOODPECKER (Picoides scalaris)
HAIRY WOODPECKER (Picoides villosus) – A mountain bird in southern Arizona we had a couple in the Chiricahuas and Huachucas.
ARIZONA WOODPECKER (Picoides arizonae) – Good views of this local specialty in the Huachucas and Chiricahuas.
NORTHERN FLICKER (RED-SHAFTED) (Colaptes auratus cafer)
GILDED FLICKER (Colaptes chrysoides) – We had scope views of a calling male on our first afternoon in the Sonoran Desert. This is a species that is quite tied to the saguaro cactus.
Falconidae (Falcons and Caracaras)
AMERICAN KESTREL (Falco sparverius)
PEREGRINE FALCON (Falco peregrinus) – We heard one calling in Cave Creek Canyon but we could not see it. [*]
Tyrannidae (Tyrant Flycatchers)
NORTHERN BEARDLESS-TYRANNULET (Camptostoma imberbe) – Nice looks at this small flycatcher at California Gulch and again Florida Canyon.
GREATER PEWEE (Contopus pertinax) – Nice close views of a calling bird after quite a bit of looking in the Huachuca Mountains.
WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE (Contopus sordidulus)
PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER (Empidonax difficilis) – We had a quick look at this migrant as we were looking for gnatcatchers near Montosa Canyon.
CORDILLERAN FLYCATCHER (Empidonax occidentalis)
BUFF-BREASTED FLYCATCHER (Empidonax fulvifrons) – Nice views in Carr Canyon of this quite local species.
BLACK PHOEBE (Sayornis nigricans)
SAY'S PHOEBE (Sayornis saya) – We saw a few but one had a nest under the eave of the cabin at SWRS.
Our long walk up Miller Canyon culminated with a great view of this perched Spotted Owl. (Photo by participants Brian & Ginny Murphy)
DUSKY-CAPPED FLYCATCHER (Myiarchus tuberculifer)
ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER (Myiarchus cinerascens) – Our best view was at California Gulch.
BROWN-CRESTED FLYCATCHER (Myiarchus tyrannulus)
SULPHUR-BELLIED FLYCATCHER (Myiodynastes luteiventris) – We saw a few with our best view being a scope look in Miller Canyon.
TROPICAL KINGBIRD (Tyrannus melancholicus) – There were a few about the Rio Rico ponds near Nogales.
CASSIN'S KINGBIRD (Tyrannus vociferans)
THICK-BILLED KINGBIRD (Tyrannus crassirostris) – Our first views were a pair at a nest in Portal where there is only one previous nesting record. We then saw a couple more in the more traditional area around Patagonia.
WESTERN KINGBIRD (Tyrannus verticalis)
Laniidae (Shrikes)
LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE (Lanius ludovicianus)
Vireonidae (Vireos)
BELL'S VIREO (Vireo bellii) – We had good views at the San Pedro House then a couple more were seen in California Gulch.
PLUMBEOUS VIREO (Vireo plumbeus)
HUTTON'S VIREO (Vireo huttoni)
WARBLING VIREO (Vireo gilvus) – We only saw a couple of these migrants during our travels.
Corvidae (Crows, Jays, and Magpies)
STELLER'S JAY (Cyanocitta stelleri) [*]
WESTERN SCRUB-JAY (Aphelocoma californica) – A few were about in Carr Canyon and then again near Portal.
MEXICAN JAY (Aphelocoma wollweberi) – We saw these just about everyday in the mountains and foothills.
CHIHUAHUAN RAVEN (Corvus cryptoleucus)
COMMON RAVEN (Corvus corax)
Hirundinidae (Swallows)
NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW (Stelgidopteryx serripennis)
TREE SWALLOW (Tachycineta bicolor) – We saw about 2000 individuals on the wires near Double Adobe in the Sulphur Springs Valley.
VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW (Tachycineta thalassina) – Most, if not all of our sightings, were in the Chiricahuas.
BARN SWALLOW (Hirundo rustica)
CLIFF SWALLOW (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota)
Paridae (Chickadees and Tits)
MEXICAN CHICKADEE (Poecile sclateri) – We had a few encounters with this Chiricahua Mountain specialty in the higher elevations. Most were associated with mixed species flocks.
BRIDLED TITMOUSE (Baeolophus wollweberi) – This handsome little titmouse showed well a few times in riparian habitats.
JUNIPER TITMOUSE (Baeolophus ridgwayi) – We saw a couple of these in the juniper (where else?) habitat near Portal.
Remizidae (Penduline-Tits)
VERDIN (Auriparus flaviceps) – This species was a common voice in the lower Sonoran Desert.
Aegithalidae (Long-tailed Tits)
Monsoon season in Arizona brings thunderstorms that can be very isolated. The rains cool the desert and turn the vegetation green, and a handful of bird species only then begin to breed. This view from the Huachuca Mountains shows the morning buildup of clouds associated with the moisture arriving from the south. (Photo by participant Larry Wright)
Sittidae (Nuthatches)
RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH (Sitta canadensis)
WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH (Sitta carolinensis)
PYGMY NUTHATCH (Sitta pygmaea) – Good views of these tiny nuthatches in the higher elevations of the Chiricahuas.
Certhiidae (Treecreepers)
BROWN CREEPER (Certhia americana) – There were a fair number of these around this year.
Troglodytidae (Wrens)
ROCK WREN (Salpinctes obsoletus) – A group of three, two of which were juveniles, were seen on our way back from California Gulch.
CANYON WREN (Catherpes mexicanus) – This wonderful songsters showed well a few times during our travels.
HOUSE WREN (Troglodytes aedon)
BEWICK'S WREN (Thryomanes bewickii)
CACTUS WREN (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus) – Nice looks at this large desert species.
Polioptilidae (Gnatcatchers)
BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER (Polioptila caerulea)
BLACK-TAILED GNATCATCHER (Polioptila melanura) – We saw our first ones on our first afternoon in the desert outside of Tucson.
BLACK-CAPPED GNATCATCHER (Polioptila nigriceps) – This Mexican rarity took some looking as we tried a few spots before finding one in Florida Wash.
Turdidae (Thrushes and Allies)
EASTERN BLUEBIRD (Sialia sialis) – We saw a couple of birds at the top of Carr Canyon and then another in the Chiricahuas.
HERMIT THRUSH (Catharus guttatus)
AMERICAN ROBIN (Turdus migratorius)
Mimidae (Mockingbirds and Thrashers)
CURVE-BILLED THRASHER (Toxostoma curvirostre) – We saw this widespread species on most days.
BENDIRE'S THRASHER (Toxostoma bendirei) – We found this someone uncommon species in Rodeo, New Mexico. This is always a tough one to see in late-summer.
CRISSAL THRASHER (Toxostoma crissale) – After much searching we had great looks at one that popped up right behind us in the desert below Portal. This is a tough bird to see during the non-breeding season when they are singing much more.
NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD (Mimus polyglottos)
Sturnidae (Starlings)
EUROPEAN STARLING (Sturnus vulgaris) [I]
Ptilogonatidae (Silky-flycatchers)
Participant Larry Wright waited patiently during our afternoon siesta to finally nail this Hooded Oriole from the deck of his room.
Peucedramidae (Olive Warbler)
OLIVE WARBLER (Peucedramus taeniatus) – This odd bird gave us a few nice looks in both the Huachuca and Chiricahua Mountains, including nice males. Formerly, a member of the wood warblers, recent work has put it in its own family.
Parulidae (New World Warblers)
LUCY'S WARBLER (Oreothlypis luciae)
VIRGINIA'S WARBLER (Oreothlypis virginiae)
COMMON YELLOWTHROAT (Geothlypis trichas)
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER (Setophaga coronata) – Our only one was a dull female plumaged bird with a mixed species flock in the Chiricahuas.
GRACE'S WARBLER (Setophaga graciae) – After our first in the Huachucas, we saw a few more in the Chiricahuas.
BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER (Setophaga nigrescens)
HERMIT WARBLER (Setophaga occidentalis) – These migrants from the Pacific Northwest were seen a few times in the Chiricahuas.
RED-FACED WARBLER (Cardellina rubrifrons) – We had a couple, again with a mixed species flock, in the Chiricahuas.
PAINTED REDSTART (Myioborus pictus) – A very handsome warbler, we saw our first near the trogons in the Huachuca Mountains then again in the Chiricahuas.
YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT (Icteria virens) – The one we saw at the San Pedro House showed quite well and even perched for a scope view.
Emberizidae (Buntings and New World Sparrows)
SPOTTED TOWHEE (Pipilo maculatus)
RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROW (Aimophila ruficeps)
CANYON TOWHEE (Melozone fusca)
ABERT'S TOWHEE (Melozone aberti) – We had a few at Sweetwater Wetlands on our first afternoon.
RUFOUS-WINGED SPARROW (Peucaea carpalis) – We waited until the last few days of the trip to see this Sonoran Desert specialty. This species has expanded into new habitats the last few years and we saw a couple in places where they did not used to occur.
BOTTERI'S SPARROW (Peucaea botterii) – We saw a few of these area specialties and heard a lot more in the grasslands.
CASSIN'S SPARROW (Peucaea cassinii) – We saw a singing bird in display in the desert below Portal. This species only begins to sing with the summer rains.
CHIPPING SPARROW (Spizella passerina)
BLACK-CHINNED SPARROW (Spizella atrogularis) – This one took some work but we finally got great close views of this quite local species in the Chiricahuas.
LARK SPARROW (Chondestes grammacus) – A handful of these migrants showed up here and there.
FIVE-STRIPED SPARROW (Amphispiza quinquestriata) – We had great looks at a few of these rare birds. It was well worth the long ride in to California Gulch which is the only accessible locality for finding this species in the US.
BLACK-THROATED SPARROW (Amphispiza bilineata)
LARK BUNTING (Calamospiza melanocorys) – Larry spotted two males flying along State Line Road. We gave chase for a few hundred yards before they veered off and into the desert where we lost them.
GRASSHOPPER SPARROW (Ammodramus savannarum) – We enjoyed close views of one on a fence wire in the Sonoita grasslands.
SONG SPARROW (Melospiza melodia)
YELLOW-EYED JUNCO (Junco phaeonotus) – There were lots of young birds in the pine forests of the Chiricahua Mountains.
Cardinalidae (Cardinals and Allies)
With so many colorful birds in SE Arizona it is easy to forget the subtle beauty of a Rufous-crowned Sparrow. (Photo by participant Larry Wright)
SUMMER TANAGER (Piranga rubra)
WESTERN TANAGER (Piranga ludoviciana) – We saw a few higher in the mountains where these birds breed but there were more in lowland areas which were migrants.
NORTHERN CARDINAL (Cardinalis cardinalis)
PYRRHULOXIA (Cardinalis sinuatus) – Our best views were at the Rodrigues feeders near Portal.
BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK (Pheucticus melanocephalus)
BLUE GROSBEAK (Passerina caerulea)
LAZULI BUNTING (Passerina amoena) – We heard several passing over here and there and finally connected well with them at Kino Springs and at the Rio Rico ponds.
VARIED BUNTING (Passerina versicolor) – We had very nice views of this oddly colored bird at California Gulch then again at Montosa Canyon. This is always a sought after species.
Icteridae (Troupials and Allies)
RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD (Agelaius phoeniceus)
EASTERN MEADOWLARK (LILIAN'S) (Sturnella magna lilianae) – Our first was perched on a road sign near Portal. This subspecies has been a candidate for a split for decades but we are still waiting.
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) – We saw an early returning wintering bird at Whitewater Draw and another at the lake at Willcox.
GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE (Quiscalus mexicanus)
BRONZED COWBIRD (Molothrus aeneus) – It took a few passes but we found a few in Patagonia before the rain hit hard.
BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD (Molothrus ater)
HOODED ORIOLE (Icterus cucullatus)
BULLOCK'S ORIOLE (Icterus bullockii) – This species mostly disappears from southern Arizona at this time of year. Our only one was near the Rio Rico ponds.
SCOTT'S ORIOLE (Icterus parisorum) – We saw two individuals along State Line Road where a few pairs are known to breed.
Fringillidae (Siskins, Crossbills, and Allies)
HOUSE FINCH (Haemorhous mexicanus)
LESSER GOLDFINCH (Spinus psaltria)
Passeridae (Old World Sparrows)
HOUSE SPARROW (Passer domesticus) [I]
MAMMALS
One of the iconic birds of the desert southwest, a Greater Roadrunner looks majestic when surveying his domain. (Photo by participant Larry Wright)
EASTERN COTTONTAIL (Sylvilagus floridanus)
DESERT COTTONTAIL (Sylvilagus audubonii)
BLACK-TAILED JACKRABBIT (Lepus californicus) – We only saw a few of these large rabbits in the desert.
CLIFF CHIPMUNK (Tamias dorsalis)
ROCK SQUIRREL (Spermophilus variegatus)
ROUND-TAILED GROUND SQUIRREL (Spermophilus tereticaudus)
NAYARIT FOX SQUIRREL (Sciurus nayaritensis) – The newer name for this large reddish squirrel is Mexican Fox Squirrel. Perhaps, the old names of Apache Fox Squirrel or Chiricahua Squirrel would be even better since it has such a restricted range in the US.
ARIZONA GRAY SQUIRREL (Sciurus arizonensis)
ARIZONA COTTON RAT (Sigmodon arizonae)
MUSKRAT (Ondatra zibethica) – Brian saw one in the pond at Kino Springs.
GRAY FOX (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) – We had a quick view of one that dashed across the road ahead of us as we neared Portal.
COYOTE (Canis latrans) – We watched one dashing quickly from the edge of the interstate with a fairly good-sized prey item, probably a ground-squirrel, in its mouth.
STRIPED SKUNK (Mephitis mephitis) – We saw one as we were coming home from our night birding in the Chiricahuas. I tried to get Lynn to grab it but she declined.
COLLARED PECCARY (Tayassu tajacu) – We came upon a family group including a couple small ones in the dense vegetation in Portal.
WHITE-TAILED DEER (Odocoileus virginianus) – We saw these many days of the trip.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Totals for the tour: 191 bird taxa and 16 mammal taxa