Arizona Tour Report, 26th April to 11th May 2003

The tour started with an early afternoon British Airways flight from Heathrow, leaving behind grey clouds and rain.  Ten hours later we arrived in Phoenix to be greeted by blue skies, temperatures in the high eighties and cacti decorating the airport car parks.  After a smooth transfer to our hire vehicles, we were soon travelling south along the I-10 heading for Tucson, with the evening light beginning to fade and an eerie purplish sheen cast across the vast desert landscape.

First light brought immediate excitement in the hotel car park with a splendid Great HornedOwl holding court in a cottonwood tree, totally oblivious to all the attention it was receiving among the gathering throng.  House Finches singing from the hotel roof, cooing White-winged Doves and a raucous Gila Woodpecker hardly created a dawn chorus, but were a welcome introduction to Arizona.

Soon we would be sampling desert birding for real.  A short drive out of Tucson took us into Sabino Canyon and our first close up views of the area's most striking floral feature - the saguaro cactus.  These gigantic structures, with the finger-like branches, are the mainstay of desert bird life, providing nest holes and perfect perches for Curve-billed Thrashers, Phainopeplas, Cardinals and the closely related but dingier-plumaged Pyrrhuloxia.  Within a few yards of the car park we were watching birds typical of this arid habitat such as the tit-like Verdin, Cactus Wren and a speedy Roadrunner that dashed across the path before vanishing into the dense mesquite scrub.

Sabino Canyon has been the scene of many a western movie and television series and the shuttle bus driver explained its unique history as we made our way to its upper reaches to begin the walk down.  Besides enjoying the spectacular scenery, the leisurely stroll also gave an opportunity to watch Lesser Goldfinches, White-throated Swifts, Bell's Vireo and Broad-billed Hummingbird.

With midday temperatures rising, we made our way across Tucson to visit the Desert Museum and an opportunity to see the excellent hummingbird exhibition as well as getting a taste of the unique wildlife that exists in this arid but bountiful ecosystem. While in the museum grounds a few lucky observers spotted Black-tailed Gnatcatcher and Black Vulture.

Our final venue of the day was to the Sweetwater irrigation lagoons, where a vagrant LeastGrebe had wintered.  Although the grebe was absent, views of Harris Hawk and a Diamond-backed Rattlesnake were brilliant compensation.

After another early morning rendezvous with the car park Great Horned Owl - this time being mobbed by two Sharp-shinned Hawks – we set off to Mount Lemmon, a journey that would take us through a fascinating array of life zones.  Within minutes of leaving urbanised Tucson, we were looking at a landscape dominated by the distinctive shape of saguaro cacti, some reaching 40ft high.  Our first stop at Babod Doag gave us excellent views of birds that thrive in these dry desert conditions.  A pair of delightfully marked Black-throated Sparrows hogged the limelight until a Gilded Flicker decided to alight on a saguaro, revealing its key fieldmark, a golden underwing.

We continued our climb, passing out of the cacti belt and into a new landscape dominated by oaks and open scrub.  A short stop allowed us to watch Scott's Orioles and a male Anna'sHummingbird as well as listening to a noisy flock of Scrub Jays.  

Another few miles and the landscape changed again, this time the oaks giving way to tall Ponderosa pines, a hardy species capable of surviving the heavy winter snows that occur at 8,000 ft.  Pine tops are difficult places to locate birds, but with some careful attention we were able to pick out yellow-throated Grace's Warblers and a few Pine Siskins.  The shady pines of Rose Canyon were not only a perfect location for lunch but also an excellent birding area and soon we watching our only Olive Warbler of the trip along with a staggeringly beautiful Red-faced Warbler and Hermit Thrush.

Our ascent had not finished and the final stage took us to Ski Valley, where the remnants of the winter snows still clung to the ground like discarded carrier bags.  Here at 9,000 feet, Magnificent and Broad-tailed Hummingbirds are able to scratch a living, courtesy of the sugar-water feeders put out at the skiers' restaurant.

After a short rest, we began our descent, passing through the same contrasting life zones before arriving back at Tucson for dinner.

An early start saw us begin our long journey to the Chiricahuas, passing through ever-changing scenery: deserts, tinted mauve by the dawn sunshine, eroded bluffs, distant mountains and then wide, sweeping grasslands.  A short rest-stop at a service area allowed some quick birding and produced the first Canyon Towhee and Summer Tanager of the trip before we began the next stage of our trip to Willcox and its famous Twin Lakes. 

It is difficult to believe in such an arid area, where dust devils form and whip across the flat terrain every few minutes, that you would come across a shorebird, but a few acres of open water act as a magnet for all manner of migratory birds.  As we drove around the larger of the two lakes, our list grew by the minute.  We saw eleven species of wildfowl, including the trip's only Green-winged Teal, American Wigeon and Lesser Scaup and then came the waders in the shape of Semipalmated Plover, Western and Least Sandpipers, more than 50 Wilson's Phalaropes and a similar number of American Avocets.  In all, we recorded ten species of wader, while Eared Grebe, White-faced Ibis, Great Egret and Horned Lark added to the variety and excitement of this wonderful, if somewhat unprepossessing, desert oasis.

After re-fuelling the vehicles at the local gas station, we set off on the next leg of our journey eastwards, passing through mainly flat prairie country.  For a short distance we entered into New Mexico, before we finally caught sight of the Chiricahuas looming impressively on the horizon in the late afternoon sunshine. 

Soon we were settling into our rooms at the Portal Peak Lodge - our base for the next three nights - but with birds beckoning we were quickly back on our feet and walking along what must rank as the birdiest Main Street in America.  Main Street Portal amounts to a general store, post office and a half-dozen front gardens all decked with a variety of hummingbird feeders.  Whatever a feeder's colour or design though, each one seemed to be constantly attended by one of these flashing sprites who would appear from nowhere to fill up with sugar water and then vanish again into the yonder within a blink of an eye.  That said, we were able to watch the comings-and-goings of up to five hummer species - Broad-billed, Blue-throated, Magnificent, Black-chinned and Broad-tailed – from the comfort of a bench strategically placed below one garden's feeder collection.

Our guide for the day Bob Chapman - Bob the Birder, as he became known - met us at Portal Peak Lodge for a pre-breakfast search for several species that he had "pinned down" among the mesquite scrub on the Arizona-New Mexico border.  His local knowledge paid off almost immediately we crossed the state line as he put us on to both Bendire's and Crissal Thrashers within a few minutes of each other, followed by a party of Scaled Quail.  All this and we had not even thought of breakfast.

We returned to the lodge, picking up excellent views of a pair of Swainson's Hawks, enjoyed a filling traditional American breakfast and then we were quickly on to the next leg of our day's birding.  The Sun had only begun peeping above the Chiricahuan skyline.  If there was one place that Geronimo would have felt safe in his long war with the US Cavalry then it would have been Cave Creek Canyon, with its towering red stone rock formations, running streams and thick, impenetrable woodland.

As we arrived, the soft strains of Native American pipe music filled the air.  Where it came from, we never found out, but the sounds mixed with the dawn chorus created a perfect atmosphere for birding in Apache country, and soon we were sampling its most famous specialities.  Painted Redstart, Mexican Jay and Hepatic Tanager - each step deeper in the canyon seemed to produce a new bird.  Arizona Woodpecker, Greater Pewee, Plumbeous and Cassin's Vireos followed on to the trip list.  And then, for many, came one of the highlights of the tour - a soft, almost dog-like yelping which was transformed into the brilliant greens and bubblegum pinks of an Elegant Trogon.  Elegant is just too poor an adjective for this mind-blowing bird.

Our lunch venue was at the South West Research Station and proved an instant success.  From deep within a juniper overlooking the car park came the distinctive call notes of a Northern Pygmy Owl.  The soft whistles seemed to get louder but seeing this well-camouflaged, sparrow-sized creature was an altogether harder challenge.  However, it eventually gave itself up, blinking nonchalantly in the daylight unaware of attention it was getting. 

The afternoon saw us visiting an area of woodland for one of the region's most elusive species: Buff-breasted Flycatcher, a tiny "empid" with highly specialised habitat requirements - arid, pine clearings.  With Bob the Birder's local knowledge and excellent hearing, we were soon looking at this striking little bird with its gingery underparts and strong wing bars.  The forest area was to have one further surprise.  From out of nowhere a pair of Montezuma Quail - the male highly speckled and with tear-drop face patterning, his mate a far dowdier individual - appeared suddenly and proceeded to cross our path before settling momentarily in a small clearing, providing excellent views, something few Americans witness in a lifetime's birding, let alone a group of Brits on a fortnight tour.  All this, and an "owl prowl" to come.

For the day's final session, the group split into two and Bob met us at the lodge as the Sun began to set on the western horizon.  His local knowledge once again paid dividends as we travelled into open country to visit an Elf Owl site.  Bob timed our arrival to perfection and, on cue, we were greeted by one of these diminutive birds appearing at its nest hole.  Within minutes, Bob had us on to a Western Screech Owl with another piece of excellent punctuality, this time the bird alighting from its nest within seconds of us turning up.  With a roadside Common Poorwill on our drive back towards Cave Creek Canyon, things were going swimmingly.  And then the gremlins struck!

The prerequisite for owl watching is silence.  In tinder dry woodland, skirted by high rocky crags, the slightest noise is easily amplified.  Each time we left the vehicle, every effort was made to dampen each footstep; talk was kept to a hushed minimum.  These SAS tactics were working well and now was time to try them on the rarest of the local owl species, Flammulated.  It was now pitch black and the bird was calling.  Bob directed us to a strategic parking spot.  We glided to a halt; vehicle doors were opened and shut in silence.  Hand and head signals were working well and then...Wow...Wow...Wow...WOW!!!  The car alarm went off once on the entire trip at this most inopportune moment.  Every single roosting creature in Cave Creek was shaken from its slumbers.  The Flammulated Owl was not just struck dumb, it more than likely took off back to its Mexican wintering grounds and remains there on a diet of Prozac and Valium.  Did someone say "Howl Prowl?"

After the previous day's exertions - we had clocked up an incredible 93 species - today's pace was a little more leisurely.  Everyone was present and correct for our dawn visit to Willow Tank where the small sprinkling of wetland birds included Spotted Sandpiper, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Yellowthroat and Song Sparrow.  And then, replenished by another excellent Portal Peak Lodge breakfast, we headed to Paradise, a rather exaggerated name for a small scattering of homesteads 20 miles west of Portal.  On the way, we saw the only MacGillivray's Warbler of the trip.  If the town name was somewhat overstated, the birding was certainly idyllic, and in the peaceful settings of the George Walker House we were able to sit back and enjoy a garden bird bonanza with four species of hummer, three orioles, Juniper Titmouse, Spotted Towhee, Lazuli Bunting and Black-headed Grosbeak.

Rested, we began the next stage of our drive through the Chiricahuas, climbing to Rustler Park, where we enjoyed both lunch and another local speciality - Mexican Chickadee, perhaps the rarest breeding bird in the region.

With the Owl Prowl beckoning for the other half of the group, we made our way slowly back to Portal, taking time to enjoy the picturesque mountain scenery.  The nocturnal sortie proved equally successful, with all the previous night's owls seen...and not a whimper of a car alarm to be heard!  Once again Flammulated Owls were calling, tantalisingly close, but they remained unseen.  Whip-poor-wills, too, called loudly, seemingly only a few yards away, but couldn't be located.

After another successful early morning visit to see the Elegant Trogons at Cave Creek Canyon, we bade farewell to Portal and began the long journey through a landscape that helped sculptor the very building blocks of the American nation.  At one stop we saw the rather unremarkable stone monument that marked the surrender of Geronimo in 1886.  For more than twenty years Apache leaders such as Cochise, Victorio and Geronimo himself fought a guerrilla war in the mountain country the native indians called the "Land of the Standing Rocks.”  One could not help noticing the contrast between the way modern Americans celebrate Apache history with their own when later we drove into Tombstone. 

Next, though, we called at Whitewater Draw, a wetland that on this occasion had virtually no water at all.  Where significant numbers of wintering and migrating shorebirds and wildfowl can often be found, there was just one Least and two Western Sandpipers.  Given the drought conditions we had witnessed elsewhere, this was not such a surprise and anyway, it was a pleasant enough place to eat our picnic lunch.   And so we headed off to Tombstone.  This one road town is known the world over for a 30-second gunfight in 1881, and today a tour around the OK Corral is just one of the many sights and sounds of an entire Wild West industry that has sprung up in the desert.   That said, after a visit to Boot Hill cemetery, a stroll along main street and even a soda in one of the many swing-door saloons, we headed off into the sunset towards our next venue, Sierra Vista, having enjoyed a highly memorable afternoon in cowboy country.

Running water is the desert's most precious commodity and the gentle flow provided by the San Pedro River has created a unique riparian habitat.  Giant cottonwood trees spring from the river's eroded banks in their hundreds, providing both nesting sites for a host of species as well as fuel stops for migrants.  Our slow walk soon had us watching Bullock's Orioles, Yellow Warblers and Common Yellowthroats and wonderful Vermilion Flycatchers that shone like neon shop signs.  Great Blue Herons and Mallards, some with more than a few residue Mexican Duck genes, reminded us we were in a true wetland.  A hundred yards from river, however, and the desert's influence was only too apparent as a small flock of Common Ground-Dove flew across our path and sought shade under a mesquite tree.

The afternoon saw us heading towards the Huachuca Mountains with the hope of seeing one of the region's most famous inhabitants.  This was an excursion that necessitated security clearance at the US Army's Fort Huachuca, which was home to the famous Buffalo Soldiers - black cavalrymen who distinguished themselves in the Apache Wars.  Formalities and form filling behind us, we drove to Scheelite Canyon and began our ascent up a long dried-out mountain stream to look for one of a handful of Spotted Owls of the Mexican race that breed in Southern Arizona.  The climb was arduous, particularly in the warm afternoon sunshine, and took the group the best part of an hour to scale the mile or so of boulders and rocks, but the effort was worth it.  At the top the trail, sitting nonchalantly five foot off the ground in a small tree, sat one of the world's most beautiful owls, wide-awake but oblivious to our panting and wheezing.  We quietly sat and watched...and watched, marvelling at its cryptic plumage and its occasional near 360 degree head movements.  There was immediate agreement that this was one of the birds, if not THE bird, of the trip.  Rested and satiated on perfect views, we began our slow climb down.  It had been worth every second's effort.

After yesterday afternoon's exertions in mountain country we were faced with a wholly different landscape as we made our way across some of the flattest, driest desert we had so far encountered during the trip.  Apart from a brief sighting of a Northern Harrier, the road on the first leg of the journey from Sierra Vista to Green Valley seemed one endless tract of arid steppe, totally devoid of life until the distinctive shape of one America's larger mammals sprung into view, a buck Pronghorn.  We pulled over and watched as this beautifully marked antelope grazed on some sparse vegetation before casually walking off into the distance.  A nearby transient Coyote added to the mammal tally.

Our next destination was one of the most famous birdwatching gardens in the USA, but with it too early for opening time we called in at another top birding spot, known across the States simply as the Roadside Rest.  For most passing drivers, the small lay-by on the outskirts of Patagonia is just a convenient area for a call of nature, but for many birders it’s one of the best spots to enjoy some of North America's rarest birds.  In the space of an hour we had added three new species for the trip - Canyon Wren with its Willow Warbler-like song, Gray Hawk and a pair of striking Thick-billed Kingbirds.

It was finally time to call at the Paton's, Patagonia's best trod garden path.  For several years the family's well-stocked feeders have drawn in a wonderful array of hummingbirds, and from the comfort of a sunshade and carefully positioned seating we were soon enjoying views of Indigo Bunting, AmericanGoldfinch, Inca Dove, Yellow-breasted Chat, Violet-crowned Hummingbird and Black Vulture (some garden bird!).

Patagonia's brilliant reputation as a birding hotspot was only enhanced with our lunch destination - the town's recreational lake.  Despite the screaming children and leisure boats, this oasis attracts a rich variety of wetland birds in a very arid environment and we able to watch White-faced Ibises, Redheads, Blue-winged Teal and American Coot as well as comparing Double-crested with the very localised Neotropic Cormorant.  A SpottedSandpiper and Sora added to the list of wetland birds, but the undoubted stars were the Black-capped Gnatcatchers which had been found nesting in the nearby mesquite scrub a few weeks earlier, perhaps the only pair nesting north of the Mexican border.

As the afternoon went all too quickly, we headed towards Green Valley, our base for the next two nights, but not before we had added Bonaparte's Gull and Burrowing Owl to the trip list, the latter found perched in a Native American Indian cemetery.

Green Valley is Arizona's answer to Milton Keynes.  A modern housing metropolis built in the desert.  While the environmental impact of such development is horrendous - it does mean that it is possible to see a few localised species within the city limits, and this task was made even easier by the presence of Bob Buttery – a long-standing Avian Adventures guide and Green Valley resident.  His expert knowledge soon had us walking through a postage stamp sized piece of undeveloped real estate watching a delightful Rufous-winged Sparrow and this was followed by a visit to Green Valley Presbyterian Church where we watched a Great Horned Owl roosting in a belfry.

Our next venue was Madera Canyon - one of Arizona's most famous rarity hotspots and also one of the most picturesque with its setting in the impressive Santa Rita Mountains.  Again using Bob's local knowledge we followed a woodland trail, starting in the coniferous belt, passing through oak woodland and finally arriving in open cattle range grassland.  The birds were equally varied and excellent views of Townsend's Warbler and Cordilleran Flycatcher were noteworthy.  After lunch we headed west to one of the region's few wetland areas or 'cienagas'.  As we arrived at Arivaca Cienaga it was obvious water levels were extremely low.  Large tracts of marshland had dried out, leaving only a few remaining waterholes, but these proved highly productive, with a pair of docile Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks, an Eastern Meadowlark and another roosting Great Horned Owl among the highlights.

With the next leg of the tour beckoning, we left Green Valley early to travel north to the famous Western film setting of Sedona.  Passing through Tucson gave us a second opportunity to visit the Sweetwater irrigation lagoons, in the hope of seeing the elusive Least Grebe that had wintered in the area.  It looked as if this rare Mexican speciality was about to elude once again despite an intensive search - which did produce excellent views of Yellow-headed Blackbird and Abert's Towhee - but luckily, one final scan of a small stretch of open water had us watching the diminutive grebe with its beady yellow eye.  Another Arizona speciality under our belts.

Our day-long journey took us through Phoenix and an amazing variety of landscapes - mesquite scrub, saguaro desert, cultivated fields, grass prairie and juniper forest - before we finally arrived on the outskirts of Sedona and caught sight of its famous skyline.  Red Rock Country, as it's known, has been the backdrop of countless cowboy movies over the decades.  The rich ruby geology, shaped by wind erosion, is one Arizona's most popular tourist attractions and the group spent the early evening not only expending many feet of film but also watching some good birds, including Hairy Woodpecker and CommonMerganser.

After a fruitless early morning check of a fast-running stream that looked perfect for American Dipper, we set off towards our next destination, Flagstaff, slowly ascending to over 6,000ft.  At various stops in the Ponderosa pine belt we ticked off Lincoln's Sparrow, Black Phoebe and, surprisingly, a Great Blue Heron.  Again we travelled through various life zones, pine forest, juniper forest and sagebrush, while on the outskirts of Flagstaff mist shrouded peaks occasionally cleared to reveal still extensive areas of snow.  No matter how scenic the journey, it was no preparation for what we were about to witness as we finally pulled into the car park at Mather Point and looked out over the most awesome natural feature on Earth - the Grand Canyon.  No adjectives can do justice to the place recently voted the number one "must see" place before you die, only those who have gazed at the planet's most spectacular example of the power of erosion have any idea of what sort of feelings it evokes.  Suffice to say the entire group - even those who had been it before - were spellbound.

Watching the Sun set over the Grand Canyon is perhaps one of the few ways of creating an experience to rival that very first moment you gaze upon its amazing rock forms.  With the early evening's shadows lengthening we made our way to one of the westernmost watch points to witness the spectacle.  We were not disappointed.  As daylight died, the rocks, buttes and pinnacles deep within the chasm went through a kaleidoscope of colour changes - oranges, reds and purples - before slipping under the black velvet cloak of night.  But even in the twilight's last gleaming there was to be one more surprise: a giant CalifornianCondor, part of the Canyon's reintroduction programme, flew over our heads on its gigantic ten foot wings.  Breathtaking stuff.

The day started with a visit to one of the eastern rim watchpoints to see the effect of morning light on the Canyon.  Once again, the views were awesome, particularly when we discovered that some of the rock shapes that appeared to be a few hundreds of yards away were, in fact, up to ten miles in the distance.  With birds calling, we headed into an area of pine woodland and were treated to good views of Plumbeous and Warbling Vireos, while a noisy Mountain Chickadee remained elusive.  Suddenly, a crow-like bird appeared from nowhere and alighted at the top of a spindly Ponderosa - a Lewis's Woodpecker.  For many, this is the world's most beautiful woodpecker with its strange colour combination of blood red face, pink and grey underparts and glossy green back.  A real bonus bird.

It would take something special to beat the excitement of the woodpecker encounter, but within the hour most members of the group were enjoying one of the thrills of a lifetime - a helicopter flight over the Canyon.  Only those who flew could adequately describe their experiences, but the superlatives that followed - "brilliant"... "out of this world"... "fantastic"..."dumbstruck..." - seemed to show that it was worth the ticket money!

After lunch we headed back into the woods hoping to find some of the area's speciality birds and were lucky to see a small flock of Pinyon Jays and several Western Bluebirds as well as an unexpected mammal - Elk, the North American equivalent of the Old World Red Deer.  A return to the woodland clearing where we had been this morning also proved worthwhile as this time we found two Lewis's Woodpeckers.

It was time to bid farewell to the Grand Canyon and we set off early for the long drive south to Payson.  The journey took us back through the rainbow of life zones towards Mormon Lake.  En route we passed several areas of open water dotted with migratory flocks of Redhead and Ring-necked Duck - and perhaps the surprise of the trip, a male Mandarin!  Sadly, water levels were extremely low at Mormon Lake and the only birds of note were Brewer's and Yellow-headed Blackbirds as well as the trip's only Tree Swallow. 

An excellent lunch in a real cowboy saloon, accompanied by the strains of country and western music from the jukebox, was some compensation.  Our journey continued down Highway 87 through settlements such as Strawberry and Pine to the Tonto Natural Bridge State Park.  Here, mineral springs have carved through the rock, creating not only the world's longest natural arch - approximately 400 ft - but also a wonderful wildlife oasis with several interesting birds such as Painted Redstart, Summer Tanager and singing CanyonWren.  We spent the rest of the afternoon at this enchanting site before heading into Payson for our last night.

Our final drive saw us heading to Phoenix for the flight back to the UK, but there was still time for one more birding session.  As we headed back into saguaro cactus country, we skirted off to an area of desert where the Verde River has created some lush riparian habitat, perfect for species such as Green Heron, Moorhen, Killdeer and Spotted Sandpiper.  The strong desert influence, however, was only too obvious and arid country species such as Verdin, Curve-billed Thrasher, Lucy's Warbler and Gambel's Quail were also present in good numbers.  A fleeting Gilded Flicker - only the second of the trip - was an unexpected bonus as were a pair of Black-tailed Gnatcatchers, another addition to a list that had topped 200 species. 

With our flight beckoning, we headed towards Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport and our return to the UK.  Overhead, the tell-tale shape of Turkey Vultures filled the sky, a fitting farewell from the only species we had seen on every day of the tour.

Full Bird List