CO-NM-AZ Trip ~ May 1, 2009

My ‘birding mom’, Babe Webster, and I flew from Philadelphia to Albuquerque, New Mexico, rented a Ford Focus from Alamo, and took a 7-day, 2300-mile whirlwind trip to visit Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona. Albuquerque was picked as the airport because of its location midway between Colorado and Arizona. Target birds included Gunnison Sage-Grouse, Sinaloa Wren, Northern Pygmy-Owl, and two birds that I had seen but Babe hadn’t----Blue Mockingbird and Ruddy-Ground-Dove. We were also hoping to get to see the Flame-colored Tanager that had visited Madera Canyon for six previous years, but we had not heard any word of its return by the day we left. As it turned out, we had a pretty successful trip, given the circumstances.

After picking up Babe at around 3:15 AM, we headed to the Philadelphia airport and got on a United Airlines flight to Denver. We switched planes there and flew to Albuquerque. After getting our rental car around 1:30 PM, we hopped on I-25 and started the 340-mile trek to Gunnison, Colorado. Birds seen along the way in New Mexico included American Kestrel, Western Kingbird, the seemingly ever-present Common Raven, Horned Lark, Western Meadowlark, Brewer’s Blackbird, and Common and Great-tailed Grackle.

A stop along Highway 285 just south of the New Mexico – Colorado birder produced Sage Thrasher and some great looks at an immature Ferruginous Hawk.

Highway birds seen in Colorado included many of the same birds seen in New Mexico plus Swainson’s Hawk, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Black-billed Magpie, and Red-winged and Yellow-headed Blackbird. A quick examination of the Waunita Hot Springs lek at dusk revealed several winnowing Wilson’s Snipe.

We rolled into Gunnison at around 9:30 PM, stopped at a Safeway to get most of our week’s supplies and then indulged ourselves with personal pan pizzas at Pizza Hut. We spent a very short night at the Gunnison Inn, setting alarm clocks for 3:30 AM.

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CO-NM-AZ Trip ~ May 2, 2009

We arrived back at the Waunita Hot Springs lek by 5:00 AM. As it began to get light, we heard and then saw our ‘life’ Gunnison Sage-Grouse as over 30 males displayed among a few females. This poor photo shows them strutting their stuff. You can barely see the air sacs and the long filoplumes on the third bird from the right. The birds were about 150 yards away, thus the poor photo in the dim, early-morning light. Luckily, the showers predicted for that morning never materialized.

By 7:30 AM, almost all of the Gunnison Sage-Grouse left the lek and flew across the road in front of our car.

This overall view of the lek shows the informational signs along the road. The birds were displaying in the lightest-colored strip of meadow above the rightmost sign.

Other birds seen or heard at the lek included Wild Turkey, Killdeer, Wilson’s Snipe, Black-billed Magpie, Cliff and Barn Swallow, and Mountain Bluebird. After the last bird left, we started the long drive back down through Colorado and New Mexico.

Highway 50 crosses the Continental Divide at Monarch Pass. The pass is 11,312 feet in elevation.

A stop at a small pond south of Poncha Pass produced Northern Shoveler, Common Merganser, Willet, and Tree Swallow.

Looking north along Highway 285, near Villa Grove, Colorado. The Rocky Mountains are in the background. A Loggerhead Shrike was seen along this section of road.

Here are three of the Pronghorn that were seen along Highway 285 near Villa Grove, Colorado.

This male Yellow-headed Blackbird was seen along Route 17 north of Alamosa, Colorado, at a cattail marsh traversed by a railroad trestle. Cinnamon Teal and Violet-green Swallow were also seen in this area.

This Swainson's Hawk was seen along Route 17 north of Alamosa, Colorado.

A Western Meadowlark was seen at the same place as the Swainson's Hawk.

One last look back across the Colorado border.

Babe Webster and our Ford Focus rental car at the New Mexico border with San Antonio Mountain in the background.


White-winged Dove was the only new trip bird seen along the New Mexico leg of the 488-mile drive to Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, where we spent the night at the Hot Springs Inn.

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CO-NM-AZ Trip ~ May 3, 2009

We left the motel early enough to make the one-hour drive across Route 152 and get up to Emory Pass by sunrise. A Great Horned Owl flew from the road, probably with one of the many Jackrabbits or Kangaroo Rats that we spotted in the 'high-beams' along the roadside. Just below the east side of Emory Pass at around Mile Marker 30, we swung around one of the many hairpin curves and found a Flammulated Owl standing on the shoulder of the road, about 15 feet in front of the car! It stayed there in the headlights for about 15-20 seconds, the best look that either of us had ever had of this secretive owl. Unfortunately, it flew off before I could get my camera out of the back seat. Our main objective was to hopefully hear Northern Pygmy-Owl here, but that didn’t happen.

Part-way down on the west side of the pass, we stopped at the Iron Creek Picnic Area and found this Red-faced Warbler.

Although this photo's not the greatest, I included it because it shows the Red-faced Warbler in flight.

Other birds that we found on the western side of the pass included a ‘fly-by’ Zone-tailed Hawk, Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern (Red-shafted) Flicker, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Western Wood-Pewee, Cordilleran Flycatcher, Warbling Vireo, Steller's Jay, Mountain Chickadee, Red-breasted and White-breasted Nuthatch, Winter Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Hermit Thrush, American Robin, Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow-rumped (Audubon’s) Warbler, Wilson’s Warbler, Western Tanager, Dark-eyed (Red-backed) Junco, and Black-headed Grosbeak.

Chihuahuan Raven and Phainopepla were the two new trip birds seen along the way through Silver City, New Mexico, to the Arizona border on I-10.

We stopped at Willcox, Arizona where we found this very cooperative Harris’s Hawk.

This Swainson's Hawk was seen circling over the Willcox Playa.

Other birds seen at the Willcox Playa included American Wigeon, Blue-winged Teal, many Ruddy Ducks, Eared Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, American Coot, Black-bellied Plover, Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet, Willet, Spotted, Western, and Least Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher, many Wilson’s Phalaropes, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Horned Lark, Cliff Swallow, Yellow-rumped (Audubon’s) Warbler, Lark and Savannah Sparrow, and Great-tailed Grackle.

After driving on to Tucson and getting our room at a Motel 6 for the next two nights, we headed down to Madera Canyon to try for Northern Pygmy-Owl at the Wrightson Picnic Area at dusk. Unfortunately, the picnic area held several very loud families, which made listening for owls difficult. Our luck quickly turned around when a couple looking for an Elegant Trogon that had been previously reported just beyond the picnic area told us that the Flame-colored Tanager had returned to Madera Kubo a few days before! A bird we thought we had no chance of seeing was now put back at the top of our ‘want’ list. Babe suggested that we park ourselves there early the next morning and I quickly agreed.

While at the picnic area, we saw Mexican Jay, Hermit Thrush, Painted Redstart, Hepatic Tanager, and Black-headed Grosbeak. We left the picnic area and stopped at the ampitheater parking lot just after dusk. There, we heard Western and Whiskered Screech-Owl, Whip-poor-will, Common Poorwill, and a distant Northern Pygmy-Owl that stopped calling before we ever had a chance of finding it.

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CO-NM-AZ Trip ~ May 4, 2009

By first light, we were back at the ampitheater parking lot where we again heard Whiskered Screech-Owl, Common Poorwill, and Whip-poor-will.

As planned, we stationed ourselves at Madera Kubo where we soon heard and saw the Flame-colored Tanager, which was a ‘lifer’ for both of and was also Babe’s 700th ABA bird! We had hoped to see this bird in 2005, but wildfires in and around Madera Canyon had closed the area and the birds apparently left when the fires got too close to Madera Kubo. So, the fact that we got to see it this time was a total reversal of our luck.

This appropriately-named Flame-colored Tanager would occasionally make a quick drop down from the treetops to feed on the jelly put out by the Madera Kubo owners. This was one of the few photos I was able to get of it down at the jelly.

Just when I was figuring that seeing the tanager was our luckiest break of the trip, I heard an owl 'tooting' a little farther up the road. I grabbed Babe and we began trying to track down the periodic calls. We continued to zero in on them but still couldn’t find the bird. Just as I realized that the calls were coming from above and between us, we noticed an owl fly out of a hole and Babe followed it up into an oak. After years of trying, we were finally looking at our ‘life’ Northern Pygmy-Owl!

We backed off from the hole and the bird stayed in the tree, occasionally calling as we continued to soak in the views of our 'life' Northern Pygmy-Owl.

This Townsend's Warbler was seen at Madera Kubo.

This Arizona Woodpecker visited a suet feeder at Madera Kubo.

This male Western Tanager fed on orange halves at Madera Kubo.

We were also thrilled to see the White-eared Hummingbird that was coming to the feeders at the gift shop. Other birds found there included Sharp-shinned Hawk, Broad-billed, Magnificent, Black-chinned, and Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Acorn Woodpecker, Plumbeous Vireo, Bridled Titmouse, Wilson’s Warbler, Painted Redstart, Hepatic Tanager, Black-headed Grosbeak, Lazuli Bunting, Hooded Oriole, Pine Siskin, and Lesser Goldfinch.

This Acorn Woodpecker posed by the feeders at the Santa Rita Lodge.

On the way back down the road from Madera, we saw a dark snake with an orange tail (most likely a Sonoran Coachwhip) cross the road and this Desert Spiny Lizard.

We headed back to Tucson and celebrated our fantastic morning by stopping at a Golden Corral and getting the closest thing to a full-course meal that we’d had all week.

After enjoying a rare mid-afternoon break at the motel, we traveled over to the Sabino Canyon Recreational Area where this Gambel's Quail perched on a short snag.

There, we also found Gila Woodpecker, Verdin, Cactus Wren, Curve-billed Thrasher, Phainopepla, and Northern Cardinal. On the way to Mount Lemmon, we saw our first Greater Roadrunner of the trip dart across (what else?) the road.

Our drive up the Mount Lemmon Highway was more of a sightseeing venture than for birding, although we did see a Yellow-eyed Junco on a bank along the road. This was the view looking north from Mount Lemmon near Summerhaven.

This photo shows the rock formations above Bear Canyon along the Mount Lemmon Highway near Tucson, AZ.

We stopped on the way back to the motel and celebrated some more with a Dairy Queen sundae.

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CO-NM-AZ Trip ~ May 5, 2009

We awoke to find this Cactus Wren singing outside our motel room in Tuscon, Arizona.

We began the day by visiting the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum located outside Tucson. Despite several trips to southeast Arizona, we never took the time to go there, but this time we did and the exhibits were well worth it. There, I was able to photograph this Anna's Hummingbird.

One look at this male Broad-billed Hummingbird and you can understand why it is one of my favorite hummingbirds. The colors on the male are eye-opening.

After leaving the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, I made several quick stops to photograph the Saguaro Cactus along Kinney Road.

Tucson Mountain Park holds a high density of Saguaro Cacti.

This Saguaro Cactus has several long arms, making it a very old plant. It normally takes 50-70 years for a Saguaro to grow arms. The one pictured here is likely to be well over 100 years old! An adult saguaro may weigh 6 tons or more and be as tall as 50 feet. The average life span of a saguaro is probably 150 - 175 years of age! Note the flowers blossoming atop each of its arms.

Here, Prickly Pear cactus stands in the forefront with saguaros growing behind on the hillside.

We drove from Tucson to Patagonia by way of Sonoita and stopped at the Patons' residence.
The Patons' is one of the best places in the country to see the Violet-crowned Hummingbird.

Although not the best photo, I managed to capture this Violet-crowned Hummingbird in flight.

This Gila Woodpecker was just one of the many birds seen feeding there.

Numbers of Lazuli Buntings dropped in to feed at the Patons'.

This Lark Sparrow also stopped to feed there.

Other birds spotted from there included Gambel’s Quail, Black Vulture, Cooper’s Hawk, Gray Hawk, Inca Dove, Broad-billed, Black-chinned, and Anna’s Hummingbird, Dusky-capped Flycatcher, Bewick’s Wren, Yellow-breasted Chat, Summer Tanager, Abert’s Towhee, White-crowned Sparrow, Black-headed Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, Pine Siskin, and Lesser Goldfinch.

We continued over to the Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Sanctuary where we saw this Vermilion Flycatcher.

I was able to get a nice photo of this Gray Hawk perched in one of the large cottonwoods found in the sanctuary.

Thanks to a tip from some other birders, we were able to see this Zone-tailed Hawk on its nest.

Additional birds seen at the Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Sanctuary were Great Blue Herons on a nest, Black Phoebe, and Cassin’s Kingbird.

We spent the next two nights at the Motel 6 in Sierra Vista.

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CO-NM-AZ Trip ~ May 6, 2009

We awoke early enough to get ourselves to the Sinaloa Wren site near Patagonia by dawn. Thanks to Melody Kehl, we were able to hear the bird a few hundred yards east of the ‘cut bank’, but we were never able to get a look at it. Birds that we did see there included Gambel’s Quail, Broad-billed and Black-chinned Hummingbird, Bell’s Vireo, Bewick’s Wren, Wilson’s and Yellow-rumped (Audubon’s) Warbler, Yellow-breasted Chat, Western Tanager, Lincoln’s Sparrow, Bullock’s Oriole, and Lesser Goldfinch. A drive down along the rest of the Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Sanctuary produced Gray and Zone-tailed Hawk, Vermilion Flycatcher, and Abert’s Towhee.

We headed for the Slaughter Ranch outside of Douglas to hopefully find Blue Mockingbird or Ruddy-Ground Dove for Babe. Despite spending the late morning and afternoon there, we weren’t able to find either one. We would later hear that the mockingbird was last seen on the 4th.

This Yellow-breasted Chat was hiding among the leaves.

This Say's Phoebe was also found at the Slaughter Ranch.

Other birds found there included Lesser Scaup, Gambel’s Quail, Pied-billed Grebe, American Coot, Black Phoebe, Vermilion Flycatcher, Cassin’s and Western Kingbird, Bell’s and Warbling Vireo, Northern Mockingbird, Phainopepla, Western Tanager, Canyon Towhee, Lark Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Black-headed Grosbeak, Red-winged Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, Hooded Oriole, Pine Siskin, and warblers that included Wilson’s, Yellow, Yellow-rumped (Audubon’s), Orange-crowned, and MacGillivray’s.

We drove back to Sierra Vista and set our alarm clocks for another visit to Patagonia.

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CO-NM-AZ Trip ~ May 7, 2009

Back at Patagonia, despite hearing the Sinaloa Wren sing and call most of the early morning hours, we eventually left without an identifiable look at this 1st U.S. record. It was extremely frustrating to hear the bird so close at times and still not being able to see it through the thick vegetation. Common Yellowthroat, Canyon Towhee, and Javelinas with young were new sightings for the area.

We visited the Patagonia roadside rest stop and spotted White-throated Swift and heard Canyon Wren.
Regrettably leaving Patagonia, we headed back into New Mexico by way of I-10. A group of Lark Buntings were found along Highway 26, halfway between Deming and Hatch.

North of Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, I-25 goes through Monticello Canyon.

Our next stop was Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. This Greater Roadrunner perched along one of the impoundment roads.

White-faced Ibis were seen in a few of the impoundments.

Besides the obvious white line around the eye, the overall coloration of this White-faced Ibis is a lot different than the Glossy Ibis that we see in the East.

This male and female Cinnamon Teal swam along the edge of one of the impoundments.

In just a couple hours, this great spot also produced Gadwall, American Wigeon, Blue-winged and Green-winged Teal, Northern Pintail, Northern Shoveler, Ruddy Duck, Ring-necked Pheasant, Gambel’s Quail, Great and Snowy Egret, Common Moorhen, American Coot, American Avocet, Western Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher, Wilson’s Phalarope, Black and Say’s Phoebe, Bank, Cliff, and Barn Swallow, and White-crowned Sparrow.

At sunset, hundreds of Lesser Nighthawks darted around over the impoundments.

Note the buffy spots near the trailing edge on this Lesser Nighthawk.

We spent the last night of the trip at the Motel 6 in Socorro.

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