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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