Southern California - Arizona Trip ~ October 25-26, 2013

I headed up Planet Ranch Road and set up shop at the Nutting's Flycatcher spot. I spent several hours there, hoping that the bird would call, but it never did; and a Sharp-shinned Hawk circling over the area surely didn't help my chances. Although the flycatcher was a no-show, I did manage to see Gila Woodpecker, Gilded Flicker, Mexican Jay, Rock Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, Crissal Thrasher, Phainopepla, Loggerhead Shrike, and Orange-crowned Warbler.

Planet Ranch Road in the Bill Williams National Wildlife Refuge.

Phainopepla along Planet Ranch Road in the Bill Williams National Wildlife Refuge.

After several hours of trying, I returned to Highway 95 and checked out the lake area of the refuge.

Bill Williams National Wildlife Refuge at the southern end of Lake Havasu, Arizona.

Scoping the water revealed Double-crested Cormorant, Great Egret, Mallard, Canvasback, Redhead, Ruddy Duck, American Coot, and about 30 Clark's Grebes, the most I've ever seen in one place. Other birds spotted in the area included Anna's Hummingbird, Say's Phoebe, and Canyon Towhee.

Clark's Grebes in the Bill Williams National Wildlife Refuge.

Along the way back to Phoenix, American Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, and Brewer's Blackbird were seen. I spent the night in Phoenix and flew back home early the next morning. The four days of birding and 1346 miles of driving yielded 86 species.

More photos can be found in my California Photo Album and my Arizona Photo Album.

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Southern California - Arizona Trip List

1) Greater White-fronted Goose
2) Snow Goose
3) Canada Goose
4) Mallard
5) Canvasback
6) Redhead
7) Ruddy Duck
8) Gambel's Quail
9) Eared Grebe
10) Clark's Grebe
11) Blue-footed Booby
12) Brown Pelican
13) Double-crested Cormorant
14) Snowy Egret
15) Great Egret
16) Great Blue Heron
17) Turkey Vulture
18) Black Vulture
19) Northern Harrier
20) Golden Eagle
21) Sharp-shinned Hawk
22) Red-tailed Hawk
23) American Kestrel
24) Peregrine Falcon
25) American Coot
26) Black-bellied Plover
27) American Avocet
28) Willet
29) Long-billed Curlew
30) Least Sandpiper
31) Long-billed Dowitcher
32) Heermann's Gull
33) Ring-billed Gull
34) California Gull
35) Herring Gull
36) Caspian Tern
37) Rock Pigeon
38) Mourning Dove
39) White-winged Dove
40) Inca Dove
41) Magnificent Hummingbird
42) Anna's Hummingbird
43) Acorn Woodpecker
44) Gila Woodpecker
45) Northern (Red-shafted) Flicker
46) Gilded Flicker
47) Ladder-backed Woodpecker
48) Black Phoebe
49) Say's Phoebe
50) Cassin's Kingbird
51) Loggerhead Shrike
52) Plumbeous Vireo
53) Mexican Jay
54) American Crow
55) Common Raven
56) Bridled Titmouse
57) White-breasted Nuthatch
58) Pacific Wren
59) Bewick's Wren
60) Rock Wren
61) Sinaloa Wren
62) Ruby-crowned Kinglet
63) Black-tailed Gnatcatcher
64) Eastern Bluebird
65) Crissal Thrasher
66) European Starling
67) Phainopepla
68) Orange-crowned Warbler
69) Yellow-rumped (Audubon's) Warbler
70) Townsend's Warbler
71) Painted Redstart
72) Hepatic Tanager
73) Canyon Towhee
74) Chipping Sparrow
75) Savannah Sparrow
76) Lincoln's Sparrow
77) Song Sparrow
78) White-crowned Sparrow
79) Dark-eyed (Gray-headed) Junco
80) Pyrrhuloxia
81) Lazuli Bunting
82) Great-tailed Grackle
83) Brewer's Blackbird
84) House Finch
85) Lesser Goldfinch
86) House Sparrow

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