Wednesday, March 7, 2018

Arizona - California Trip ~ February 28, 2018

After having four days of cloudless weather, a storm system moved through during the night bringing some rain in the lower evelations and snow in the mountains above 4500 feet. Mount Lemmon received six inches of snow. When we reached Madera Canyon, the roads were just wet, but the trails had about an inch of snow in sections. Once again, we hiked the Bog Springs Trail and the trail along Madera Creek looking for Montezuma Quail and couldn't find any.

At the Whitehouse picnic area, we found Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Townsend's Warbler, and Red-naped Sapsucker.
Townsend's Warbler


Red-naped Sapsucker


We drove back down to the De Anza Trail to give it another try for the Sinaloa Wren. At the parking area, we waited in the car for a little while until the last band of rain and snow pushed through the area. Inside the fence at 12 Santa Gertrudis Lane, Mike picked out a Ruddy Ground-Dove on the ground among the Inca Doves. An American Kestrel was also there as was this striking Vermilion Flycatcher.



There were plenty of House and Bewick's Wrens, but we didn't find 'the' wren. A Cassin's Vireo and a Hammond's Flycatcher allowed me to get some photos.
Cassin's Vireo


Hammond's Flycatcher


On the way back up I-19, we stopped to take photos of the storm clouds over the Santa Rita Mountains.


At the Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum, we got excellent looks at a male Allen's Hummingbird, unusual for Arizona, that was protecting his flower patch.




It would periodically dive-bomb a male Costa's Hummingbird when it got too close to its territory.




Anna's Hummingbird, Verdin, and Curve-billed Thrasher were also on the museum's grounds as was this Cactus Wren that was near the aviary.


At the Red Rock feedlot, we got photos of two Ruddy Ground-Doves near the house at the northwest corner of the triangle.



We drove through a section of the Santa Cruz Flats where we had in-flight looks at a dark Ferruginous Hawk and a Prairie Falcon. A large number of American Pipits were seen along one of the roads, and I was unable to resist taking more photos of another Vermilion Flycatcher near sunset.


We spent our last night in Chandler, Arizona.

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