Arizona - California Trip ~ October 6, 2014

I headed back to Madera Canyon. On the way up into the canyon, a Greater Roadrunner ran across the road----what else would you expect it to do? A stop at Proctor Road produced Say's Phoebe, Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, Canyon Towhee, Black-throated Sparrow, and Varied Bunting. Just above Proctor Road, I noticed something slowly moving across the road, which turned out to be a Tarantula.

I spent most of the morning at the feeders at the Santa Rita Lodge. The hummingbirds are the main attraction here. Even as late as early October, there were still six species present. I managed to get photos of four of the six, the exceptions being Black-chinned and Broad-tailed.

Anna's Hummingbird

Adult Magnificent Hummingbird

Immature male Magnificent Hummingbird

Broad-billed Hummingbird

White-eared Hummingbird

In addition to the hummingbirds, Wild Turkey, Acorn Woodpecker, Bridled Titmouse, and Lesser Goldfinch, there were several other interesting birds also seen at the lodge.

Red-naped Sapsucker

White-winged Dove

Mexican Jay

Arizona Woodpecker

I walked a little farther up the canyon to Madera Kubo, which also had Magnificent and Blue-throated Hummingbirds and a Townsend's Warbler. I left the canyon in the early afternoon and began the 4-1/2 hour drive to Flagstaff. A Loggerhead Shrike perched on a wire along the way back down to I-19. I took I-10 to Phoenix and then I-17 north, staying the next two nights at a Motel 6 in Flagstaff.

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Arizona - California Trip ~ October 7, 2014

I was hoping that there would be another life bird to try for after the planned October 4th pelagic trip, but that wasn't the case. My backup plan was to drive up and see the Grand Canyon's South Rim. My wife and I had visited the North Rim along with the Utah national parks several years ago, but I had never seen the South Rim. So, I headed up there from Flagstaff, getting there just after sunrise. At around 7000 feet elevation, the temperatures were in the low 40's. The cool temperatures coupled with the early morning hours were most likely the reason that I had most of the viewpoints to myself until around mid-morning. Anyone who has seen the Grand Canyon will tell you that there is no way to photograph it to show just how immense it is. It has to be seen to be believed.

The viewpoint at Grand Canyon Village, looking northwest.

The viewpoint at Grand Canyon Village, looking north.

Western Bluebird below Grand Canyon Village.

The viewpoint at the Village Route Transfer, looking north. Note the two people standing on the cliff face just right of center.

Maricopa Point, looking north-northwest.

Maricopa Point, looking northwest.

Powell Point, looking northwest.

Powell Point, looking north.

Hopi Point, looking northwest. The Colorado River is near center.

Hopi Point, looking northeast. The Colorado River is near center.

Mohave Point, looking northwest. The Colorado River is near center.

The Abyss.

Pima Point, looking northwest, taken with the camera sitting on a bench and set on 'self-timer'.

Pima Point, looking north.

Pima Point, looking northeast.

Yaki Point, looking northwest.

Yaki Point, looking north.

Yaki Point, looking north ten miles across the canyon at the Grand Canyon Lodge on the North Rim.

Yaki Point, looking northeast. Wotans Throne is just left of center and the Vishnu Temple is the sharply-pointed peak just right of center.

Yaki Point, looking east to the Desert View Watchtower. For scale, the tower is 70 feet tall.

Yavapai Point, looking northwest.

Yavapai Point, looking northeast.

Yavapai Point, looking northeast. The tiny section of river visible just below center is where the Phantom Ranch is located.

A telephoto shot of the Phantom Ranch area from Yavapai Point. The river is about 4400 feet below (over 8/10 of a mile)! Note the yellow river rafts on the beach in the lower left. For scale, the black suspension bridge near center is 120 feet long.

A telephoto shot of the Phantom Ranch area from Yavapai Point. Note the yellow river rafts heading out on the river.

Hopi Point, looking west. Note the people on Mohave Point at the top left.

Hopi Point, looking east. Note the people on Powell Point at the top right.

Grandview Point, looking northwest.

Grandview Point, looking north-northeast. Note the sharply-pointed, light-colored Vishnu Temple located just above and left of center.

Grandview Point, looking northeast. Note the Colorado River winding through the canyon located just above and left of center.

Grandview Point, looking northwest at sunset.

In addition to the Western Bluebird, I saw Western Scrub-Jay, Clark's Nutcracker, Mountain Chickadee, and Orange-crowned Warbler. Despite looking, I did not see any California Condors. Mule Deer and Elk were present along the park roads. After sunset, I drove the hour-and-a-half back to Flagstaff.

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Arizona - California Trip ~ October 8, 2014

The remmants of a tropical storm in Mexico were advancing into Arizona. It was cloudy with a few showers as I left Flagstaff and headed to Sedona. It was an uncharacteristically dreary day when I took these photos.

Castle and Cathedral Rock near Sedona, Arizona.

Rock formations near Sedona, Arizona.

Chimney Rock and other formations near Sedona, Arizona.

Castle, Bell, and Cathedral Rock near Sedona, Arizona.

Castle and Cathedral Rock near Sedona, Arizona.

Bewick's Wren near Sedona, Arizona.

Black and Say's Phoebe and Western Scrub-Jay were also present.
As I continued down I-17, the rain increased in intensity all the way into Phoenix. I birded the Gilbert Water Ranch in the afternoon among periods of showers and mosquitoes, finding most of the expected species.

Neotropic Cormorant

Abert's Towhee

Inca Dove

Verdin

Curve-billed Thrasher

Gambel's Quail

The one large pool held Snowy Egret, Green-winged Teal, Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet, Greater Yellowlegs, Least Sandpiper, and Long-billed Dowitcher. Also noted were Green Heron, Northern Harrier, Cooper's Hawk, American Coot, Anna's Hummingbird, Gila Woodpecker, Black Phoebe, Cliff Swallow, Verdin, Orange-crowned and "Audubon's" Warbler, White-crowned and Lincoln's Sparrow, and Great-tailed Grackle.
I had a few hours before having to catch my flight, so I stopped at a Lone Star Steakhouse and enjoyed a steak at the bar while watching the Flyers - Bruins game. I turned in the rental car with an extra 1782 miles on it. I tallied six 'life birds' among the 132 species. More photos can be found in my California Photo Album and my Arizona Photo Album.

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California and Arizona ~ October 2-8, 2014
1) Mallard
2) Green-winged Teal
3) American Wigeon
4) Wild Turkey
5) Gambel's Quail
6) Eared Grebe
7) Western Grebe
8) Pink-footed Shearwater
9) Black-vented Shearwater
10) Black Storm-Petrel
11) Ashy Storm-Petrel
12) Least Storm-Petrel
13) Brown Pelican
14) Neotropic Cormorant
15) Brandt's Cormorant
16) Double-crested Cormorant
17) Black-crowned Night-Heron
18) Green Heron
19) Snowy Egret
20) Great Egret
21) Great Blue Heron
22) Turkey Vulture
23) Osprey
24) Northern Harrier
25) Cooper's Hawk
26) Red-tailed Hawk
27) Crested Caracara
28) American Kestrel
29) American Coot
30) Black-bellied Plover
31) Semipalmated Plover
32) Killdeer
33) Black Oystercatcher
33a) American X Black Oystercatcher (hybrid)
34) American Avocet
35) Black-necked Stilt
36) Willet
37) Greater Yellowlegs
38) Wandering Tattler
39) Whimbrel
40) Long-billed Curlew
41) Marbled Godwit
42) Black Turnstone
43) Western Sandpiper
44) Least Sandpiper
45) Short-billed Dowitcher
46) Long-billed Dowitcher
47) Wilson's Snipe
48) Red-necked Phalarope
49) Heermann's Gull
50) Ring-billed Gull
51) California Gull
52) Western Gull
53) Sabine's Gull
54) Elegant Tern
55) Royal Tern
56) Caspian Tern
57) Pomarine Jaeger
58) Craveri's Murrelet
59) Cassin's Auklet
60) Rock Pigeon
61) Mourning Dove
62) Eurasian Collared-Dove
63) White-winged Dove
64) Common Ground-Dove
65) Inca Dove
66) Rosy-faced Lovebird
67) Greater Roadrunner
68) Broad-billed Hummingbird
69) White-eared Hummingbird
70) Magnificent Hummingbird
71) Black-chinned Hummingbird
72) Anna's Hummingbird
73) Broad-tailed Hummingbird
74) Acorn Woodpecker
75) Gila Woodpecker
76) Northern "Red-shafted" Flicker
77) Red-naped Sapsucker
78) Arizona Woodpecker
79) Nuttall's Woodpecker
80) Downy Woodpecker
81) Western Wood-Pewee
82) Pacific-slope Flycatcher
83) Black Phoebe
84) Say's Phoebe
85) Cassin's Kingbird
86) Loggerhead Shrike
87) Steller's Jay
88) Clark's Nutcracker
89) Western Scrub-Jay
90) Mexican Jay
91) American Crow
92) Common Raven
93) Cliff Swallow
94) Bridled Titmouse
95) Mountain Chickadee
96) Verdin
97) Bushtit
98) White-breasted Nuthatch
99) Bewick's Wren
100) Cactus Wren
101) Rock Wren
102) Canyon Wren
103) Ruby-crowned Kinglet
104) Black-tailed Gnatcatcher
105) Western Bluebird
106) Northern Mockingbird
107) Curve-billed Thrasher
108) European Starling
109) American Pipit
110) Red-throated Pipit ("Lower 48" bird)
111) Phainopepla
112) Orange-crowned Warbler
113) Yellow-rumped "Audubon's" Warbler
114) Townsend's Warbler
115) Common Yellowthroat
116) California Towhee
117) Canyon Towhee
118) Abert's Towhee
119) Chipping Sparrow
120) Black-throated Sparrow
121) "Belding's" Savannah Sparrow
122) Lincoln's Sparrow
123) Song Sparrow
124) White-crowned Sparrow
125) Varied Bunting
126) Western Meadowlark
127) Red-winged Blackbird
128) Great-tailed Grackle
129) House Finch
130) Lesser Goldfinch
131) House Sparrow
132) Scaly-breasted Munia (Nutmeg Mannikin)

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