[wisb] AZ trip report
- From: "Seegert, Greg" <gseegert@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: "wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 9 Sep 2013 12:24:47 -0400
Wisbirders
Sorry this report is late but ever since I mostly retired (now I work 1-2 days
a week, mostly out of my home) I'm busier than ever. For example, I'm writing
this from L Rock, AR where I'm attending a fish conference. Anyway, in AZ I
concentrated on birds I needed for my year list. The trip started on Aug 26
and went thru the 30th. Overall, birding was average but I added 3 AZ birds
and I lifer.
Aug 26---I have been lucky so far this year in that scheduled trips coincided
with rare birds being in the area. In April, it was a N lapwing near Savannah,
GA. In July, it was the first ABA record of rufous-necked wood rail in NM. My
luck continued as a blue-footed booby showed up in SE AZ just before I arrived.
I got to the airport in Phoenix about 1 and drove straight to Patagonia L
where the booby had been hanging out. I found the booby but it was a long way
out. After that, I went to the Patagonia Roadside rest where I saw
thick-billed kingbird and the first of many blue grosbeak it s.
Aug 27---I started at Kino Springs golf course because painted bunting had been
reported there. I found both a male and female P bunting (AZ bird). I then
headed back to Patagonia L to get a better look at the booby. On the way in, I
found a couple of Botteri's sparrows. I got great looks at the booby including
watching it do aerial plunges for fish 50 yds in front of me...never saw him
catch anything. I checked the roadside rest again and Blue Haven Rd outside of
Patagonia but saw nothing of interest. Looked for tropical kingbirds at the
Tubac GC but dipped. However, I found one at the Tubac Bridge along with a
gray hawk. Some rare birds had been reported in Montosa Canyon. Didn't find
any rare birds but added canyon wren and varied bunting to my year list. In
Madera Canyon I looked for rare hummers but again dipped. But, I added
sulfur-bellied flycatcher to my year list.
Aug 28---spent quite a bit of time in the grasslands at the San Pedro House
outside of Sierra Vista and finally found a Cassin's sparrow. I went to
Beatty's to look for hummers but it was very slow, only 6 spp, the worst I've
seen it. In St David I found a pr of MS kites after an hr of driving around.
On my drive from St David to Wilcox, I saw a couple of Swainson's hawks. At L
Cochise outside of Wilcox it was mostly the standard shorebirds but I found a
couple of semi-palm sandpipers, which are rare in AZ and my third AZ bird of
the trip. Also, in this area, I found a couple of scaled quail. This is
probably the best place in AZ to see them.
Aug 29---Drove to the Chiracuaha mountains. Birds were tough to find. I
finally found a large flock at the entrance to Rustler Park (the park itself is
closed). I was sure there would be a Mexican chickadee in this flock but if
there was I couldn't find it. I did find hermit, Townsends, black-throated
gray and Grace's warbler, Cassin's vireo, and many pygmy nuthatches. The
latter 2 spp were year birds. At Barfoot Junction I heard band-tailed pigeon.
I then headed down the mountain to Portal. A mile or so before Portal, a pr of
Montezuma quail ran in front of me. I had planned to do 2-3 more hrs of
birding but the monsoon rains hit really hard. After a late lunch at the
Portal Peak Lodge, they hadn't stopped so I headed for Tucson. Near the
airport, I found 5 burrowing owls.
Aug 30---Before heading back to the airport in Phoenix, I tried for N beardless
tyrannulet and gilded flicker nr Tucson but dipped on both.
I wish I could have found a few more birds but anytime I can add a year bird I
count my blessings.
Good birding
Greg Seegert
Beaver Dam (more often than not)
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