Puerto
Peñasco, Mexico
Nov.
4-11, 2006
- Trip Report
Sat.,
Nov. 4 Arrival in Tucson / Saguaro NP / Scenic Drive to Ajo
We gathered in Tucson on a beautiful sunny day then headed west, threading
through the city’s ever expanding residential areas. We drove
through the back section of Saguaro National Park, stopping to stretch
our legs at a small canyon. Walking down the wash a short way, we
found West Coast Lady, two species of Sulphur and Southern Dogface
butterflies active among the rocks -- perhaps in search of minerals.
A Rock Wren put on a good show for us; behind it we heard other Rock
and also Canyon Wrens.
We
ambled back to the van and drove through stunning cactus forest. In
the middle of the afternoon there was little wildlife about; but the
low angled November light was gentle on the landscape, and we enjoyed
the drive thoroughly. On Sandario Road west of the park, Peg pulled
over so we could get a close look at the very pale fuertes race of
the Red-tailed Hawk that is common to this 
area.
It posed cooperatively then flew to a nearby cactus. We saw another
Red-tailed Hawk on a pole further down, which inspired us to start
counting. In the 100 miles we traveled to Ajo, we counted 32 Red-tailed
Hawks, most of them this light colored race! In addition to the Red-tailed
Hawks, we had three American Kestrels and one male Northern Harrier,
but not the hoped-for Harris’s Hawk or Crested Caracara.
We arrived in Ajo in time to watch,
from the porch of the Guest House Inn, the sunset and the rise of
the full moon. Still in our T-shirts at sunset in November –
delightful!
Sun.,
Nov. 5 Organ Pipe Cactus NP / El Pinacate Reserve / Puerto Peñasco
Several of our group rose early for desert birding around the Guest
House Inn. We found a classic sample of Sonoran Desert species: Phainopepla,
Curve-billed Thrasher, Verdin, Gambel’s Quail, and Black-throated
Sparrow. We also saw three hummingbird species -- the resident Costa’s,
a wintering Anna’s, and a late Black-chinned -- all of which
posed well for our inspection. Mike, the proprietor of the Guest House,
outdid himself with a wonderful breakfast. Peg and Edna led the clean
plate club as we devoured fresh fruit, a rich cheesy quiche, sausage,
and puff pastry with a sweet potato filling.
Soon
we were packed up and heading south, eventually for Puerto Peñasco
and the beach, but first to Organ Pipe Cactus National Park and its
sister park in Mexico, El Pinacate Reserve. Some members of our group
had never seen cacti before this trip – and we saw them in profusion!
In this lower elevation desert, the Organ Pipe Cactus, a tall, columnar
species with numerous “branches,” joins the Saguaro. Just
over the border we found numerous Senita cacti as well. Barrel, Prickly
Pear, and Chain-fruit Cholla Cacti grew in abundance, interspersed
with desert shrubs. At the Visitor’s Center in Organ Pipe we
found a Black Phoebe in residence at the small pond created by school
children for Quitobaquito Pupfish.
We
reached El Pinacate in the middle of the day, filled out permits and
talked with the rangers, then headed in, bumping along the dirt road.
As the substrates changed -- sand, cinder, lava, and desert pavement
– the types of desert plants changed as well. Teddy Bear Cholla
is very common here, replacing the Chain-fruit species for the most
part. Saguaro seemed to prefer the lava, while wind-blown sand areas
held only a few hearty shrubs. Elephant Bush grew at the rim of Crater
Elegante, but the plants seemed insignificant in this captivating
scene.
What
a show of geologic forces! This crater, almost a perfect circle, is
nearly a mile across, with lava and ash flows visible inside the crater
layered 800 feet thick. We viewed this massive feature from the rim,
looking down on what was once a crater lake at the tail end of the
Pleistocene era.
We
then drove over to Cerro Colorado, admiring another Red-tailed Hawk
atop a Saguaro, myriad cinder cones, aa lava flows, and the vast austere
expanse of space. Cerro Colorado differs from the other volcanic features
in the reserve; it’s mainly an ash tuff cone. Its deeply eroded
inner and outer walls are a stunning vermilion hue. It stands above
the desert floor like Ayer’s Rock in Australia -- a different
texture, but almost as imposing. Standing at the rim, we read about
the cataclysmic events that built this crater, and marveled at the
remains of a desert playa to the north.
We left the park and headed south
to the beach, arriving in time for margaritas while watching the sunset
–fun! We tried fresh shrimp and fish and some Sonoran beef for
dinner, watching the light of a shimmering full moon on the waves
of the Sea of Cortez.
Mon.,
Nov. 6 Tidepools / Estero Morua with CEDO
This morning Rick Boyer, Co-Director of CEDO (Intercultural Center
for the Study of Deserts and Oceans) and one of his staff members,
Jess, drove with us to Station Beach, site of the original research
on shrimp aquaculture in the Sea of Cortez. This beach consists of
a number of habitats, including sand, beachrock, basalt rock boulders,
and rock-rimmed tidepools. Rick explained the fascinating details
of the formation of the beach and how the resulting array of habitats
leads to layering of ecological communities.
We
carefully lifted rocks and boulders to examine the life forms below,
finding an abundant and diverse show! We found several colorful sponges
and a type of coral that tolerates the colder winter water temperatures.
Bright orange tunicates resembled sponges, but revealed feeding and
waste holes. In the tidepools we found chitons, three species of brittlestars,
Porcelain, Lumpy-clawed, and Hermit Crabs in abundance, and small
goby fish. Several types of algae also grew in the pools, including
numerous forms of elaborate, brightly colored fan algae. Several hours
passed before we knew it; only the tide rushing in forced us to abandon
our search. Driving back to 
CEDO
headquarters we enjoyed some time to shop in the gift store and ask
further questions.
While
examining the tidepools we had several good bird sightings, most notably
a rare species for the northern Sea of Cortez, three Snow Geese that
passed overhead as we got out of the van. A Common Loon passed close
to shore at the edge of the rock reef, and a Snowy Egret hunted intently
at one of the nearby pools. We started to sort out our first shorebirds:
Willet, Semi-palmated Sandpiper, and Black-bellied Plover were the
most
obvious among the rocks. Osprey called overhead, and a flock of Forster’s
Terns winged by.
We walked to the mouth of Estero Morua,
an estuary east of the Los Conchas housing area where the range of
tide levels is quite dramatic. We spotted many of the endemic Yellow-footed
Gull, as well as Herring, Heerman’s, Ring-billed, and California
Gulls. An Osprey stayed a long time observing our approach, hesitant
to fly as it had a fish meal. It was wonderful to walk such a wide
expanse of beach watching thousands of Brown Pelicans and Double-crested
Cormorants feeding where tidal influences stirred up the water at
the estuary mouth.
Our
lunchtime watering hole was most pleasant, with a great view of the
Peñasco boat harbor. We had guacamole, fresh fish tacos, chicken
burritos, and steak Tampico – yum! A Green Heron perched below
us, and we were delighted to see and hear the rattle of Belted Kingfisher.
Peg went to the van for our scope, so we could 
study,
from our table, the differences between Western and Clark’s
Grebes. Life is tough -- birds, a good meal, and -- for some -- a
cold one in hand!
After
that sort of lunch we all appreciated a short break at the hotel.
Then we headed out to visit the oyster farm in the Estero Morua basin.
One of the founders, Francisca, discussed the establishment of this
25-year-old cottage industry. The rows and rows of oyster platforms
served as resting spots for hopeful gulls. Peg picked out a Thayer’s
Gull to view in the scope. 
We
walked to a nearby viewing spot and perched on a sand bench to scan
the mudflats. What an abundance of life! While Rick and Jess hunted
for interesting plants and invertebrates, Pet spotted a number of
new species for the trip: Stilt Sandpiper, Wilson’s Plover,
Marbled Godwit, and Black Skimmer, to name a few. As the sun went
down we enjoyed beer and lemonade; John tried the very fresh oysters,
which put a big smile on his face! Tonight participants were free
to dine at their leisure; those of use still feeling stuffed from
lunch simply skipped it, while others enjoyed some delicious entrees
at the hotel.
Learn
more about activities and the vital conservation work of CEDO:
www.cedointercultural.org
Tues.,
Nov. 7 The Malecon / Wastewater Lagoons / “Dirt Mall”
& Cholla Bay
We had planned a boat trip to the Bird Islands (Islas San Jorge) this
morning, but the boat had mechanical problems. We quickly made plans
to embark later if possible or, if necessary, go out the next day
instead.
Then
we began birding in earnest, going to several of Peg’s favorite
observation areas. Most were quite scenic, except the sewage lagoons.
Our visit there was quite the adventure, as a large metal recycling
station blocked our access. This being Mexico, however, the workers
simply stopped what they were doing, moved some of the larger items
(by hand and with a crane), and let us through! Peg nobly dodged some
awful looking trash, only to get stuck in the sand on a hill. Oh well,
birding isn’t always a walk in the park! We walked up on the
berm and found some really great birds: Black-necked Stilt, several
species of ducks, Long-billed Marsh Wren, and Sora. John relying on
skills from his days working as a ranger at Lake Mead for the National
Park Service, got us unstuck with ease.
Soon
we were on our way to…shopping! It was a good change of pace,
and a reward for those of our group less focused on birdwatching.
While four members of the group perused the wonderful, seemingly endless
strip of shops along Cholla Bay Road (once a dirt road but recently
paved and spiffyed up), John and Peg continued to bird, eager to spot
some songbirds. Walking in residential areas searching for blooming
and fruiting trees, they spotted Cedar Waxwing, Ruby-crowned Kinglet,
White-crowned and Black-chinned Sparrows, Anna’s and Costa’s
Hummingbirds, Orange-crowned and Yellow-rumped Warblers, and more.
We reassembled to drive to Cholla
Bay and lunch at JJ’s Cantina, where we had a view of the ocean
and some fine performances by both Blue-footed and Brown Boobies.
We could clearly see both Santa Clara Volcano and Black Mountain;
the bay was a swirl of navy and jade water. Yellow-footed Gulls are
common at this time of year and visible without binoculars. We found
some Royal Terns among the more common Forster’s Terns, which
prompted another review of the challenging Laridae (gulls and terns)
family.
After
lunch we drove toward Pelican Point. Just shy of this rocky point,
a boat ramp road provides access to the water’s edge, where
large slabs of black lava pitted by tidepools define the shoreline,
with bits of sandy shore between. Here we found Ruddy Turnstones,
new to us on this trip, joining up with Willet, Whimbrel, and a Spotted
Sandpiper at a high tide roost. At the point, a number of Brown and
Blue-footed Boobies flew and fed, a super show. Some posed on a dramatic
perch of weathered granite, perfect for our scope views. The coastline
here is just beautiful, suggestive of the Seychelles, with seawater
carving the granite into rounded knobs. We didn’t see the usual
Wandering Tattler here, but enjoyed finding a rather out of place
Hermit Thrush, a dark morph northern migrant likely wintering here.
On
the way back to the hotel, we stopped again at the estuary and ended
up staying over an hour, examining the shorebirds all bunched up on
roosts at high tide. We scanned through masses of Snowy Plovers, Wilson’s
Plovers, and Short-billed Dowitchers for the occasional 
Pectoral
Sandpiper and Red Knot. Sifting and sorting through this rather difficult
group of birds provided a chance to learn more about each species.
We also found and scoped several Large-billed (Savannah) Sparrows
as they fed, perched, and flew in the halophytic vegetation, mainly
pickleweed – what a bonus!
We returned to the hotel at about
4 p.m. to rest, relax, and enjoy our sunset cocktail. At one of Peg’s
favorite local restaurants, the Friendly Dolphin, we enjoyed dinner
together.
Wed.,
Nov. 8 Islas San Jorge / Old Port / the Malecon
We started early today, meeting Rick Boyer from CEDO and Captain Felipe
Maldonado at the boat harbor at 7:30. On Felipe’s double-engine
vessel we quickly cruised to Islas San Jorge. The ride out was choppy,
but the return trip was quite pleasant, as the swells had diminished.
Our
time at the island was just magical. There were thousands of seabirds
about. The Brown Booby was the predominant species, apparently just
starting the nesting cycle. Many stood on the cliffs; a few were dancing,
greeting, and engaging in other courtship activities. Double-crested
Cormorants were on nests, the males sporting the tuft of white feathers
they exhibit only in breeding season. The cormorants seemed to prefer
the highest spots of the island or the promontories; we guessed that
either they liked level ground or they had been displaced by the larger
Brown Booby.
Peg kept an eye out for Brandt’s
Cormorant, a bird that is rare in this region and which she had never
seen here. On one of the wave-swept outer reaches we found two, then
another little group of four close by! A small number of this species
is likely breeding on the islands. Near the Brandt’s sighting,
we found a group of Bonaparte’s Gulls, as well as some Herring
and Yellow-footed Gulls. John spotted the first Red-billed Tropicbird;
we saw two in the course of the morning, both flying in and out of
the island’s high reaches. At one end of the island we saw a
gathering of male and female Magnificent Frigatebirds, but they didn’t
seem to be actively courting.
Also on this island are the California
Sea Lions –wow! They barked incessantly and were quite curious
– particularly the gangs of young adults. Several females were
nursing three- to four-month old pups. We launched an inflatable kayak
that Lynn and Marlene paddled over to a cove where dozens of sea lions
were sunning. They were greeted with great enthusiasm and a few stiff
warnings from the bull “beachmaster.” The two women paddled
about, getting eye level looks at Brown Boobies and gulls.
Peg
and Rick took a spin as well, Peg with her camera to capture a few
memorable images. CEDO has conducted a sea lion count on the islands
for years. After some snacks and discussion of the islands’
biological significance, we circumnavigated them to count almost 2,000
individuals. Rick said that over the years the count has ranged from
1,500 to 3,500 -- high counts occur in March and April, when many
females come out to pup. What a great day, all agreed this was a mini
Galapagos and quite a treasure to witness.
Bottlenose Dolphins greeted our boat
on the way back to port; we encountered them just off the rock reef
where we had been exploring tidepools a few days earlier. We were
back in the boat harbor by 2 p.m. We took our picnic lunch back to
the hotel to eat by the pool, with a nice breeze and view of the water.
Some
members of the group decided to spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing
at the hotel, while the rest of us ventured into the city’s
Old Port area to check out the shops. The stores carry beautiful crafts
from all over Mexico; it’s always a treat to browse through
the home furnishings and folk art. We all met for dinner at the Point,
a fairly new restaurant built right over the water at the Malecon.
It’s hard to beat watching sunset and listening to the waves
– just dining alfresco in mid November is a joy! We had fresh
fish, and Edna tried the Chile Rellenos. Rose Marie spotted a falling
star – so beautiful against the background of fishing boat lights
and the faint orange tint of the lingering sunset.
Thurs.,
Nov. 9 Return from Mexico / Organ Pipe National Park
Our time in Mexico had gone so quickly – I think all of us would
have been happy to linger an extra day. We had a leisurely breakfast
with traditional Mexican dishes, then packed up and followed the highway
north. Before crossing the border we stopped at Vasquez, an large
and interesting store in the town of Sonoyta.
After
picking up lunch items in Lukeville, we enjoyed a full afternoon in
Organ Pipe National Park. At the visitor’s center we watched
the excellent film on the park, then took the Ajo Mountain Drive to
a veritable forest of cacti. Against the backdrop of the rugged Ajo
Mountains the sloping bajadas filled with Saguaro and Organ Pipe Cactus
is quite memorable. We stopped to take photos and to study the various
life stages of cacti.
At Arch Canyon we took a walk, hoping
to find Black-chinned Sparrow as Peg had a couple of years ago, but
found instead Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Curve-billed Thrasher, Say’s
Phoebe, Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, and Northern Flicker. As we drove
out of the canyon we did have nice views of a Cooper’s Hawk
in flight.
We
stopped at the Alamo Creek area, to watch the sunset from one of the
primitive camp spot picnic tables. The mountains turn a warm orange
color at this time, tonight was not a brilliant orange, but lovely
just the same. Then it was back to Ajo, our little cabins at the La
Siesta Motel, and dinner at Marcela’s.
Fri., Nov. 10 Ajo / Kitt Peak / Snyder Hill Ponds / Desert Museum
We tried a new breakfast place in Ajo this morning and were very pleased
with our delicious start to the day. On the road we watched poles
and Saguaro tops again for either Harris’s Hawk or Crested Caracara,
but to no avail. We did get another look at Prairie Falcon: one flew
right in front of our van!
Driving
up Kitt Peak we noted the dramatic changes in vegetation as we climbed
and enjoyed the fabulous views on this clear day. In the oak-pinyon-juniper
forest at the top of the mountain we found a mixed flock with Cassin’s
and Hutton’s Vireos, Bridled Titmouse, Spotted Towhee, and a
real prize – a Strickland’s Woodpecker, one of the signature
birds of Arizona’s Sky Islands. We toured two of the large telescopes,
including the fascinating solar viewing scope, the largest in the
world. The visitor’s center housed a large display of arts and
crafts from the area’s predominant Native American group, the
Tohono O’odham, including intricately woven baskets and bowls.
After
a picnic lunch in the pines we left the mountain. Stopping briefly
at the Snyder Hill sewage ponds, we encountered scores of over-wintering
ducks. We ended the day with a couple of hours to amble through Tucson’s
renowned Sonoran Desert Museum, studying and photographing the myriad
animals. “Cat Canyon,” the River Otters and the Coati
were all active, and everyone enjoyed testing their bird identification
skills in the Aviary. Time passed quickly, especially for the photographers.
We
left via the winding north road around Saguaro National Park, avoiding
the city traffic and enjoying final views of the amazing mosaic of
desert vegetation. Our final dinner was delightful, on the patio overlooking
the pool at our hotel. The margaritas also got rave reviews!
Sat., Nov 11 Departures
We had a leisurely morning with breakfast by the pool. Then it was
time to say farewell to this wonderful slice of desert, mountains,
and sea.
Photo Credits:
All photos by Peg Abbott
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