Southeast Arizona: Monsoon Madness - Birds, Butterflies, Dragonflies & More!
August 10-16, 2009 - Trip Report
Author: Bob Behrstock

I guess I’d have to say that the hummingbirds made this trip so special; indeed, about 10% of the trip list was represented by these marvelous little creatures. Specialties included White-eared, Berylline, Violet-crowned, and the very rare Plain-capped Starthroat. Other great birds were: Virginia Rail, Gray and Zone-tailed hawks, Thick-billed Kingbird, Buff-breasted Flycatcher, and the perennial favorite—Vermilion Flycatcher. However, as the company’s name implies, we weren’t totally focused on birds and were able to enjoy many other natural highlights including almost 30 dragonflies and damselflies, 42 butterflies, a selection of mammals, reptiles, and amphibians, interesting vegetation, and with the exception of one rainy morning, good birding weather. What follows suggests just some of what we encountered each day.

Monday, 10 August:  By 1 pm, we’d assembled at the airport in Tucson so departed for the short drove to Amado. En route, we had our first exposure to many plants that are characteristic of the Southwestern deserts including green-trunked Palo Verdes, Mesquites, curious Ocotillos, Chollas, Prickly Pears, and many statuesque Saguaro cacti—the iconic plant of the Sonoran Desert. After checking in at the Amado Territory Inn, we drove a few miles to Montosa Canyon Road on the west face of the Santa Rita Mountains. Here, we encountered our first Cactus Wrens, Cooper’s Hawk, Lark and Rufous-winged sparrows, and, with little warning, an amazing change in the weather that produced strong, cool winds, beautiful lighting, and rain squalls to the south. After photographing clouds and admiring cactus flowers, we returned to the Inn. Here, a tasty barbecue buffet at Kristofer's Bistro fueled us for the next day afield.

Tuesday, 11 August:  After breakfast in the Inn’s attractive atrium, we drove just a bit northward to Madera Canyon. In the grasslands approaching the canyon, we stopped for Botteri’s Sparrow, Loggerhead Shrike, and Phainopepla. Continuing at the Proctor Road Trail, we had great looks at subtly beautiful male Varied Buntings, Canyon Wren, and Black-capped Gnatcatcher—one of the area’s special birds. Roadside birding in the oaks, a creek trail, and a bit of feeder watching produced many species such as Wild Turkey, Mexican Jay, Hooded Oriole, Bridled Titmouse, Acorn and Arizona woodpeckers, Black-headed Grosbeak, and several species of hummingbirds. After a lunch of Italian food and a short break at the Inn, we drove westward to the town of Arivaca, obtaining good looks at an adult Gray Hawk along the way. At Arivaca, we walked a two-mile loop that’s part of Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge. The area, a combination of scrub and marshes surrounded by huge cottonwood trees had a number of migrants such as Wilson’s Warbler, Lazuli Bunting, and a flock of Yellow-headed Blackbirds. We compared Cassin’s, Western, and Tropical kingbirds, had excellent looks at several damselflies and dragonflies (including Malachite Darner, a large dragonfly that barely occurs in the U.S.), and added a number of butterflies to the trip list. Perhaps the favorite of the afternoon was a Virginia Rail that wandered into the open, then flew over a narrow channel—affording better than reasonable looks at this reclusive marsh dweller.

Wednesday, 12 August:  Departing after breakfast, we drove south to Rio Rico, checking a pond that borders agricultural fields. Here we added Great Blue Heron, Green Heron, and the target species, several dozen Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks—which were perched on the ground amid grazing horses. These colorful, goose-like birds have little presence in Arizona and this was our best bet for seeing them. Indeed, this was our only sighting. Progressing to the golf course in Kino Springs we found migrant Lazuli and Painted buntings, Common Yellowthroat and a few other species typical of the area. At the roadside rest west of Patagonia, we saw the nesting Thick-billed Kingbirds—another bird that barely penetrates U.S., as well as Black Vultures, an unusually local species in SE Arizona. In the town of Patagonia, we stopped at the public restrooms where a very excited fellow birder ran up to our van and asked us: “Do you know about the Starthroat?” A Plain-capped Starthroat, one of North America’s rarest hummingbirds had been confirmed at a B&B not far from town and we immediately left to try to see it. Although some people missed the bird that day, we enjoyed satisfying looks of this very special hummingbird and, in the process, saw Violet-crowned and other hummingbirds, Bronzed Cowbird, and a string of butterflies that were new for the trip. Lunch was in Patagonia, followed by a drive down Blue Heaven Road, that  produced scope views of Zone-tailed Hawk, more Lazuli Buntings, Phainopeplas, and several other birds found in either riparian or mesquite habitats. A brief foray into the grasslands of Sonoita was accompanied by high winds and threatening rain (which materialized as we boarded the van), so we drove on to the Casa de San Pedro where the pre-dinner show included Calliope Hummingbirds at the feeders and another Violet-crown. Comfortable rooms, birds outside the door, great food, and Karl and Patrick’s hospitality, have made the Casa one of the favorite B&Bs in SE Arizona, and here we would spend our next four nights.

Thursday, 13 August:  After a long break in the rains created unusually dry conditions, today’s morning rains (and last night’s) came as a bit of a surprise. Driving eastward to Whitewater Draw, we had high hopes of adding a few water birds to the trip list but the entrance road to the wetlands had turned to slick mud that threatened to immobilize the van. After retracing our muddy tracks (in reverse), we cruised the agricultural lands around Elfrida, finding a few birds of prey, flocks of migrating swallows, Black-throated Sparrows and a few other odds and ends. Lunch was in the historic mining town of Bisbee. By then, the rain had (largely) diminished, at least enough for us to visit Beatty’s Guest Ranch and Orchard and Ash Canyon B&B on the east face of the Huachuca Mountains. The afternoon provided us with most of the region’s hummingbirds including two rarities: Berylline and White-eared, plus a mixture of local breeders and migrants that included Blue-throated, Magnificent, Calliope, Lucifer, Rufous, and Costa’s hummingbirds. Our dinner at the Mesquite Tree was punctuated by singing servers congratulating us on having seen 14 species of hummingbirds. Word travels fast. Because of the day’s rains, we postponed the scheduled owling until tomorrow.

Friday, 14 August:  After the usual substantial breakfast at the Casa de San Pedro, we drove to Fort Huachuca for a hike in Huachuca Canyon. The trail passes through oak-juniper woodland with maples and some conifers, and, at streamside, towering sycamores. These sycamores provide nesting cavities for Elegant Trogons—large, colorful birds that breed in just a handful of canyons in the U.S. and today’s most important target bird. Upon arrival, we were greeted by squealing Sulphur-bellied Flycatchers, another species that nests in sycamore cavities. It didn’t take long before we encountered an Elegant Trogon and had one in the telescope. In all, we found perhaps six individuals and heard the calls of territorial males and chattering youngsters. Other birds along the trail included Warbling, Plumbeous, and Hutton’s vireos, Hepatic and Western tanagers, Wilson’s Warblers, and a surprise Black-and-white Warbler, a rather rare species in Arizona. Peg Abbott provided a picnic lunch which we ate to the incessant, down slurred “zheeer” of Western Wood-Pewees. Before leaving the Fort, we made a quick visit to Garden Canyon and then the pond by the Officers’ Club for a little dragonflying and the trip’s only American Coots. After a laundry break at the Casa, we had Italian food in Sierra Vista then made an after dark visit to lower Carr Canyon where we were fortunate enough to get close looks at a Whiskered Screech-Owl, another bird with a very limited range in the U.S. 

Saturday, 15 August:  After what has become the typically good breakfast at the Casa, we drove up Carr Canyon to the Reef Townsite campground at about 7,200 feet. Here amidst Douglas Firs, various pines, Manzanita, and Silverleaf Oaks, we pretty much had the place to ourselves, as the campground was closed to vehicles due to bear concerns. A mixed species flock provided us with Black-throated Gray and Grace’s warblers, Hutton’s Vireos feeding young, Brown Creepers, and several other species.

Sunday, 16 August:  For a change, we began today’s birding before breakfast. The locally common Abert’s Towhee had eluded us thus far, but within a few minutes, we were enjoying ‘scope views of several individuals just outside the Casa de San Pedro’s back gate. Continuing into the adjacent mesquite grasslands, we found the tall grasses full of migrating Lazuli Buntings and we had striking looks at these delightful birds—their colors enhanced by the low angle sun. Vermilion Flycatchers decorated the mesquites and fence posts, some feeding young, and a Yellow-billed Cuckoo called from the pond just behind the Casa. A dense ball of Lark Buntings, many males still adorned in their striking black and white breeding plumage, flew southward toward wintering grounds in northern Mexico. As the air warmed, we retired to the Casa, where we enjoyed a last feast of juice, muffins, fresh fruit, sausage, and very special pancakes. After packing the van, we returned to Tucson where out naturalist’s journey ended all too soon.

 

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