Cleaning Up Arizona

I had made sure to plan enough time for my Arizona trip so I wouldn't have to come back for the remainder of the year unless something rare shows up. I ended up spending a full ten days in the state. 

May 21

I spent a bit of time at the Paton's Center for Hummingbirds, hoping to find the Rufous-winged Sparrow that had been sporadically showing there. After a few hours of watching the feeders and brushy areas in the front yard, as directed by staff, still no luck.

Next, I headed over to Patagonia Lake State Park to look for the Common Black Hawk reported there. After a few hours, I had a flyover Zone-tailed Hawk and a rare for the area Elegant Tern (they've been showing up in random places this year), but dipped on Common Black Hawk (for the second time now). 

I spent some evening time by the feeding area looking for Rufous-winged Sparrow. I'm 95% certain I saw a few at this very spot when I was there in February, but forgot to eBird them. One teed up eye level in a bush, offering great looks. 

I spent a quiet night tent camping amongst a bunch of RV'ers, including one seemingly unstable father yelling at his kids around the campfire over and over again as I was trying to fall asleep. 

Year List: 608

May 22

Back to San Pedro House, this time with Gilded Flicker on the mind. An easy target, one was point blank at one of the suet feeders - but better yet, it was right next to a Northern Flicker! The gray cap extended past the eye and to the back of the nape was obvious. Easy to tell apart in flight, the northerns in the west have red feather shafts, and the Gilded Flickers have yellow feather shafts, they are a bit trickier when perched. 

I headed off to camp at Mount Lemmon for the night. My friend Alex had a Flammulated Owl calling from the General Hancock Campground earlier in the week, so I  figured staying there would give me my best chance at hearing it throughout the night. I arrived about two hours before sunset, set up my tent, and then headed to Rose Lake, where there had been recent sightings of Common Black Hawk. I spent more than an hour at the tiny lake, scanning the skies and all the trees, but once again, no luck. Another Zone-tailed Hawk flew over, as if taunting me. 

I went back to camp, where my campsite neighbors had invited me to come on by for a drink. They were a blast - all neighbors living in a community in Tucson. They were full of questions about birding, and my big year, and were fascinated when about half a dozen Mexican Whip-poor-wills started singing as the last of the day's light waned. I chatted with the group of eight for a few hours. They started to make s'mores, and I offered the cinnamon graham crackers I'd been traveling with - an epic and life changing twist on standard s'mores - they agreed. Not birders, but avid hikers - as much as I'd bonded with them, I gifted each of the fours women in the group Birdie alarms, we chatted some more, and headed to bed. The stillness of the mountains, void of any wind, was welcome contrast with my noisy neighbors from the prior night. I set my alarm to wake a few times in the night and listen for Flammulated Owl, but all I  heard was Elf Owl and a Great Horned. Flammulated will have to wait until the Snowcock trip in July. 

Year List: 609

May 23

Birding Mount Lemmon at various spots from Mile 12 up to the top produced new for the year Virginia's Warbler, and after birding Mount Lemmon, I headed over northeast of Phoenix, where Alex had several cooperative Gray Vireos right from the parking lot a few days ago. On the way, a Common Black Hawk flew over a hillside close to the highway. Three separate high-effort attempts and dips, and this is the way I finally see this bird?!?! Navigating to the Gray Vireo was a single traveling women's worst nightmare...down, down, down the mountainsides, with no cell reception...straight to a dead end. For a moment, I considered not turning the car off, for the slim chance it may not start again for whatever odd reason. 

I did indeed turn the car off, and two Gray Vireos were singing their hearts out even though it was mid-afternoon. I spent some time enjoying them - it was a life bird for me! I took a little audio clip and was on my way. I  realized I could probably make it to the Thrasher Spot west of Phoenix with a bit of daylight left. 

Arriving at the Thrasher Spot near Buckeye, Arizona, I knew it would be a very slim chance I could find Le Conte's Thrasher in the last 30 minutes of the day, but I had to try. I  had already premeditated my plan of attack - this bird loves to just run along the ground like a mouse. I'd get there, and try to quickly and quietly weave through as much habitat as I could. About 15 minutes into my stealth walk, I flushed a covey of Gambel's Quail. Almost simultaneously, a pair of Black-tailed Gnatcatchers started screaming at me - perhaps I was near their nest? The quail and the gnatcatchers were on opposite sides of me. I turned my gaze from the gnatcatchers, back to the quail, and between them, a Le Conte's Thrasher came running in the direction towards the gnatcatchers and away from the quail. Holy crap! 

Exhausted, I made my way east, and then south to Tucson for the night, treating myself to a hotel after camping with no shower or running water for three days. Sleeping in a real bed felt incredible. 

Year List: 613

May 24

I spent some time in Tucson, trying to scrounge up a Costa's Hummingbird mid-day. I'd had a phone commitment at 9 am, and regrettably chose to sleep in, complete the task, and then go birding after, as opposed to getting up early and trying for the bird before the phone call. I spent about an hour in the hot sun at Tucson Mountain Park before turning back and deciding to try the smaller, Feliz Paseos Park just down the road. I walked yet another hour (or so it seemed - apparently the eBird checklist states 25 minutes!) in the sun at Feliz Paseos before circling back to the parking lot and finding a very active pair in the shrubs literally bordering the parking lot. After about 20 minutes of trying to get a good digibinned photo, I gave in to this documentation-only one. 

And so I'd gotten all the targets I'd set out for - aside from a few wishfuls that I  had already assigned new locations and dates to finding at alternate areas around the country. I won't need to return to Arizona this year unless (hopefully, until) something rare shows up! I headed down to Portal to hang out with Raymond for the rest of the day. 

Portal would be my launch point for a 1,003 mile drive the following day. I could break it into two days, but wanted to be sure I can handle a 1000 mile one-day chase trip in the future if necessary.  

Year List: 614