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See this triplist in printable PDF format with media only on page 1.
One of our trip highlights was hearing this male Elegant Trogon calling up South Fork of Cave Creek Canyon and getting a few glances at it before we hustled down the canyon and found it perched right in the open for several minutes. Photo by participant Jeff Barnum.
Southeast Arizona is one of those places that all birders have to get to for all of the specialty birds of the Sonoran Desert and Sky Islands, and this year's tour did not disappoint. After a bit of drama at the beginning of our trip, with the fire on the west side of the Chiricahua Mountains which closed the road leading to the higher elevations of the mountains and prevented our return on a second day, and the high winds that beat us up for a couple of days, we settled in for the remainder of our trip. We were fortunate to not have any extremely hot temperatures and there was nary a cloud in the sky for the entire time.
Our trip started by visiting the saguaro cactus forests west of Tucson, where we encountered Gilded Flickers, Rufous-winged Sparrows and a Burrowing Owl in Tucson before heading to dinner. The next morning, we drove east with a few stops including the lake at Willcox where the wind made using the scope almost impossible. We just got through a recently started brush fire at the base of the mountains before the road was closed and anyone was on the scene, but we soon learned that firefighters were on the way. Higher in the mountains, we found a few Mexican Chickadees, Cordilleran Flycatcher, Grace's Warblers, Red-faced Warbler, Hepatic Tanager, and a nice Northern Pygmy-Owl before heading to the Southwest Research Station for our stay. Over the next couple of days, we explored Cave Creek Canyon and the desert below Portal, where we had a great long view of a perched male Elegant Trogon, Lewis's and Arizona woodpeckers, Thick-billed Kingbird, Bendire's and Crissal thrashers, Painted Redstart, Pyrrhuloxia, and a wonderful experience with watching a Bobcat strolling along on the slope opposite us. We also did well with nightbirding there, seeing several species of owls and three nightjars.
We next headed to Sierra Vista and the Huachuca Mountains, where we were unsuccessful in our quest for Spotted Owl but had a view of a Northern Goshawk on its nest. In the mountains and foothills, we also had nice looks at Zone-tailed Hawk, a fabulous pair of Montezuma Quail, Lucifer Hummingbirds, Buff-breasted Flycatchers, Greater Pewee, a male Olive Warbler, Botteri's Sparrow, and a Black-chinned Sparrow, among others.
The final leg of our trip took us to Patagonia and the Nogales area and the drainage of the Santa Cruz River. A brilliant Violet-crowned Hummingbird was one of the first birds we saw at the Paton's famous feeders. Further along, we had a pair of Northern Beardless-Tyrannulets and a Gray Hawk atop its nest. Five-striped Sparrows showed well in California Gulch, and they were worth the bumps and many turns in the road. On our final morning we did some target birding, and were quite successful in seeing a pair of Rose-throated Becards at a nest, a male Varied Bunting in its various shades of blue, a calling Black-capped Gnatcatcher, and a pair of Sulphur-bellied Flycatchers at Madera Canyon.
It was wonderful to travel with all of you through the mountains, streams, deserts, and foothills of Southeast Arizona and I hope to see all of you again soon. John
KEYS FOR THIS LIST
One of the following keys may be shown in brackets for individual species as appropriate: * = heard only, I = introduced, E = endemic, N = nesting, a = austral migrant, b = boreal migrant
Anatidae (Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl)
BLUE-WINGED TEAL (Spatula discors)
CINNAMON TEAL (Spatula cyanoptera)
NORTHERN SHOVELER (Spatula clypeata)
GADWALL (Mareca strepera)
AMERICAN WIGEON (Mareca americana)
MALLARD (NORTHERN) (Anas platyrhynchos platyrhynchos)
MALLARD (MEXICAN) (Anas platyrhynchos diazi)
GREEN-WINGED TEAL (Anas crecca)
RUDDY DUCK (Oxyura jamaicensis)
We saw several Blue-throated Hummingbirds during our time in the Chiricahua Mountains. Jeff captured this one fanning its tail with the wings under the tail! Photo by participant Jeff Barnum.
Odontophoridae (New World Quail)
SCALED QUAIL (Callipepla squamata)
GAMBEL'S QUAIL (Callipepla gambelii)
MONTEZUMA QUAIL (Cyrtonyx montezumae)
Phasianidae (Pheasants, Grouse, and Allies)
WILD TURKEY (Meleagris gallopavo)
Podicipedidae (Grebes)
PIED-BILLED GREBE (Podilymbus podiceps)
EARED GREBE (Podiceps nigricollis)
WESTERN GREBE (Aechmophorus occidentalis)
Phalacrocoracidae (Cormorants and Shags)
NEOTROPIC CORMORANT (Phalacrocorax brasilianus)
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT (Phalacrocorax auritus)
Ardeidae (Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns)
GREAT BLUE HERON (Ardea herodias)
GREAT EGRET (Ardea alba)
CATTLE EGRET (Bubulcus ibis)
GREEN HERON (Butorides virescens)
Threskiornithidae (Ibises and Spoonbills)
WHITE-FACED IBIS (Plegadis chihi)
Cathartidae (New World Vultures)
BLACK VULTURE (Coragyps atratus)
TURKEY VULTURE (Cathartes aura)
Accipitridae (Hawks, Eagles, and Kites)
COOPER'S HAWK (Accipiter cooperii)
NORTHERN GOSHAWK (Accipiter gentilis)
GRAY HAWK (Buteo plagiatus)
SWAINSON'S HAWK (Buteo swainsoni)
Arizona Woodpecker is a specialty of the pine/oak woodlands in SE Arizona, and we saw a few of them during our travels. Photo by participant Jeff Barnum.
ZONE-TAILED HAWK (Buteo albonotatus)
RED-TAILED HAWK (Buteo jamaicensis)
Rallidae (Rails, Gallinules, and Coots)
SORA (Porzana carolina) [*]
AMERICAN COOT (Fulica americana)
Recurvirostridae (Stilts and Avocets)
BLACK-NECKED STILT (Himantopus mexicanus)
AMERICAN AVOCET (Recurvirostra americana)
Charadriidae (Plovers and Lapwings)
KILLDEER (Charadrius vociferus)
Scolopacidae (Sandpipers and Allies)
LEAST SANDPIPER (Calidris minutilla)
WESTERN SANDPIPER (Calidris mauri)
LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER (Limnodromus scolopaceus)
WILSON'S PHALAROPE (Phalaropus tricolor)
SPOTTED SANDPIPER (Actitis macularius)
LESSER YELLOWLEGS (Tringa flavipes)
Laridae (Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers)
FORSTER'S TERN (Sterna forsteri)
Columbidae (Pigeons and Doves)
ROCK PIGEON (Columba livia) [I]
BAND-TAILED PIGEON (Patagioenas fasciata)
EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE (Streptopelia decaocto) [I]
INCA DOVE (Columbina inca)
COMMON GROUND-DOVE (Columbina passerina)
WHITE-WINGED DOVE (Zenaida asiatica)
MOURNING DOVE (Zenaida macroura)
A resident of the pine forests of the southwest, Grace’s Warblers were seen a few places in the mountains. Photo by participant Jeff Barnum.
Cuculidae (Cuckoos)
GREATER ROADRUNNER (Geococcyx californianus)
Tytonidae (Barn-Owls)
BARN OWL (Tyto alba)
Strigidae (Owls)
FLAMMULATED OWL (Psiloscops flammeolus) [*]
WESTERN SCREECH-OWL (Megascops kennicottii)
WHISKERED SCREECH-OWL (Megascops trichopsis)
GREAT HORNED OWL (Bubo virginianus)
NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL (Glaucidium gnoma)
ELF OWL (Micrathene whitneyi)
BURROWING OWL (Athene cunicularia)
Caprimulgidae (Nightjars and Allies)
LESSER NIGHTHAWK (Chordeiles acutipennis)
COMMON POORWILL (Phalaenoptilus nuttallii)
MEXICAN WHIP-POOR-WILL (Antrostomus arizonae)
Apodidae (Swifts)
WHITE-THROATED SWIFT (Aeronautes saxatalis)
Trochilidae (Hummingbirds)
RIVOLI'S HUMMINGBIRD (Eugenes fulgens)
BLUE-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD (Lampornis clemenciae)
LUCIFER HUMMINGBIRD (Calothorax lucifer)
BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD (Archilochus alexandri)
ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD (Calypte anna)
BROAD-TAILED HUMMINGBIRD (Selasphorus platycercus)
BROAD-BILLED HUMMINGBIRD (Cynanthus latirostris)
VIOLET-CROWNED HUMMINGBIRD (Amazilia violiceps)
Trogonidae (Trogons)
ELEGANT TROGON (Trogon elegans)
Picidae (Woodpeckers)
LEWIS'S WOODPECKER (Melanerpes lewis)
ACORN WOODPECKER (Melanerpes formicivorus)
GILA WOODPECKER (Melanerpes uropygialis)
Our second visit to the Ash Canyon B&B paid off, as a pair of exquisite Montezuma Quail suddenly appeared through the vegetation. Photo by participant Jeff Barnum.
LADDER-BACKED WOODPECKER (Picoides scalaris)
HAIRY WOODPECKER (Picoides villosus)
ARIZONA WOODPECKER (Picoides arizonae)
NORTHERN FLICKER (RED-SHAFTED) (Colaptes auratus cafer)
GILDED FLICKER (Colaptes chrysoides)
Falconidae (Falcons and Caracaras)
AMERICAN KESTREL (Falco sparverius)
Tyrannidae (Tyrant Flycatchers)
NORTHERN BEARDLESS-TYRANNULET (Camptostoma imberbe)
OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER (Contopus cooperi)
GREATER PEWEE (Contopus pertinax)
WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE (Contopus sordidulus)
HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER (Empidonax hammondii)
CORDILLERAN FLYCATCHER (Empidonax occidentalis)
BUFF-BREASTED FLYCATCHER (Empidonax fulvifrons)
BLACK PHOEBE (Sayornis nigricans)
SAY'S PHOEBE (Sayornis saya)
VERMILION FLYCATCHER (Pyrocephalus rubinus)
DUSKY-CAPPED FLYCATCHER (Myiarchus tuberculifer)
ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER (Myiarchus cinerascens)
BROWN-CRESTED FLYCATCHER (Myiarchus tyrannulus)
SULPHUR-BELLIED FLYCATCHER (Myiodynastes luteiventris)
TROPICAL KINGBIRD (Tyrannus melancholicus)
CASSIN'S KINGBIRD (Tyrannus vociferans)
THICK-BILLED KINGBIRD (Tyrannus crassirostris)
WESTERN KINGBIRD (Tyrannus verticalis)
Tityridae (Tityras and Allies)
ROSE-THROATED BECARD (Pachyramphus aglaiae)
We saw several Painted Redstarts in the canyons of the Chiricahua and Huachuca mountains. This species spends a lot of time foraging in the shadow of the slopes. Photo by participant Jeff Barnum.
Laniidae (Shrikes)
LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE (Lanius ludovicianus)
Vireonidae (Vireos, Shrike-Babblers, and Erpornis)
BELL'S VIREO (Vireo bellii)
HUTTON'S VIREO (Vireo huttoni)
CASSIN'S VIREO (Vireo cassinii)
PLUMBEOUS VIREO (Vireo plumbeus)
Corvidae (Crows, Jays, and Magpies)
STELLER'S JAY (Cyanocitta stelleri)
WOODHOUSE'S SCRUB-JAY (WOODHOUSE'S) (Aphelocoma woodhouseii woodhouseii)
MEXICAN JAY (Aphelocoma wollweberi)
CHIHUAHUAN RAVEN (Corvus cryptoleucus)
COMMON RAVEN (Corvus corax)
Hirundinidae (Swallows)
NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW (Stelgidopteryx serripennis)
PURPLE MARTIN (Progne subis)
VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW (Tachycineta thalassina)
BARN SWALLOW (Hirundo rustica)
CLIFF SWALLOW (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota)
Paridae (Tits, Chickadees, and Titmice)
MEXICAN CHICKADEE (Poecile sclateri)
BRIDLED TITMOUSE (Baeolophus wollweberi)
JUNIPER TITMOUSE (Baeolophus ridgwayi)
Varied Bunting is an oddly-colored species that seems to have about five different shades of blue. We found one of the early arrivals into Arizona. Photo by participant Jeff Barnum.
Remizidae (Penduline-Tits)
VERDIN (Auriparus flaviceps)
Aegithalidae (Long-tailed Tits)
BUSHTIT (Psaltriparus minimus)
Sittidae (Nuthatches)
RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH (Sitta canadensis) [*]
WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH (Sitta carolinensis)
PYGMY NUTHATCH (Sitta pygmaea)
Certhiidae (Treecreepers)
BROWN CREEPER (Certhia americana)
Troglodytidae (Wrens)
ROCK WREN (Salpinctes obsoletus)
CANYON WREN (Catherpes mexicanus)
HOUSE WREN (Troglodytes aedon)
BEWICK'S WREN (Thryomanes bewickii)
CACTUS WREN (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus)
Polioptilidae (Gnatcatchers)
BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER (Polioptila caerulea)
BLACK-TAILED GNATCATCHER (Polioptila melanura)
BLACK-CAPPED GNATCATCHER (Polioptila nigriceps)
Regulidae (Kinglets)
RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET (Regulus calendula)
Turdidae (Thrushes and Allies)
HERMIT THRUSH (Catharus guttatus)
AMERICAN ROBIN (Turdus migratorius)
Mimidae (Mockingbirds and Thrashers)
CURVE-BILLED THRASHER (Toxostoma curvirostre)
Seemingly peeking at us through one eye, this Western Screech-Owl paid us little concern at the San Pedro House near Sierra Vista. Photo by participant Jeff Barnum.
BENDIRE'S THRASHER (Toxostoma bendirei)
CRISSAL THRASHER (Toxostoma crissale)
NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD (Mimus polyglottos)
Sturnidae (Starlings)
EUROPEAN STARLING (Sturnus vulgaris) [I]
Bombycillidae (Waxwings)
CEDAR WAXWING (Bombycilla cedrorum)
Ptiliogonatidae (Silky-flycatchers)
PHAINOPEPLA (Phainopepla nitens)
Peucedramidae (Olive Warbler)
OLIVE WARBLER (Peucedramus taeniatus)
Parulidae (New World Warblers)
NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH (Parkesia noveboracensis)
LUCY'S WARBLER (Oreothlypis luciae)
COMMON YELLOWTHROAT (Geothlypis trichas)
YELLOW WARBLER (Setophaga petechia)
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER (AUDUBON'S) (Setophaga coronata auduboni)
GRACE'S WARBLER (Setophaga graciae)
BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER (Setophaga nigrescens)
TOWNSEND'S WARBLER (Setophaga townsendi)
RUFOUS-CAPPED WARBLER (Basileuterus rufifrons)
Jeff captured this Zone-tailed Hawk soaring right above us at Carr Canyon. Photo by participant Jeff Barnum.
WILSON'S WARBLER (Cardellina pusilla)
RED-FACED WARBLER (Cardellina rubrifrons)
PAINTED REDSTART (Myioborus pictus)
Passerellidae (New World Buntings and Sparrows)
RUFOUS-WINGED SPARROW (Peucaea carpalis)
BOTTERI'S SPARROW (Peucaea botterii)
CHIPPING SPARROW (Spizella passerina)
BLACK-CHINNED SPARROW (Spizella atrogularis)
BLACK-THROATED SPARROW (Amphispiza bilineata)
FIVE-STRIPED SPARROW (Amphispiza quinquestriata)
LARK SPARROW (Chondestes grammacus)
DARK-EYED JUNCO (GRAY-HEADED) (Junco hyemalis caniceps)
YELLOW-EYED JUNCO (Junco phaeonotus)
WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW (ORIANTHA) (Zonotrichia leucophrys oriantha)
SONG SPARROW (Melospiza melodia)
CANYON TOWHEE (Melozone fusca)
ABERT'S TOWHEE (Melozone aberti)
RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROW (Aimophila ruficeps)
GREEN-TAILED TOWHEE (Pipilo chlorurus)
After chasing the toots, we spotted this Northern Pygmy-Owl perched high in a conifer on the slopes of the Chiricahuas. Photo by participant Jeff Barnum.
SPOTTED TOWHEE (Pipilo maculatus)
Icteriidae (Yellow-breasted Chat)
YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT (Icteria virens)
Cardinalidae (Cardinals and Allies)
HEPATIC TANAGER (Piranga flava)
SUMMER TANAGER (Piranga rubra)
WESTERN TANAGER (Piranga ludoviciana)
NORTHERN CARDINAL (Cardinalis cardinalis)
PYRRHULOXIA (Cardinalis sinuatus)
BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK (Pheucticus melanocephalus)
BLUE GROSBEAK (Passerina caerulea)
LAZULI BUNTING (Passerina amoena)
VARIED BUNTING (Passerina versicolor)
Icteridae (Troupials and Allies)
EASTERN MEADOWLARK (LILIAN'S) (Sturnella magna lilianae)
HOODED ORIOLE (Icterus cucullatus)
BULLOCK'S ORIOLE (Icterus bullockii)
SCOTT'S ORIOLE (Icterus parisorum)
RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD (Agelaius phoeniceus)
BRONZED COWBIRD (Molothrus aeneus)
BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD (Molothrus ater)
GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE (Quiscalus mexicanus)
Fringillidae (Finches, Euphonias, and Allies)
HOUSE FINCH (Haemorhous mexicanus)
CASSIN'S FINCH (Haemorhous cassinii)
RED CROSSBILL (Loxia curvirostra) [*]
PINE SISKIN (Spinus pinus)
LESSER GOLDFINCH (Spinus psaltria)
Passeridae (Old World Sparrows)
HOUSE SPARROW (Passer domesticus) [I]
EASTERN COTTONTAIL (Sylvilagus floridanus)
DESERT COTTONTAIL (Sylvilagus audubonii)
Olive Warbler was a species we spent some time looking for in the higher elevations before encountering it in Carr Canyon. Photo by participant Jeff Barnum.
BLACK-TAILED JACKRABBIT (Lepus californicus)
CLIFF CHIPMUNK (Tamias dorsalis)
HARRIS'S ANTELOPE SQUIRREL (Ammospermophilus harrisii)
ROCK SQUIRREL (Spermophilus variegatus)
MEXICAN FOX SQUIRREL (Sciurus nayaritensis)
ARIZONA GRAY SQUIRREL (Sciurus arizonensis)
BOBCAT (Lynx rufus)
COLLARED PECCARY (Tayassu tajacu)
WHITE-TAILED DEER (Odocoileus virginianus)
PRONGHORN (Antilocapra americana)
Herps
WESTERN DIAMOND-BACKED RATTLESNAKE (Crotalus atrox)
AMERICAN BULLFROG (Lithobates catesbeianus) [I*]
COMMON LESSER EARLESS LIZARD (Holbrookia maculata)
STRIPED PLATEAU LIZARD (Sceloporus virgatus)
SOUTHWESTERN FENCE LIZARD (Sceloporus cowlesi)
CLARK'S SPINY LIZARD (Sceloporus clarkii)
Totals for the tour: 195 bird taxa and 12 mammal taxa