A Field Guides Birding Tours Report
NORTHERN ARIZONA'S CANYONS AND CONDOR II 2024
May 18-24, 2024 with John Coons and Alex Sundvall guiding
Arizona is widely known as one of THE birding destinations in the United States. When people think of birding in Arizona however, their minds are always drawn to the sky islands in southeastern Arizona and birding close to the border of Mexico. Many people don't realize however that the birding can be just as wonderful in the rest of the state! This tour aims to subvert expectations and provide a whole new perspective of birding in Arizona by highlighting the Northern parts of the state! We based ourselves in Flagstaff so we could spend time in some high-elevation pine forests up in Arizona's tallest mountains, the riparian corridors of Oak Creek Canyon, and of course visit one of North America's most famous locations: the Grand Canyon National Park. Not only is the Grand Canyon some of the most incredible scenery the country can offer, it also is home to one of the rarest birds in the US: the California Condor. These mythical birds were reintroduced here in 1996 after their population had crashed to the single digits. Now there are somewhere in the low hundreds in the wild, which is significantly better than where they were but there's still a long way to go! We got incredibly lucky with superb looks at not one, not two, but SEVEN California Condors on this tour, with six of them being adults; the most adults that John had ever seen at the Navajo Bridge. We got to watch them preen, fly, and even watched a father feed his two-year-old chick! Unsurprisingly with this unforgettable encounter, California Condor shot to the top of our list of favorite birds for the trip. In a close second was the stunning Red-faced Warbler that sat with us for so long, singing and foraging along an open branch for minutes. It even caused bird tears for some folks! Then it was a bit harder for us to pick a third favorite. Was it the adorable Grace's Warbler? The wonderful views we had of the harlequin-faced Lark Sparrow? The Common Black Hawks that stared at us along Oak Creek? Or maybe the accommodating American Three-toed Woodpecker we visited with in a recent burn area. There were simply too many fantastic encounters for us to choose one!
From John and I and all of us at Field Guides, we thank you for choosing us for this incredible journey through Northern Arizona. You were a wonderful group to have along on tour! You made the long days seem short and the early mornings enjoyable. We saw a vast array of birds and mammals during our time here, and we hope you enjoy this report as a useful log and memento of our time together. We thank you again and we hope to see you all on the birding trail again soon!
Here is a day to day breakdown of our tour across Northern Arizona:
Day 1: Our first day together was a simple afternoon outing to the Kachina Wetlands south of town. Here we could get acquainted with each other as well as the birds of the area. Flagstaff is the only place we had American Crows during the tour, which is expected. Right as we got out of the van, a stunning male Red Crossbill perched just above eye level maybe 20 feet from us giving most of us our best views of this enigmatic species. In that same tree, a pair of Pygmy Nuthatches were excavating a hole mere inches above the ground. Once we got to the wetlands proper, our highlights were a small group of Cinnamon Teals, some high breeding plumage Ruddy Ducks, a late American Avocet, a pair of Purple Martins swirling over our heads, and an incredible close up experience with both Sora and multiple Virginia Rails right at our feet. At this point the wind was picking up, so we headed back to the hotel.
Day 2: The plan for our first full day of birding together was to spend the day in the San Francisco Peaks: Arizona's tallest mountain range. We started out the morning at the Humphrey's Peak lookout where an Olive-sided Flycatcher was singing away on territory, perching in the open for great scope views. With bigger things on the horizon, we continued up the mountain stopping briefly in Baderville for some shockingly blue Mountain Bluebirds and a dusty Say's Phoebe. Our next stop was along the side of the road where we hoped to spot some montane woodpeckers. Shortly after stopping, we got eyes on two different Williamson's Sapsuckers at close range, with Western Warbling Vireo and Northern House Wren providing a background chorus. The main stop for the morning however, was the beautifully scenic Wilson Meadow, a stunning mountain prairie nestled in the peaks. Wilson Meadow and the nearby Hart Prairie were actually the type locality for Dusky Flycatcher. We took a lovely mile long loop walk through the prairie, seeing multiple Dusky Flycatchers, Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, Green-tailed Towhees, Black-headed Grosbeaks, an incredibly confiding MacGillivray's Warbler, and ended the walk with a flyover Clark's Nutcracker thankfully landing in a distant pine to allow us all to grab scope looks. Then we headed a little farther up the road where we saw one of the "must see" species of the trip: Red-faced Warbler. This encounter is what made it place so high on our list of favorite species. It just sat for so long and out in the open for us, giving exquisite looks at this absolutely gorgeous bird. Other fun birds along this stretch were our only Red-breasted Nuthatches, Brown Creepers, Western Flycatcher, another Williamson's Sapsucker, a couple Hermit Thrushes, and a Downy Woodpecker in about the only place you can find them in Arizona! After our first of many picnic lunches, we headed down the mountain heading back towards Flagstaff, making a couple stops along the way. Our first was in an accessible area of a recent wildfire burn with the hopes of seeing an American Three-toed Woodpecker. Almost immediately upon entering the blackened scar of forest, we had a female American Three-toed Woodpecker above our heads foraging for beetle larvae and drumming. Our second and final stop before calling it a day was on the side of the road just outside of town. Here we had a couple of Lewis's Woodpeckers around cavities, and possibly nesting. We also had our first of only a couple Mountain Chickadees, and fantastic looks at both Bullock's Oriole and Lark Sparrow.
Day 3: Today was the big day, heading to the Grand Canyon! We started bright and early heading toward the south rim of the Grand Canyon with the hopes of seeing California Condors. We spent the whole morning visiting various overlooks, but no dice on the condors. We did enjoy our first good looks at White-throated Swifts and Violet-green Swallows zipping around the sky at shocking speeds in the high winds. We tried to take shelter down a forest road for lunch, but that was only moderately successful. It was worth it however with the incredible looks we had of a Grace's Warbler and Cassin's Kingbird also trying to hide from the intense wind. After lunch, we left the National Park and headed to Gray Mountain hoping that its canyons might provide us some reprieve from the wind. We eventually found one canyon that provided enough shelter to get some birds. First up was a small flock of Pinyon Jays flying around the top of the mountain that stuck around long enough for everyone to get scope views. Then we hung out with a young male Scott's Oriole singing their trademark bubbly song. Next we looked for a couple more uncommon species: Black-chinned Sparrow and Gray Vireo. Thankfully, the Black-chinned Sparrows were very vocal, and after a little persistence, perched up giving us some great views of this beautiful sparrow. The vireo proved a little more difficult as they were silent, however eventually we were able to get really great views of this drab and very uncommon bird of the juniper scrub. After leaving Gray Mountain, we headed toward the town of Cameron for dinner. First we headed to the Cameron Sewage Ponds where the wind was brutal, but we still managed a few birds including a small group of White-faced Ibis, a Great Egret, a long Red-necked Phalarope and a very late migrant Western Sandpiper. Then we looked around the oasis at the Cameron Trading Post where we had a shiny male Rose-breasted Grosbeak, a nice bird for Arizona, along with some lingering Cedar Waxwings and a White-crowned Sparrow.
Day 4: Our plans today took us to the lowland riparian areas south of Flagstaff along Oak Creek. The first stop was a quick stop at the McGuireville rest area, where our best bird was a Black-throated Sparrow that perched up for great scope looks for everyone. Next we headed to John's friends' house, situated along Oak Creek in Page Springs. There are some beautiful huge old growth Cottonwood trees that Common Black Hawks nest in. While the nest wasn't visible, there was a pair of Black Hawks hanging around the trees and flying over, giving us marvelous views of this sparsely populated species. We also had a pair of Brown-crested Flycatchers, Vermilion Flycatcher, Gila Woodpeckers, Ladder-backed Woodpeckers, Abert's Towhees, Song Sparrows, Summer Tanagers, Blue Grosbeaks, and Yellow-breasted Chats all singing and on territories. From there we headed up the road to the Page Springs Fish Hatchery where we had some better views of Lucy's Warblers after some uncooperative birds at the rest stop that morning. Next, before lunch, we made a brief but lucrative stop at the Sedona Wetlands Preserve. Right as we got out of the van we had a family of Verdins flitting around the trees. As we walked up to the ponds, Bullock's Orioles and Phainopeplas were perching in the trees and along the barbed wire fence. In the ponds themselves were a handful of ducks including Ring-necked Ducks and Redheads, Neotropic Cormorants, and some Black-crowned Night Herons camouflaged against the rocks in the far corner. After eating a delicious lunch at the famous Coffee Pot (home of 101 omelets) we headed back up Oak Creek Canyon to the Encinoso Picnic Area, where we had our first Bushtits, Hairy Woodpecker, Anna's Hummingbird, and an adorable Bridled Titmouse. We also had another flyby Common Black Hawk and a sky high Peregrine Falcon shooting over the tops of the peaks around us. We continued up the canyon stopping briefly at John's friend's house to hopefully see some hummingbirds. While the hummingbirds skunked us, we did see a stunning Painted Redstart right off their deck! We finished the day in the upper portions of Oak Creek Canyon in the pine forests searching for our two final species of the day: Olive and Virginia's Warbler. Olive Warblers are a fascinating bird taxonomically; they are neither Olive nor a Warbler! Situated between the Asian Leafbirds and the Przevalski's Pinktail, it is the sole member of its family. This is a very challenging bird to see, as it is present sparsely in very small numbers around Flagstaff. We got very lucky with a cooperative young male Olive Warbler at the first stop we checked! Virginia's Warbler was similar, we had amazing looks of a pair the first place we got out and looked for them. A pair of wonderful songbirds to finish the day!
Day 5: Today was the day of the long drive up to the Navajo Bridge for our best chance at seeing condors. On our way up to the bridge, we stopped briefly at the Cameron Sewage Ponds again. While there were no new arrivals, it was nice to get everyone on a Yellow-headed Blackbird. Once we got to the bridge, we were immediately greeted by SEVEN California Condors roosting on and around the bridge and cliffs. We spent the morning watching these majestic birds preening, soaring, and even feeding an older chick. A truly unforgettable experience. On our way out from the bridge, we spotted a couple Horned Larks on the side of the road. We returned to the Oasis at the Cameron Trading Post where we had our best views of multiple Western Tanagers sitting on open branches. We finished the day walking around Picture Canyon, where the heat of the afternoon kept all the birds in hiding, but it was a nice walk all the same!
Day 6: Because of our incredible successes this trip, on today our final day we got to explore some of the more arid habitats south of Flagstaff. We started off the day birding along the Clemenceau Road where we finally got eyes on Juniper Titmice and Rufous-crowned Sparrows. We also heard a couple more Gray Vireos and Gambel's Quail in the distance. Then we headed to the famous Montezuma Castle National Monument and the Montezuma Well. This site has the highest number of single point endemism of anywhere in the United States. In other words, there are more species found only here than anywhere else. The birds were pretty unique too, a pair of Pied-billed Grebes called to each other down in the well, and a Virginia Rail called from the reedy edge as a Black Phoebe sallied for insects over the water. We also had our 6th Common Black Hawk, and our only juvenile, fly over during our time walking around the well. We left the monument heading back towards the pine forests and lakes east of Flagstaff. Driving along Stoneman Lake Road, we had incredible views of both a Gray Flycatcher and a group of Woodhouses's Scrub-Jays right on the side of the road. Around Stoneman Lake proper, we found a small raft of mixed Redheads and Ring-necked Ducks among a large colony of Eared Grebes, a couple Plumbeous Vireos and Cassin's Kingbirds, and another singing Olive-sided Flycatcher. After our final picnic lunch, we birded along another side road, this time finally finding a gorgeous male Hepatic Tanager singing on territory, along with another stunning look at Red-faced Warbler. Our final stop of the day was Mormon Lake, Arizona's largest natural lake. This is often a large Western Grebe colony, but due to the high winds we only saw one of these elegant divers. The real highlight here was the herd of over 100 Elk hanging out around the waters edge. After this, we headed back to the hotel to freshen up, and said our goodbyes at our final dinner together. The next morning, some of us drove home and the rest (eventually) flew out!
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)
CANADA GOOSE (Branta canadensis)
This species used to be pretty uncommon around Flagstaff in the summers, but now they're breeding regularly. We even saw a few goslings!
CINNAMON TEAL (Spatula cyanoptera)
Still some really sharp looking males at the Kachina Wetlands! A few weeks later they would have been in full eclipse plumage.
GADWALL (Mareca strepera)
A distant pair of these "black-butts" on Mormon Lake.
MALLARD (Anas platyrhynchos)
Almost everywhere there was water, often with ducklings. Including a mom with ducklings way down on the Colorado River at the Navajo Bridge!
NORTHERN PINTAIL (Anas acuta)
A nice male posed for scope views at Mormon Lake.
GREEN-WINGED TEAL (Anas crecca)
A lone pair of these tiny ducks at the Kachina Wetlands.
REDHEAD (Aythya americana)
A nice group of these sharp ducks on Stoneman Lake.
RING-NECKED DUCK (Aythya collaris)
A few lingering migrants in the raft of Redheads on Stoneman Lake.
RUDDY DUCK (Oxyura jamaicensis)
We enjoyed watching a group at close range at the Kachina Wetlands. The majority of the group usually only sees these in non-breeding plumage so seeing them in shiny breeding plumage was a real treat!
Odontophoridae (New World Quail)
GAMBEL'S QUAIL (Callipepla gambelii) [*]
Unfortunately heard only fairly distantly along the Clemenceau Road.
Podicipedidae (Grebes)
PIED-BILLED GREBE (Podilymbus podiceps)
Interestingly there was a pair actively calling to each other way out in the desert in the Montezuma Well!
EARED GREBE (Podiceps nigricollis)
A huge group of them peppering the water of Stoneman Lake.
WESTERN GREBE (Aechmophorus occidentalis)
Usually a bit more common, we could only find one of these elegant birds on Mormon Lake this time.
Columbidae (Pigeons and Doves)
EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE (Streptopelia decaocto) [I]
This is a great tour to not see invasive species, unfortunately we did run into these around the Cameron Trading Post.
MOURNING DOVE (Zenaida macroura)
These familiar doves were scattered around various places, never particularly common. Our first were around the Wilson Meadow.
Apodidae (Swifts)
WHITE-THROATED SWIFT (Aeronautes saxatalis)
We enjoyed seeing these large swifts rocketing around the sky at various overlooks of the Grand Canyon.
Trochilidae (Hummingbirds)
BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD (Archilochus alexandri)
One visiting the hummingbird feeder's of John's friends in Oak Creek Canyon.
ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD (Calypte anna)
Our first were buzzing around the Encinoso Picnic area of Oak Creek Canyon.
BROAD-TAILED HUMMINGBIRD (Selasphorus platycercus)
Our most common hummingbird. We heard their buzzy displays most places we went, with our highest concentration and best views in Wilson Meadow.
Rallidae (Rails, Gallinules, and Coots)
VIRGINIA RAIL (Rallus limicola)
A spectacular experience up close with multiple birds at the Kachina Wetlands.
SORA (Porzana carolina)
A couple popped up for us at the Kachina Wetlands. One ran right along the edge of the reeds for us!
AMERICAN COOT (Fulica americana)
Our first was a lone bird out at the Cameron Sewage Treatment Ponds.
Recurvirostridae (Stilts and Avocets)
BLACK-NECKED STILT (BLACK-NECKED) (Himantopus mexicanus mexicanus)
Nice to see one of these lanky shorebirds at the Cameron Sewage Ponds on our way up to the Navajo Bridge.
AMERICAN AVOCET (Recurvirostra americana)
A single bird cleaving through the water at the Kachina Wetlands.
Charadriidae (Plovers and Lapwings)
KILLDEER (Charadrius vociferus)
Present at all of the water treatment areas we visited.
Scolopacidae (Sandpipers and Allies)
RED-NECKED PHALAROPE (Phalaropus lobatus)
A sweet find at the Cameron Sewage Ponds, unfortunately it was tucked in along the shore and it was a bit windy so the views were not the best.
SPOTTED SANDPIPER (Actitis macularius)
Another bird present at all the water treatment areas, particularly common at the Cameron Sewage Ponds.
WESTERN SANDPIPER (Calidris mauri)
A late migrant, unfortunately the wind made it very difficult to identify, no less see. Thanks to some digiscoped pictures we were able to positively identify it, but the views were poor at best.
Laridae (Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers)
RING-BILLED GULL (Larus delawarensis)
A single bird flying around Mormon Lake. Any gull in Flagstaff in late May is a good bird!
Phalacrocoracidae (Cormorants and Shags)
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT (Nannopterum auritum)
A lone bird flying far over Mormon Lake.
NEOTROPIC CORMORANT (Nannopterum brasilianum)
A pair perched on the rocks at the Sedona Wetlands Preserve.
Ardeidae (Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns)
BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON (Nycticorax nycticorax)
Some very well camouflaged birds in the far corner up against the rocks at the Sedona Wetlands Preserve.
GREAT EGRET (AMERICAN) (Ardea alba egretta)
A single bird present both days we visited the Cameron Sewage Ponds.
GREAT BLUE HERON (Ardea herodias)
Particularly common at Mormon Lake!
Threskiornithidae (Ibises and Spoonbills)
WHITE-FACED IBIS (Plegadis chihi)
A handful hanging out around the Cameron Sewage Ponds.
Cathartidae (New World Vultures)
CALIFORNIA CONDOR (Gymnogyps californianus)
What a remarkable experience with these critically endangered birds! SEVEN of these majestic birds were hanging around the Navajo Bridge while we were there. Even more incredible was the fact that 6 of the 7 birds were adults! We watched them preening, flying, and even watched one of the adults feed his old chick. Two bonded pairs and 3 lone birds. All individuals present were tagged: 19, P8, K6, L4, V3, Y3, and 50.
TURKEY VULTURE (Cathartes aura)
Often seen soaring around with their v shaped wings.
Pandionidae (Osprey)
OSPREY (Pandion haliaetus)
While there wasn't one at the nest on our way in, as we were leaving an Osprey flew through Kachina Wetlands and landed by its nest.
Accipitridae (Hawks, Eagles, and Kites)
COMMON BLACK HAWK (Buteogallus anthracinus)
This part of Arizona might just be the best place in the US to see this species! We had an absolutely marvelous experience with a pair at John's friend's house in Page Springs.
RED-TAILED HAWK (Buteo jamaicensis)
These familiar raptors were always seen in flight and rarely for long. All were the expected calurus subspecies.
Picidae (Woodpeckers)
WILLIAMSON'S SAPSUCKER (Sphyrapicus thyroideus)
This species has gotten more common in the area in recent years! One of the few areas where Williamson's Sapsuckers are more common than Red-naped. Great looks at multiple males along Hart Prairie Road.
RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER (Sphyrapicus nuchalis) [*]
Despite trying in multiple locations across multiple days, an unfortunate heard only in Wilson Meadow.
LEWIS'S WOODPECKER (Melanerpes lewis)
A pair of these beautiful birds were seen in the traditional nesting area on the outskirts of town. More crow-like than woodpecker like! An old name for this species even was Crow Woodpecker.
ACORN WOODPECKER (Melanerpes formicivorus)
We had great looks of these clown-faced woodpeckers at John's friend's house in Oak Creek Canyon.
GILA WOODPECKER (Melanerpes uropygialis)
A bird of the lower riparian areas and the southern counterpart of Red-bellied Woodpecker. They were nesting at John's friend's house in Page Springs.
AMERICAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKER (ROCKY MTS.) (Picoides dorsalis dorsalis)
A really great bird, especially in Arizona! One of John's favorite birds too. We had a fantastic experience with one in a recent burn just outside of Flagstaff.
DOWNY WOODPECKER (ROCKY MTS.) (Dryobates pubescens leucurus)
An uncommon bird out in Arizona! The areas around Flagstaff are actually the best part of Arizona to get this species. We had one along Hart Prairie Road.
LADDER-BACKED WOODPECKER (Dryobates scalaris)
Another woodpecker in the lower riparian areas. This one took a little patience, but we eventually all got good looks at John's friend's place in Page Springs.
HAIRY WOODPECKER (ROCKY MTS.) (Dryobates villosus orius)
We had our first across the street from the Encinoso Picnic area. This was the Rocky Mountains subspecies with significantly reduced white in the wings.
NORTHERN FLICKER (RED-SHAFTED) (Colaptes auratus cafer)
Often heard only, eventually seeing them in Picture Canyon. All were the expected Red-shafted Flicker.
Falconidae (Falcons and Caracaras)
PEREGRINE FALCON (Falco peregrinus)
After a few challenging birds around the Grand Canyon, we all got on a sky high bird soaring over the Encinoso Picnic Area.
Tyrannidae (Tyrant Flycatchers)
OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER (Contopus cooperi)
One actively singing and calling around the Humphreys Peak lookout on our way through the San Francisco Peaks.
WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE (Contopus sordidulus)
Seen and heard most days.
GRAY FLYCATCHER (Empidonax wrightii)
John found us one of these unique flycatchers on the road to Stoneman Lake.
DUSKY FLYCATCHER (Empidonax oberholseri)
Wilson Meadow and Hart Prairie are actually the type locality for Dusky Flycatchers (where the species was initially discovered.) We had wonderful looks of a few during our walk around Wilson Meadow.
WESTERN FLYCATCHER (Empidonax difficilis)
Heard well, unfortunately perching high and in bad light so the views were never great.
BLACK PHOEBE (Sayornis nigricans)
A couple along the creek in Page Springs at John's friend's house.
SAY'S PHOEBE (Sayornis saya)
One of the few birds we had other than Condors at the Navajo Bridge.
VERMILION FLYCATCHER (Pyrocephalus rubinus)
A single vibrant male in the fields in Page Springs at John's friend's house.
ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER (Myiarchus cinerascens)
Multiple calling birds in the dryer areas around Montezuma Well National Monument.
BROWN-CRESTED FLYCATCHER (Myiarchus tyrannulus)
Multiple birds seen and heard well at John's friend's house along the creek in Page Springs.
CASSIN'S KINGBIRD (Tyrannus vociferans)
Our best looks came from Old Hwy 64 during one of our birding stops when we could shelter from the wind...
WESTERN KINGBIRD (Tyrannus verticalis)
The only ones we had were around the Cameron Trading Post.
Vireonidae (Vireos, Shrike-Babblers, and Erpornis)
BELL'S VIREO (Vireo bellii)
These birds always sound so angry and emphatic, like they're trying to prove something. One was singing right as we got out of the van at John's friend's house in Page Springs.
GRAY VIREO (Vireo vicinior)
A challenging bird in the best of conditions, and especially challenging in the extreme winds we faced! We thankfully had some great views of one along Old Hwy 64 after some persistence and finding a canyon more sheltered from the wind.
PLUMBEOUS VIREO (Vireo plumbeus)
A few singing in the pine dominated forests. Our best looks came from around Stoneman Lake.
WARBLING VIREO (Vireo gilvus)
This was the expected Western Warbling Vireo, which is very likely separate from the ones out east.
Corvidae (Crows, Jays, and Magpies)
PINYON JAY (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus)
After snagging a glance of one getting whipped in the wind, we tracked down a small group of them along Old Hwy 64. They were flying around the top of the mountains, but we got some good scope views. An unfortunately declining bird in the area.
STELLER'S JAY (Cyanocitta stelleri)
Every Steller's Jay we saw was of the expected "southwest interior" subspecies group. A recent paper came out showing that the two groups of Steller's Jays in the US (Coastal and Interior) are different species with a deep genetic divergence.
WOODHOUSE'S SCRUB-JAY (Aphelocoma woodhouseii)
The former Western Scrub-Jay; we got great views of a small group on our way to Stoneman Lake.
CLARK'S NUTCRACKER (Nucifraga columbiana)
This can be a challenging bird to get eyes on, but thankfully one flew over the Wilson Meadow and landed where we could all get great scope views.
AMERICAN CROW (Corvus brachyrhynchos)
Flagstaff is really one of the few places in Arizona where you can see these! And we really only had them around the city.
COMMON RAVEN (Corvus corax)
The common default corvid, we saw numerous every day.
Paridae (Tits, Chickadees, and Titmice)
MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE (Poecile gambeli)
Surprisingly uncommon unfortunately, this species really is crashing around Flagstaff. single digits in places we should have had flocks.
BRIDLED TITMOUSE (Baeolophus wollweberi)
One across the street from the Encinoso Picnic Area. These always seemed like the missing link between titmice and chickadees to me, they look and sound like a blend between the two!
JUNIPER TITMOUSE (Baeolophus ridgwayi)
We had a couple of these cuties singing and eventually seen along the Clemenceau Road.
Remizidae (Penduline-Tits)
VERDIN (Auriparus flaviceps)
There was a small group of these right in the parking lot of the Sedona Wetlands Preserve. They are the only member of their family in the US; most are in Africa and Eurasia.
Alaudidae (Larks)
HORNED LARK (Eremophila alpestris)
Flushed in front of the van on the highway on the way out to the Navajo Bridge.
Hirundinidae (Swallows)
BANK SWALLOW (Riparia riparia)
A lone late migrant at the Kachina Wetlands.
VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW (Tachycineta thalassina)
The default swallow, seen every day.
PURPLE MARTIN (Progne subis)
A pair of these large dark swallows whirling around above the Kachina Wetlands. I love hearing their cascading waterfall calls!
NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW (Stelgidopteryx serripennis)
A small group at the Sedona Wetlands Preserve.
BARN SWALLOW (Hirundo rustica)
These familiar swallows were most common for us at the Sedona Wetlands Preserve.
CLIFF SWALLOW (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota)
These were nesting under the roofs by of some of our rooms at the hotel!
Aegithalidae (Long-tailed Tits)
BUSHTIT (Psaltriparus minimus)
A couple of these adorable birds at the Encinoso Picnic Area. Much like the Verdin, these are the only member of their family in the US, the rest are in Eurasia.
Regulidae (Kinglets)
RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET (Corthylio calendula)
One of my favorite birds, these were singing and flitting around the Hart Prairie Road.
Sittidae (Nuthatches)
WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH (Sitta carolinensis)
One in Picture Canyon, it was the expected Interior West subspecies.
PYGMY NUTHATCH (Sitta pygmaea)
We watched a pair visiting a nest hole just inches above the ground! Hopefully this was a fake hole as it didn't seem to be in the best spot for a nest...
RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH (Sitta canadensis)
One lone bird along the Hart Prairie Road for the Arizona Nuthatch Sweep!
Certhiidae (Treecreepers)
BROWN CREEPER (Certhia americana)
A couple singing and running up the trees along the Hart Prairie Road.
Polioptilidae (Gnatcatchers)
BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER (Polioptila caerulea)
A lone bird along Old Hwy 64, around the Gray Vireo spot.
Troglodytidae (Wrens)
ROCK WREN (Salpinctes obsoletus)
A surprisingly uncooperative bird did not like sitting still for very long! Eventually everyone was able to get a look.
CANYON WREN (Catherpes mexicanus) [*]
One of the coolest songs of any bird in the US.
HOUSE WREN (Troglodytes aedon)
Often heard only; we did see a couple along the Hart Prairie Road.
BEWICK'S WREN (Thryomanes bewickii)
A bird of the lower drier areas, we had a couple along the Clemenceau Road and around Montezuma Well.
Sturnidae (Starlings)
EUROPEAN STARLING (Sturnus vulgaris) [I]
Seen around the more populated areas.
Mimidae (Mockingbirds and Thrashers)
NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD (Mimus polyglottos)
These really start to get uncommon around Flagstaff, so one at Kachina Wetlands surprised John! We then had a few mimicking a number of desert birds along the Clemenceau Road.
Turdidae (Thrushes and Allies)
WESTERN BLUEBIRD (Sialia mexicana)
We had wonderful views of a few at Wilson Meadow.
MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD (Sialia currucoides)
After a bit of searching, we had fantastic looks of a brilliant male flying around some nest boxes in Baderville.
HERMIT THRUSH (Catharus guttatus)
A couple along the Hart Prairie Road thanks to some sharp spotting by John!
AMERICAN ROBIN (Turdus migratorius)
As someone who sees Robins in my suburban eastern backyard, it's always funny for me to see them up at elevation in the mountains!
Bombycillidae (Waxwings)
CEDAR WAXWING (Bombycilla cedrorum)
A bit unusual to have these lingering, we had a group at the Cameron Trading Post and another group on the side of the road while looking for Pinyon Jays just south of town.
Ptiliogonatidae (Silky-flycatchers)
PHAINOPEPLA (Phainopepla nitens)
Wonderfully common at the Sedona Wetlands Preserve, a large flock of them was actively flying around and perching along the barbed wire fence.
Peucedramidae (Olive Warbler)
OLIVE WARBLER (Peucedramus taeniatus)
The not olive, not warbler! This has become a very challenging species and we made it look easy with a young male at the very first spot we checked.
Passeridae (Old World Sparrows)
HOUSE SPARROW (Passer domesticus) [I]
A common invasive, seen in populated areas and at our hotel every morning and evening.
Fringillidae (Finches, Euphonias, and Allies)
HOUSE FINCH (Haemorhous mexicanus)
Fun for those of us from the eastern US to see these birds in their native range and in habitat!
RED CROSSBILL (Loxia curvirostra)
One of the first birds of the trip, with absolutely stunning views of a male just above eye level feet away from us at Kachina Wetlands.
PINE SISKIN (Spinus pinus)
A few birds flying over Hart Prairie Road.
LESSER GOLDFINCH (Spinus psaltria)
A couple flyovers at John's friend's house in Page Springs.
Passerellidae (New World Sparrows)
CHIPPING SPARROW (Spizella passerina)
A couple of these familiar sparrows around Stoneman and Mormon Lakes.
BLACK-CHINNED SPARROW (Spizella atrogularis)
We struggled with the wind to find this species, but eventually we found a sheltered canyon along Old Hwy 64 where we got some great looks at this beautiful and rarely encountered sparrow.
BLACK-THROATED SPARROW (Amphispiza bilineata)
One of my favorite US sparrows; we had great scope views of a singing bird at the McGuireville Rest Area.
LARK SPARROW (Chondestes grammacus)
A couple of these sharp sparrows along the trail in Picture Canyon.
DARK-EYED JUNCO (RED-BACKED) (Junco hyemalis dorsalis)
One of the only places in the world where this subspecies is the default Junco.
WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW (GAMBEL'S) (Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii)
One lingering bird in the oasis at the Cameron Trading Post, seen both days we checked it.
VESPER SPARROW (Pooecetes gramineus)
Nice looks while looking for Mountain Bluebirds in Baderville.
SONG SPARROW (Melospiza melodia)
Song Sparrow has one of the highest subspecies totals of any US bird. The ones in this part of Arizona are M. m. fallax which are smaller, paler, and fairly rufous streaked compared to the ones people are familiar with out east.
CANYON TOWHEE (Melozone fusca)
Not a bird often seen on this tour, we had a couple along the Clemenceau Road.
ABERT'S TOWHEE (Melozone aberti)
Great looks at a handful during our time in Page Springs. Some wonderful scope views of one on the other side of the creek at John's friend's house.
RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROW (Aimophila ruficeps)
After hearing one distantly, we called one down and got crushing views of one along the Clemenceau Road.
GREEN-TAILED TOWHEE (Pipilo chlorurus)
Wilson's Meadow is a lovely spot for these large beautiful sparrows. We had many in great light and for prolonged views.
SPOTTED TOWHEE (Pipilo maculatus)
Seen sporadically most days, always as singles.
Icteriidae (Yellow-breasted Chat)
YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT (Icteria virens)
Great views of a singing bird at John's friend's house in Page Springs.
Icteridae (Troupials and Allies)
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus)
Not all of us were able to get on the one at Kachina Wetlands, so it was nice to get a few banana-heads for everyone at the Cameron Sewage Ponds.
HOODED ORIOLE (Icterus cucullatus)
A flyover at the McGuireville Rest Area, not sure how many people got on this.
BULLOCK'S ORIOLE (Icterus bullockii)
Nice looks at a couple males along the path down to the Sedona Wetlands Preserve.
SCOTT'S ORIOLE (Icterus parisorum)
After we sheltered from the wind, we eventually tracked down a small group of these snazzy desert orioles along Old Hwy 64.
RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD (Agelaius phoeniceus)
Present at nearly all the wet places we visited, including the Montezuma Well!
BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD (Molothrus ater)
A handful around, with the most at Wilson Meadow.
BREWER'S BLACKBIRD (Euphagus cyanocephalus)
Some great views of these Glossy Blackbirds on the lawns and around the buildings of Grand Canyon Village.
GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE (Quiscalus mexicanus)
A couple at the Kachina Wetlands surprised John, who hadn't seen them there before!
Parulidae (New World Warblers)
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER (Leiothlypis celata)
We actually got really nice views of one while walking around Wilson Meadow!
LUCY'S WARBLER (Leiothlypis luciae)
The birds around the McGuireville Rest Area weren't being particularly accommodating, so we got our better views around Montezuma Well.
VIRGINIA'S WARBLER (Leiothlypis virginiae)
We stopped on our way back through Upper Oak Creek Canyon and nabbed a pair of these often challenging warblers.
MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER (Geothlypis tolmiei)
We are right on the edge of being too early to see these warblers returning to their breeding areas. We were very lucky to get phenomenal looks of this very shy warbler in Wilson Meadow.
COMMON YELLOWTHROAT (Geothlypis trichas)
Our first of these familiar warblers came from Kachina Wetlands.
YELLOW WARBLER (Setophaga petechia)
A few singing on territory along the creek at John's friend's house in Page Springs.
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER (AUDUBON'S) (Setophaga coronata auduboni)
All of our Yellow-rumped Warblers were of this expected western subspecies. Plentiful around the pine forests.
GRACE'S WARBLER (Setophaga graciae)
One of my favorite birds in this part of the world. We got marvelous views of this pretty warbler (despite the wind) at our lunch stop in the Kaibab National Forest.
BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER (Setophaga nigrescens)
The chickadee of the warblers; we had a few along Old Hwy 64.
RED-FACED WARBLER (Cardellina rubrifrons)
One of the absolute must see birds of the tour, and wow did we get lucky with the views we got of this strikingly beautiful bird! It even caused bird tears for some of us! An underrated bird somehow, and one that pictures absolutely do not do justice! It needs to be seen to be experienced fully.
PAINTED REDSTART (Myioborus pictus)
One hanging out around John's friend's house in Oak Canyon. I wish I could have these as yard birds!
Cardinalidae (Cardinals and Allies)
HEPATIC TANAGER (Piranga flava)
After trying multiple times across multiple days, we finally got prolonged views of a singing male while walking up a rough road above Mormon Lake.
SUMMER TANAGER (Piranga rubra)
We had these around John's' friend's house in Page Springs.
WESTERN TANAGER (Piranga ludoviciana)
We had fantastic views of multiple males low down and in the open in the oasis at the Cameron Trading Post.
NORTHERN CARDINAL (Cardinalis cardinalis)
Not a particularly common bird around Flagstaff, we had one at the Page Springs Fish Hatchery.
ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK (Pheucticus ludovicianus)
A really nice bird for Arizona; we had one gorgeous male, albeit a skittish one, at the Cameron Trading Post oasis.
BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK (Pheucticus melanocephalus)
One around with the Rose-breasted Grosbeak at the Cameron Trading Post. Fun to see a nice east meets west here!
BLUE GROSBEAK (Passerina caerulea)
A couple at John's friend's house in Page Springs.
MAMMALS
EASTERN COTTONTAIL (Sylvilagus floridanus)
DESERT COTTONTAIL (Sylvilagus audubonii)
CLIFF CHIPMUNK (Tamias dorsalis)
GRAY-COLLARED CHIPMUNK (Tamias cinereicollis)
ROCK SQUIRREL (Spermophilus variegatus)
GOLDEN-MANTLED GROUND SQUIRREL (Spermophilus lateralis)
GUNNISON PRAIRIE DOG (Cynomys gunnisoni)
ARIZONA GRAY SQUIRREL (Sciurus arizonensis)
ABERT'S SQUIRREL (Sciurus aberti)
RED SQUIRREL (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus)
GRAY FOX (Urocyon cinereoargenteus)
COYOTE (Canis latrans)
ELK (Cervus canadensis)
MULE DEER (Odocoileus hemionus)
PRONGHORN (Antilocapra americana)
Totals for the tour: 149 bird taxa and 15 mammal taxa