BIRDERS VISTA BED AND BREAKFAST
in Southeastern Arizona
Home Accommodations The Art Page Bird Sightings Special Offers
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BIRDERS VISTA BED AND BREAKFAST in Southeastern Arizona
Home Accommodations The Art Page Bird Sightings Special Offers
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To speed uploads we have made the pictures on this page into thumbnails. To see a larger image of any image just click on it with your mouse. Bird Guides on this page for birding in southeastern Arizona.
We have birding books for your use such as "A Birder's Guide to Southeastern Arizona "by Richard Cachor Taylor which has all the locations with maps and a list of birds in southeastern Arizona.
Looking for a bird tour guide or local information? Check these links: Sandy Anderson (520) 458-0542 www.grayhawknaturecenter.org Sheri Williamson (520) 432-1388 www.sabo.org Stuart Healy (520) 458-7603 www.aztrogon.comMelody Kehl Outdoor Adventures www.ebiz.netopia.com/outdoor Mark Pretti (520) 803-6889 www.markprettinaturetours.com
July 23 - We finally saw the new baby Cooper's Hawks in our 50 foot tall pine trees. The nest was well hidden. We heard the cries and saw the fledglings flying around and a parent feeding them when they landed. Always new things to see everyday.
July 15th - There are lots of baby birds from this spring. We are seeing new Pyrrhuloxias, Black-throated Sparrows, Verdins, and Cactus Wrens, just to name a few. The rains have just started. Hopefully we will have the great groups of baby Gamble Quails and their parents soon.
July 7th - We have numerous pairs of Blue Grosbeaks all day in the backyard under the feeders. They will be with us all summer. Black-chinned and Anna's hummingbirds continue to fight on the feeders. Each male believes he alone owns all the feeders in the yard.
July1 - Up to nine species of hummingbirds can be seen in the Huachucas Mountains. Some of which are the Lucifer, White-eared and Beryline. In Carr Canyon the regular warblers can easily be seen including Red-faced, Painted Redstart, Black-throated Grays, Olive, Virginia and Graces.
June 9th - Summer Birds - Numerous Blue Grosbeaks, we counted at least 4, are here for summer. Immature male beside the females and males. Summer birds - nesting Western Kingbirds, Verdin, Cactus Wren, Pyrrhuloxia, Lesser Goldfinch, Black-throated Sparrow, Mourning Dove, Curved-bill Thrasher, Gambel's Quail, Cooper's Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Gila and Ladder-backed Woodpeckers, Bewick's Wren, Bullocks Orioles, Northern Harrier, and (Greater) Roadrunner. The hummingbirds that are here are the Anna's and Black-chinned which are nesting and will be here until December. Birds in the area are: White-Eared Hummingbird in Miller Canyon, Lucifer Hummingbirds at Ash Canyon B & B where you can see them all this summer. Always many good birds to see in this area anytime of the year.
June 1st - Elegant Trogons can be seen in Huachuca Canyon with the males and females staying close to the nest to incubate the eggs and raise the young. Mexican Spotted Owls can be seen in Scheele Canyon on Fort Huachuca which is one of the best hikes in the mountains.
May 15 - Two Gila Woodpeckers are raising there young in cottonwood tree in the front yard. You can hear them peeping in the nest hole.
May 11 - Roadrunners have a nest in the honeysuckle vine on the back porch. You can see them sitting on the nest. We still have about 2 dozen Lark Sparrows here.
May 6 - Our guests Ron and Anna Maria Giffin shared some pictures taken on their visit in early May
One of the old cabins on a Ramsey Canyon Conservancy trail.
Pottery artwork in a Bisbee shop window
The Ocotillo in bloom.
May 1st to 8th - Latest arrivals current here are: Western Tanager, Wilson's Warbler, Black-throated Gary Warblers, Lucy Warbler. Green-tailed Towhees are still here. Western Kingbirds have arrived to build a nest in the tall pines and raise their young as they do every summer.
1st week of May - Elegant Trogons can be seen in Huachuca Canyon. The males and some of the females have arrived.
April - 24th - Lazuli Buntings are here at the backyard feeders. We saw a female and male Summer Tanager yesterday and today. Several Green-tailed Towhees are here also. Great spring migration!
At the same time, Jeff Schmoyer stayed with us and took these sharp images of the green-tailed Towhee in our backyard
April 20th - Male Bullock's Oriole on the orange was spectacular! We also have the Hooded orioles and they nest here.
April 14th - Our pair of roadrunners are starting to mate. The male brings food to the female and also nesting material to show he is a good provider. Last year they nested in the vines in the backyard and raised one chick.
April 11th - The Verdin is attached by the fruit in the backyard. They love the oranges, apples and grapes. Kestrels continue to visit our area. They are beautiful birds. Spring migration is beginning with new birds everyday in this area.
April 8th - Scaled quail in the backyard around 2:30 in the afternoon. Very shy birds who usually stay for 5 minutes. A mating pair who were calling to each other.
April 6th - Three lovely Lark Sparrows continue to visit the backyard daily.
April 4th -1st oriole of the season here. A female Hooded Oriole at the oranges today. We saw several Swainson's Hawks circling over head. 200 hundred of them were seen Saturday, April 3rd, in the field about 15 minutes southeast of here.
April 3rd - The Say's phoebes are here in the front yard feasting on the bugs. We still have around 25 species on our property with new ones arriving everyday.
April 2nd - Lucy's Warbler continues to be seen in the backyard. The bird really like the oranges in the tree.
April 1 - Two Roadrunners are beginning their courtship. Last year we saw them raise the chick in the nest in the honeysuckle vine outside one of our windows. They are coming in the backyard with nesting material.
March 30 - Female Vermilion Flycatcher continues in the orchard. Today our British guests saw the Dusky Flycatcher in our orchard. Black-chinned Hummingbirds are back to breed and will be here until November when they head south. We saw the male during his excellent flight mating dance to impress the female. One little Chipping Sparrow has been seen. The number of sparrows are down these year because of the poor monsoon last summer with very little seed production from the plants.
March 29 - Sandhill Cranes have left Whitewater Draw until next November. Other birds still make it a great birding spot.
March 26 - Prairie Falcon continues to be seen in the backyard and on the road in front of our B&B.
March 24 - Blue-gray Gnatcatcher is back this spring. We love to hear his beautiful song.
March 23 - Spring birds at Birders Vista B&B - Green-tailed and Canyon Towhees, Cactus Wren, Pyrrhuloxia, Verdin, Lesser Goldfinch, Black-throated Sparrow, Mourning Dove, Lark Sparrows, Curved-bill Thrasher, Gambel's Quail, Cooper's Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Gila Woodpecker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Bewick's Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, White-crowned Sparrow, House Sparrow, Great Horned Owl, Northern Harrier, and Greater Roadrunner. Hummingbird species are the Anna's, Black-Chinned and Rufus. Birds are starting to migrate so you never know what you might see. We had a male Vermillion Flycatcher in our orchard last Saturday.
March 21 - EOP birding walk on Sunday morning at 8. We went with our guests from Maine and saw 42 species of birds. The leader is from the Huachuca Audubon Society who guides birders thru all the water areas with great views of the birds. In April the 3 hour walk starts at 7:00 a.m.
March 20 - Male Vermilion Flycatcher in our orchard today. We have them every year for several weeks during the spring - males and females.
March 19 - The Elegant Trogon at Patagonia Lake was seen by our guests from Maine today. This photo was take by our guests Norm and Deanna Krug from Canada. Thanks for the great picture and the great bird!
Also from the same time, March 19, Barbara Montgomery visited us and sent us some
great photos she took at the White Water
Avocet
March 10th - San Pedro Riparian Area- Sora, Re-napped Sapsucker, Lots of Yellow-rumped Warblers, Tree Swallow, 12 pairs of Female & Male Vermilion Flycatchers, Cliff Swallows, Pied-billed Grebe, Mexican Mallards, female Western Bluebird, lots of Lesser Goldfinches, lots Red Winged and Yellow-headed Blackbirds, White -Winged Doves, Phrryloxes, White-crowned, Brewers, Vesper, and Song Sparrows, Ruby-Crowned Kinglets, Gila and Ladder-backed Woodpeckers, Northern Flickers, White-breasted Nuthatches, Red-tail Hawks, House Finches, Abert's Towhee, Black-Phoebe, American Robin, Say's Phoebe and Bridled Titmouse. March 5th - The Violet-crowned Hummingbird at the Paton's in Patagonia and Trogon at Patagonia Lake State Park as still being reported.
March 2 - San Pedro House - It late in the morning when we arrive around 10:30. Still a lot of birds: Mexican Mallards, Buffleheads, Pied-billed Grebe, Cinnamon Teals, White-breasted Nuthatches, Ladder-backed and Gila Woodpeckers, White-winged Doves, Cooper's and Red-tailed Hawks, lots White-crowned Sparrows and Lesser Goldfinches, Song Sparrows, and two male Vermilion Flycatchers at the Kingfisher pond.
February 16 - A dark-eyed Junco was in the backyard today. Amazing because they are a mountain bird and are not seen at this altitude.
February 12 - Several Say's Phoebes in the orchard. The 50 foot pine trees contain many birds - Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Bewick's Wren, Lesser Goldfinches, and the Anna's Hummingbirds, just to name a few. We also saw the Kestrel as we were taking a walk today.
February 8 - Patagonia Lake -We finally started birding late, around 1 today. In the campground area we saw about 6 White-winged Doves, flocks of Bushtits, Bewick's Wren, Anna's Hummingbirds, Verdins, Gila Woodpecker, and several Red-tailed Hawks. Hiking along the lake we saw: Ruddy Ducks, Common Moorhens, American Coots, Buffleheads, Green-winged Teals, and a Great Blue Heron.. In the bosque we saw: Ladder-backed woodpeckers, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Lesser Goldfinches, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Bridle Titmouses, White-breasted Nuthatches, Curve-billed Thrashers, 2 American robins and 2 Abert's Towhees, Black Phoebes, and a Dusky Flycatcher. The highlight was the Painted Redstart below, up close and personal. No viewing of the Elegant Trogon. He shows himself every few days or so it is just luck to him.
January 31 - Whitewater Draw. We spent around 6 hours birding here today. Rails - Soras and Virginia Rails were very cooperative in posing for pictures and appearing for 10 minutes while ignoring people. Numerous life birds for us today - mostly water birds. 2,000 plus Sandhill Cranes were there all day, Ross Geese, Northern Pintails, Northern Shovelers, American Coots, Buffleheads, Pied-billed Grebes, Gadwalls, Kestrels, Northern Harriers, Red-tailed Hawks, American Widgeons, Spotted Sandpipers, Killdeers, Black Phoebes, Vermillion Flycatchers, Say's Phooey, Canyon Towhees, lots of Song Sparrows, Loggerhead Strikes, Meadowlarks, Yellow-headed Blackbirds ( hundreds at dusk), Ladder-backed Woodpeckers, Curve-billed Thrashers, Greater Scaups, and Great-blue Heron, and many more. Great birding in the middle of the day. Some of the cranes fly in and out at 11:20, 1;30 and 4:30. Their internal clock works on this time schedule which is handy for viewing them flying.. Hundreds of yellow-headed black birds around dusk to nest in the reeds nightly.
January 18th - EOP, 10 minutes from us, is open every day for visiting at the water treatment facilities. Lots of water birds and Yellow-header Blackbirds during the winter and early spring months.
January 14th - Whitewater Draw. One of the best places to bird in the winter in this area. There are hundreds Yellow-headed Blackbirds that come in to roost in the reeds at dusk. You can easily see over 30 species of birds during the day (See list below from December.) Thousands of Sandhill cranes with numerous water birds including Vermillion Flycatchers.
January 9th - Say's Phoebe are sitting on the backyard fence making their tiny whistling call. A dozen Lesser Goldfinches are in the 50 foot pine trees to the south of the house. Those little "no neck birds" as I call them - Ruby-crowned Kinglets - continue to chatter noisily in the orchard and pines. Always a least 25 different species here.
January 1st - Birding is great here during the winter in southeastern Arizona. The Elegant Trogon, usually just one bird, is being reported at Patagonia Lake with other rare species. The birding at Whitewater Draw continues to be amazing as always in the winter. Temperatures are getting back in the 60s with plenty of sunshine.
December 20 - Lots of great winter birds, the list is below, continue to visit the backyard. At least four Verdins continue to eat the apples, oranges, and suet. The little guys are very friendly and will let you walk right up to them. A lone Yellow-rumped Warbler is continuing to visit the feeders as are all the birds with the lower temperatures at night.
December 12 - The Great Horned Owl is back in our pine trees. We have seen the owl 3 times this week. This is the time of the year they select a nesting place. The Chihuahuan Ravens have built a great, new nest in the top of a 40 foot pine tree in the grove of pine trees. We hope mated pair of owls will move in to raise a family this spring.
December 10 - Winter birds at Birders Vista B&B - the members of our 'backyard rush hour' - Cactus Wren, Pyrrhuloxia, Verdin, Lesser Goldfinch, Black-throated Sparrow, Mourning Dove, Lark Sparrows, Curved-bill Thrasher, Gambel's Quail, American Kestrel, Northern Harrier, Cooper's Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Gila Woodpecker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Bewick's Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Lincoln's and White-crowned Sparrow, House Sparrow, Great Horned Owl, Anna's Hummingbird, Green-tailed Towhee, Canyon Towhee, Say's Phoebe, and (Greater) Roadrunner. Our Ann's Hummingbirds, male and female, are here all winter long.
December 09 - Whitewater Draw. Over 25,000 Sandhill Cranes are in the Sulphur Springs Valley this year by recent count. Usually around 2,000 to 3,000 around the water during the day. They a usually fly in and out around 11:30, 1:30 and 4:30. We birded from about noon to dusk. We saw White-crowned sparrows, Black-throated Sparrow, brilliant male Vermilion Flycatchers, Western Meadowlark, Common Yellowthroat, Say's Phoebe, Black Phoebe, Song Sparrows, Killdeer, Roadrunner, Snow and Ross's Geese, Red-tailed Hawks, Spotted Sandpipers, Sharp-chinned Hawk, Kestrels, Northern Harriers, Northern Shovelers, Cinnamon Teals, Coots, Bufflehead, Marsh Wrens, Canyon Towhees, Curved-bill Thrasher, Loggerhead Shrike, Great Egret, hundreds Yellow-headed Blackbirds that come in to roost in the reeds at dusk. The Great Horned Owls and Long-eared Owls are in the thick willow trees. They are hard to see this year. We saw the Long-eared and heard the Great Horned around dusk.
November 30 - A flock of Verdins are eating the insects from the salvia in the backyard garden. They also love the oranges and grapes we feed to the woodpeckers. Very loud voice for a small bird. They have been hanging around the backyard for the last week.
November 11 - Several birders have seen a male and female Mexican Spotted Owls in Miller Canyon.. They have been seen around the rock formation called spit rock. Also reported were Yellow-eyed Juncos, Steller's Jay, Red-breasted Nuthatches and a Golden-crowned Kinglet. Beautiful colored maples make the canyon a great place to bird and hike.
November 9 - Our resident roadrunner is coming to roost in the honeysuckle vines around 4:00 p.m. every afternoon. The roadrunner pair raised one chick in this nest in the spring. It is going to be a home now for the upcoming winter months.
November 6 - Lark Bunting has arrived this evening with the usual crowd at dinner time.
October 30th - the members of our 'backyard rush hour' - Cactus Wren, Pyrrhuloxia, Verdin, Lesser Goldfinch, Black-throated Sparrow, Mourning Dove, Lark Sparrows, Curved-bill Thrasher, Gambel's Quail, American Kestrel, Northern Harrier, Cooper's Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Gila Woodpecker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Bewick's Wren, Lincoln's and White-crowned Sparrow, House Sparrow, Great Horned Owl, Anna's Hummingbird, Canyon Towhee, Say's Phoebe, and (Greater) Roadrunner.
October 22 - Plenty of great fall birds on the 4 acres. Cooper's Hawk is still hunting for his dinner in the backyard. The last three days he has been showing up around 9 a.m. at the water bowls for the birds. Very close up looks.
October 15 - Great Horned Owls are in the tall pines on the south side of the house. A male and a female "Hooting" to each other, usually around 9 to 10 at night. We hope they choose to nest here this December. The Chihuahuan Ravens have built a great, new nest for them in the top of a 40 foot pine tree in the grove of pine trees.
October 11 - A adult Cooper's Hawk has found the birds in our backyard. He was plucking a morning dove last Tuesday evening for his dinner. Fortunately the hawks like the bigger birds like the doves.
October 9 - Abert's Towhee in the backyard. We now have 3 types - Canyon (year round), Green-tailed, and Abert's. More fall migrants coming in daily.
October 5 - Two Common Yellowthroats were in the salvia eating the butterflies. There are lots of birds still migrating plus the resident fall and winter birds are returning.
October 3 - Plumbeous Vireo is back in our 50 foot pine trees. A beautiful bird that has a great singing voice.
September 28 - Gila and Ladder-backed Woodpeckers, Curved Bill Thrashers, Black-throated, White-crowned and Lark Sparrows, Canyon Towhees, Pyrrhuloxias, Cactus Wrens, Inca Doves, Gambel's Quails. We still have the Rufus, Black-chinned, and Anna's Hummingbirds. You can see up to 300 species of birds in the this area of Arizona.
September 25th - Green-tailed Towhee, Verdins, and plenty of hummingbirds are still here enjoying the great weather - lower 80s in the day and lower 60s at night with no humidity. Sunny, dry and wonderful temperatures. Great for bird watching and just relaxing in the backyard.
September 16th - Still good numbers of Hummingbirds - Anna's, Black-Chinned and Rufus, are in the backyard where their favorite flowers are blooming. The weather continue to be in the dry, with 80s in the daytime and lower 60s at night. Last night it was 59 here.
September 14th - Weekly Monday morning bird walk at the San Pedro River. This week 57 species were seen. The walk is guided by someone from the Audubon Society. September 13th - Weekly Sunday morning bird walk at the Sierra Vista EOP. A surprisingly high 76 species when seen this week. September 7th - Large flocks of Lark Sparrows are feeding the in backyard in this evening. There is a bird walk every Monday at the San Pedro River beginning this month at 7:00 a.m. Check the birding site: http://www.birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/AZNM.html on Sunday to be sure walk not canceled. Excellent birders from Audubon and great location.
September 1st - Green-tailed Towhees were feeding this evening. First one of the fall season. A Northern Harrier was seen hunting in our orchard this morning looking for breakfast.
August 30th - A large flock of Western Kingbirds flew over the backyard and landed in our 50 foot pine trees. We haven't ever seen a large flock of these birds here. The hummingbirds are still here in large numbers. 3 male Costa's this week!
August 22nd - The numbers of hummingbirds is amazing! We saw at least 2 dozen this afternoon at one time. 4 Bullock's Orioles are trying to get the sugar water from the hummingbird feeders. They do like to eat our pears out of the orchard.
August 20th - Lazuli Buntings are been seen in our backyard at the feeders. There are a lot of good migratory birds beginning to appear everywhere.
August 16th - Swarms of hummingbirds at our feeders all afternoon long. Anna's, Rufus and Black-chinned hummingbirds just to name a few. The roadrunners love to hunt in our backyard.
August 12th - Patagonia Sonoita Creek Preserve. So many birds there, it is hard to name them all. We looking for the Rufous-Capped Warblers. No one had seen them on the 12th. We saw Vermillion Flycatchers, Western Tanager, Lazuli Buntings, Black Phoebes, Lesser Goldfinches, Western Kingbirds, Gila and Ladder Woodpeckers, Canyon Wrens, Canyon Towhee, Yellow-breasted Chats, numerous Gray Hawks, and the most Phainopeplas we have ever seen - 20 or more. The Mexican Elderberry trees are covered in berries and the birds are having a feast. 7 species of Hummingbirds to be seen in the middle of the day.
August 10th - The Common Nighthawk is a bird flying found over our backyard in the summer. You can sit in the pergola and get really a very close look at them.
August 5th - Black-headed Grosbeaks and Lark Sparrows are returning to the backyard. A Cassin's sparrow was also seen.
August 1 - Ramsey Canyon. Brown-backed Solitaire. The bird finally made his appearance around 3:30 near the "dancing trees" under which the berries of the Barberry Bushes are attaching numerous birds. We also saw Black-throated Gary Warblers, Painted Redstarts, Arizona and Acorn Woodpeckers, numerous Sulphur-bellied Flycatchers, Black Phoebe near the stream, Hepatic and Western Tanagers, Black-headed Grosbeaks, Lesser Goldfinches, Hermit Thrush, and Western Wood-Pewee to name a few. The canyon is shady and a nice breeze was blowing with an altitude of roughly 5,400 ft.
July 30 - Summer Birds - Numerous Blue Grosbeaks, we counted at least 4, are here for summer. Immature male beside the females and males. Summer birds - nesting Western Kingbirds, Verdin, Cactus Wren, Pyrrhuloxia, Lesser Goldfinch, Black-throated Sparrow, Mourning Dove, Curved-bill Thrasher, Scaled Quail, Gambel's Quail, Cooper's Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Gila and Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Bewick's Wren, Great Horned Owl, Northern Harrier, and (Greater) Roadrunner - mother and baby together hunting. The hummingbirds that are here are the Black-chinned which are nesting and will be here until December. Birds in the area are: White-Eared Hummingbird in Miller Canyon, Lucifer Hummingbirds at Ash Canyon B & B where you can see them all this summer. Always many good birds to see in this area anytime of the year.
July 25 - The Brown-backed Solitaire is being seen at Ramsey Canyon daily. 7 species of hummingbirds can still be seen at Miller Canyon. Always good birding here year round.
July 2 - With the monsoon rains all the Gamble Quails are having their chicks. Some families have as many as 20 chicks. It is great to see them grow up. The Chihuahuan Ravens young are beginning to fly. The Verdin is staying with us this summer. Plenty of hummingbirds in the backyard - Anna's and Black-chinned. You can see as many as 10 species in some places in the mountains near here. June 20 - We have been seeing the Anna's male and female Hummingbirds at the feeders besides the Black-chinned. Also we start have still have Bullock's Orioles and Black-headed Grosbeaks. The Gamble Quails are bringing the new chicks into the yard for water and seed.
June 12 - My husband found the nest of Chihuahuan Ravens in our 50 foot pines trees. The chicks were visible in the nest. The mother Roadrunner is being followed around by her chick, which is begging for food from her. Of course the chick is getting to be nearly as big as the mother.
June 3 - Ramsey Canyon. It is great weather for hiking/birding because it is still not hot. We saw two Canyon Wrens about 10 feet from us in the stone wall of the old cabin on the Grand View Loop trail. Heard the Elegant Trogon around the "dancing trees" on the main trail. At the seep, if you cross the bridge in the middle of this area is a nest with a Plumbeous Vireo under the leaves of the sycamore tree. Also a Sharp-shinned Hawk was sitting on the same branch of the tree. We saw the Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher, two magnificent Hummingbirds sitting beside each other, Painted Redstarts, and many more.
June 3 - Interesting seeing a Say's Phoebe in our backyard sitting in the mesquite. They are usually setting on the bare branches of the trees.
May 26 - Portal. It is a wonderful place to go., Am amazing lush, beautiful valley with volcanic rock formation up to 9,000 feet. We saw numerous species of birds and it even came several good rains the two days we were there. We were camping at Sunny flats! Acorn Woodpecker, Dusky-capped Flycatcher, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Painted Redstart, Bridled Titmouse, Canyon Wren, Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher, White-winged Dove, Robins, Mexican jays, Western Kingbirds, Nuthatch, Black-chinned and Blue-throated Hummingbirds and many other species right in the camp ground. Of course, you just walk up South fork of Cave Creek to see the Elegant Trogons. Great birding area.
May 11th - Scheelite Canyon. We saw the Elegant Trogon and the Mexican Spotted Owl today in the canyon! Painted Redstarts, Canyon Wrens, Mexican Jays, Hepatic Tanagers, Blacked-Throated Gray Warblers, Dusky Flycatchers, Arizona Woodpeckers and many more species. A wonderful, cool place to go birding. Just spend the day there and then when you come down from your hike, cross the road and rest you feet in the cool, clear water of the shaded steam.
May 5th - Birders have been reporting see the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. I finally see it in the mesquite trees close to the pines where he was going thru the blossoming mesquite trees. A life bird for me.
April 30th - Wonderful pair of Scaled Quail in the backyard in the afternoon. Great to see a mating pair.
April 28 - There are at least a dozen Lazuli Buntings here. Looks like an equal number of males and females. We have over 30 species of birds at our B&B.
April 26 - A beautiful Summer Tanager was eating our suet this morning. Also Blackhead Grosbeaks and Bullock's Orioles are regularly visiting our feeders in the backyard.
April 24 - The roadrunner has built a nest in the honeysuckle vine at the south end of the house. She has began setting on the nest. This will be great to see the baby roadrunners.
April 20 Numerous Warblers are here on our property. We saw the Orange -crowned, McGillivray's, Wilson's, and Lucy's this morning. Also a Bell's Vireo.
April 15th - New arrivals today - Lucy's Warbler and Dusky Flycatcher.
April 10 - The first Lazuli Bunting of the season have arrived.. A male Northern Cardinal was seen today which is the first one of the year for us. We have Pyrrhuloxias all year round but Cardinals are rare.
April 4 - A male Costa's Hummingbird looked at me close up in the living room window which over looks the backyard.. More hummingbirds are coming daily to our area. The male Lucifer Hummingbird is at Ash Canyon B&B now. Three male Elegant Trogons have been seen in Huachuca Canyon on the fort this week.
April 2 - Male Hooded Orioles were seen in our backyard today.
March 29 - The Orioles are starting to arrive in our area. We saw a female Bullock's Oriole in our Mesquite trees this evening. They really love the oranges and the sugar water form the hummingbird feeders.
March 27 - Birding guests and I found a Hutton's Vireo in our 50 foot pine trees this morning. Another new species for us.
March 21 - The Black Phoebe and the female Vermillion Flycatcher appeared in our backyard yesterday. The Roadrunner is still sleeping the vines outside our backdoor. All migrant species are starting to arrive in area. The Blue Mockingbird is still at the Slaughter Ranch east of Douglas. The Elf Owls have returned to their nesting areas in the mountains. Great time of the year to going birding.
March 16 - Spring birds at Birders Vista B&B - Green-tailed and Canyon Towhees, Cactus Wren, Pyrrhuloxia, Verdin, Lesser Goldfinch, Black-throated Sparrow, Mourning Dove, Lark Sparrows, Curved-bill Thrasher, Gambel's Quail, Cooper's Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Gila Woodpecker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Bewick's Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, White-crowned Sparrow, House Sparrow, Great Horned Owl, Northern Harrier, and Greater Roadrunner who sleeps in the vine outside our back door in the evening. Hummingbird species are the Anna's, Black-Chinned and Rufus. Birds are starting to migrate so you never know what you might see. We had a male Vermillion Flycatcher in our yard for several days last week. Chipping and Lincoln sparrows are here also..
March 5 - Plumbeous Vireo has been in our pines for the last month. Very distinctive trilling song. We have had two Green-tailed Towhees and two Lincoln Sparrows in our yard for the past two weeks. The Lincoln's really love our small pond in the center of the backyard garden. I have build several huge brush piles about 20 feet away from the Pergola. This has attracted many birds. Birds currently here on our property: Cactus Wren, Pyrrhuloxia, Verdin, Lesser Goldfinch, Black-throated Sparrow, Mourning Dove, Lark Sparrows, Curved-bill Thrasher, Gambel's Quail, American Kestrel, Northern Harrier, Cooper's Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Gila Woodpecker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Bewick's Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Lincoln's and White-crowned Sparrow, House Sparrow, Great Horned Owl, Anna's Hummingbird, Green-tailed Towhee, Canyon Towhee, Say's Phoebe, and (Greater) Roadrunner
February 22nd - Slaughter Ranch east of Douglas where we saw the Blue Mockingbird. He was in the thick undergrowth pass the pond in the brush and was eating the berries in the large, old Hackberry Tree. If you are patient, he comes back to this are every 30 minutes to feed. The bird has been there for about three weeks, so hopefully he will continue his stay. Another first for us was the Ruddy Ground-Doves. They were in a mixed flock and were at the west end of the brushy area where the Blue Mockingbird was. We saw around 20 + other species and enjoyed looking at the restored Slaughter Ranch. It is an oasis in the dessert at 4,000 feet elevation with springs and a large pond with many ducks. The birds love the water and the brushy area.
February 15th - Whitewater Draw. Still plenty of Sandhill Cranes are in the Sulphur Springs Valley. Usually around 2,000 near the water during the day. They usually fly in and out around 11:30, 1:30 and 4:30. We arrived in the late afternoon and saw many species of birds (see whitewater draw below ). At dusk we saw the Great Horned Owls appear from the willows. The female sat on the branch at the waters edge and the male flew over to a small island in the pond. We were entertained for quite a long time watching their calls and movements.
February 5th - We have Lincoln's sparrows, Lark sparrows and Black-throated sparrows in the backyard. The Black-throated sparrows are wonderful singers and have beautiful songs. A Blue Mockingbird was reported at Slaughter Ranch east of Douglas yesterday. Sinaloa Wren is still in Patagonia also.
January 25th - Patagonia Lake. We unfortunately arrived later in the day. We saw many Yellow-rumped Warblers, numerous Black Phoebes. a Louisiana Thrush, a rare bird for us in Arizona, Montezuma Quails, Mexican and Northern Mallards, Northern Shovelers, Coots, Gila and Ladder-back woodpeckers and many more species of birds.. A painted Redstart was in a oak on the side of the hills in the creek area. A group from Tucson counted 60 species there recently. Here is a beautiful Kestrel that posed for Johnnie in the trees by the creek.
January 21st - Winter birds at Birders Vista B&B - the members of our 'backyard rush hour' - Cactus Wren, Pyrrhuloxia, Verdin, Lesser Goldfinch, Black-throated Sparrow, Mourning Dove, Lark Sparrows, Curved-bill Thrasher, Gambel's Quail, American Kestrel, Northern Harrier, Cooper's Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Gila Woodpecker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Bewick's Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Lincoln's and White-crowned Sparrow, House Sparrow, Great Horned Owl, Anna's Hummingbird, Green-tailed Towhee, Canyon Towhee, Say's Phoebe, and (Greater) Roadrunner. The Roadrunner has been roosting in the vines right outside our back door. We can see his tail feathers sticking out. He jumps down in the morning and hangs around the backyard.
January 15th - Whitewater Draw again. We took our neighbors to Whitewater Draw because they never had been. We saw thousands or Sandhill Cranes a flow of around 40 Snow Geese. They were very nervous today because two mature Bald Eagles where flying around and scaring all the cranes and geese. The Great Horned Owl was in the pole barn near the parking lot. Many other species of birds are in this area.
January 6th - Our guests went to Garden Canyon and saw the Elegant Trogon dining on berries on the Madrone Tree in the lower canyon. There is always one Trogon around this area during the winter. The best time of the year to see them is from May to early September. We know the spots where they nest to raise their young.
December 31st - Whitewater Draw. Over 26,000 Sandhill Cranes are in the Sulphur Springs Valley this year by recent count. Usually around 2,000 around the water during the day. They are on the west side of the ponds this year and usually fly in and out around 11:30, 1:30 and 4:30. We birded from about 1 to dusk. We saw White-crowned sparrows, a brilliant male Vermilion Flycatcher and female, Say's Phoebe, Black Phoebe, Savannah Sparrows, Killdeer, Roadrunner, Snow Geese, Red-tailed Hawks, Spotted Sandpipers, Kestrels, Northern Harriers, Northern Shovelers, Female Cinnamon Teals, Coots, Canyon Towhees, Loggerhead Shrike, Great Blue Heron, over a hundred Yellow-headed Blackbirds that come in to roost in the reeds at dusk, Egrets, and Pyrrhuloxias. Also a 2nd year Bald Eagle because the white was clearly visible on his breast. The Great Horned Owls and Long-eared Owls are in the thick willow trees. They are hard to see this year. We saw the Long-eared and heard the Great Horned around dusk.
December 20th - We had a trip to the Nature Conservancy and the Patton's in Patagonia. The Sinaloa Wren can still be seen along the road going to the conservancy. Nature Conservancy: Gila, Acorn and Ladder-back Woodpeckers, Northern Flicker, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Black Phoebes, House and Berwick's wren, Bridle Titmouses, Green-trialed Towhees, Red-Tailed Hawk, White-crowned Sparrows, White-breasted Nuthatch, Common Raven, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Red-tailed Hawks, Kestrels, Lesser Gold-finches, Say's Phoebes, Inca and Morning Doves, Cowbirds, House Finch. The Patton's have number species: Flocks of White-crowned Sparrows and Inca doves, 20+ Gamble Quails, White-winged Doves, Pyrrhuloxias, and Lazuli Bunting.
December 5th - Scheelite Canyon. Our guests saw the Elegant Trogon today in the canyon! There is usually one or two trogons in the area in the winter. Also Painted Redstarts, Canyon Wrens, Mexican Jays, and many others near the seep in the canyon. The pair of Mexican Spotted Owls usually can be seen near the middle area of the canyon this time of year.
November 22nd - San Pedro River. Great Blue Heron, Black Phoebes, White-Crowned Sparrows, Yellow-rumped Warblers, numerous types of sparrows, Kestrels, Red-tailed Hawks, and many more. The San Pedro is a haven for birds all year round. Great in the winter with temperatures close to 70s.
November 15th - More birds are arriving here with the cold weather up north. We have Green-tailed towhees, The Elegant Trogon has been seen in Ramsey Canyon on the 13th and 14th. Our guests hiked in Scheelite Canyon on the 12th and saw a pair of Mexican Spotted Owls.
October - 28 - Two Lincoln sparrows were drinking out of our backyard garden pond today. We also had a Say's Phoebe one of the beams on our veranda the year. There are usually 25 + species any day on our 4 acres. 1700 acres of vacant land are across the road where numbers birds and animals live. Over 20 different species of butterflies are in the backyard garden which is in full bloom this time of year. Temperature from 80 in the daytime to 50 at night.
October 23 - We had a trip to the Nature Conservancy and the Patton's in Patagonia today. The Sinaloa Wren can still be seen along the road going to the conservancy. A great place to see many species of birds. We saw: Gila and Ladder-back Woodpeckers, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Black Phoebes, Inca Doves, a new bird for us - Black Vultures, Berwick's wren, Bridle Titmouse, Cassin's Kingbirds, Canyon and Green-trialed Towhees, Red-Tailed Hawk, White-crowned Sparrows, at the conservancy. Gray Hawks are still there. The Patton's have number species including a Ruddy Ground-dove with the flocks of Inca doves. We saw a Kestrel, White-breasted Nuthatch, Lesser Goldfinches, Anna's Hummingbirds, Gamble Quails.
October 10 - Green-tailed Towhees, White-crowned sparrows, and other winter birds are starting to appear in our backyard. We still have the same birds in the September 15th listing below. The Anna' s Hummingbirds will spend all winter and early spring with us. A short trip to Patagonia, you can see the Sinaloa Wren - a 1st in the US at the Patagonia Nature Conservancy and a NORTHERN JACANA was found and photographed at the spillway on the west end of Patagonia Lake, another great birding spot.
September 23 - Scheelite Canyon. A beautiful, high walled canyon in Garden Canyon. There are numerous spots in the canyon with running water in the stream, wonderful wildflowers that are still blooming and lots of butterflies. We saw a male Elegant Trogon 4 times! We didn't expect to see one at all. What luck! Townsend's Warblers and Hutton's Vireo near the entrance of the canyon. Into the canyon we saw and heard lots of Painted Redstarts. Many Canyon Wrens were heard with one posing for us about 5 feet away. Ravens and flocks of Mexican Jays.
September 22 -Monday morning birding walk along the San Pedro River. A great walk on an individual's 120 acre property. The walk is an excellent way to see the species along the river and in the grasslands. Numerous bird species were seen: Rufus Hummingbirds, Summer and Hepatic Tanagers, Lazuli Buntings, Gila Woodpeckers, Lark Sparrows, Lesser Goldfinches, Blue Grosbeaks, Western Kingbirds, Black Phoebe, Vermilion Flycatcher, Loggerhead Shrike, and many others. Lots of hawks: Cooper's, Swainson's, Red-tailed, and 3 Gray Hawks! The man has also allowed the reintroduction of the Burrowing Owl on 40 acres of his property. Always a great birding walk every Monday.
September 15th - Our Great Owl Horn was sitting in the 40 foot pine trees again today. The birds were going crazy making loud calls, flying around and trying to get him to leave. He would not leave but I don't think he got much sleep. We have immature Hooded Orioles, probably 3 to 4 of them for the pass several weeks. They are feasting on the ripening pears in our orchard. Still over a dozen hummingbirds - Anna's, Black-chinned, and Rufus at our birders all day. Also the Western Kingbirds, Cactus Wren, Pyrrhuloxia, Lesser Goldfinch, Black-throated Sparrow, Mourning and White-winged Dove, Curved-bill Thrasher, Scaled Quail, Gambel's Quail, Swainson's Hawk, Gila and Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Bewick's Wren, and many others like the Canyon Towhee here.
September 5th - Sinaloa Wren - a 1st in the US, is over in the Patagonia area. Near Blue Heaven Road near the Patagonia Nature Preserve (shown as Blue Haven Road on most maps, a public road. Just look for all the people there!) Also Yellow-Throated Vireo, a very rare bird in Arizona, has been seen and heard on the same road. American Redstart and a Northern Waterthrush are in the area also.
August 20 - The air in the backyard is full of Hummingbirds - Anna's, Rufus, and Black-Chinned. The males, especially the Rufus, are fighting over the feeders. Over a dozen birds have arrived in the last several days besides the ones we have year round. If you love wildflowers, now is the time to be here in the Sierra Vista area. There are many varieties in full bloom because of the good monsoon we have had since the end of June.
August 13 - A pair of Mexican Spotted Owls has been seen daily for the last week in Miller Canyon across the creek from the foundation off to the left of the trail. Be prepared to cross the creek which is full of water from the monsoon rains. Hummingbirds are abundant this time of year at Ash Canyon B&B on Turkey Track Road and Beatty's Ranch at the end of the road in Miller Canyon. About 15 to 20 minutes from our B&B. Of course the Elegant Trogons are still around in the mountains.
August 2 - Our Great Horned Owls have return at least for a short visit with us the last two nights. We have seen and heard the male and the female. You can see them sitting the50 foot pine trees on the south side of the house about 30 minutes before dark. You could hear the low call of the male and the high pitch call of the female. Always great to have here.
July 21 - We drove over in the mountains around Patagonia and up into Harshaw Canyon where we saw numerous species of birds. We also were over in Sonoita and Elgin area which is a large hilly, grassland at 5,000 feet elevation surrounded by large mountains in the distance.. There were lots of Meadow Larks, Scaled Quails, Lark Sparrows, and a Barn Owl who posed for Johnnie nicely.
July 7 - San Pedro Riparian Area. We hiked under the cloud cover to the river. What a nice change for us to have cooler weather in the mid 80s this week. The monsoon keeps in the temperatures in the 80s in July and August. Higher elevations have temperatures in the 70s. We saw between 6 to 12 male Vermillion Flycatchers, male Hepatic Tanager, Gila woodpeckers, Western Kingbirds, Black Phoebes, Blue Grosbeaks, numerous sparrows, and heard many other birds which were hiding out in the cover of the cottonwoods. The San Pedro is good any time of year.
June 27 - Gamble Quail with the chicks in our backyard. Once the monsoon starts the quails begin laying their eggs for this year's brood. It is wonderful to watch the families of quails as the chicks grow up.
June 25 - The immature Bullock's Orioles and other birds love the oranges. Quite a crowd for the feeder. The monsoon has arrived with lovely skies and clouds. Temperatures are now in the mid 80s in the afternoons. The cooler weather will be here for the next two months or more.
May 18 - Ramsey Canyon. The Golden Eagles have a nest visible from the parking lot of the Nature Conversancy. A chick has been seen in the nest with the parent about 15 feet up on the rock ledge keeping watch. Many great birds to see in the canyon which is surrounded by beautiful mountains, many types of trees and a creek in the middle of this paradise. The Sulphur-bellied flycatchers have returned for the summer.
May 10 - Our guests who are birders have seen the Warbling Vireo, Yellow Warbler, Lucy's Warbler and Bell's Vireo this week besides the many other species of birds in our yard. We have two male Blue Grosbeaks who have arrived for the summer and probably the females also. New birds every day! Several male and female Lazuli Buntings at our feeders.
May 6 - Garden and Scheelite Canyon. We found the Mexican Spotted Owl very high up in Scheelite Canyon. What a beautiful bird! We counted 20 birds in one small area in Garden Canyon.: Western Tanager, Hepatic Tanager, Summer Tanager, Bridled Titmouse, Magnificent Hummingbird on a Columbine in Garden Canyon Creek, Greater Pewee, Spotted Towhee, Back-headed Grosbeak, Bushtits, Scott's Oriole, and many more that were uncooperative by hiding in the leaves of the trees.. Garden Canyon above the third picnic ground was teaming with great birds! The Elegant Trogon was heard several times in Scheelite Canyon. May 2: New birds at our B&B: Bell's Vireo, Lucy's Warbler, Green-tailed Towhee, Black Headed Grosbeak, and an Osprey which was seen at the San Pedro early this week. New species everyday. We still have the male and female Vermilion Flycatcher in our orchard. April 30: We went for a quick walk in Ramsey Canyon: 2 Golden Eagles, Painted Redstarts, Hammons's Flycatcher, Bridled Titmouse, Acorn and Ladder Woodpeckers, Brown Creeper, Mexican Jay, Bush Tit, and a Flammulated Owl. April 19th - Plenty of new birds arriving at our place in the last week during the spring migration: Bullock Orioles, over 20 Lark Sparrows, Abert's and Green-tailed Towhees, Lazuli Buntings. Other birds at our B&B: Western Kingbird, Vermillion Flycatchers, Cactus Wren, Pyrrhuloxia, Lesser Goldfinch, Black-throated Sparrow, Mourning Dove, Curved-bill Thrasher, Scaled Quail, Gambel's Quail, Cooper's Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Gila and Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Bewick's Wren, White-crowned Sparrow, House Sparrow, Great Horned Owl, Kestrels, Northern Harrier, and (Greater) Roadrunner. The hummingbirds that are here are: Anna's, Rufus and Black-Chinned. They are numerous in the backyard at the feeders and the plants in the late afternoon and evening.
April 11th - We took a trip to Patagonia to the Nature Conversancy where we saw the following birds: Vermillion Flycatchers, 100s of Chipping Sparrows, Yellow-rumped Warblers, White-breasted Nuthatch, Green-tailed Towhees, Broad-billed and Violet-crowned Hummingbirds, Great Blue Herons, Bridled Titmouses, Less Goldfinches, Western Kingbird, Ash-throated Flycatchers, Gila and Acorn Woodpeckers. The Gray Hawks should be nesting in the cottonwoods which can be viewed from the main building. Beautiful steam with huge cottonwoods and lots of vegetation for the birds. A great birding place!
April 9th - More new birds in the last several days. A male and female Common Yellowthroat, Abert's Towhee, the first Western Kingbird of the season. Many more Anna's, Black-chinned, and Rufus Hummingbirds are at our feeders. The immature male Vermillion Flycatcher was sitting on the fence in our backyard today. Here he is below sitting in our cherry tree in the orchard.
April 4 - We discovered two baby Anna's Hummingbirds in the nest today in our pine trees! We saw the mother feed them. It was great.
April 1 - More species of birds are appearing daily in the San Pedro River valley. We now have Black-chinned, Anna's, and Rufus Hummingbirds. The male Vermillion Flycatcher is being seem in the orchard on our property and the Great Horn Owl is making an appearance in the evening in our large pines. Great weather in the upper 70s in the day and mid 40s at night with plenty of sunshine.
March 22- Spring birds at Birders Vista B&B - the members of our 'backyard rush hour' - Cactus Wren, Pyrrhuloxia, Verdin, Lesser Goldfinch, Black-throated Sparrow, Mourning Dove, Lark Sparrows, Curved-bill Thrasher, Scaled Quail, Gambel's Quail, Cooper's Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Gila Woodpecker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Bewick's Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, White-crowned Sparrow, House Sparrow, Great Horned Owl, Anna's Hummingbird, Verdin, Kestrels, Northern Harrier, and (Greater) Roadrunner. Birds are starting to migrate so you never know what you might see. We had a male Vermillion Flycatcher in our yard for several days last week. Chipping and Lincoln sparrows have arrived.
March 17 - Bird Walks along the San Pedro River every Monday morning at 8 a.m. in March. Unique opportunity to visit private, conservation-easement property with the riparian habitat including burrowing owl roosts. ( They were reintroduced to the San Pedro valley last year.) Our quests said the guide was great and a tremendous number of birds were seen including the burrowing owls.
March 12 - Ramsey Canyon Hike and Birding. We hiked up to the overlook about 1 mile and 1,000 feet up from the starting point of 5,200 feet at the Nature Conversancy's Office. We didn't see many birds on the way up but at the overlook we saw many different species and this was about 1:00 in the afternoon. Numerous Mexican Jays, Arizona and Acorn Woodpeckers, Hummingbirds, Bush Tits, Painted Restarts, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Brown Creepers, and many more. Golden Eagles have been soaring over Ramsey Canyon recently. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday Nature Walks at 9:00 a.m. We have a "Birders Vista B&B" pass you can use to cover you entrance fee to the preserve.
March 1 - A Great Horned Owl has been roasting in our pine trees for the last several weeks. He is wonderful to see. We know it is a he because of his deep hoot. We believe he is one of owls that was raised here in the last two years when we had nesting Great Horned Owls. Unfortunately, the nest blew down in December. My husband built them another nest about 20 feet up in the pine tree. Great Horned Owls do not build their own nests. Hopefully this immature owl will stay with us and find a mate for next year.
February 16th - Ramsey Canyon. Plenty of birds. The Golden Eagles appear to be back to nest in the canyon. Their nesting area is visible from the parking lot of the Nature Conservancy. Arizona Woodpeckers, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Painted Redstarts, Brown Creepers, Bridled Titmouses, Townsend Warblers, Acorn and Ladder-backed Woodpeckers, and many other birds are there.
January 30th - Parker Canyon Lake is a wonderful spot about 45 minutes from Sierra Vista at a 5,600 foot elevation. We made the 4.6 mile hike around the lake on a somewhat cold and windy day. We saw plenty of birds - Red-tailed Hawks, Northern Harriers, Acorn and Laddered-backed Woodpeckers, Northern Flickers, Mexican Jays, Bridled Titmouses, Bewick's Wren, Dark-eyed Juncos, Ruby- crowned Kinglets, Great Blue Herons, Coots, Northern Shovelers, a female Phainopepla (gray), and Mallards. We saw our first Mature Bald Eagle! Wow what a treat. The bird flew off from a large, dead tree and spiraled upwards till we couldn't see him anymore.
January 29th - Whitewater Draw. Over 37,000 Sandhill Cranes are in the Sulphur Springs Valley this year by recent count. At least 5,000 cranes are there during the day. We saw White-crowned sparrows, a brilliant male Vermilion Flycatcher, Say's Phoebe, Black Phoebe, Song Sparrows, Killdeer, Snow Geese, Red-tailed Hawks, Kestrels, Northern Harriers, Northern Shoveler, Green-winged Teal, Coots, Canyon Towhees Inca Doves, Loggerhead Shrike, female Red-winged Blackbirds, Egrets, and Pyrrhuloxias. The Great Horned Owls are in the pole barn. There have been reported as many as 27 Barn and Long-eared owls in the willows. They now have tape up that says owl roasting area but the owls are very visible when you look for them. A marvelous place to bird!
January 25th - San Pedro House. It was late in the day and very windy for birds. We saw a Yellow-rumped Warbler, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Gila Woodpecker, Pyrrhuloxia, Black Phoebe, Coots, Northern Shoveler, Great Blue Heron, Lesser Goldfinches, White-crowned Sparrows, and a Great Owl by the river. The most exciting moment was when we saw the Bobcat!
January 18th - Winter birds at Birders Vista B&B - the members of our 'backyard rush hour' - Cactus Wren, Pyrrhuloxia, Verdin, Lesser Goldfinch, Black-throated Sparrow, Mourning Dove, Lark Bunting, Lark Sparrows, Curved-bill Thrasher, Scaled Quail, Gambel's Quail, Cooper's Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Gila Woodpecker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Bewick's Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, White-crowned Sparrow, House Sparrow, Great Horned Owl, Anna's Hummingbird, Bush Tits, Kestrels, Northern Harrier, and (Greater) Roadrunner. On our walks down our road we have seen Loggerhead Shrike, Say's Phoebe, and Phainopepla this week.
January 14th - Patagonia Lake and the Paton's in Patagonia (You can tell this episode is written by Johnnie, as Audrey says "they want Birds, not words!", but I can't help myself. If you see this, then it means Audrey didn't edit it out...) On Monday we took a day to go over to Patagonia Lake, Patagonia, AZ and the Paton's place. The lake is manmade, and occupies a small valley the Sonoita Creek runs through. It is, especially on a weekday, quiet and has easy hiking trails for those of us whose hiking is only a way to see the birds. They have resident Great Blue Herons and smaller Night Herons. We saw a Great Blue sunning from a distance. There were Canyon Towhees, Pyrrhuloxias, White Crown Sparrows, and a pair of Red-tailed Hawks in the campground. On the trail there were Bridled Titmouse, Black Phoebe, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, more Bewick's Wrens, Wilson's Warblers, Dusky Flycatcher and several different Sparrows (identification still being debated). Many Coot, a pair of Northern Shovelers and other water birds were in the lake. Elegant Trogon is at Patagonia Lake all winter but is hard to find sometimes. At Paton's Place, late in the day, there were many Gambel's Quail, Pyrrhuloxia, a few Lazuli Bunting, Lincoln Sparrow, Anna's Hummingbird.
December 28th Our birding guests saw the Elegant Trogon and many other species at Patagonia Lake today! Plenty of birds to see even in the winter months.
December 20, 2007 We drove over to Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area and saw thousands and thousands of Sandhill Cranes that spend the winter here. A small flock of Snow Geese were keeping them company. An eagle flew over and that startled the geese and the cranes into the air! It is an amazing spectacle to see! Other birds we saw, and that are commonly seen there, are American Coots, Killdeers, Plovers, Barn Owl, Black Phoebes, Say's Phoebe, at least a dozen Vermilion Flycatchers, the Common Yellowthroat, Meadowlarks, Northern Harriers, Kestrels, and many others.
December 2nd Today we went hiking in Ramsey Canyon with all the beautiful maples turning yellow and red. The big Arizona Madrone trees are covered with red berries. We saw a Bridled Titmouses, Brown Creepers, Northern Flickers, and a Sharp-Shinned Hawk catch an Acorn Woodpecker. Of course lots of Cowes deer and Arizona Gray Squirrels that are very friendly.
November 7th We had 9 scaled quail in our backyard at 10:30 this morning! Of course just for about 10 minutes. We also have 20 to 30 Gambel's Quail several times a day.
November 1st Two scaled quail today around noon in the backyard! They are very shy, skittish birds and only stay for about 5 minutes when they visit our yard.
October 31st I saw the Red-Breasted Nuthatch in
our stand of pines trees this morning! This was a new bird for me and I
was excited to see her at our B&B.
October 23rd We took a trip to Parker Canyon Lake today. Wow it was great over in the San Rafael Valley! The elevation is about 5,500 feet and not a long trip if you go thru Fort Huachuca then south of Hwy 83 till it ends at the lake, about an hour. Fantastic views! There were really a lot of birds out around mid afternoon. We saw the Northern Harriers, two Great Blue Herons flying together, Arizona Woodpeckers, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Dark-eyed Juncos, Black Phoebes, lots of different water foul, and the Belted Kingfisher. A great place to have a picnic, enjoy the quite and watch the birds and enjoy the beautiful lake in the mountain surroundings.
October 16 Today we hiked up the overlook in Ramsey Canyon. We were told that there weren't many birds around but we saw quite a few for late morning and early afternoon. Arizona Woodpeckers, female Western Tanager, Bridled Titmouses, Painted Redstarts (still there), Acorn Woodpeckers, Northern Flicker, and many other birds. Great place to hike, bird and just relax!
October 15 Many birds are visiting our feeders this fall: Gila and Ladder-backed Woodpeckers, Curved Bill Thrashers, Black-throated, White-crowned and Lark Sparrows, Canyon Towhees, Pyrrhuloxias, Cactus Wrens, Inca Doves, Scaled and Gambel's Quails. We still have the Black-chinned and Anna's Hummingbirds. You can see up to 300 species of birds in the this area of Arizona.
October 7 We hiked up Scheelite Canyon today and saw the Montezuma Quails finally! We only got to look at them for a minute before they vanished into the undergrowth. We heard the Canyon Wrens sing their beautiful songs and saw them too. Unfortunately we did not see the Mexican Spotted Owls, but they are their hiding in the oak trees. We still have the Anna's and Black-chinned hummingbirds in our backyard with lots of beautiful butterflies and flowers. Black-throated, White-crowned, and Lark Sparrows are here with many other birds. The aspens are turning yellow on the high peaks of the mountains.
September 20th Yesterday two guests spent the morning on Fort Huachuca in Scheelite Canyon - they saw the Mexican Spotted Owls, the Elegant Trogon and the Painted Redstart!
Today the same two guests drove over to Whitewater Wash less than an hour away. They reported very large numbers of hawks in the fields off Central Highway near Davis Rd. It was a mixed group of 30 to 40 perched on the large irrigation sprinklers and another 20 or so in the air! They identified adult and juvenile Redtails, Ferruginous, and possibly Common Black-Hawks.
We have also bought a new Canon digital SLR camera - much easier to get in focus bird pictures! The ones below taken in Patagonia were made with the new camera. The auto-focus system and anti-shake features make up for Johnnie's not-as-steady-as-he-used-to-be hands and eyes. We look forward to putting up better pictures in the future. The Great Horned Owls are here in our tall pines. The male and female Great Horned Owl have had two sets owlets the last two years. They successfully raised all their owlets -three chicks each year.
September 12th
We had a day trip to Patagonia. Wonderful birds at the Paton's in Patagonia. Lucifer, Violet-crowned, Broad-billed , and Blue-Throated Hummingbirds. Dozens of hummingbirds at their feeders. A wonderful place to go and set under the covered areas with chairs in the backyard. A Gray Hawk was there also.
September 8th
Hummingbirds are starting to migrate thru the area. We have many of the feisty birds in our backyard. Around 14 species are still in this area and can be seen up in the Huachucas down to the San Pedro River. Weekly banding of hummingbirds will continue thru the month of September.( See SABO link for banding schedule.)
September 3
An extremely large, light colored juvenile Ferruginous Hawk in perched in a dead pine tree on our property. He was amazing! Below is a Turkey Vulture my husband got a picture of on power pole. Lots of birds to be seen at our B&B, down at San Pedro River and up in the Huachucas.
Picture by Georgia Lawrence August 14
Cooper's Hawks, Chihuahuan Ravens, Western Kingbirds, Blue Grosbeak, Gila and Ladder-backed Woodpeckers, Curved Bill Thrashers, Black-throated Sparrows, Canyon Towhees, Pyrrhuloxias, Cactus Wrens, and many other birds at our B&B. The Great Horned Owls are here all year in our tall pines just south of the house. One of our baby Great Horned Owls sitting on our roof.
Cooper's Hawk dining on a dove
Picture by Pam and David Mortensen
August 5 Elegant Trogons are still in Garden Canyon. Hummingbirds - Beryline at Ramsey Canyon, White-Eared at Beatty's in Miller Canyon and Lucifer at Ash Canyon B&B. This is the season for numerous species in this area. Mountain areas have the most this time of year.
July 16 Hummingbirds - Berylline at Ramsey Canyon, White-Eared at Beatty's in Miller Canyon and Lucifer at Ash Canyon B&B. This is the season for numerous species in this area. Mountain areas have the most this time of year.
June 26 Two Bullock's Orioles have been in the tall pines and the mesquite trees. Brilliantly colored birds. All the birds are enjoying the bountiful feast of thousands of plums in the orchard. Our three Great Horned owlets are hunting and catching their prey now. We saw all three owlets and the father last night in our pines.
June 4th The Blue Grosbeaks are back for the summer. The Great Horned owlets are flying around the back yard every evening and resting on the antenna on the house at sunset. Great fun to watch them learn to fly and hunt.
May 20 Our three owlets are starting to fledge. Moving out to the branches and flapping their wings as if they were going somewhere but no yet. Probably two more weeks.
May 15 Our guests saw the Trogons in the nest in the Sycamore Trees at the 3rd picnic ground in Garden Canyon. There are too many species of birds at the San Pedro Riparian Area at this time. Reports of "giant bullfrogs" with booming voices and very visible to everyone. Also huge turtles about a foot across. Both at the Kingfisher Pond near the San Pedro House.
May 10 We hiked up Ramsey Canyon around noon today. We heard a pair of Trogons near the "dancing trees". We met a couple from Alabama who stood for 10 minutes watching the male and female Trogons. They finally saw a Trogon after 10 years of trying. Marvelous numbers of birds including the Hepatic and Western Tanagers in the tops of Sycamores trees. Numerous Painted Redstarts, White-breasted Nuthatches. the Sulphur-Bellied Flycatchers are back for the summer.
April 22 We had a Yellow-headed Black in the backyard today. There around 50 of these birds on the power lines on Moson Road. Male and female Bullock's Orioles; male and female Rufus, Black-chinned, and Anna's Hummingbirds, Black-headed Grosbeaks, Dusky Flycatchers, and Lazuli Buntings.
April 19 Our guests were hiking in Scheelite Canyon today and saw two Mexican Spotted Owls, male and female we assume, sitting in a tree right above the trail! Canyon Wrens, Painted Redstarts, and Western Wood Peewee were heard and seen. No Trogons in Garden Canyon, probably the first part of May before they start nesting there. Trogons have been heard and seen in Ramsey Canyon this week!
April 11 Our guests saw two Great Horned Owls chicks today in front of the mother in the nest! We knew they were there because she was shading with her wings out and sitting on the side on the nest the last week.
April 7 We have seen the Bullock's and Scott's Orioles today. Also the Lucy's Warbler. A lot of migratory birds are here in April. We have found a Lesser Goldfinch's nest at eye level in the small plum tree in the orchard. She has laid two eggs already.
March 31 A ten year old boy found the female Anna's nest in the pine tree. The nest is only 5 feet off the ground and very easy to see.
March 22 - Hiking in Ramsey Canyon this morning. We saw the Painted Redstart! Plenty of White-breasted Nuthatches, many species of Warblers, Acorn and Arizona Woodpeckers, and lots of other birds.
March 13 - We took the 10 minute trip to the San Pedro Riparian Area. It is alive with so many species of birds they are hard to name them all. Vermillion Flycatcher are abundant!
February 22 - Lots of birds in our area. Kestrels, Coopers ad Red-Tailed Hawks are abundant along our road. Anna's and Black-chinned Hummingbirds, Black-throated and Lark Sparrows, Roadrunners, Canyon Towhees, Pyrrhuloxias, Cactus and Bewick's Wrens, Inca Doves, Scaled and Gambel's Quails, Verdins, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, White-crowned Sparrows, Ladder-Backed and Gila Woodpeckers, Yellow-rumped Warblers, and many more birds are on our 4 acres. Of course our Great Horned Owls are year round residents. The female is sitting on the nest now with the male beside her in the morning hours. Little owls by the end of March!
Our guests hiked up Scheelite Canyon yesterday and saw the Mexican Spotted Owl!
Great Picture by Ted Smith!
February 1, 2007
The beautiful Black-throated sparrows are at the feeders in the backyard. Our female Great Horned Owl is sitting in her nest with the matting season beginning this month. By March she will have laid the eggs and then sit on the nest till the eggs hatch sometime around the 1st of April.
January 16, 2007
Winter birds are here: White-crowned Sparrows, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Verdins, and Yellow-rumped Warblers. We are seeing Black-throated Sparrows and many types Hawks. A Kestrel had caught a bird in our backyard and was sitting on the ground with it. That was a surprise. We have counted over 65 species of birds on our 4 acres during the last year. The are hummingbirds spending the winter with us and are at our feeders all day. Anna's Male Hummingbird in our garden ( sorry no flowers this time of year.)
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