Southeast Arizona 5/6-11/2021

All photos are © Marshall Faintich

May 8; Sierra Vista canyons (Hunter, Miller, and Ramsey)

Our birding adventure this day turned out to be a good one. As soon as we left our hotel in Green Valley, we spotted a Cooper's Hawk perched on a pole, but it was soon chased away by a House Finch!

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Cooper's Hawk

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Cooper's Hawk

The long drive to Sierra Vista was uneventful. Our first stop was at Hunter Canyon where a Rufous-capped Warbler had been reported. The trail was hot and dry, but soon after reaching an area with some green vegetation, I spotted a warbler. It was another Wilson's Warbler.

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Wilson's Warbler

We continued along the trail, but saw very few birds. At one point, I heard an unusual wren singing, and thought I might have gotten a life bird wren species, but it was a Bewick's Wren.

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Bewick's Wren

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Bewick's Wren

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Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay

We returned to the car, and then did some birding on the other side of the road where there was more vegetation and avian activity. We saw a huge nest that was four to five feet across, and assumed it to be a hawk's nest.

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Hawk's nest

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Plumbeous Vireo

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Plumbeous Vireo

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Bullock's Oriole

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Bridled Titmouse

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Western Tanager

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Yellow-rumped Warbler

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Acorn Woodpecker

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Deer

We saw a Lazuli Bunting with white outer tail feathers.

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Lazuli Bunting

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Lazuli Bunting

Our next stop was Miller Canyon, where we drove up to Beatty's Guest Ranch to sit and watch their hummingbird feeders. On the way up the canyon road, we saw an interesting road sign. The sign reinforced my decision to not spend three nights in Sierra Vista.

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Road sign

It was a pleasant respite to sit in the shade for a while. There was an almost continuous stream of hummingbirds to watch.

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Black-chinned Hummingbird

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Black-chinned Hummingbird

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Black-chinned Hummingbird

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Broad-billed Hummingbird

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Broad-billed Hummingbird

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Broad-tailed Hummingbird

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Broad-tailed Hummingbird

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Broad-tailed Hummingbird

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Broad-tailed Hummingbird

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Magnificent (Rivoli's) Hummingbird

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Magnificent (Rivoli's) Hummingbird

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Magnificent (Rivoli's) Hummingbird

While we were watching the hummingbird feeders, an Orange-crowned Warbler showed up below the feeders.

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Orange-crowned Warbler

We headed back down Miller Canyon Road, and stopped for a flurry of avian activity.

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Western Tanager

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Black-throated Gray Warbler

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Yellow-rumped Warbler

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Cassin's Vireo

Our last stop was at Ramsey Canyon. There were Pine Siskins at a feeder near the bottom, and I saw my only Arizona Woodpecker of this trip.

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Arizona Woodpecker

The hike up the trail was a bit steep, and after a long day, Walt opted to sit on a bench while I hiked part way up the trail. It wasn't very "birdy," and all I saw were a few Bridled Titmice. I saw a cabin up ahead, and decided that once I got even with the cabin, I would turn around and head back down. Once at the cabin, I heard and then saw a small bird.

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Plumbeous Vireo

While I was photographing the Vireo, another bird landed on a railing with its back to me, and I immediately knew what it was.

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Elegant Trogon

I slowly and quietly walked around to get a frontal photo. After a few shots, the Trogon flew to a branch with its back to me.

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Elegant Trogon

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Elegant Trogon

Once again, I slowly and quietly walked around to get a frontal photo.

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Elegant Trogon

After a few moments the Trogon flew right at me and over my head, and landed in a tree behind me, where it perched for about five minutes.

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Elegant Trogon

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Elegant Trogon

I saw two birders hiking down the trail, put up my arm to stop them, put a finger to my lips to let them know to be quiet, and then waved them down. They got to see the Trogon as well. When I got back to Walt, I asked him to help me identify a bird, and showed him one of my Trogon photos. Walt had missed it, but had seen this species before, and was happy for me. As we headed back to the car, I saw a new lizard species for me.

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Yarrow's Spiny Lizard

Soon after driving out of Sierra Vista, we saw a hawk flying overhead that looked familiar, but one that we couldn't identify right away. A minute later, we spotted a perched hawk. It was an adult Swainson's Hawk, and the one we had just seen was a juvenile.

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Swainson's Hawk

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Swainson's Hawk

Back at the hotel, we ran into three birders from Florida who told us they had seen a good variety of warblers that morning on the Florida Canyon Trail, including three life warbler species that I needed. So Walt and I decided to try there in the morning.

Click here to continue the trip to Madera and Florida Canyons, May 9.

Jump to Introduction and trip map
Jump to Mt. Lemmon; May 6
Jump to Madera and Florida Canyons; May 7
Jump to Paton Center; May 7
Jump to Mt. Ord; May 10
Jump to Santa Cruz Flats; May 11
Click here to see the trip list
Click here to see additional photos

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