Hi Everyone,
I spent over four hours birding at the Box Bar Recreation Area along the Verde River in Maricopa County today on October 30th, 2014. This is starting to become one of my favorite birding locations in the County. Box Bar Recreation Area is a part of the Tonto National Forest, and a six dollar Tonto Pass is needed for admission to this recreation area.
Box Bar has great potential and I usually have a good highlight whenever I come here, and that streak continued today. My best bird of the day here today was an adult CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER in basic plumage that I found at 9:30 A.M. Prior to this bird, all of the other CSWA's I have seen in Arizona have been first year birds, and it was cool to see one with reddish-chestnut sides (true to the bird's name). The Warbler was close to mile north of where I parked, near the northwestern stretch of the area. There are groves of riparian trees west of the Verde River as well as the river itself of course being lined with riparian trees. The warbler was in the northmost area that is west of the river and away from the river, and just east of a bank that runs north/south along the area. Once the riparian trees stop when heading north, go back south into the willow/cottonwood groves, it is a good place to look for the warbler and the best habitat is in this area in my opinion. Other than the Chestnut-sided Warbler, I also had a late migrant in a MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER.
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| Chestnut-sided Warbler |
The warblers were 2 out of 52 species I recorded at Box Bar in the four plus hours. Other highlights included a flock of 15 NORTHERN SHOVELERS flying north over the river, 7 COMMON MERGANSERS feeding on the river, SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, SPOTTED SANDPIPER, WESTERN SCREECH and GREAT HORNED OWLS, BELTED KINGFISHER, 4 RED-NAPED SAPSUCKERS, PEREGRINE FALCON, 4 PLUMBEOUS VIREOS (most of them were in the area of the Chestnut-sided Warbler), 5 BRIDLED TITMOUSE, 2 BROWN CREEPERS, 3 HERMIT THRUSH, 1 CRISSAL THRASHER, flyover AMERICAN PIPIT, and 4 BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERS. Full list is on eBird.
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| Great Horned Owl at roost |
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| The well named Red-naped Sapsucker |
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| Heavy riparian forest at Box Bar, one of the best habitats to bird in! |
CSWA is a fun bird no matter where you are, but extra special for your location - nice find! CSWA is the spark bird that started the whole birding obsession for me, so it's one of my all-time favorites.
ReplyDeleteI've enjoyed your GHOW shots lately. I don't know how you find them in leafed out trees, but it's impressive.
Thanks Josh! It is a very fun warbler, and that's awesome that it was your spark bird. I still haven't seen a breeding plumaged bird. I'm sure that's what you saw to spark your interest, they are striking and almost look like something a kid would paint on a bird. Arizona usually gets several chasable CSWA's annually, but it's always fun to find one on your own. Great Horned Owls have been cooperative lately as well, I usually locate them by looking up and scanning for warblers and other songbird migrants.
DeleteVery cool, nice find Tommy, especially in its more delicious plumage.
ReplyDeleteThanks Laurence! It is in a very delicious plumage for sure, those Chestnut sides are the icing.
DeleteGreat find Mr. Tommy!!!
ReplyDeleteI have not seen any reports of any chasable CSWA's for a while. Now you need to find a Yellow-green Vireo at Box Bar.
Box Bar is an area that I need to bird at, I have done such little birding up that way.
Thanks Caleb! A Yellow-green Vireo sure would be nice, more like a dream. Box Bar is a very awesome place.
DeleteVery nice find! The CSWA come down to Tucson during our winter....January, February....and usually not many....so very nice find. Looks like a great place to bird. Plus the heat is letting up a bit.
ReplyDeleteThanks Chris! I believe this is my 4th CSWA in AZ, and the 2nd I've found on my own. It's always extra fun to find something myself. Box Bar is very awesome, lots of potential there!
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