Yavapai County: Page Springs and a cool Warbler

Today on December 16th, Ronnie Reed and I explored Yavapai County and had some cool target birds.

Most of our targets were at the Page Springs Fish Hatchery and Bubbling Ponds area, which included Varied Thrush, Golden-crow

ned Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, and anything else we could come up with.  The Varied Thrush was by far the main target.  We got to the spot early, and man, what an awesome place it is.  There was great species diversity, and in the time spent birding we came up with 59 species.  We didn't find the Varied Thrush or Golden-crowned Sparrow, but we did find 2 White-throated Sparrows and a male Williamson's Sapsucker.  This place had a good trail system that went through good habitat diversity.  We spent a good amount of time searching for the Varied Thrush and Golden-crowned Sparrow without luck.  Full list at my eBird checklist here:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S124077433

Williamson's Sapsucker 

American Goldfinch

White-throated Sparrows

We had Spring Creek to look for Pacific Wrens and Cornville Grasslands to look for Grasshopper Sparrows on the agenda after Page Springs, but Ronnie checked the Rare Bird Alert and saw that there was a Louisiana Waterthrush reported nearby at Sedona at Red Rock Crossing, which turned out to be the Crescent Moon Picnic Area.  It was found by Alex Wilson, and when we got to the spot, we got lucky to run into Alex and his wife Stephanie who found the bird.  They told us it was about a half mile to the east, where an obvious big rock went across Oak Creek.  We went to the spot and after about 5 minutes of looking, we got to see the bird.  Louisiana Waterthrush, what an awesome bird for Yavapai County!  This stretch of riparain and surrounding habitat along Oak Creek was awesome too, definitely a place to come back and explore more of.

Townsend's Solitaire 

Louisiana Waterthrush 

To close out the day, we checked Spring Creek (which also has awesome riparian habitat) for the Pacific Wrens without luck, and then the Cornville Grasslands for Grasshopper Sparrows without luck.  The White-throated Sparrow and Louisiana Waterthrush were new Yavapai birds for me, and Ronnie got 8 county birds to bring his Yavapai list to 190.  County birding is freaking fun.

Spotted Towhee

Birding the Cave Creek, Verde River, and Fountain Hills Areas

Hi everyone,

Today on December 12th, 2013, I spent a pleasant day birding Rackensack Canyon and Lower Camp Creek of the Cave Creek area, both Needle Rock and Box Bar Recreation Sites on the Verde River, and Fountain Hills Lake.

My first stop of the day was at Rackensack Canyon, which was my best and favorite stop of the day.  This rugged and neat looking canyon is very birdy, especially early in the morning.  It's been quiet whenever I've gone in the afternoon.  I had yet to see a Fox Sparrow this year prior to today, and I knew that Rackensack Canyon is the best and most reliable location in Maricopa County to look for Fox Sparrows, so I made that my main target for today.  I've seen them here before, and when I saw on an eBird report from Brian Ison that he detected 7 birds earlier this year, I figured my odds more than very high.  Within 15 minutes of looking, a FOX SPARROW popped up for me and the trip was already a success!  However, from the first Fox Sparrow I found, they seemed to keep coming and coming.  I walked about a mile west from where I parked, and in that distance, I counted a total of 13 Fox Sparrows.  The numbers here are incredible.  I think there were even more, 13 is my safe count.  There were birds that were spread out from each other and in several spots there were birds together.  One spot held three Fox Sparrows.  All of the Fox Sparrows appeared to be of the Slate-colored race.  Folks, if you want to see Fox Sparrows, come to Rackensack!  There were other neat birds to be seen too.  2-3 CRISSAL THRASHERS were present, and a few of them perched up for me.  Both MOUNTAIN and WESTERN BLUEBIRDS could be heard flying high over the Canyon.  SPOTTED and CANYON TOWHEES were both numerous, and a few TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRES could be heard calling in the distance.  A warning call from a VERDIN alerted me to the presence of a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK.  33 species were in Rackensack Canyon from 7:30 A.M.-9:30 A.M.

Fox Sparrows

Crissal Thrasher

Spotted Towhees

Canyon Towhee

The awesome Rackensack Canyon

My next stop was then at the scenic area of Lower Camp Creek.  It got rather windy by the time I got here, but I still had a few good highlights that included a MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE, several BROWN CREEPERS, and a RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER.

From the Cave Creek Area, I then went to the Box Bar and Needle Rock Recreation areas along the Verde River.  Highlights included a cooperative SWAMP SPARROW, 2 SORAS, BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER, and PLUMBEOUS VIREO.

Sora

Swamp Sparrow

My final stop of the day was at Fountain Hills Lake.  Waterfowl watching was great.  13 HOODED MERGANSERS provided the best entertainment, and BUFFLEHEADS, a drake COMMON GOLDENEYE, both WESTERN and EARED GREBES, LESSER SCAUP, and AMERICAN WIGEONS.

The awesome Hooded Merganser

Common Goldeneye (a well named bird!)

Bufflehead

Lesser Scaup

American Coot (failed yet another IQ test)

Birding Oak Creek Canyon's awesome West Fork!

Hi everyone,

Today on April 7th, 2013, I joined my sister Tiffany and brother-in-law Josh and we went up just north of Sedona to the west fork of Oak Creek Canyon in Coconino County.  For Tiffany and Josh, it was a half-day trip to go fishing at Oak Creek, and they let me join them for the ride and I spent my 3.5 hours of time birding in the canyon.  I birded the first two miles of the West Fork Trail.  This is a beautiful and scenic area, one I hope to visit more and more.  A combination of different trees (including oak, sycamore, cottonwood, ponderosa pine, and Douglas fir) line the creek in this shady canyon.  And the birds were plentiful too!

Oak Creek Canyon

My favorite highlight from the hike came when I was about two miles along the trail.  I heard a PACIFIC WREN calling and I was able to track the bird down and it was cooperative and let me view it well a few times and get photographs.  Pacific Wrens are rare and local breeders in this part of Arizona, does anyone know if they have bred here in the Oak Creek area?

Pacific Wren

Other bird highlights during the 3.5 hours of birding included a soaring COMMON BLACK-HAWK, RED-TAILED HAWK, 2 WHITE-THROATED SWIFTS, plenty of ACORN WOODPECKERS (especially in the parking area), a HAIRY WOODPECKER, a calling CORDILLERAN FLYCATCHER, STELLER'S JAYS, NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW, BRIDLED TITMOUSE, 2 WHITE-BREASTED and 1 RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, abundant HOUSE WRENS and 4 singing CANYON WRENS, many singing LUCY'S WARBLERS in the parking area, 5 VIRGINIA'S WARBLERS, YELLOW WARBLERS, BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERS, 15 PAINTED REDSTARTS (everywhere in the canyon!), and a few calling RED CROSSBILLS.

Common Black-Hawk

Painted Redstart

Acorn Woodpecker

Steller's Jay

Spotted Towhee

I recorded 29 species in this area in the time I spent.  To bird here, one has to pay a 9 dollar parking fee at the trailhead.  This is a day use area open from 9 A.M. to dusk.  If you come on weekends, I recommend to be there early.  We had to wait until several people left due to a full parking lot.  But this area and trail is highly recommended and is an awesome hike.  Thank you Tiffany and Josh for the trip!

More of Oak Creek Canyon

Josh and Tiffany!