West Trip - 2002

Michelle and I had a great time and added quite a few birds to our life list while hiking in the western U.S. during July 2002. Our original plan was to head down to SE Arizona first but the fires there caused us to reverse our planned route. So we headed north and west through Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota. I have added hyperlinks to some of the places we visited and bolded the birds we saw for easy scanning.

Our first stops were the natural ponds of the Prairie Pothole Region of North Dakota. There were literally hundreds of these small bodies of water next to the rural roads and they all had at least a few birds – some were covered with birds. It was painful to drive past these ponds and only stop at a few, but time was a factor. Kidder County and Stutsman counties in ND have some great birding spots and all you have to do is get off Interstate 94 and take Rt. 36 from east to west. At our first stop near Pingree, ND we spotted a flock of White Pelicans circling above one of the many small lakes. After scoping several of the shorebirds beside one pond we picked up our first life bird of the trip – the Pectoral Sandpiper. We also spotted a pair of Black Terns and several Forster’s Terns flying across the lake. Further down the road we spotted a Swainson’s Hawk on a telephone pole with a small rodent in his talons. We also videotaped many of the beautiful Western Grebes that dotted the lakes. Yellow-headed Blackbirds were common in the cattails along the ponds and we also spotted our second ever American Bittern.

That night we camped outside of Bismark, ND and the next morning headed north to visit Ft. Mandan, the winter camp of Lewis and Clark along the Missouri River. First we stopped at a small lake full of birds and managed to pick up two life birds before heading on out to the fort – the Short-billed Dowitcher and several Wilson’s Phalaropes. There is a Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center with a replica of Ft. Mandan at the site, as well as some great birding along the trails beside the Missouri River. We spotted several species and added two species to our life list along the river trail. Bank Swallows were everywhere over the river and we also spotted our first Lark Sparrow near the fort. On the drive out of the park we noted a falcon sitting on a fence post near the road. At first I thought it was a Peregrine Falcon – we got some good looks as the bird flew by us as we followed it with our binoculars. As soon as it was out of sight we consulted Sibley’s and both of us agreed it was in fact a typical adult Prairie Falcon (spotted white chest, brown color, with thin brown mustache stripe). Our next stop was the Audubon National Wildlife Refuge on the shores of Lake Sakakawea. As we entered the NWR I heard a bird in the nearby shrubs that I thought was a Golden-winged Warbler. It was in fact our first Clay-colored Sparrow and I managed to get a few seconds of video. There is a mile long nature trail and many miles of driving roads in the preserve and the area is full of birds. We were looking for Baird’s, Brewer’s, or Le Conte’s Sparrows but only managed to find Savannah and Grasshopper Sparrows. We did find our first Ring-necked Pheasant and Sharp-tailed Grouse at the reserve. After dinner at Minot, ND we drove into Montana, spotting the first of many Franklin’s Gulls after just crossing the Montana border.

After camping near Brockton, MT we headed for the Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge. When we arrived, we had the NWR to ourselves. American Avocets, Black-necked Stilts, and Wilson’s Phalaropes covered the mudflats and shallow waters. Marbled Godwits were calling loudly and flying at us as they defended their nest areas along the shorelines. The grasslands that surrounded the lake were also good spots for Lark Buntings, Bobolinks, Chestnut-collared Longspurs, Vesper Sparrows, Savannah Sparrows, and other songbirds. California Gulls were common around the lake as well.

Just outside of the NWR on a gravel road we passed a field that was completely covered in large shorebirds. All at once the flock rose off the ground and circled the area several times. I got the flight on video and was able to ID many of the birds. At the time I was sure that I had seen several Glossy Ibis in the group but I later found out that the bird I was looking at was the White-faced Ibis – nearly identical to our Glossy Ibis on the east coast. After birding at Bowdoin we started the long drive across Montana toward the mountains, spotting many Swainson’s Hawks, Red-tailed Hawks, and Northern Harriers along the way.

After a thousand miles of prairie is was nice to see the Rocky Mountains rise up in front of us. We had reached Glacier National Park in the NW corner of Montana. We arrived at about the same time as a cold front reached the area – bringing with it plenty of wind and rain. It did make for some dramatic pictures of waterfalls and storm clouds but hampered us in our quest to search for mountain species. We camped that night at St. Mary, Montana, just outside the park. That night, we heard the call of the Northern Saw-whet Owl before going to sleep.

The next morning, I was out chasing another strange sounding bird around the campground. It turned out to be my first “singing” White-crowned Sparrow – I had been certain it was some new warbler. As we were leaving the park a pair of swallows were sitting on the power line – one was a Tree Swallow and the other a Violet-Green Swallow – another life bird for Michelle and me. We spotted a Mountain Bluebird in the small town of St. Mary and then a Bald Eagle soaring over the nearby river.

It was a rainy morning but we did manage a six-mile round trip hike up Avalanche Canyon to Avalanche Lake and Monument Falls. On the hike up the canyon we heard a strange call and proceeded to go off trail to locate the bird. After about five minutes we finally tracked the song down to a Winter Wren – only the second time we had ever heard the song of this species (we heard it several more times on this trip). As we neared the lake a different song attracted our attention; it turned out to be our first life bird of the day – the Townsend’s Warbler. Monument Falls turned out to be a series of five different streams that cascade down the canyon wall into Avalanche Lake. The lone water bird on the lake was a Common Goldeneye – a species that Michelle and I had first spotted on Bluestone Lake in West Virginia. A small, dark gray sparrow hopped out onto a log about 10 feet from us as we had lunch by the lake. We were certain it was a new bird for us but a closer examination revealed it to be the Slate-colored version of the Fox Sparrow. It started to drizzle as we made our way back down the trail. About 200 yards down the trail Michelle called out that we had a Varied Thrush in the trail in front of us – a lifer for both of us. Unfortunately, I had just sealed the camcorder in double plastic bags and stored it in my knapsack. The orange on this thrush is very distinct and probably closer to that shown in the Nat. Geo. Field guide than that shown in Sibley’s. We had been hearing their long one-note calls for most of the hike so there were probably many more of this species farther into the forest.

The drive through Glacier Nat. Park on the Going to the Sun road is one that requires nerves of steel – do not attempt this road pulling a camper or driving a motor home. The rewarding views along the road are many, though. The wind and rain started to pick up and at Logan Pass it was almost freezing – we decided to head into Canada and give the front a chance to pass.

We made our way into Canada via the Waterton National Park in Alberta. After camping just south of Calgary we drove into the Canadian Rockies and Banff National Park. Our first day hike was up Johnston Canyon to an area of blue springs known as the Ink Pots. We saw several different species but invariably they were ones that we could find here in Virginia. Hermit Thurshes, Dark-eyed Juncos, Song and Chipping Sparrows, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Golden-crowned Kinglets, Crows, Ravens, and Red-tailed Hawks were abundant along the trials. This turned out to be the trend in the Canadian Rockies and after three days of hiking we made our way back into the United States with only one life bird to show for our efforts – a Gray Jay that had woke us up in our camp one morning. Of course the scenery made up for any lack of birds. The Bow Icefields Parkway that runs between Banff and Jasper National Parks has to be one of the most scenic roads in the world. There are countless lakes, waterfalls, glaciers, and 10,000 foot plus mountains for the 200-mile length of the road. We saw Big-horned Sheep, Mountain Goats, and Elk along the way. It also doesn’t get fully dark til around midnight, a result of being at upper latitudes. If you visit Banff or Jasper be sure to bring plenty of insect repellent as we were run out of one campsite the last night by swarms of mosquitoes. These mosquitoes drink Skin-So-Soft and Regular Off to build up their immunity so don’t even think about going out after dark with anything but 100% industrial-strength DEET.

After crossing back into the U.S., our first stop was Larrabee State Park on the Samish Bay of Puget Sound. We picked up two life birds while eating lunch at a local fast-food establishment. A pair of Northwestern Crows, determined by range alone although they did seem slightly smaller than our crows in Virginia, was sitting on top of the Taco Bell next door. In addition, a Glaucous-winged Gull was working the parking lot for scraps. As we walked along the coast trail at the park, we spotted Wilson’s Warblers, Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Western Tanagers, and Song Sparrows. We were surprised at the lack of shorebirds along the beach. Later, we fought our way through the rush hour traffic of Seattle and decided to stay at a small motel at Enumclaw outside of Mt. Rainier National Park.

Mt. Rainier is a huge volcano in the Cascades range and the second tallest mountain in the lower 48 states. It dominates the skyline for 75 miles as you approach it and no national park in the lower 48 even comes close to the elevation changes in this park. You can enter the park at four different spots and each are near 2,000 feet in elevation. At an elevation of 14,410 feet, the volcano towers over everything in the park and you find yourself constantly looking up at the peak. We drove up to the Sunrise section of the park and started our hike at about 6,400 feet. From the visitor center we made our way up to Frozen Lake at 6,700 feet and then out to the Mt. Fremont lookout tower at 7,181 feet – our highest elevation of the day. At this elevation we were limited in the species of birds we might find but were looking specifically for the White-tailed Ptarmigan and the Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch. We found neither on the hike but did locate a life bird feeding in the alpine meadows near Frozen Lake. We were watching a Horned Lark feed a young lark when we noticed a rather nondescript bird lurking among the rocks and flowers. We finally identified the bird as the American Pipit but this bird was slimmer and paler than those shown in Sibley’s or National Geographic – but it did exhibit the tail bobbing and correct markings, size, and shape. We took lots of video of this bird also. We made our way back to the visitor’s center via Shadow Lake – crossing several snow packs along the trail. Clark’s Nutcrackers were everywhere and were easily spotted by their raucous calls and aggressive behavior. We also spotted a singing Winter Wren and chased a chickadee for a quarter-mile off the trail only to find it was a Black-capped and not a Mountain Chickadee.

It was about 4:30 p.m. and we decided to drive on out to Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument to watch the sunset. On the road between the two parks we spotted a grouse with little ones beside the road. I quickly pulled off the road and we got some good looks at our first Spruce Grouse. Later, as we approached Mt. St. Helens we began to see the damage many miles before the mountain. The tops of huge trees are broken off 20 miles from the mountain. The total force of the explosion was estimated at 500 times the force of the A-bomb that flattened Hiroshima. 3.7 billion cubic yards of rock was blasted off the top of the mountain and 520 million tons of ash were ejected into the atmosphere. As you near the mountain the devastation becomes total in every sense of the word; flowers and small shrubs are just starting to grow in the ash 22 years after the explosion. The sunset over the mountain was beautiful, quiet, and surreal amidst the shattered trees and pumice-covered ground. As if on cue, a couple of Coyotes starting howling down in the valley next to Spirit Lake.

We made our way out to Interstate 5 and drove south through Portland, Oregon to escape the rush hour traffic the next morning. We didn’t find a motel room until 1:00 a.m. that morning.

The next morning we made our way out to the Oregon Coast at Lincoln City. The Oregon Coast is one of my favorite spots and Highway 101 follows the entire length of the coast. Every few miles there are state parks, overlooks, picnic areas and beach access points. At our first stop we spotted some old friends from last year – Pigeon Guillemots, Brewer’s Blackbirds, Black Oystercatchers, Western Gulls, and Brandt’s Cormorants. We also spotted several new birds at Boiler Bay. The Pelagic Cormorants were difficult to distinguish from the Brandt’s except in flight when the white patches along the sides were exposed. Long V-shaped flocks of Common Murres were flying up the coast every couple minutes and Heerman’s Gulls were mixed in with the many Western Gulls along the coast. At Devil’s Punchbowl State Park we spotted a Gray Whale off the coast and later spotted a large group of Sea Lions on the rocks at “Sea Lion Point”. After a great dinner at the famous “Mo’s” seafood restaurant we headed toward our next campsite.

We spent the night at Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area near Florence, OR and started back down the coast the next morning after breakfast at Granny’s Pancake House in Coos Bay. At the Bandon Marsh Nat. Wildlife Refuge we were again stumped by a group of small sandpipers working the marsh in front of us – we need more work on our shorebirds before we can be comfortable making a positive ID. Our next stop was Humbug Mountain State Park – a 1,756-foot mountain rising from the coast. It was a 6-mile round trip to the top and back but one of the most beautiful hikes on the Oregon Coast. In addition to Wilson’s Warblers, Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Downy Woodpeckers and other species, we picked up two life birds while hiking the forest – the Pacific-slope Flycatcher and the Hermit Warbler. A little further down the coast we found a Wrentit at the same location we found them last year, the Samuel H. Boardman State Park. The scenic drive continues south into California and through the Redwood National Park. It was here that we got what I consider to be our best bird of the trip. We had stopped to observe a herd of Elk when Michelle spotted a Kite hovering over the field and with a quick check of her field guide she identified the bird as a White-tailed Kite. We then spotted another adult Kite and two juveniles in a nearby spruce tree. The Kites would hover in one spot in the air and then swoop down into the grass. We took lots of video of these beautiful raptors and got some great looks through the scope. The people who stopped to look at the Elk kept asking us what we were looking at and we would have to tell them that we were a lot more interested in the White-tailed Kites hunting in the field than the Elk. That night we camped at the edge of Humboldt Bay in California.

Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Preserve sits on the border of Humboldt Bay in Northern California. We headed out there the next morning and had a great time walking along the many trails that border the marsh and ponds. Unfortunately, it was low tide and the majority of shore birds were much further out on the extensive mud flats – maybe about half a mile from the closest point. It was frustrating to see many hundreds of birds with the scope and not be able to identify any of them. One of the first birds we spotted was a California Quail – a life bird for both of us. Just down the trail we spotted a Long-billed Dowitcher and a Godwit about 25 feet away and got some great film and pictures of both. Along the trails we spotted a Lazuli Bunting, Marsh Wrens, three Black-crowned Night Herons (an adult and two juv.), Caspian Terns, Pelicans, two Cinnamon Teal, Song Sparrows, and a few other species that I’m sure I’ve forgotten by now. As we approached the parking lot, Michelle noted a hummingbird perched in a tree about 15 feet above the trail. A quick search of our field guides revealed it to be a female Anna’s Hummingbird.

We left Arcata wishing we could have spent a lot more time there but we had a very long drive to put us close to Yosemite National Park the next day. We were planning the 17-mile hike up Half Dome and needed a full day to make the climb. On the drive south we were looking for two species only found in the Sacramento Valley – the Tri-colored Blackbird and the Yellow-billed Magpie. We stopped at the Sacramento National Wildlife Preserve and took the driving tour around the marsh areas. We saw several blackbirds but none turned out to be a Tri-colored. During the drive we spotted American Avocet, Black-necked Stilt, White-faced Ibis, and several other shorebirds that were too distant to make a positive ID (we still need quite a bit of work on making an ID of shorebirds!). The Yellow-billed Magpie turned out to be a much easier bird to find. Michelle had already ID’d several from the truck in the Modesto area and at our first stop in a rest area, a flock of about 10 of these birds flew into the trees above us.

We camped at a KOA in Midpines, CA that night – about 20 miles from the Yosemite National Park entrance. The plan was to make this a hiking day and not spend much time birding – we just forgot to tell the birds that. It turned out to be our most productive day of birding (with the exception of SE Arizona). As we were eating breakfast at the campsite a California Towhee and a Western Scrub Jay stopped by to visit us – our first two lifers of the day. Then as we were pulling out of the campground, a Lawrence’s Goldfinch flew down to a small pond next to the road. The Half Dome Trail is one of the most challenging trails that I have ever been on. The total distance is 17 miles roundtrip, which is a tough hike in itself, but this trail climbs almost a mile in elevation (up to almost 9,000 feet) and almost the entire hike is either climbing up or down granite covered trails. It really takes a toll on your knees on the way down. The last 700 feet to the top is on a 1/1 grade or 45 degrees – you have to wear gloves and pull yourself up the wire ropes attached to the rock. The views on top are amazing though. We spotted a Cassin’s Vireo on the way up to Nevada Falls and then a Mountain Chickadee, Pygmy Nuthatch, White-headed Woodpecker (got this bird last year), and Red-breasted Sapsucker at about 7,000 feet in elevation. The Brown Creepers were thick at this elevation also. After the push to the top, we spied several Western Bluebirds and Townsend’s Solitaires at the base of an area known as the saddle. It was after dark when we finally made it back to the truck. We didn’t have any problems getting to sleep after we finally got back to our campsite.

The next morning we headed back into Yosemite for some sightseeing in the Lower Valley and the drive through the northern section of the park. Tuolumne Meadows, Tenaya Lake, and Tioga Pass are parts of the park that are certainly worth seeing. This day was primarily going to be a driving day to get us closer to Arizona. We did decide to drive through Death Valley National Park just to say that we had been 200 feet below sea level. To step out of an air conditioned vehicle into 120+ degree temperature is a shocking experience. It felt like you were standing next to a giant blow dryer. This sun and the wind make the apparent temperature feel even hotter as the air is much hotter than your core temperature. To qualify as a desert, a spot must get less than 10 inches of rain a year – Death Valley gets just over 1 inch of rain each year. We did manage to see a couple birds next to the visitor center and even got a lifer – the Great-tailed Grackle. I felt sorry for the birds we did see – they looked emaciated and were breathing with their bills wide open. We drove into Needles, California that night, next to the Colorado River and Arizona.

Early the next morning I heard a strange sound next to the truck – I sat up and spotted a Gambel’s Quail standing on the picnic table at our campsite. That has to be a record for the quickest life bird of the day. While getting ready to leave camp we noted a Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher and then heard a new bird further off into the desert. After going about 100 yards, Michelle and I spotted a singing Black-throated Sparrow at the top of a small shrub. Later that morning, we spotted our first of many White-winged Doves. It was a long day of driving but we did manage to spend a couple of hours birding the Saguaro National Park near Tucson, Arizona. Our first bird after getting out of the truck at the visitor center was a very rowdy Cactus Wren – these birds were fairly common throughout the desert Southwest. We spotted a Gila Woodpecker near the beginning of our hike and several more during the next couple of days. After scoping several Gnatcatchers, we finally found one with a definite black cap – our first Black-tailed Gnatcatcher. We spotted several small birds with yellow-heads and a rufous patch on their shoulder – after going through the warblers in our field guides a couple of times – we finally realized that these were not warblers at all but Verdin. We drove on into Continential, AZ that night – just a few miles from Madera Canyon in the Santa Rita Mountains.

We made the drive out to Madera Canyon the next morning. Our first stop was an area known as the Florida Wash. Our stop here revealed Curve-billed Thrashers, Black-throated Sparrows, and our first life bird of the day – the Botteri’s Sparrow. We had hoped to find both the Cassin’s and the Botteri’s Sparrows but did not locate a Cassin’s on this trip. Luckily, the Botteri’s Sparrow was singing and we confirmed this species later after we watched the videotape. We then made a short but very productive hike from the Proctor Road Parking Area. In the next 25 minutes we picked up 6 more lifebirds – the Varied Bunting, Bell’s Vireo, Ash-throated Flycathcer, Bridled Titmouse, Bewick’s Wren, and Hooded Oriole. We saw several Varied Buntings and I have one on film doing some type of mating dance. We heard the Bell’s Vireo before we spotted him and I told Michelle it sounded like a White-eyed Vireo trying to do a Canada Warbler call. The Ash-throated Flycatcher is one of several of the genus Myiarchus that are tough to call without very good looks and hearing the call notes.

We then drove up to the Santa Rita Lodge to see what hummingbirds might be on the feeders there. We stayed a few minutes and only spotted the Broad-billed Hummingbird working the feeders – a big surprise as we expected at least five different species. An Acorn Woodpecker had a hole in a nearby utility pole and even tried to feed from the hummingbird feeders on one occasion.

We then parked at the end of the road and hiked up the Hopkins Fork of Madera Canyon along the Vault Mine Road. We were hoping to find the Elegant Trogon but did not see one this day. In the parking lot, we talked to other birders from Arizona who had come to Madera to search for a Slate-throated Redstart that had been spotted there the day before. We quickly spotted a pair of Painted Redstarts along the trail – the first of several we would see in the next few days but we did not find the Slate-throated Redstart. The Painted Redstart is a beautiful bird and would frequently fan its white tail. After about a mile into the canyon, Michelle headed back to the truck for lunch while I decided to push on for another 30 minutes or so. After we split up, we both picked up life birds that the other one didn’t see the rest of the trip – after that we decided to stick together when birding. Michelle had some great looks at the Arizona Woodpecker on the way back to the truck. I spotted two Red-faced Warblers (adult and juvenile) and then filmed what I thought at the time was another Ash-throated Flycatcher. Luckily this bird was making its call note and after reviewing the video, it turned out to be a Dusky-capped Flycatcher. After lunch, it started to rain so we decided to head out to the Tumacacori National Historic Park, an old Spanish mission that is still standing. The trails along the Santa Cruz River were too muddy to hike but the gardens and grounds around the old mission proved to be full of birds. We first spotted several crested black birds and after checking our field guides these turned out to be Phainopepla. We were having fun with the pronunciation of this bird’s name and as we saw several more of these birds over the next couple of days – the name “Pan o’ Pizza” became our favorite nickname. A Say’s Phoebe had built her nest in a niche of the old mission and had her hands full feeding three young ones. I noticed the doves on the ground looked just like our Mourning Doves but were only about half the size; they turned out to be Common Ground-Doves. Our first Vermilion Flycatcher required no field guide for identification; we would see many of these brilliantly colored birds over the next couple of days. We also spotted Verdin, Bewick’s Wrens, Black-throated Sparrows, and Lark Sparrows on our hike. Hiking through the many acres of property that surround the mission we picked up three more life birds – the Cassin’s Kingbird, Rufous-winged Sparrow, and Lucy’s Warbler. The Rufous-winged Sparrow was drinking from a mudhole not 10 feet in front of us and I got some great video of this species. We also spotted our first Tarantula of the trip – a large black and rufous monster about half the size of my National Geographic Field Guide. It was getting late and we decided to call it a day, find us an authentic Mexican restaurant, and reflect on the 19 lifebirds that we had picked up that day.

The next morning we drove through Nogales, AZ and out to Kino Springs. At the first pond we spotted a Black Phoebe hawking insects from a perch over the water. From the first spring we also spotted our first Gilded Flicker – we were hesitant at first to call this species as it so closely matches the Yellow-shafted version of the Northern Flicker. We later learned that the Yellow-shafted Northern Flicker is a very uncommon bird in SE Arizona and the vast majority of yellow flickers are Gilded Flickers. We parked at the golf course clubhouse and asked permission to bird the ponds. We spotted a Vermilion Flycatcher and Lark Sparrow before getting off the lawn. The pond levels were low but we did find a Western Kingbird and a Great Blue Heron. We heard the cry of a hawk and put the spotting scope on a beautiful Gray Hawk sitting in a cottonwood tree – an adult with fine gray bands across the breast and a solid gray back. We saw another Gray Hawk soaring above the pond behind the one we had the scope on. Our next stop was the Patagonia Lake State Park. At first we decided to pass up this stop for what we considered more promising birding up the road in Patagonia. About a mile past the entrance we changed our minds; made a U-turn and headed out to the lake. The entrance fee was $5 and it was money well spent. The trail along the lake is only about a mile in length but turned out to be a great birding location. Only about 200 yards down the trail you get a good look at the lake and there are some logs lodged near the central no-wake zone buoy. We spotted two cormorants on these logs and put the scope on them. Both had the long necks and tails, the white “V” at the base of the bill, and small heads – we had spotted the Neotropic Cormorant. This one spot is the only good look of the lake for the rest of the trail and a good spotting scope is required to make a positive ID. The trail quickly dropped off into a grassy bottom that is kept clear by grazing cattle. Among the cottonwoods and other trees we spotted male and female Summer Tanagers, our first Bullock’s Oriole, Bell’s Vireos, Bewick’s Wrens, Vermilion Flycatchers, etc. I spotted a small shorebird that was constantly bobbing around near a small stream and was certain we had found a rare Mexican shorebird. After a few minutes of paging through my field guide I finally decided it was a Spotted Sandpiper – a bird that I have seen locally here at the Breaks Park on two different occasions. On the way back to the truck we spotted a Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet working the shrubs not 10 feet from the trail. We had been expecting this species and knew to look for the gray crest and two-tone bill.

We then drove out to the Patagonia Roadside Rest Area, hoping to locate one of the only nest colonies of the Rose-throated Becard in the U.S. After searching every sycamore tree along a half-mile section of Sonoita Creek, we did not find the Becards. We did succeed in adding yet another life bird to our list, the Brown-crested Flycatcher. This bird looks almost exactly the same as our Great-crested Flycatcher in the East. As we were leaving the rest area a large contingent of birders pulled up in a van, carrying with them binoculars, spotting scopes, etc. I wished them better luck than we did at finding the Becards.

Our next stop was the Paton Home in Patagonia. The Patons have 8 hummingbird feeders attached to their house and each has a number assigned to it. They also have benches and a large tent for birders to relax in the shade while watching the feeders. The number of hummingbirds was amazing and we quickly spotted Rufous Hummingbirds, Black-chinned Hummingbirds, Violet-crowned Hummingbirds, Broad-billed Hummingbirds, and at least one Allen’s Hummingbird. In addition, there were White-winged Doves and Bronzed Cowbirds at the bird feeders as well as an Inca Dove sitting on a limb not 15 feet from the benches. We got some great video of all these species. In addition, the man who rents a home from the Patons (didn’t get his name) joined us at the feeders and was extremely knowledgeable concerning the different hummingbird species we were looking at. He even took us around the house to show us a Thick-billed Kingbird that had a favorite perch near the home. We then checked the Patagonia Sewage Ponds hoping for a Black-bellied Whistling Duck but the ponds were dry due to the drought.

We spent the night at Sierra Vista, AZ and got up early the next morning to bird the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area. There are several trails to hike and most can be covered by a quick two-mile loop. We were hoping to find the Green Kingfisher but did not locate one. We did scope a Loggerhead Shrike sitting on top of a agave stalk. We also spotted Chihuahuan Ravens , Albert’s Towhee, and Gilded Flickers along the trail. The last life bird we spotted at San Pedro was the Tropical Kingbird high in a Sycamore tree. This bird was directly above our heads so I resorted to lying on my back on a sand bar next to the river and filming straight up. This kingbird has a distinctive notched tail and call.

We then headed out to Ramsey Canyon in the Huacuca Mountains. Ramsey Canyon is owned by the Nature Conservancy and a fee of $5 per person is charged to hike the canyon. The fee was certainly worth the money as we added seven new species to our life lists in the next three hours. One of the highlights of the hike was the Berylline Hummingbird, a rare sighting. We found and ID’d this bird up in the canyon and not at the feeders. We caused quite a stir among the many birders there and on our way back down the canyon several people had already spotted “our” Berylline near the frog pond. In addition, we added both the Hutton’s Vireo and Plumbeous Vireo, the Black-throated Gray Warbler, and the Western Wood-Pewee to our list while hiking the Hamburg Trail. At one point, we were watching an Hepatic Tanager when I noticed another strange-looking bird off to the right of the tanager but had no idea what it was. I continued to film the Hepatic while Michelle ID’d the second bird as a Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher before she even took out her field guide (yes, I was busted!). It’s not everyday that you get two lifebirds in the same tree but in SE Arizona anything is possible.

Our final stop of the day was Tombstone, AZ. We visited the O.K. Corral, the Bird Cage Saloon, the Oriental Saloon, Boot Hill, and took a carriage tour around the town. We were not expecting any more additions to our life list but did not complain when we spotted a Band-tailed Pigeon in town.

We drove all the way to Lordsburg, NM that night before we could find a motel room. That put us about 30 miles from Portal, AZ and our next day of hiking in the Chiricahua Mountains. On the drive out to Portal that morning we spotted a Scott’s Oriole sitting on top of a large agave stalk. Somehow I think the Scott’s and the Hooded Oriole should swap names as the Scott’s appears to be much more “hooded”. On the road out to the Herb Martyr Campground we spotted a small covey of Montezuma’s Quail and got a few seconds of video before they disappeared over the hill. Our first hike of the day was up South Fork of Cave Creek Canyon – considered the best bird hike in the Chiricahua Mountains. We picked up two hummingbird species during this hike – the Blue-throated Hummingbird and the Magnificent Hummingbird – both large hummingbirds and hard to mistake. Other than these two great finds the canyon was rather quiet. About the time we were ready to head back to the truck and try our luck elsewhere, Michelle spotted some movement in the treetops and then yelled, “Trogon.” We got some great looks and some decent video of the Elegant Trogon. This bird looks like it belongs in the rainforests of Brazil and the field guides cannot portray just how strange this bird looks. The bird made some strange pig-like noises and then flew up the canyon after a minute or so. I stacked some rocks in the trail and reported the find to a group of birders who were searching for the Trogon in the areas along the road. We then made the long climb up the gravel road to Barfoot and Rustler Parks at about 8,200 feet. The difference in temperature was amazing and we were wearing jackets in the middle of July and only 10 miles or so from the Mexican border. We quickly found our target species – the Mexican Chickadee. We also added the Yellow-eyed Junco and Olive Warbler to our list and got great video of both species. Pygmy Nuthatches and Brown Creepers were everywhere in this high Ponderosa Pine forest. We looped back to Portal through the small community of Paradise. At Portal, we took a late evening birding stroll, had dinner at the small restaurant there (very good food), and reflected on the 52 life birds that we had picked up in the past four days.

We spent the night at Las Cruces, NM and drove the next morning to Guadalupe Mountains National Park. On the way into the visitor center we spotted a Rufous-crowned Sparrow singing in a bush not 25 feet from the entrance. We didn’t stay long at the visitor center because we needed plenty of time to complete the underground hike at Carlsbad Caverns National Park (the natural entrance closes at 3:00 p.m.). As soon as we arrived at the parking lot for Carlsbad Caverns we quickly spotted our first Cave Swallow – one of thousands that live at the mouth of the cave. Later we spotted a Canyon Wren near the same location. If you want to hike the entire cave trail system, you need to schedule about 4 hours to do so – the hike is several miles but the temperature is a nice 58 degrees. The underground caverns are immense and nothing like the caves that I have toured in the East. If at all possible, stay for the Flight of the Bats at about 8:00 p.m. each night during the summer. Try to imagine 385,000 Mexican Free-tailed Bats emerging for their nightly feeding – all exiting the same cave. That evening at the park entrance, we stopped to film our first Lesser Nighthawks feeding around the streetlights. We later confirmed this species by reviewing the digital video frame by frame.

After the flight we drove into the great state of Texas and found a motel room about 1 a.m. that morning. The next morning we decided to head back toward Virginia and leave south Texas for another trip – we were both exhausted from the long days of hiking and driving. Michelle did spot her first of many Scissor-tailed Flycatchers along the highway in Texas. After a night on the east side of Memphis, we finally made it back home to Buchanan County. The final total was around 118 life birds each. Overall, I had managed to get at least some video of about 98 of these species. But of all the places we birded I still feel that we have the greatest diversity of species and the best overall birding right here in the mountains of Southwest Virginia.

Ed Talbott and Michelle Justus

Grundy, Virginia