Arizona "Sky Islands" Birding Trip 2023

While I was browsing through old archived bird photos, images from a particular trip really caught my eye. Way back in 2007, we visited Southeast Arizona twice in spring and fall. We were fledgling birders then and, expectedly, quite lousy at birding. Despite our utter lack of birding skills, the old photos revealed many remarkable species and that just meant one thing: The legend of "Sky Islands" was real. Those images alone were convincing enough to swap our coveted annual pilgrimage to Ohio with the journey to the magical Sky Islands.

April 29, 2023red-faced beauty

After about 3.5 hours of sleep, we woke up bright and early at 3:30am in order to catch our 6:30am flight to Phoenix, Arizona. As usual, we hired a car from New Golden Horse to drive us to JFK Airport. The airport was rather empty and we breezed through the check-in and security checks in no time. Our flight left exactly on time and even got to Phoenix a little before the scheduled arrival time. You know what the best part was? It was all FREE, courtesy of bonus points earned from the AAdvantage Mastercard. Thank you, American Airlines!!!

John F Kennedy Airport Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport

I rented an SUV from Dollar Car Rental for the first time. To be honest with you, I was a little nervous using Dollar after reading some negative online reviews. As soon as we walked into the office, we were assisted by a pleasant young man, originally from New York, and were out of there in 3 minutes to pick out a car. Since the compact SUV we had reserved had been all rented out, Dollar offered us a free upgrade to Mid-size SUV and presented us with a fleet of SUVs to choose from. I picked Mitsubishi Outlander only because I own a Mitsubishi Mirage and figured I would be more familiar with general controls of the car. After driving the car for 10 minutes, I knew I made the right decision.

Mitsubishi Outlander

Driving from Phoenix to Tucson was smooth and easy. We made a quick stop at Walmart to stock up on food and drinks for our upcoming camping adventure. We arrived at our very first birding destination, Babad Do'ag Vista Point, in Mount Lemmon before 2:30pm. We had 2 targets at this spot and found one very quickly, a gorgeous Black-throated Sparrow. In fact, this bird turned out to be one of the most regularly seen birds of the trip. The area also was known to be the most reliable place for Gilded Flickers. However, we had to move on without seeing the flicker in order to get to the campsite before dark.

Babad Do'ag Vista Point Babad Do'ag Vista Point Black-throated Sparrow

Babad Do'ag Vista Point eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S135469706

We drove for another 30 minutes up the winding yet well-paved road to the beautiful Rose Canyon Campground. At 7,000 feet, the air was thin and crisp. Guess who was waiting for us at the campsite, a stunning Red-faced Warbler, one of our mega targets!!! It didn't take us long to realize that we were surrounded by a multitude of Southeast Arizona specialities such as Red-faced Warblers, Grace's Warblers, Painted Redstarts and Yellow-eyed Juncos. With little sleep coupled with long air travel and all that excitement from birding, we were beyond exhausted. It was almost 6 o'clock (9pm EST) and we just couldn't keep our eyes open. As soon as we crawled into our sleeping bags, we were fast asleep.

Red-faced Warbler Yellow-eyed Junco

Rose Canyon Campground eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S135606882

April 30, 2023500 club!!!!!!!!

We were woken up by the sound of American Robins just before sunrise. Our plan was to check out the nearby Rose Canyon Lake first thing in the morning. A small group of Red-faced Warblers kept us at the campsite a little longer though. Finally, we pulled ourselves from ever-so-enticing warblers and headed for the lake.

Red-faced Warbler

Rose Canyon Campground eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S135606839

Rose Canyon Lake was conveniently located within walking distance of our campsite. As soon as we arrived, we could hear the bird songs coming from all different directions. This place truly was magical. We were definitely off to a waaay better start than we had expected!

Black-throated Gray Warbler Hermit Thrush Red-faced Warbler Yellow-eyed Junco Rose Canyon Lake One Happy Birder

Rose Canyon Lake eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S135606777

We reluctantly said good-bye to our newly discovered favorite place on earth to explore the other parts of Mount Lemmon. We drove up the winding road for another 10 minutes to arrive at Incinerator Ridge Road which yielded another super bird-y walk in the woods. We were having a jolly old time when we, sorry I meant Merlin, heard our long-desired grail bird. Before getting to the electrifying encounter with the bird, let me explain who/what Merlin is. It is a Bird ID App developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and is an absolute must-have for hearing-challenged birders like us. From our experinces using the app in the US, its accuracy is well above 99%. When we saw the name Virigia's Warbler in Merlin app, we didn't doubt for a second that the birds were there. We crawled our way up to the top of a steep hill where the sounds were coming from. We were definitely very close to them but couldn't locate them. Sadly, our ability to spot a bird was not that much better than our ability to listen. After frantically searching for them for about 5 minutes, we finally spotted some movement up in the tree and there it was, an incredibly cute Virginia's Warbler 😍!!!

Incinerator Ridge Trail Olive Warbler Hutton's Vireo Red-faced Warbler Townsend's Solitaire Spotted Towhee Stellar's Jay Acorn Woodpecker Pine Siskin Virginia's Warbler Virginia's Warbler Hill

Incinerator Ridge eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S135606756

Thoroughly satisfied with high-elevation birding, we were ready to check out the birds of low dry shrubland and there was no place better suited for our next exploration than the adjacent Sabino Canyon Recreation Area. As soon as we set our foot on their famous trail, we knew we were in Arizona. In front of us was the low-elevation dry desert landscape covered with cacti and creosote bushes. It was breath-takingly beautiful but was hellishly HOT at a whopping 99°. If it was already this hot in April, can you imagine how hot it would be in July or August!?

Sabino Canyon Recreation Area Weather

Despite the heat, birding was absolutely phenomenal. Sabino Canyon was full of fascinating birds. The absolute highlight was seeing a Greater Roadrunner run across the trail. We totally went head over heels for this bird in 2007 and we fell for it all over again😍.

Bell's Vireo Gila Woodpeckers Verdin Greater Roadrunner Rufous-winged Sparrow Northern Mockingbird House Finch

Sabino Canyon Recreation Area eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S135621993

It was almost 4 o'clock and it was time for us to leave the Tucson area to begin our journey into the legendary Madera Canyon, the land of the Trogons and mythical night creatures! We got there just before 6 o'clock and were lucky enough to get the last available campsite at Bog Springs Campground.

Bog Springs Campground Tent

By then, it was a race against time. We set our tent up in record time to get to the Santa Rita Lodge by 6:30pm. We had a date that we absolutely could not miss. Yes, a date with the world's smallest owl. We heard about the owl from a New York birder we met in Mount Lemmon. Shortly after, the owner of the lodge, Steve, came out and introduced himself to the group of about 15 birders waiting to see the owl.

Santa Rita Lodge Santa Rita Lodge Feeder Area White-nosed Coati

Steve was as nice as can be and kindly explained to all of us the history of the nesting Elf Owls at the lodge. He had been doing this for over 11 years and assured us that the owls were not bothered by our presence. We waited under the wooden utility pole where the owls were nesting. After about 20 minutes, a gorgeous female Elf Owl stuck her head out from a small hole in the pole. Soon after, a handsome male Elf Owl flew in and put on quite a show flying from branch to branch. Oh, what a performance it was!!! We enjoyed the show until the owl flew into the forest.

Elf Owl Elf Owl Elf Owl

Santa Rita Lodge eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S135647080

Bog Springs Campground eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S135676051

It was close to 9 o'clock and was time to say good-night to Steve and the lovely owl couple. We thanked Steve for his time and started our quick drive back to the campsite. That's when we heard loud calls of Whiskered Screech-Owl and Mexican Whip-poor-will, both Arizona specialities. We quietly got out of the car and realized that birds were basically within arm's reach. Luckily, we had our bright flashlight designed for night owling. We shined the light to where we thought the sound was coming from and tried that a few times but to no avail, could not locate either birds. Well, we do have exciting news to share with you all though. After blood, sweat, tears and countless bug bites, we finally made it into the coveted 500 club!!! Let me translate it for you. We saw 500 birds in the ABA Area (also referred to as the ABA Checklist Area). The ABA Area covers North America north of Mexico plus the Hawaiian Islands. It is a huge deal (at least to us). Yaaaaayyyy!

May 1, 2023trogon-mania

We started our day birding at the nearby Madera Canyon Picnic Area. It was a brief visit but quite a productive one.

Madera Canyon Picnic Area Hepatic Tanager Female Hammond's Flycatcher Wild Turkey Mexican Jay Brown-crested Flycatcher Squirrel

Madera Canyon Picnic Area eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S135697217

With most up-to-date sighting information on hand, it was time for us to head to Mount Wrightson Picnic Area to look for one of the most anticipated birds of the trip, Elegant Trogons. We had been diligently doing our homework gathering intel on Trogon's whereabouts so we knew exactly where to look. We wasted some time looking for the trail but once we located Carrie Nation Trail where a pair of Trogons was said to be nesting, finding them was a piece of cake. A small crowd of admiring birders immediately gave it away. As we approached the crowd, we could see a drop-dead gorgeous male Elegant Trogon perched pretty on a branch. Soon, a duller female flew in to join the male and we were in Trogon heaven.

Elegant Trogon Elegant Trogon Elegant Trogon Female

Carrie Nation Trail eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S135697187

Surprisingly, besides the pair of Trogons, the trail was rather quiet so we decided to move onto the nearby Proctor Trail. On our way there, we made a quick stop at Santa Rita Lodge feeders and were greeted by a plethora of common yet attractive feathered friends.

Mexican Jay Acorn Woodpecker Black-headed Grosbeak White-winged Dove Broad-billed Hummingbird White-nosed Coati

Santa Rita Lodge eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S135699077

With high expectations, we arrived at Proctor Trail. Unfortunately, bird activity was unexpectedly low just as it was at Carrie Nation Trail.

Proctor Trail Ladder-backed Woodpecker Mexican Jay Hooded Oriole Female

Proctor Trail eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S135723270

Before leaving Madera Canyon, we made a stop at a grassland area called Florida Wash and this little stop produced a lot more birds than we had expected. It certainly was the birdiest area in Madera Canyon.

Botteri's Sparrow Red-tailed Hawk Black-chinned Hummingbird Bell's Vireo Verdin

Grassland Between Proctor Road and Florida Wash eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S135718438

Florida Wash eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S135723210

Our last stop of the day was a park in the town of Tubac called Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Park, a known hot spot amongst birders. It may not have been as birdy as the grassland in Madera Canyon but we managed to see some interesting birds.

Juan Bautista de Anza Bewick's Wren Broad-billed Hummingbird Lesser Goldfinch Vermilion Flycatcher Yellow-breasted Chat

Juan Bautista de Anza Trail eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S135744186

It was almost 5:30pm when we got to Patagonia Lake State Park where we would be camping for the next 2 days. We still managed to look around the park for birds before dark. After all the birding we had done today, we were ready to drop.

Patagonia Lake State Park Curve-billed Thrasher

eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S135868348

May 2, 2023showtime at patagonia

We woke up pre-dawn to explore the very park we were camping in. We had stayed and birded Patagonia Lake State Park back when we had visited Arizona in 2007 and remembered seeing rather few birds. So our plan was to check out the nature trail (which we did not walk in 2007) and leave the park if birding was so so. With somewhat low expectation, we started our morning walk on the trail and from the get-go, we were bombarded by bird songs coming from all different directions. Let me tell you this little nature trail was INCREDIBLE. How we had missed it in 2007 was anyone's guess. Told you we were real amateurs then (like we still aren't😆). We birded the trail for over 5 hours and it felt like 5 minutes, that was how good birding was at Patagonia-Sonoita Nature Creek Trail.

White-faced Ibis Bullock's Oriole Northern Beardless Tyrannulet Ash-throated Flycatcher Vermilion Flycatcher Inca Dove Song Sparrow Western Tanager Broad-billed Hummingbird Cassin's Kingbird Mexican Duck Gray Hawk Juvenile Phainopepla Lizard Trail Sign

Patagonia Lake Sonoita Creek eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S135868562

We reluctantly said good-bye to the amazing Patagonia Lake State Park and headed to one of the most famous roadside rest areas in the country. Patagonia Roadside Rest Area is said to be the place where a rare visitor, often from Mexico, turns up and today was no exception. We had reliable information from multiple sources that there had been Rufous-capped Warblers hanging out in the area. Bird activity was surprisingly low there so we just walked around looking for the rare warbler. Then I spotted this tiny beauty fluttering in a bush, our first encounter with a Rufous-capped Warbler in the U.S.A. Mission accomplished!

Rufous-capped Warbler

Patagonia Roadside Rest Area eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S135868122

Our last stop was another renowned birding spot, Paton Center for Hummingbirds. When we visited there in 2007, it was a private residence owned by a local couple who generously opened their bird-rich backyard to visiting birders. Soon the place became an international sensation, especially known for stunning Violet-crowned Hummingbirds. After the Patton couple passed away, the land was purchased by Tucson Audubon and the legacy of Pattons lived on.

Patton Center Patton Center Patton Center

We thought the Tucson Audubon did a really good job of maintaining and improving the facility. Newly added feeding stations attracted many bird species beyond hummingbirds.

Brown-crested Flycatcher Lucy's Warbler Gila Woodpecker Summer Tanager Bridled Titmouse Northern Cardinal Inca Dove Lazuli Bunting Abert's Towhee Curve-billed Thrasher Song Sparrow White-winged Dove Gambel's Quail Ladder-backed Woodpecker White-breasted Nuthatch Canyon Towhee Bewick's Wren Lesser Goldfinch Arizona Gray Squirrel

Patton Center for Hummingbirds eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S135868048

It was about 3:30pm when we realized that we hadn't eaten anything since breakfast. We asked the volunteer at the center for a restaurant recommendation in Patagonia. Mind you that Patagonia is a tiny town with a population of about 800 so it was slim pickings. As recommended, we ate at Wild Horse restaurant inside The Stage Stop Inn.

The Stage Stop Inn

It was almost 5 o'clock when we returned to Patagonia Lake State Park for another night of camping. We used a few hours of remaining sunlight to walk the Nature Trail before going to sleep. To our delight, bird activity was pretty decent even at such late hours. We love Patagonia Lake State Park!

Cassin's Kingbird Dusky-capped Flycatcher Vermilion Flycatcher Turkey Vulture Inca Dove Deer Noel & his new bodyguard

Patagonia Lake Sonoita Creek eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S136179382

May 3, 2023psycho!?

We arrived at the acclaimed Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve managed by The Nature Conservancy a few minutes before their opening time of 6:30am. We paid the $8/pp fee at the entrance and started our much anticipated birding adventure. The reserve was beautiful but, to our surprise, wasn't birdy at all. We spent a good 3.5 hours walking their trails recommended for birders and barely saw any birds. Well, you win some, you lose some.

Song Sparrow Brown-crested Flycatcher Gray Hawk Common Yellowthroat Vermilion Flycatcher Broad-billed Hummingbird Patagonia-Sonoita

Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S135980971

We drove for about an hour to get to Miller Canyon where we would be birding the rest of the day. Throughout the trip, we used this amazing field guide to look for birds, Tucson Audubon Society's Finding Birds in Southeast Arizona. This book, by far, was the best field guide we had used. With such a terrific detailed field guide in our hands, how could anything go wrong, so you think... In spite of rather clear instructions on which trail to take, we somehow managed to take the wrong trail. Despite only seeing very few birds, we had spent a good 2 hours on the wrong trail.

Field Guide Bushtit

Miller Canyon eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S135980921

After two somewhat lackluster outings, we headed to our final destination of the day, Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary. Just like the Patton's Center for Hummingbirds, this Sanctuary used to be a bed and breakfast. The owner, Mary Jo Ballator, transformed her small bed and breakfast into a birding hot spot known all over the world with her endless passion and love for birds. We do remember meeting Mrs. Ballator in 2007. After she had passed away, the Southeastern Arizona Bird Observatory purchased the land and kept her legacy alive. Perhaps because it was late in the day, most of the feeders were empty so there weren't too many birds in the garden. We did ask the volunteer person there if she could fill one of the feeders but she wasn't too keen on it. This is my personal biased observation but I never felt quite welcomed at this location past and present. She did fill feeders when a large tour group arrived. We did enjoy seeing two stunning Oriole species up close though.

Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary Bewick's Wren Curve-billed Thrasher House Finch Broad-billed Hummingbird Brown-headed Cowbird Bullock's Oriole Scott's Oriole Lesser Goldfinch Anna's Hummingbird

Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S135980905

It was after 5 o'clock when we got to Beatty's Guest Ranch where we would be spending the night. The ranch is a well-known birding hot spot mainly due to their amazing hummingbird feeders. When we visited the ranch in 2007, we were lucky enough to find a gorgeous White-eared Hummingbird at their feeder. Upon arriving, a man roughly in his late thirties opened the metal gate for us. We told him that we came here in 2007 and met the owner who was much older than him. He said that was his father but unfortunately his father's health declined and he had to take over the family business. He certainly was not much of a conversationalist. He was either very shy or socially awkward or both. I absolutely hate to say it but the best way I could describe him was Norman Bates from the famous Hitchcock movie, Psycho. When in an unfamiliar environment, our imagination could run wild and I am truly embarrassed to admit that the famous shower scene from Psycho kept playing in my head that evening.

Beatty's Guest Ranch Beatty's Guest Ranch Beatty's Guest Ranch Psycho

May 4, 2023magic at beatty's

Our birding day at Beatty's started with a bang. The forest adjacent to our cabin was incredibly birdy. Every tree had multiple species hopping from one branch to the next. We birded the area around the cabin for 3 straight hours which felt like nothing. What an amazing place it was.

Red-faced Warbler Arizona Woodpecker Bell's Vireo Bridled Titmouse Black-throated Gray Warbler Dusky-capped Flycatcher Broad-billed Hummingbird Bushtit Violet-green Swallow Wilson's Warbler Townsend's Warbler

Beatty's Guest Ranch eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S136072561

Before leaving, we had a nice chat with the owner. He told us that in addition to running the ranch, he worked as a bloodhound breeder. When we were there, he was raising eleven beautiful bloodhounds with whom we had the pleasure of meeting (and petting). When we were leaving, we saw him walking with his wife and a new-born daughter. After all, I was the crazy one with irrational fear and wild imagination.

Noel with Bloodhounds

We were off to another celebrated nature preserve, Ramsey Canyon Preserve, managed by The Nature Conservancy. The preserve is especially known for its amazing hummingbird feeders which we remembered from our last trip; however, the feeders were rather slow this time around. We spent about 3.5 hours walking their well maintained trail. Considering the reputation, it could have been better but we were still happy to see many of the Arizona specialities.

Ramsey Canyon Preserve Plumbeous Vireo Arizona Woodpecker Black-throated Gray Warbler Bridled Titmouse Hutton's Vireo Bushtit Western Tanager Painted Redstart

Ramsey Canyon Preserve eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S136072488

We didn't get to San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area operated by the Bureau of Land Management before 2pm. We were told that there had been a brush fire around the visitor center just a few days ago. However, other than seeing a few fire trucks parked by the center, everything seemed to have been operating normally. Coming from higher elevation with comfortable temperature, this place was unbearably hot. To make matters worse, we had about an hour to bird this massive area so we fast-walked and birded at the same time. Well just like anything else in life, no one can rush and bird well and we were no exception.

San Pedro RNCA Black Phoebe Rough-winged Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow

San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S136086832

We left San Pedro around 3pm to start our supposedly uneventful 2.5 drive to Cave Creek Canyon. It was uneventful until we hit the town of Douglas sitting right on the Mexican border. What we were facing was miles of on-coming 18 wheelers. The road we were on was a 2-lane narrow road without any shoulder. One wrong move from any of the on-coming trucks would have sent our SUV to the roadside ditch if we were to avoid head-on collision. My palms were sweaty the whole time I was on the road and I kept saying that it didn't make sense for all those trucks to be taking this seemingly a local road. I was absolutely mentally exhausted when we finally got to Cave Creek Canyon where we would be birding for the next 3 days.

Stewart Campground Stewart Campground

May 5, 2023jackie in paradise

Today was definitely the most anticipated birding day of our trip. We were exploring the celebrated Cave Creek Canyon's South Fork Trail. We arrived at the road leading to the trailhead at sunrise. To our surprise, it was rather quiet but we figured it was probably too early. We got to the trail head by 7am and ventured into the South Fork Trail with high hopes. Perhaps it was our inflated expectations, perhaps it was something else, after 5 hours of birding, we felt that South Fork birding just didn't bring us the level of excitement we were looking for. The obvious saving grace was seeing a beautiful male Elegant Trogon at two different locations.

Acorn Woodpecker Black-headed Grosbeak Spotted Towhee Elegant Trogon Dusky-capped Flycatcher Hepatic Tanager Brown Creeper Grace's Warbler Plumbeous Vireo

Cave Creek South Fork Trail eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S136178537

We then proceeded to check out Southwestern Research Station nearby. It wasn't much happening there either but we were delighted to find a gorgeous male Blue-Throated Mountain Gem buzzing around their feeders.

Southwestern Research Station Southwestern Research Station Blue-throated Mountain-gem Scott's Oriole

Southwestern Research Station eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S136181103

The trail by Herb Martyr Campground was beautiful but quiet as well.

Greenhouse Trail Hermit Thrush Black-throated Gray Warbler

Green Trail eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S136222100

Since birding was a bit slow in the area, it was time to go see Jackie in Paradise. Let me explain. We met Jackie in 2007 and still to this day remember her fondly: she kindly gave us a field guide when she realized that we didn't even have one. Jackie and her husband run a small Bed and Breakfast, George Walker House, in Paradise (yep, that is the name of the town) and is a must-visit for any birders. Basically, her backyard is one giant buffet equipped with multitudes of feeders stocked with yummy treats birds cannot resist. You can always count on her backyard feeders to see an abundance of local birds often mixed in with some rarity. She looked exactly as I remembered her. There were already several birders enjoying her company and the birds and we did just that. It was a nice surprise to see Band-tailed Pigeons at her feeders.

House Finch Brown-headed Cowbird Lesser Goldfinch Mexican Jay Hooded Oriole White-winged Dove Acorn Woodpecker Bridled Titmouse Band-tailed Pigeon Juniper Titmouse Rivoli's Hummingbird Western Tanager Black-headed Grosbeak Lazuli Buntings Arizona Woodpecker Scott's Oriole

George Walker House eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S136221314

Before going back to our campsite, we checked out a nearby spot called East Turkey Creek Junction but it was late and rather quiet so we finally decided to call it a day.

Wild Turkey

East Turkey Creek Junction eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S136221243

May 6, 2023the big thicket, arizona style

Today, we were planning to check out the drier desert landscape along the Arizona/New Mexico state line just outside of Portal. Our first destination was a shrubby desert area appropriately called 'The Big Thicket'. It's basically a roadside area situated between Portal and Rodeo. From the get-go, the area was overwhelmingly birdy. It felt as if there were birds in every underbrush. The best birding in the Cave Creek area so far, hands down!

Portal/Rodeo Sign Cassin's Kingbird Botteri's Sparrow Black-throated Sparrow Gambel's Quail

Big Thicket eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S136284796

Thoroughly satisfied, we proceeded to checkout the little oasis in the desert (literally) called 'Willow Tank'. The local community created a park with a small pond for birds (and birders) to take refuge from the dry blazing heat of desert land.

Willow Tank Willow Tank Cactus Wren Red-winged Blackbird

Willow Tank eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S136348166

The time had come to go after our main target called Bendire's Thrasher most reliably seen along Stateline Road. There had been several sightings of this bird on eBird as recently as yesterday so we figured if we drove on the road, we would eventually bump into either the actual bird or a crowd of birders looking at the bird. Well, we did bump into several birders looking for the thrasher but not at the bird 😕.

Swainson's Hawk Loggerhead Shrike

Stateline Road eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S136318955

After running around like two headless chickens all morning, it was time to take a much-needed lunch break. We stopped at a famous Portal Store to pick up lunch. The store was not exactly well-stocked but had delicious burritos. I have to say this was the most expensive grocery store I had ever been to. Well, when this was the only show in town, the exorbitant price had to be tolerated.

Portal Store

Finally it was time to chill and do some backyard birding. Many of the residents in Cave Creek open their backyards to visiting birders in exchange for a small donation. We asked some local birders which houses had good feeders and got names of 2 residents. Our first house was located right next to the Big Thicket and, expectedly, the feeders attracted a plethora of interesting birds.

Bullock's Oriole Brown-headed Cowbird White-crowned Sparrow Lucy's Warbler Curve-billed Thrasher Pyrrhuloxia Yellow-breasted Chat Gambel's Quails Crissal Thrasher Ladder-backed Woodpecker Lazuli Bunting Black-throated Sparrow Canyon Towhee

Bob Rodriguz Yard eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S136348001

We then moved onto another feeder at Jasper/Moisan residence. Their backyard was not as elaborate nor birdy but was still pretty good.

Scott's Oriole Cactus Wren Northern Cardinal Curve-billed Thrasher Lazuli Bunting Pine Siskin Canyon Towhee

Jasper/Moisan Feeders eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S136349720

It was almost 3 o'clock and we had to start our ascent to the high peaks of Rustler Park. We were a little concerned as Jackie had told us that most of the park was closed to the visitors including the campground due to massive wildfires a few years back. However, she thought that the picnic area by the entrance was open and we could "unofficially" set up our tent there. Well, there was only one way to find out so we started our bumpy ascent up to Rusler. On the way, Merlin, our most trusted birding companion, heard one of our mega targets, a Mexican Chickadee! To our delight, a chickadee was frittering in a tree right next to us. We were definitely off to a good start.

Mexican Chickadee Yellow-eyed Junco

Road Between Onion Saddle and Barfoot Junction eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S136366401

When we reached Rusler Park, it was quite apparent that the fire damage was fairly extensive. Jackie was right that we could set up our gear in the picnic area for the night. However, we usually avoid camping in undesignated unattended areas in the wilderness for obvious safety concerns so made a decision to bird the park for a little bit then head down to the campground in Cave Creek. In backcountry camping, using common sense and exercising caution, I think, is sometimes needed.

Rustler Park Rustler Park Western Bluebird Stellar's Jay Pygmy Nuthatch American Robin

Rustler Park eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S136379926

May 7, 2023saluto to major bendire!

It was our last day at Cave Creek. We headed straight to our favorite place, the Big Thicket. Though slightly quieter than yesterday, it still didn't disappoint.

Botteri's Sparrow Brown-crested Flycatcher Eurasian Collared-Dove Olive-sided Flycatcher Western Kingbird

Big Thicket eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S136444391

On our way to Stateline Road, we made a quick stop by Four Bar Cottages and found a rather friendly Ash-throated Flycatcher sitting pretty in a small tree.

Ash-throated Flycatcher Black-throated Sparrow

Four Bar Cottages eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S136510604

There was only one thing left to do before leaving the Cave Creek area. Yep, find Bendire's Thrasher. This rather dull grayish-brown thrasher was originally thought to be the same species as more common Curve-billed Thrasher until it was discovered by a US Army Major Bendire in 1872. While we were patrolling Stateline Road, we saw a pair of birders so we asked if they had seen the Bendire's. To our surprise, they said they saw it on Gin Road just down the road. As we were turning into Gin Road, we met a French birding group that we had previously bumped into on a few occasions and they too told us that Bendire's was there. It didn't take us long to spot this conspicuous bird sketching the area from the top of a tree. It was quite a distance away but we were over the moon savoring the sight of this Southern Arizona speciality.

State Line Road State Line Road Bendire's Thrasher

Gin Road eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S136510521

Satisfied, we said good-bye to beautiful Cave Creek and started our drive back to Tucson. We stopped at Twin Lakes Golf Course in Wilcox to check out shorebirds and this little stop produced some nice sightings.

Twin Lakes Golf Course Western Kingbird Northern Shoveler Eared Grebe American Avocet Long-billed Dowitcher White-faced Ibis

Twin Lakes Golf Course eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S136539876

When we reached Tucson, we did something we usually avoided: revisiting a location we already had birded during the same trip. Well, birding at Mount Lemmon was so outstanding that we had to try again. We quickly grabbed early dinner at a nice Mexican restaurant, Poco And Mom's Cantina on the way to Mount Lemmon.

Poco and Mom's Cantina

It was past 5 o'clock and we birded swiftly like a pro covering 2 different locations.

Acorn Woodpecker Black-throated Gray Warbler Brown-crested Flycatcher Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Babad Do'ag Vista eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S136565713

Gordon Hirabayashi Recreational Area eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S136622493

May 8, 2023

Why must all good things come to an end!? Today was our last day in Arizona and we were hell-bent on seeing as many species as we possibly could. We hit Rose Canyon Lake at sunrise and, as expected, were greeted by an abundance of interesting species. Now that we had visited the area twice, we could state with confidence that this area was absolutely spectacular.

Cordilleran Flycatcher Greater Pewee Grace's Warbler Northern/Gilded Flicker 2 Happy Birders

Rose Canyon Lake eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S136622469

On our way down, we stopped briefly to check out Molino Canyon Vista to look for Rock Wren but no such luck.

Lucy's Warbler Hooded Oriole Ash-throated Flycatcher

eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S136636737

Our last stop in Sky Islands was Sabino Canyon which we had visited on day two. Thankfully, the place was not nearly as hot as the last time we had been there but it still was definitely way above comfortable temperature. What made us sweat most was the fact that this was our last spot where we could possibly see a Black-tailed Gnatcatcher. We spent about three hours exploring the picturesque Sabino Canyon. As we started our walk back to the parking lot, I heard gnatcatcher-like chattering. Immediately, we turned back to investigate and there they were. We finally met Black-tailed Gnatcatchers face to face!

Lucy's Warbler Mourning Dove Rufous-winged Sparrow Black-throated Sparrow Verdin Cactus Wren Lizard Brown-crested Flycatcher Phainopepla Black-tailed Gnatcatcher

Sabino Canyon eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S136667476

Drive back to Phoenix was quick and straightforward. Our flight wasn't leaving until 10pm so we had a bit of time to bird. We stopped by Riparian Preserve at Gilbert Water Ranch in Gilbert, half an hour drive away from the airport. It was a nice spot to see water birds as well as some common urban birds.

Mourning Dove Eurasian-collared Dove Great-tailed Grackle Aberts Towhee Domestic Geese Lesse Scaup Bunny Killdeer Black-necked Stilt Vermilion Flycatcher Says Phoebe Curve-billed Thrasher Long-billed Dowitchers Mallard White-crowned Sparrow Greater Roadrunner Duckling Great Egret Red-winged Blackbird Common Gallinule Northern Shoveler Gila Woodpecker

Riparian Preserve at Gilbert Water Ranch eBird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S136712573

I couldn't tell you much about my flight back to New York except that it left Phoenix around 11pm. With the aid of a sleeping pill, I slept all the way through to New York. The best flight ever 😉!

We are so glad that we decided to revisit the magical Sky Islands of Arizona. Birding there was even better than we had remembered. Who knows? In the future, I will find archived photos from this trip and decide to visit again 😊.

Arizona eBird Trip Report: https://ebird.org/tripreport/124357

total species: 148, lifer: 17