July 23: We began our day at Molino Basin (4,379’) on the ascent up Mount Lemmon where we were greeted by Phainopeplas and Hooded Orioles tending a nest.  Beautiful views and great scenery were common as we traveled from interior chaparral habitat through Ponderosa Pine forest, to woods dominated by Douglas and White Firs.  Thunderstorms hampered birding but not our ability to drink coffee and eat giant cookies in Summerhaven while a Rufous Hummingbird patronized a feeder at a nearby house.   The feeders outside the town’s realty office yielded Magnificent Hummingbird, Steller’s Jay, and Black-headed Grosbeaks while thunder boomed and clouds rolled by.  Adam spotted our first Red-faced Warbler when the sun peaked through at Marshall Gulch.  We also found a Cordilleran Flycatcher tending a nest along the stream.  We ate lunch at 8,320’ watching gliding ravens and hummingbirds at feeders.  During a photo stop on the descent a flock of Bushtits and a Black-throated Gray Warbler kept us entertained.

July 24: Florida Wash was our first stop and produced some desert species including Ash-throated Flycatcher, our only Rufous-winged Sparrows, and the vanguard Varied Bunting.  The stake-out Berylline Hummingbird and a Violet-crowned Hummingbird appeared at Madera Kubo.  Our hike up the Vault Mine Trail gave us prolonged looks at a stunning male Elegant Trogon (Photo by Chris Davis) and squeaking Sulphur-bellied Flycatchers.  We watched flocks of Lesser Goldfinches while eating lunch on the grounds of the Santa Rita Lodge (where a brief shopping spree ensued).  Heading south, the fields at Rio Rico yielded great comparative looks at Tropical and Cassin’s Kingbirds, a displaying male Bronzed Cowbird, and our first Vermilion Flycatcher of the trip.  A drive though rolling Madrean Oak hillsides failed to produce any Montezuma Quail, but the birding at Pena Blanca Lake was enjoyable, with a rare pair of Least Grebes building a nest, all three Myiarchus flycatchers, Summer Tanager, and a cooperative Rufous-crowned Sparrow.  A calling Gray Hawk tried to lure us into a streamside canyon, but we pressed on to our lodging in Sonoita.

July 25: The famed Patagonia Roadside Rest Area began our day.  Right on cue, a singing Thick-billed Kingbird posed nicely in a dead snag and Black Vultures soared overhead.  Brown-crested Flycatchers and Western Wood-Pewees were actively catching bugs along Sonoita Creek.  Walking along Blue Heaven Road (which parallels Sonoita Creek) yielded more flycatchers, another Varied Bunting, and a singing Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet that eluded our view.  After lunch in Patagonia we visited Kino Springs, where a series of ponds held a large flock of Lesser Goldfinches along with several Lazuli Buntings.  We also had a close look at a family group of Lucy’s Warblers and a few Common Ground-Doves.  Finally, a stop at the Paton’s feeders in Patagonia gave us close looks at Violet-crowned Hummingbirds, an Inca Dove, and Abert’s Towhee.

July 26: We spent the morning at Patagonia Lake State Park, where a wandering juvenile Brown Pelican joined the local flock of Neotropic Cormorants.  Another Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet was performing its “Dee Dee Dee” song from the thickets, but flew off before everyone got satisfactory looks.  Our only Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks flew over the lake heading west.  A serendipitous chat with a park ranger led to a 3-mile hike through a desert landscape covered with ocotillo, canyons, and a stretch of cottonwood-lined Sonoita Creek.  Birds here included a Common Black-Hawk, scope views of a Gray Hawk, a tyrannulet everyone got to see, and Black-throated Sparrow.  During the afternoon we worked the mid-elevation habitats of Harshaw Creek outside of Patagonia and found a Gray Hawk nest.  A pair of Thick-billed Kingbirds livened things up as a Canyon Wren posed briefly on a red cliff.

July 27: The morning’s drive east went through the heart of the Sonoita Grasslands where roadside stops produced multiple Botteri’s and Cassin’s Sparrows, the “Lillian’s” race of Eastern Meadowlark, and a herd of Pronghorn.  We watched a small colony of Cassin’s Sparrows skylarking among yuccas and sotol with the Canelo hills as a backdrop.  At Beatty’s Guest Ranch/Orchard in Miller Canyon we “stalked” the hummingbird feeders and found eight species including White-eared, Blue-throated, Magnificent, and Anna’s Hummers.  Beatty’s feeders are the only reliable place in the U.S. for the gorgeous White-eared—one of which perched about eight feet in front of us!  Afternoon rain and thunder hindered our birding opportunities, but we spent some time at the lovely San Pedro House framed by huge old Arizona Sycamores, patronized their shop, and watched birds at their feeders.

July 28: After successfully negotiating nine switchbacks leading up the dreaded Carr Canyon Road, we spent several enjoyable hours wandering around the Reef Townsite Campground, where we immediately encountered a mixed species flock that included Pygmy Nuthatches,  Painted Redstarts, Virginia’s, Grace’s, and Red-faced Warblers, along with nearby singing Spotted Towhees and a few Western Tanagers.  We were able to track down a Greater Pewee after hearing its distinctive “Jose Maria” song and enjoyed full-frame scope views while it sang.  Also in the scope whilst birding the campground was a Buff-breasted Flycatcher—a species whose extremely limited U.S. range is centered in the Huachuca Mountains.  While scanning for White-collared Swifts and hoping for Band-tailed Pigeon we encountered a real bonus bird—a light-morph Short-tailed Hawk briefly soaring with a larger Red-tailed Hawk.  Short-tailed Hawk is a rare summer visitor to the sky islands of southeast Arizona and we were lucky to encounter one on the tour.  In the afternoon we drove north from Sierra Vista along the eastern flank of the Whetstone Mountains to Benson where we made an obligatory visit to a sewage treatment plant (mandatory on most birding trips to the arid southwest!).  Toni spotted our second Brown Pelican of the trip flying over the desert and we finally nailed a pair of Zone-tailed Hawks—a species some participants were suggesting we were as likely to see as a Unicorn.  Also here were a few waterbirds including a smart-looking White-faced Ibis, a Black-necked Stilt family, and Wilson’s Phalaropes.

July 29: Once we processed through the gates and morning rush-hour traffic of Fort Huachuca’s main gate, we drove through grassland where Cassin’s and Botteri’s Sparrows and Blue Grosbeaks sang.  Entering Garden Canyon the habitat changed to mixed juniper-oak woodland, with a stream corridor lined with Arizona Sycamore, Bigtooth Maple, and Arizona Cypress.  Dusky-capped Flycatchers and a pair of Black Phoebes worked the grassy picnic area for insects, and Chris found our only Golden Eagle of the tour perched atop a nearby hill.  Donning our water bottles, bins, and cameras, we headed up the famed Scheelite Canyon in search of the resident pair of Spotted Owls.  While the canyon was eerily quiet save for the beautiful songs of Canyon Wrens perched somewhere on the cliffs, the scenery and flora were tremendous.  Although it wasn’t a lucky day for us with the owls, White-throated Swifts chattered overhead and a few sharp pairs of eyes gleaned an Arizona Woodpecker from the forest.  A mass of breeding lady bugs carpeted the grass near the picnic area.  Post-lunch birding along Garden Canyon yielded good looks at a juvenile and adult Cooper’s Hawk, and posing Sulphur-bellied Flycatchers.  Sadly, it was time to go, so we said goodbye to the Huachucas and headed back to Tucson for our farewell dinner and end of the tour.

Elegant Trogan photo by Chris Davis
Thick-billed Kingbird photo by Scott Barnes