CAMP CHIRICAHUA JULY 7–18, 2021 Elegant Trogon © Michael O’Brien CAMP COUNSELORS: Michael O’Brien, Louise Zemaitis, & Jennie Duberstein LIST COMPILED BY: Michael O’Brien VICTOR EMANUEL NATURE TOURS, INC. 2525 WALLINGWOOD DRIVE, SUITE 1003 AUSTIN, TEXAS 78746 WWW.VENTBIRD.COM CAMP CHIRICAHUA July 7–18, 2021 By Michael O’Brien After missing camp in 2020, it was great to get back to Arizona again and become reacquainted with its amazing biodiversity. And as good fortune would have it, we were greeted by the first strong monsoon season in several years, breathing life back into the parched landscape. Despite some heavy downpours, our schedule was impacted minimally, and we always found interesting alternatives when weather steered us off course. Our welcome back to Arizona was made even sweeter by having a wonderful group of campers who were interested in all aspects of nature, not just birds. No puddle or flowering plant was passed without inspection, no crevice left unscrutinized. These kids were such a joy to be around—we could have kept going for another week! Dinnertime at Rose Canyon Lake © Michael O’Brien We departed Tucson with typical summertime temperatures of over 100, but quickly found relief on Mt. Lemmon where the overnight low was a delightful 58—perfect camping weather! Birding right around camp was a wonderful way to get acquainted with birds of the montane pine forests such as Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Cordilleran Flycatcher, Plumbeous and Warbling vireos, Steller’s Jay, Pygmy Nuthatch, Western Bluebird, Hermit Thrush, and Hepatic Tanager. Many of these were either on nests or with fledged young, so the activity level was high. We enjoyed watching noisy family groups of Virginia’s, Grace’s, and Black-throated Gray warblers, and marveled at the countless song variations of Yellow-eyed Junco. And it was especially exciting to see the resident Common BlackHawk feeding on crayfish along the shore of Rose Canyon Lake. The lakeshore itself was www.ventbird.com 2 Camp Chiricahua I, 2021 buzzing with activity, with numerous dragonfly and damselfly species present. Striking Abert’s Squirrels were more numerous than usual, and sharp-eyed campers turned up exciting finds of Stripe- tailed Scorpion and Curve-faced Windscorpion. At nearby Marshall Gulch, we had prolonged studies of a family group of Red-faced Warblers, the juvenile’s chattering begging calls constantly betraying its location. We also enjoyed finding Zone-tailed Hawk, Mountain Chickadee, and a large group of puddling butterflies, including many Marine Blues and a few Echo Azures. A second morning at Rose Canyon Lake proved to be the trick to get fine views of the very local Olive Warbler right by our campsite! En route to the Chiricahuas, we stopped in Tucson at fellow VENT leader Brian Gibbons’ house and got our first taste of Sonoran Desert birding. Although temps were already well into the 90s, we enjoyed a nice array of species including Costa’s Hummingbird, Harris’s Hawk, Gila Woodpecker, Purple Martin (nesting in Saguaro Cactus), Cactus Wren, “Sonoran” Curve-billed Thrasher, and Rufous-winged and Black-throated sparrows. A stop in Willcox at Lake Cochise produced an array of waterbirds as well as grassland species. Though water levels were very low, a few highlights included Mexican Duck, Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet, and Long-billed Curlew. We also enjoyed sightings of Golden Eagle, Chihuahuan Raven, Yellow-headed Blackbirds, and “Lilian’s” Eastern Meadowlark. The cattail pond was loaded with dragonflies, including the striking Red Saddlebags. Dawn at Cave Creek Ranch © Michael O’Brien Our exploration of the Chiricahua Mountains was based at Cave Creek Ranch, an absolute wonderland for birders and naturalists in a stunningly beautiful setting. Birding right around the cabins was superb, with regular sightings of Gambel’s Quail, Inca Dove, Blue-throated Mountain-gem, Broad-billed Hummingbird, Acorn Woodpecker, Black Phoebe, all three Myiarchus flycatchers, Mexican Jay, Bridled Titmouse, “Chihuahuan” Curve-billed Thrasher, Canyon Towhee, Hooded Oriole, and Black- headed Grosbeak. Scanning the cliffs overhead, we saw numerous White-throated Swifts, small flocks of Band-tailed Pigeons, and the occasional Zone-tailed Hawk. A nearby Gray Hawk nest and a juvenile Elf Owl peering out of its nest hole were particularly exciting finds. Aside from the resident “Coues’s” White-tailed Deer, interesting mammal sightings at the ranch included White-nosed Coati, Hooded and www.ventbird.com 3 Camp Chiricahua I, 2021 Spotted skunks, Collared Peccary, and Gray Fox. The pond had no frogs this year but lots of dragonflies and damselflies, including Giant and Arroyo darners, Desert Firetail, Amethyst Dancer, and Mexican Forktail. Numerous lizards on the grounds included Sonoran Spotted Whiptail, Clark’s Spiny Lizard, and Madrean Alligator Lizard. Of course, we explored a lot more than just Cave Creek Ranch! Nearby Portal hosted a continuing pair of nesting Thick-billed Kingbirds, a rare bird away from the Patagonia area. The famous South Fork Trail was both a lovely place for a hike and the perfect place to enjoy some iconic Southeast Arizona specialties including Elegant Trogon, Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher, and Painted Redstart. A loop through the highlands included a stop in Paradise, where we had excellent views of Juniper Titmouse and Black-chinned Sparrow at the George Walker House. A short ways down the road, a pair of Montezuma Quail gave us excellent views and earned Robert a whole dollar for his spotting skills! In the highlands, we enjoyed many species we had seen on Mt. Lemmon, plus several new ones including Greater Pewee, Red Crossbill, and Mexican Chickadee. We also enjoyed seeing the very local Striped Plateau Lizard and Chihuahuan Spotted Whiptail, and the beautiful Yarrow’s Spiny Lizard. Down in the San Simon Valley, we enjoyed some desert and grassland species including Scaled Quail, Greater Roadrunner, Bendire’s Thrasher, and Cassin’s Sparrow. But the real highlight was a roadside puddle full of Desert Fairy Shrimp, Beavertail Fairy Shrimp, and Longtail Tadpole Shrimp. These amazing and ancient creatures live in ephemeral pools, and the fairy shrimp eggs can remain dormant for centuries! And certainly, highlights for everyone were our nighttime forays around Portal. Various moths, beetles, and other critters around the lodge were always interesting, and farther afield we had excellent views of Mexican Whip-poor-will; Barn, Elf, and Great Horned owls; and Whiskered Screech-Owl. Puddle full of life at San Simon Valley © Louise Zemaitis www.ventbird.com 4 Camp Chiricahua I, 2021 Heading west from the Chiricahuas, we made a stop at San Pedro House and had our first real taste of riparian birding. A 15-minute rain shower dropped the temperature nearly 20 degrees, making for delightful conditions as we enjoyed seeing Vermilion Flycatcher, Bell’s Vireo, Abert’s Towhee, Yellow-breasted Chat, Lucy’s Warbler, Desert Grassland Whiptail, and many interesting plant species. Nearby Sierra Vista was our home base for a couple of days of exploring the Huachuca Mountains, where hummingbirds are often the highlight. At the Beaty’s Guest Ranch in Miller Canyon, a few hours of feeder watching produced nine hummingbird species, including the very rare White-eared and very local Violet-crowned, along with the spectacular Rivoli’s. The Beaty’s frog pond was home to many Chiricahua Leopard Frogs, a local specialty, best known for its unique habit of singing from under the water. Later, a visit to our friends Bob and Karen in Ash Canyon produced more hummingbirds, including Costa’s, plus excellent views of Phainopepla and Lark and Rufous-crowned sparrows visiting the pond, and several nice butterflies in the garden. At dusk it was back to the San Pedro House for a nice show of hunting Lesser Nighthawks and a beautiful sunset. The following day, heavy monsoon rains meant we had to abandon our plans to visit Carr Canyon, but that meant we could spend the cool morning hours at Sonoita Grasslands. Along with several Pronghorns, we saw some nice sparrows including Botteri’s, Cassin’s, Grasshopper, and Lark. Still dodging monsoon rains, we made a quick visit to Ramsey Canyon, then on to the Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary, where a cooperative female Lucifer Hummingbird gave us our eleventh hummingbird species of the trip! Campers at Patagonia Picnic Table © Michael O’Brien The final segment of our camp was based in Patagonia, along the lush Sonoita Creek riparian corridor. We began our visit with a magical evening along Harshaw Creek Road where a frenzy of activity in the last rays of afternoon sun included nice views of Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Gray Hawk, Thick-billed www.ventbird.com 5 Camp Chiricahua I, 2021 Kingbird, and Bronzed Cowbird. As dusk fell, the chorus changed to that of night birds, and we soon had wonderful looks at Common Poorwill and Western Screech-Owl. On the drive back, stops for various critters including Desert Blonde Tarantula and Red-spotted Toad rounded out a fun evening. A full day in the Patagonia area began at the famous Patagonia Rest Stop (and picnic table), where a pair of Rose-throated Becards performed nicely, along with a host of riparian species. At Patagonia Lake State Park, we enjoyed more riparian species, a handful of waterbirds including Neotropic Cormorant, and some cool bugs including Apache Click Beetle, Fatal Metalmark, and Poetry Moth. Our afternoon plan to visit the Paton Center for Hummingbirds was thwarted by high water in Sonoita Creek, blocking the access road. As an alternative, we just took a walk through town and found it very active with birds, including loads of Phainopeplas flying over, several feeders buzzing with hummingbirds of multiple species, and some fine looks at Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Yellow-breasted Chat, and Summer Tanager.