Speed Birding: SE Arizona Birding Trip: Day 2, Madera Canyon and Patagonia

Our first stop on the first full day of our trip was Carrie Nation Mine Trail. After waking up early from the Madero-Kubo cabins, we tried to ignore the Sulphur-bellied Flycatchers and Acorn Woodpeckers that were calling outside the house. Trogons get up early, and it would be a sin to bird Madera Canyon without seeing one! As soon as we stepped out of the car at the upper parking lot, we heard the unmistakable "bark" of a male trogon. We quickly walked up the hillside, and passed the trogon since he was off trail. There are usually a few male trogons active on the trail this time of year, so I was sure we would have a chance to see another. We kept hiking up trail, picking up new birds like Painted Redstart, Western Wood Pewee, Brown-crested Flycatcher, and Arizona Woodpecker, and finally another trogon started calling. He was close, so Chris, Mark, and Alex (my fellow 6 foot tall birding pals) quickly ran up the trail in 6 foot strides leaving me in the dust. When I got to a bend in the trail, there it was...a beautiful male trogon sitting on a low branch, eating choke cherries. He was only a few feet away, giving Chris and Mark a great look at a pretty special lifer. After he realized we were there, he moved up trail a bit, and we caught a few more glances as he patrolled the trailside, talking to other male trogons in the distance. We followed him up to the sycamore cavity where we saw a trogon last summer, and he flew far out of sight up into the canyon. On the way down, another trogon was on his way up the trail, and perched on an overhanging branch to eat choke cherries, giving us another great look. We also picked up new birds like Grace's Warbler, Magnificent Hummingbird, and Sulphur-bellied Flycatchers on our way down the trail, and Western Wood Pewees were everywhere.

Elegant Trogon

Western Wood Pewees

Lesser Goldfinch

With one of our biggest target birds on our list, we headed down to Chuparosa Inn in hopes to catch a glimpse of a few specialty hummingbirds seen there recently, including a male Lucifer's Hummingbird, a male Rufous Hummingbird, and a female Allen's. We saw both the Rufous and Allen's, but the Lucifer's did not make an appearance. Magnificent Hummingbirds and Black-chinned Hummingbirds were the most common here. The seed feeders, suet, and oranges were also attracting Black-headed Grosbeaks, Western Tanagers, and loads of Mexican Jays.

Black-chinned Hummingbird (female) trying to chase Magnificent Hummingbird (female) from feeder

Magnificent Hummingbird - female

Just down the road, we stopped back at Madera-Kubo cabins where we had spent the night. Our target bird here was the Berylline Hummingbird that had been frequenting the feeders. It took about half an hour, but it did show up, and sat in a nearby tree, giving everyone a great look. A Violet-crowned Hummingbird also made a brief appearance, but Black-chinned and Rufous Hummingbirds were the most abundant here, in addition to Magnificent Hummingbirds. A Hepatic Tanager came into the feeders, but unfortunately I was making my morning cup of tea when this happened! (Don't worry, I got it later in the trip). We also got our trip Bronzed cowbird here, a male who was displaying for a few females.

Bronzed Cowbird - male

Summer Tanager - male

Towards the end of Madera Canyon, we stopped at the Whitehouse Picnic area. This place is loaded with Bell's Vireos, and we saw our first Phainopepla of the trip here. I also got my lifer Northern Beardless Tyrannulet, but he didn't stay around longer for photos. Nearby, Botteri's, Rufous-winged, and Cassin's Sparrows (lifer!) were singing like crazy, and this Botteri's came in for a close look on a nearby fence

Botteri's Sparrow

Our next stop was Patagonia, after a quick stop at the Kino Springs Golf Course. Common Ground Doves were all over the place here, and there were also a few pairs of Vermillion Flycatchers. We got great looks at a Cassin's Kingbird here, and also tracked down a begging juvenile Gray Hawk. Unfortunately his parents were nowhere to be found. Next, we made a quick stop at Patagonia Lake State Park, but our target birds (Neotripc Cormorant and Black-bellied Whistling Duck) were not around. And no one can bird in Patagonia without stopping at the famous "Roadside Rest" where Thick-billed Kingbirds nest. A Yellow-billed Cuckoo answered our calls here and gave Chris and Mark a great look at an otherwise hard-to-see lifer! Rock and Canyon Wrens were also calling nearby, as were Yellow-breasted Chats, and Phainopepla and Bridled Titmouse were all over the place.

Rock Wren (center of photo)

Thick-billed Kingbird

Our final major stop of the day was the Patton's famous hummingbird feeders. Unfortunately mosquitos were buzzing all over the place, and I have had just about enough of those little blood-suckers this year. Fortunately, we found a Violet-crowned Hummingbird very quickly, because this is the best spot for them in Arizona. There seemed to be a ton of Phainopepla around, and we found another Cassin's Kingbird here along with our trip Black Phoebe! We checked nearby for the Gray Hawk that usually nests nearby, but only found his large chick.

We headed to Sierra Vista that night, and stayed at The Ramsey Canyon Cabins in the "Hummingbird" House, a very beautiful and spacious house with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms at a great price. I highly recommend staying here while birding in and around Sierra Vista!