Four Seasons of Birding in Arizona

In the approximately 114,000 square miles which comprise Arizona can be found many climates, from the timberline islands in the San Francisco and White Mountains to near 200 feet on the desert's shifting sands in the southwest corner of the state, through six life zones. This, with Arizona's geographic position on the migration flyways offers birds an environment attractive to some to stop and winter, others to stop and raise their young. Arizona is also at the northern end of the Mexican highland. All these factors have combined to produce a total of 434 recorded species in Arizona. The state is proud of this record, and happy that so many people enjoy the birds.The changing seasons bring a shifting of the birds. When fall approaches in the north and flowers cease to bloom, hummingbirds drift south, visiting areas which can furnish them with flowers. As cold weather comes and insects are no longer in the air, the flycatchers and other insect eaters move south. When the lakes and ponds freeze over and snow covers the ground, the waterfowl, waders, and seed eaters are started on their movement. This movement is called migration. The mobility of birds makes them able to seek a more favorable, beneficial cli mate, and they have been going south for the winter, many years longer than less mobile man.

This movement is displayed through the warm valleys of Arizona to great advantage. By careful observation and banding, interesting facts have been learned about the movement of birds within the state. The white-crowned sparrow, for instance, arrives in the warm valleys by October first, give or take five days. They are followed by later waves of white-crowned sparrows, each wave arriving at about the same date as previous years. These birds decide this is the place to stop and become our winter visitors. Other birds wintering here are: Audubon's warbler, rubycrowned kinglet, chipping sparrow, marsh hawk, Brewer's red-winged and and yellow-headed blackbirds, lark bunting, cedar waxwing, and robin.

The birds that continue on farther south, not choosing to spend the winter with us, are called transients and include: osprey, rufous hummingbird, calliope hummingbird, tree swallow, yellow warbler, Wilson's warbler, Vaux's swift and lazuli bunting.

When the migration is reversed in the spring we have the birds returning north. Some that have spent the winter farther south find Arizona a suitable place, and stop here to build their nests and raise their young. These birds are called summer visitors and include: white-winged dove, lesser nighthawk; hooded, Bullock's and Scott's orioles; western kingbird, black hawk, gray hawk, Lucy's warbler and Wied's crested flycatcher.

Our winter visitors also have a spring urge to leave and many species move north in great flocks, like the flock of five hundred chipping sparrows we watched at Dripping Springs in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument on March 29, 1962.

Our largest group is made up of birds that do not move about a great deal and are found in approximately

Quail cover country

the same place the year around. They are the residents, and include such birds as: roadrunner, mockingbird, Gambel's quail, Inca dove, Gila woodpecker, black phoebe, verdin, red-tailed hawk, cactus wren, vermillion flycatcher, Mexican, Steller's and scrub jays. Again not all these birds are residents over all the state, but each species selects the section best suited to its needs.

Although the movement of birds is usually systematic and regular, wind, sudden changes in weather and other hazards do disrupt flights. Occasionally birds are forced off their regular course into territory they otherwise would not frequent. Such chance visitors are known as casuals. A few reported are: reddish egret, frigate-bird, redthroated loon, red-billed tropic bird, and Ross' goose.

Southeastern Arizona is a continuation of Northern Mexico's highland. This brings us some interesting birds from the south. Probably the most heralded is the copperytailed trogon, a beautiful bird and a member of a tropical family. We have seen them in the Huachuca, Santa Rita, and Chiricahua Mountains. They do considerable calling during the mating season. The male gives a series of low, coarse notes which resemble the call of a hen turkey. We have been fortunate the past two years to see them rendezvous in May at Madera Canyon and select a nest site which is in a hollow tree. This gave us the thrill of a birder's lifetime. Some of the flycatchers which enter Arizona in these mountains are: Coue's, beardless, buffbreasted, olivaceous, Wied's, sulphur-bellied flycatchers and thick-billed kingbird. A pair of thick-billed kingbirds gave us an exciting experience June 6, 1963, when we found their nest in a great sycamore in Madera Canyon. We were able to return July 10 to see five young birds well enough developed to leave the nest. The rosethroated becards, which resemble flycatchers, have worked their way north into Arizona at Sonoita Creek and built their suspended nests in the cottonwoods along the stream. These nests are as much as twenty inches long, are interwoven with terminal branches of tall trees, and swing freely in the air. The nests are made principally of the inner fiber of the bark of the cottonwood tree. The gray hawk is another bird which has its northern limits in Arizona. They have thrilled us with their hunting flights over the big trees at Sonoita Creek, near Patagonia.

This area is part of the San Jose de Sonoita Spanish Land Grant. The Tucson Audubon Society sponsors a wild life sanctuary along the creek, the first refuge of its kind in Arizona. This includes a flowing stream with a verdant growth of cottonwoods and willows abounding in flora and fauna. They have posted this property and have done much to keep it a safe and a natural place for birds. During the past two springs we have parked our trailer house along this creek and have made bird lists which include several new ones for our life list. We have listed sixty-five species in this sanctuary in the spring, and the following are the most outstanding: gray hawk, phainopepla, vermillion flycatcher, summer tanager, Lucy's warbler, black-throated sparrow, blue grosbeak, Bell's vireo, olivaceous flycatcher, and ground dove. We were through again this past February and in two hours listed twenty-three species, among them golden eagles, an adult As a special treat to bird lovers, we are pleased to list below outstanding Color Classic 35mm slides from our bird slide collection. While some birds appear several times in the listings, the slides were made from different transparencies showing the subject in different poses and surroundings.

THE BEAUTY OF ARIZONA BIRDS CAPTURED IN OUR COLOR SLIDES

There are no duplications. Price schedule for our bird slides is listed below. Listings are arranged in two groups: one covering slides for all color bird studies in this issue; the other, slides from selected bird studies that have appeared in past issues.

COLOR CLASSICS FROM ARIZONA HIGHWAYS

35mm. slides in 2" mounts, I to 15 slides, 40c each; 16 to 49 slides, 35c each; 50 or more, 3 for $1.00. Catalog of previous slides issued available on request. Address: ARIZONA HIGHWAYS, Phoenix, Arizona 85009.

B-115 Broad-tailed Hummingbird, cov. 1; B-116 Roadrunner, cov. 2; B-117 Snowy Egret, cov. 3; B-118 Western Tanager, cov. 4; B-119 Ash-throated Flycatcher banded, p. 13; B-120 White-winged Dove, p. 14; B-121 Gambel's Quail, p. 14; B-122 Inca Dove, p. 15; B-123 Great Horned Owl, p. 16; B-124 Swainson's Hawk, p. 16; B-125 Turkey Vulture, p. 16; B-126 American Coot, p. 17; B-127 Cooper's Hawk, p. 17; B-128 Sparrow Hawk, p. 17; B-129 Hepatic Tanager, p. 18; B-130 Scrub Jay, p. 19; B-131 Phainopepla, p. 19; B-132 Curve-billed Thrasher, p. 19; B-133 Abert's Towhee, p. 19; B-134 Red-backed Junco, p. 19; B-135 Green-winged Teal, p. 19; B-136 House Finches, p. 20; B-137 Verdin, p. 21; B-138 Hooded Orioles (young), p. 21; B-139 Hermit Thrush, p. 21; B-140 MacGillivray's Warbler, p. 21; B-141 Cardinal, p. 22; B-142 Roadrunner, p. 23; B-143 Roadrunner Nest and Eggs, p. 23; B-144 Roadrunner On Nest, p. 23; B-145 Gila Woodpecker, p. 24; B-146 Cactus Wren, p. 24; B-147 Rufous-sided Towhee, p. 24; B-148 Mockingbird, p. 24; B-149 House Wren, p. 24; B-150 Cactus Wren, (State Bird) and Saguaro Blossom (State Flower), p. 25; B-151 Avocets flying, p. 26-27; B-152 White Pelicans, p. 26; B-153 Canadian Geese, p. 26; B-154 Black-necked Stilt, p. 27; B-155 Western Grebe, p. 27; B-156 American Avocets, p. 28; B-157 California Gull, p. 28.

COLOR CLASSICS FROM ARIZONA HIGHWAYS

35mm slides in 2" mounts, 1 to 15 slides, 40c each; 16 to 49 slides, 35c each; 50 or more, 3 for $1.00.B-2 Arizona Cardinal-male; B-4 Western White-winged Doves; B-5 Gambel's Sparrow; B-8 Western Mourning Dove; B-9 Male House Finch; B-11 Cactus Wren and young; B-12 Cactus Wren; B-13 Sand Thrasher and Pyracantha; B-28 Cooper's Tanagers; B-30 Coppery-tailed Trogon; B-35 The Wise Old Owl; B-36 Owl in a Pensive Mood; B-38 A Desert Dandy closeup of a male Gambel Quail; B-39 Gambel Quail at Waterhole; B-40 Mother Quail on Nest; B-41 Baby Quail emerging from Egg; B-43 Fine Feathered Friends; B-44 Turkey Vulture; B-48 Palmer's Thrashers; B-51 Killdeer approaching nest; B-52 Mourning Dove; B-55 Male House Finches; B-60 A Wise Old Owl; B-62 Brewsters Snowy Egret; B-63 Arizona Cardinal; B-64 Cedar Waxwing; B-65 Phainopepla; B-66 White-crowned Sparrow; B-67 Canyon Towhee; B-68 White-breasted Nuthatch; B-69 Mourning Dove; B-70 Curve-billed Thrasher; B-71 Black-headed Grosbeak; B-72 Black-headed Grosbeak in flight; B-73 Arizona Jay; B-74 Arizona Jay in flight; B-75 Pyrrhuloxia; B-76 Pyrrhuloxia in flight; B-77 Acorn Woodpecker; B-78 Acorn Woodpecker in flight; B-79 White-winged Dove; B-80 White-winged Dove in flight; B-81 House Finch or Linnet; B-82 House Finch or Linnet in flight; B-83 Cactus Wren; B-84 Cactus Wren in flight; B-85 Rufous Hummingbird; B-86 Rufous Hummingbird in flight; B-87 Gila Woodpecker; B-88 Gila Woodpecker in flight; B-89 Curve-billed Thrasher; B-90 Curve-billed Thrasher in flight; B-91 Redtailed Hawk; B-92 Mocking Bird; B-93 Black-headed Grosbeak; B-94 Gambel's Quail; B-95 Lark Bunting; B-96 Western Tanager; B-97 Gilded Flicker; B-98 California Gull; B-99 Nesting Blue Heron; B-100 Blackchinned Hummingbird; B-101 Tree Swallow; B-102 Water Ouzel; B-103 Broad-tailed Hummingbird; B-104 Black-headed Grosbeak; B-105 Broad-tailed Hummingbird; B-106 Steller's Jay; B-107 Black-necked Stilt; B-108 Canadian Geese; B-109 Cliff Swallows; B-110 Avocet; B-111 Double-crested Cormorant; B-112 Killdeer; B-113 Bohemian Waxwing; B-114 White-faced Ibis and Yellow-headed Blackbird.

SPECIAL OFFER

AS A TRIBUTE TO BIRD LOVERS EVERYWHERE, WE ARE PLEASED TO OFFER OUR COLOR CLASSICS BIRD SLIDE COLLECTION LISTED ABOVE AT REDUCED PRICES: NO SUBSTITUTIONS, PLEASE! Reduced prices offered only for sets as listed. Address: ARIZONA HIGHWAYS, Phoenix, Arizona 85009.

FOUR SEASONS . . . continued from page 12

The alternate U. S. 89 south from Flagstaff, gives, in about a hundred miles, a spectacular descent from Ponderosa pine and mountain meadows, through beautiful Oak Creek Canyon, Sedona red rock country, and juniper growth on to the desert. One of the most beautiThe high mountain meadows bordered by forests support abundant bird life. An easily accessible group of these high meadows are found on the Kaibab Plateau near the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. They are bordered by beautiful forests of fir and aspen. Occasional sink holes in these meadows, round funnel like depressions, are a source of water. Sometimes they are just puddles and again small lakes, depending on the previous rainfall. Regardless of size they are magnets for birds. At the sink hole within sight of the entrance to the North Rim we have enjoyed, among many others: warbling vireo, Audubon's warbler, lazuli bunting, Western tanager, black-throated gray warbler, Townsend's solitaire, and pine siskin. Over both rims the white-throated swifts fly at bullet speed, gathering small insects from the air. In the beautiful glades near the North Rim the hermit thrush pours out his melodious bell like song.

On the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, 1100 feet lower, the Ponderosa pine is the predominant tree in the vicinity of the village, with the smaller Gambel's oak and locust. As you drive toward Desert View the vegetation changes to piñon pine, juniper and sage brush. Water is scarce at the rims, especially the South Rim, but the park rangers have made some provisions for wild life with rock water basins. Water and food are also provided by kind residents and dripping faucets. This brings birds to the walks, grounds, and camping areas where we have seen: chipping sparrow, robin, white-breasted and pygmy nuthatches, house finch, Steller's and scrub jays, red crossbill, black-headed grosbeak, mountain chickadee, gray-headed junco and hairy woodpecker. These are summer records, as that was the time we were able to get away from teachBy trails the areas below the Grand Canyon rims are accessible by mule or hiking. These trips with their rapid descent take you to the hot desert. The San Francisco Mountains are in view of the park at either rim, and from its peak to the bottom of the canyon, gives one the complete range of life zones found in the western United States, timber line to desert.

Canyon is the Southwest Research Laboratory of Ameri-can Museum of Natural History. It is amply equipped with laboratories, mechanical shops, living quarters, and dining facilities for visiting scientists. The staff maintains a hummingbird feeding station in the center of their grounds, where in spring they feed two half gallon jars of colored sugar water a day. At this time the hummingbirds seem as numerous as bees. The black-chinned are in great numbers, with a fair number of Rivoli's and blue-throated. By the middle of July they have dispersed to other areas, and few are seen. At this workshop we have seen Rivoli's, blue-throated, black-chinned, and broad-billed humming-birds; acorn woodpecker, Arizona woodpecker, white-breasted nuthatch, hooded and Scott's oriole.

A rapid rise over the forest road from Cave Creek brings us to Onion Saddle and a side trip to a beautiful mountain meadow, Barfoot Park. In the fall of 1954 we found this meadow a riot of color and life with the wild delphinium in bloom, and broad-tailed hummingbirds defending their territory against the rufous hummingbirds which were returning from their nesting grounds. Other birds seen there were wild turkey; acorn woodpecker; orange-crowned, Tennessee, and Audubon's warbler.

The descent to the west takes one through Pinery Canyon and out to the Sulphur Springs Valley. As you reach the valley you may turn east on Arizona 181 to the Chiricahua National Monument. In the monument are improved campsites, roads and trails, all of which make for good bird records such as black-throated gray warbler, black-headed brosbeak, Western wood pewee, Arizona woodpecker, blue-gray gnat-catcher, Mexican jay, Bewick's wren, bridled titmouse, painted redstart, and blue-throated hummingbird.

On June 8, 1962, while in the camp grounds there, we discovered a blue-throated hummingbird was building a nest in an Arizona cypress. The nest was about forty feet from the ground and about nineteen feet out on the limb. This limb was directly over our trailer house, but as we had to leave we did not see the development. At the end of May, 1924, we studied another nest of the blue-throat in the Huachuca Mountains, in Miller Canyon. The nest was on a horizontal limb of a sycamore and about twenty feet from the ground. We saw the feeding of the young and much of their development.

In the southeast part of the state, the Huachuca Mountains, close to the Mexican border, extend north by a little west for about twenty-five miles. This great range has probably furnished more bird skins for natural science than any range of similar size in the country. In this range Miller Peak is 9,445 feet high. It is reached by a mountain road through Carr Canyon to the Reef Mine, and there by a trail which passes below Carr Peak, across a saddle and up to the Miller Peak fire lookout. This trail is used to transport supplies to the fire tower. We have seen both the Rivoli's and blue-throated hum-mingbirds at the mine, where the gracious owners gave us coffee and sugar water to the hummingbirds. We found the robins nesting there, and other birds were Townsend's solitaire, pine grosbeak, Cassin's kingbird, brown creeper, and Grace's warbler.

Phoenix, Tempe, Mesa, and a number of other cities in the Salt River Valley have been known to people for perhaps fifty years as a winter resort area, but the birds have recognized it as such for centuries. They flock in to enjoy the weed seeds that now grow at the edges of fields, and the insects which are able to keep alive under the warming sun. It is common to see fifty or more Audubon's warblers working a row of trees along a canal bank. Ducks and shore birds abound on the ponds and small bodies of water, as well as canals. When fields are flooded with irrigation water, insects are disturbed and birds rush in to feed on them. Cattle feeding, a major industry, attracts enormous flocks of birds. Those generally found at the feed lots are Brewer's, red-winged, and yellow-headed blackbirds, with a generous number of doves.

Many birds may be seen by riding or walking along the miles and miles of dirt roads and canal banks. The residents you can expect to see are cactus wren, mocking-bird, curved-bill thrasher, Gila woodpecker, Say's phoebe, and roadrunner. When summer comes the hooded and Bullock's orioles, western kingbird, and other birds which enjoy the warm weather come in to build their nests. The desert close by is active with birds, and furnishes such species as the gilded flicker and black-throated sparrow which have not deserted their desert environment to come into the agricultural community.

Phoenix is a highway hub of the state, from which any point can be reached in a day, and can be a convenient center for birding.

The Colorado River, the third longest stream in the United States, flows west about half the distance across

the state and turns south, forming most of Arizona's western border. It runs through a desert which extends at least one hundred miles back from the river. The Lower Sonoran Zone follows the Colorado River up to the bottom of the Grand Canyon.

U. S. 66 crosses the river at Topock. U. S. 60-70 crosses near Blythe, California. U. S. 80 crosses at Yuma. Except at these points, contact with the river is very difficult and usually should not be attempted. Travel on the river is mostly for fun, and the boats used by fishermen, birders, and campers are equipped with outboard motors. We have experienced some wonderful boat trips from Parker Dam, going up to Site Six for lunch and returning. Another trip from Parker Dam is east on the Bill Williams arm of the lake, where that river has laid down an alluvial deposit. This area can be reached by boat from the marina on the Arizona side. The trip from the town of Parker to the dam, about twenty-five miles, has interesting birding and should be made with time for frequent stops. We like to go up one side of the river, cross at the dam, and return the other side. On the west side of the river the black topped road crosses sand dunes. These sand dunes are interesting, with the drifting sands and desert vegetation. On widely separated spring trips we have found the black-chinned hummingbird feeding on the desert Easter lily on these dunes. The road on the east side was cut through rugged country above the river and offers a beautiful drive. We have been greeted at Parker Dam by common egrets, decked out in their nuptial feathers, and looking very handsome, indeed!

At Topock a boat is necessary to get full enjoyment. Here the river has widened and drowned out the trees and brush formerly growing there. Some dead trees still remain, so the channel must be followed. To the west are sand bars visible from U. S. 66 where on January 20, 1950, we saw a flock of 5,000 snow geese sunning. That evening, as we ate our dinner at a restaurant with a broad view overlooking the river, a large flock flew into sight, wheeling in front of us with the rosy glow of a sunset shining on their glistening white plumage. They still are winter visitors, but are now reported to be coming in greatly reduced numbers.

North of Yuma the river has spread out behind Imperial Dam. The swampy area is wonderful country for wading birds. A small flock of long-billed dowitchers interested us. From this point we went up the river about twenty-five miles and camped overnight. On this trip we saw a number of big nests in the top of a group of tall cottonwood trees. This proved to be a sizable community or heronry of the great blue herons.

We have birded in Arizona over forty years, with trips to most of the spots mentioned in this story. We have seen man change the face of the land by damming some of the streams, providing water for agricultural empires. The water of canyons has been picked up and used to supply domestic water for towns on the desert. In other places subdivisions are on spots that were favorite places to see birds. Every change has affected the bird life. The birds, like humans, are struggling to adapt to change. They are adaptable, and will, we pray, survive!

BIRD WATCH

Brown swallow under overhanging eaves, Home-builder, architect, brick mason, skilled In molding common mud, twigs, last year's leaves, Into this sturdy mosque What power has willed Unerring wisdom to this bird, who cleaves From simple earth his heaven all fulfilled? Where could be found, by searching East or West, So much contentment in so small a breast? -Ora Pate Stewart