Another trip was planned not long after the B and M/Tres Rios trip. This time, Caleb and I would join Steve Hosmer and Barb Meding for some birding at the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. I was especially looking forward to the possibility of Varied Buntings, a stunning finch found somewhat reliably at this spot. My parents and I worked out logistics with Caleb and his family. The plan was that I would be dropped off at Caleb's home in Buckeye the afternoon before we were to leave and then Steve and Barb would pick us up the next morning. I arrived at Caleb's place around 3 pm on June 27th. After a great dinner cooked by Caleb's Mom, he and I decided to bird the Dean and Beloat Riparian Area before dark. By 5:15 pm, we were birding.
The "D and B" is located along a stretch of the Gila River and surrounded by agricultural fields. Tamarisks cover the river and a few cottonwoods still stand strong. The last time I was here, my lifers Virginia Rail and Sora were calling in the dense riparian cover. More than anything, I was hoping for a Ridgway's Rail. One of the first birds we found was a Costa's Hummingbird, a location lifer for Caleb and my first for the entire Buckeye area.
Other more common species were present. These included a Green Heron, many Black-crowned Night Herons, a couple Ladder-backed Woodpeckers, some Common Gallinules, and Summer Tanagers. Additionally, we detected a pair of Ash-throated Flycatchers. They are one of few bird species which have actually benefited from the introduction of the aggressive and invasive tamarisks. A Long-billed Curlew that flew overhead was also an exciting find. Deep in the reeds, a Virginia Rail gave its unique grunting and 'kiddick' calls. That bird was notable because it was a likely breeder at the location. At the spot where we heard the rail, I heard something else that was unusual. It was a sharp clacking sound coming from a nearby stand of saltbush. Caleb heard it too and told me that it was a Greater Roadrunner clacking its bill! I had never heard that before.
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| A nice comparison shot of an White-winged Dove (left) and Eurasian Collared Dove (right) |
After a great time at the D and B, we walked across the road towards the agricultural fields.
We were here to do a photoshoot with the Burrowing Owls which live along the road...
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| Caleb photographing a BUOW from across the road... |
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| A Burrowing Owl hovering over a field while hunting |
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| A Lesser Nighthawk - related to owls and swifts rather than raptors as its last name would imply. |
Back at Caleb's house, we began to talk. And we kept talking. And talking. etc. Once it had passed midnight and we realized that Barbara Meding and Steve Hosmer would be picking us up at 2 am, we didn't even try to sleep. Once Barb and Steve arrived, we hopped in the car and took off. Driving south, Caleb noted a Barn Owl. At the border checkpoint near the town of Why, AZ, we saw several Lesser Nighthawks fluttering around the bright lights.
Upon reaching our destination within the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, it was still dark and we could hear a Common Poorwill calling.
Later, some Brown-crested Flycatchers kickstarted the dawn chorus. We hiked along a narrow trail birding as we went. Tiny bats - possibly Myotis or pipistrelles - fluttered about above the canyon bed and often flew past our heads. Some Northern Cardinals sang out from the thickets and a Western Screech Owl flushed from a mesquite and was not relocated. As light began to fill the canyon, we noted other birds - mostly typical desert species. Gilded Flickers, Black-tailed Gnatcatchers, Curve-billed Thrashers, Lucy's Warblers, and Black-throated Sparrows being the primary suspects.
Birds that were present singly included a Fuerte's Red-tailed Hawk, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, American Kestrel, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Northern Mockingbird, and Canyon Towhee. Many of these birds were Pima County firsts for me as I had very limited experience in the area prior. A male Scott's Oriole clad in black and yellow was a refreshing find. Another bird took us by surprise. A Peregrine Falcon. It stooped from the sky far above to capture a dove.
Before that day, I had never seen an Organ Pipe Cactus growing in the wild. It's a fairly common plant in landscaped yards up in the Phoenix area, although it's not native there. The Organ Pipe Cactus NM was true to name and surely didn't let me down...
Mixed in with the Organ Pipes, were massive Saguaro Cacti.
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| Saguaro fruit that was more than likely eaten by a bird. Perhaps a White-winged Dove? |
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| The wash that runs through Alamo Canyon |
While listening on the ridge, Caleb and I heard a finch-like warble coming from the wash below. I blanked on what it could be, but Caleb knew. It was the Varied Bunting that I was so looking forward to seeing! Alas, we could not locate the bird.
As the morning wore on and the sun burned hot on our skin, we decided to take off, get some lunch, and possibly make some quick stops for shorebirds on the way back to Phoenix. On the hike out of the canyon we saw 3 Northern Rough-winged Swallows which were slightly unusual at this location. Further up the trail, I noticed that Caleb and Steve were focused on something off the side of the trail. Barb and I quickly found that it was a male Varied Bunting on a prominent perch in a mesquite!
What a bird! In bad lighting, a male Varied Bunting can look entirely black. We were incredibly blessed to have found one perched in the right light so that its true colors could shine.
Out of the heat and into the air-conditioned car, we drank copious amounts of water and headed back to the highway. Stopping at the Space Age Restaurant in Gila Bend, we had a great lunch that was well-needed. More importantly, I had the opportunity to speak with Steve and Barb and hear some of their stories of birding from across the globe. Btw, I would highly recommend Space Age's biscuits and gravy!
We made several quick stops after lunch. Our first was at the Ajo Sewage Ponds. The most interesting species there included an Eared Grebe, a Greater Roadrunner, and a day-flying Lesser Nighthawk.
At the Gila Bend Sewage Ponds, we found Blue-winged Teal, Ruddy Ducks, another Eared Grebe, some American Avocets, and around 40 Wilson's Phalaropes.
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| A male Wilson's Phalarope in breeding plumage. One of North America's most colorful shorebirds in my opinion. |
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| That moment you realize where you are willing to go in search of birds... |
Our final stop of the day was just after noon. We were in search of Ridgway's Rails at the Arlington Wildlife Area - the last regularly occurring rail I needed for Maricopa County! Steve, Caleb, and I walked along the powdery dirt road that parallels some good reedy habitat. We noted an abundance of Black-crowned Night Herons, Common Yellowthroats, Song Sparrows, Red-winged Blackbirds, and Yellow-headed Blackbirds. We were excited to hear a singing Western Meadowlark, an uncommon breeder in the county. We also heard a grunting call which comes from another uncommon breeder, a Virginia Rail! One last bird tipped the scales of luck at this typically non-birdy time of day, my Ridgway's Rail. It never showed itself. Although it remains a heard only county lifer for me, I am content with what I did get.
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| The dense habitat of the elusive Ridgway's Rail... |
I enjoyed getting to know Steve and Barb better and appreciated Caleb and I's good conversation perhaps even more so than my world lifer Varied Bunting and Maricopa County lifer Ridgway's Rail. Even though my passion for birds and their study is intense, I always remember that people matter infinitely more.
Godspeed and good birding,
- Joshua
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