Hey Readers!
Not long after my first ever birding camp, my Dad, Brother, and I left for a fishing trip on the Mogollon Rim near Payson, AZ. We were to meet our Pastor and two of his sons at Woods Canyon Lake the next morning. Although fishing would be my focus, I couldn't miss the opportunity to see some good birds and other animals! On June 15th, we took off once our car was all packed and ready to go.
Heading up towards Payson on the Beeline Highway, we passed the turnoff for Slate Creek - one of my favorite places to go birding in the state. I hope to go there again sometime soon. One thing that I almost require to remain sane is a healthy dose of mountain air, wind, and evergreen aroma. The place we were headed to provided all three. Although I love people immensely, I feel very much at home in the wilderness; particularly the forest. I also am able to clearly recognize the creative power of God when I am in nature. My views on importance are as follows:
God > People > Birds
When we arrived at our campsite (which was around a half mile from The Rim), we immediately began setting up. I noticed birds such as Plumbeous Vireos, American Crows, Grace's Warblers, and Red-backed Dark-eyed Juncos around camp. Once our tents were pitched and our cooking station was established, we headed to Woods Canyon Lake to fish until dark.
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| These strange - yet elegant - stands of Gambel's Oak bordered our campsite. |
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| We were in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest. My first time. I approve. |
I noticed a couple Osprey that were flying across the lake and giving their piercing cries. There was also a Bald Eagle that very occasionally flew by the lake. A few Steller's Jays and an Audubon's Yellow-rumped Warbler were also notable.
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| An Osprey |
My sole lifer of the evening was a mammal; the Red Squirrel. In Arizona, we have the "Spruce Squirrel" a subspecies with much more muted coloration.
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| The 'Spruce' Squirrel |
Once darkness began to fall upon the lake, we departed for our camp. We were staying in Aspen Campground which was less than 5 minutes driving time from the lake. As we sat in our camping chairs around our fire, the stars could be clearly seen. The sky is huge - and even more massive when thousands of stars are visible.
We woke up at 3:30 am to eat our breakfast and then commence fishing within an hour. It was still mostly dark at that time and the lake was shrouded in a layer of mist. The Ospreys were flying about and the eagle was also present, but not very visible. I heard a Hairy Woodpecker calling and drumming not too far from where we were fishing. We were catching a lot. We filled up an entire stringer in the 3 or so hours we were there. The fish we were catching were all Rainbow Trout. There are supposed to be some big Brown Trout in the lake as well, but none crossed paths with us. Violet-green Swallows cut through the fading mist as the morning wore on and the sun continued to peek over the treeline.
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| A Rainbow Trout |
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| My first Green Sunfish (we released all of the little fish) |
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| This female was obviously gravid. |
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| My Dad tying a rig |
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| New Mexico Locust (Robinia neomexicana)...in Arizona? |
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| Golden Columbine (Aquilegia chrysantha) |
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| Woods' Rose (Rosa woodsii var. ultramontana) |
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| Yellow Evening Primrose (Oenothera flava) |
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| Some sort of fern... |
We left the lake at 8 to pack our fish on ice. I heard a Grace's Warbler singing nearby. A semi-evil thought popped into my mind: "What if I used playback to get a photo?"
Well, it worked. And as long as you use playback judiciously, the bird will come out of the 'argument' on top without any negative effect on territory retention or breeding success. I also used a little pb on my state lifer Mountain Chickadee...
At 8:30, I met our Pastor and his kids at the tackle shop at the lake. I had just seen a Sharp-shinned Hawk outside - a Coconino County lifer. We all gathered together at the lake to continue fishing.
One of my Pastor's sons (in the photo above) is also interested in wildlife, so it comes as no surprise that when an aquatic garter snake swam past us that he would try to catch it. Having already caught plenty of trout, I decided to join him. The snake was later identified as a Black-headed Garter Snake. It was actually the first garter snake that I can recall ever seeing. The snake was hunting small fish in the shallows and simultaneously staying far out enough that we couldn't get it - we never caught that guy!
However, we did catch something else.
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| My 'snake bracelet' |
This Wandering Garter Snake (another herp lifer) was caught trying to escape from a clump of Poison Ivy. Yes, I plunged my hand into the Poison Ivy to grab the snake. No, I did not have any adverse effects.
We were fishing on the west shore of the lake, so when the sun came up, its intensity took its toll on us. I'm pretty sure everyone was burned by the end of the trip! Birdwise, Cordilleran Flycatchers, Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, and Great Blue Herons were present in good numbers that morning. There were also a few species of small mammals around: Golden-mantled Ground Squirrels, Cliff Chipmunks, an Arizona Gray Squirrel, and more Spruce Squirrels to be exact.
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| Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel |
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| A Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel which was considerably duller than the others |
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| Cliff Chipmunk |
Although I have seen plenty of Steller's Jays, I have no good photos of that species! Maybe it's because I always ignore them while searching for something else that is on my mind?
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| I played a game of hide-and-seek with this jay... |
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| ...and I won. sort of. |
Other interesting birds that I noticed at the fishing spot included a Black Phoebe, Plumbeous Vireo, White-breasted, Red-breasted, and Pygmy Nuthatches, a singing Virginia's Warbler, and a Pine Siskin.
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| I had some nice views of my old spark bird, the Northern Flicker. |
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| I love the red calamus of their wing feathers. |
Since I had caught enough fish for the day, I decided to try to capture some of the crayfish that were trying to grab pieces of the fish that were on our stringer. I managed to catch one.
While I was out walking along the lakeshore, a man asked if I was looking for snakes. We talked a while and it turns out that he has been coming to this lake for at least 40 years. He enjoys capturing and studying reptiles and amphibians in the area. One of his kids caught a garter snake just as I was talking to him. It was a young Wandering Garter Snake, much smaller than the one that I captured earlier.
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| This fern which was growing from a rock was very interesting. |
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| Hats off to this Green Sunfish that went after a lure this big! |
After 8 hours of fishing, we decided to head back to camp to relax and cook dinner (fish).
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| My dad is cooking the trout wrapped in foil over coals. |
Not everyone is a fish person, but I sure am! I find that I appreciate the food I eat more when I have to catch it, kill it, clean it, and cook it myself. While we were sitting down after dinner, I saw a bird flying across the clearing. Then it hit me that it was a nighthawk. I sprang from my chair to get a better look and perhaps a photo. I did get a brief look, but that was it. The bird I saw was a Common Nighthawk, my first ever. It flew past us once again after 5 minutes or so. After enjoying good conversation around the campfire, we all hit the sack.
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| A Western Bean Cutworm Moth (Striacosta albacosta) |
The next morning, we woke up at 5:30. I got some nice looks at a Cordilleran Flycatcher and heard a Chipping Sparrow.
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| A caterpillar making short work of a Gambel's Oak leaf. |
We were out fishing once again at 5:30. As the sun continued to beat down on us and glare up from the surface of the water, I chose to walk around a little and explore the immediate area. I heard some warblers and Hermit Thrushes singing, so I investigated. It turned out to be a Red-faced Warbler; a bird I had seen only once before. An Audubon's Yellow-rumped, Virginia's, and Grace's Warbler joined it in song. A Plumbeous Vireo also was present.
While I was walking back to our fishing spot after seeing the warblers, I observed a Plateau Fence Lizard which I neglected to photograph. Later that morning, I was resting on a rock when I saw a colorful shape land on a pine maybe 20 feet from me. Even without binoculars, I could tell what it was: a male Williamson's Sapsucker - my first for Coconino County. It flew away before I could get my camera ready.
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| I relocated the bird 20 minutes later while walking to the tackle shop. |
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| Possibly the best looking Rainbow Trout I have ever seen. |
All good things come to an end. We left for home around noon after one of the best camping experiences of my life. I would highly recommend Woods Canyon Lake to anyone who enjoys birding, fishing, or simply camping. The campsite is very close to the lake, there are restrooms onsite, a nice tackle shop, and most importantly, the fishing was great. It's a clean place and very natural. I seldom encountered places this well preserved while living in California. It's close proximity to the Mogollon Rim is also an exciting aspect of this location. The view from The Rim is almost as majestic as the Grand Canyon's is.
Godspeed and good birding to you all,
- Joshua
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