The Return to Slate Creek

Hey Readers!

Happy 2017!  In this post, I return to the Slate Creek Divide - a little-known birding spot at the furthest reaches and highest elevations in Maricopa County.  Tommy DeBardeleben, Caleb Strand, and I were going to attempt something that likely no one has ever done at this location.  We were going to hike into the drainage at night and search for owls - a risky undertaking.  As a birder who highly regards birding in his home county, I was absolutely thrilled to be able to return to this location.  My last trip to Slate Creek was, without doubt, the best high elevation Maricopa County birding trip I've experienced up until this point.  Many high-elevation species that have limited ranges in Maricopa County can be found at Slate Creek.

Tommy and Caleb arrived at my house the afternoon of the day we were leaving.  We were super excited for the possibilities we had in store!  We picked up some pizzas en route (Hail Little Caesar's!).  It was awesome to be able to talk and joke with Caleb and Tommy again; they're fun to be around.  After traveling north on the Beeline Highway and taking the exit towards Slate Creek, we began gaining some elevation.  Instead of Sonoran desert, we were surrounded by chaparral; a habitat that is comprised of dense shrubbery that covers sloping foothills.  We began to note typical chaparral species such as Woodhouse's Scrub Jays, Bewick's Wrens, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Canyon Towhees, a Rufous-crowned Sparrow, many Spotted Towhees and also a pair of Western Tanagers.

As we rounded a corner, I saw a long tail waving around at the side of the road.  I was shocked to find that it belonged to a White-nosed Coati!  The coati quickly dissapeared into the dense chaparral before any photos could be taken.  I was absolutely ecstatic that we had found one; it was the best mammal I had seen all year.  It never had occurred to me that they could be found so far north in the state.  In Arizona, they are most often found in the "Sky Island" mountains in the southeast corner of the state.  Once we arrived at Mt. Peeley Trailhead, we parked at our campsite and quickly geared up because we wanted to get down into the drainage before dark.

Caleb checking out some Broad-tailed Hummingbirds...

We found some good birds both at the trailhead and in the drainage before dark.  An Ash-throated Flycatcher, some Mexican Jays, a couple Bridled Titmice, some Brown Creepers, Painted Redstarts, a Lark Sparrow, and four Hepatic Tanagers were my favorites.  On our way to The Intersection (an area where two drainages meet and a possible breeding location for Mexican Whippoorwills), I noticed some whitewash on the ground under a sycamore and looked up...

A fledgling Mexican Spotted Owl looks down at me from its cozy perch

Immediately after I had located the bird, Tommy and Caleb were on it.  We all just stood there taking photos and admiring the incredible creature before us.

We walked around the owl and then climbed high enough to see it at eye level.

After taking photos, we carefully walked away...

After this encounter, we reached the confluence of the drainages.  Although we listened intently for Mexican Whippoorwills, none could be found.  We did hear a Common Poorwill however.  As we marched along in the dark with dim headlamps lighting the rocky ground before us, a resonant "Hu!  Hu-Hu! Huaww!" sounded off.  It was a Mexican Spotted Owl's song!  I had never heard the species' song before, so naturally, I was excited.  The owl was pretty far from us, so we decided against trying to locate it.  It was getting pretty late by this time so we began our ascent out of the drainage.  Walking over rocky terrain in the dead of night had its challenges.  Luckily, we didn't stumble across any rattlesnakes or bears!  Once we made it back to the trailhead, we continued our search for owls...

A male Windscorpion

A female Windscorpion

A mysterious katydid that even BugGuide.com hasn't been able to ID...

Possibly Shizocosa avida

From the Gila County side of the main road, we faintly heard a Flammulated Owl giving its deep hooting calls!  It was quite distant and the terrain was sketchy, so we didn't try to find it.  Another Common Poorwill surprised us as it flew across the road right in front of us.  At this point, it was late and we knew that we needed some sleep if we wanted to get an early start the next day.  Since we didn't want to bother with putting up tents at this point, we just slept on the ground... under a sky full of stars.  It wasn't very cold, so we were quite comfortable.  As we were settling in, another Flammulated Owl began calling from the mountainside behind us!  This one was my first for Maricopa county; a perfect example of a species with a limited range in Maricopa Co.  I fell asleep that night listening to the drone of crickets and the distant calls of that Flammulated Owl.  This experience is among my favorites from Slate Creek.  

Waking up around 5:30 am, we shook off our dusty sleeping bags and enjoyed some cold pizza before heading into the same drainage we explored the night before.  One of the first species we encountered was my Maricopa County first Mountain Chickadee!  We also saw a few migrant Rufous Hummingbirds.  

  

Good to see this little guy again!

You know that situation when you're watching cute bear cubs and you forget what could be right behind you?  

Well...

The fledgling's observant parent

Acorn Woodpeckers, White-throated Swifts, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers and Painted Redstarts were present in good numbers.  Species found in low numbers included Black Phoebes, Hutton's Vireos, Brown Creepers, Western Tanagers and Scott's Orioles.  At "The Intersection" which we visited the night before, we found the local Dusky-capped Flycatchers!

     

The slender profile of a Dusky-capped Flycatcher

The Intersection

A net-winged beetle; probably Lycus fernandezi

A striking male Western Tanager

This "Spruce" Red Squirrel was a nice addition to my Maricopa County mammals list

After our short stop at The Intersection, we headed back up towards the trailhead using a different route.  It was good to cover new habitat and the potential for something new was exciting!  On our way to the top, we encountered several Western-type flycatchers.  We were able to pick out a Cordilleran by voice!  A new county addition for me.  

One of several Hepatic Tanagers we encountered

As we approached the trail, Tommy shouted back to Caleb and I: "Golden Eagle!"  Moments later, the large, dark raptor soared low above our heads past a small opening in the canopy!  We were all excited to see such a powerful and iconic bird in Maricopa county.  

Trail in sight...

Our view of the Slate Creek Divide from the trail

Back at the car, as we were packing up, we heard the most peculiar sound.  It was a doubled whistle with an eerie quality.  We were all at a loss as to its identity but thought it could potentially be an uncommon call from either a Steller's Jay or Scott's Oriole.  However, to this day, even after studying the vocal repertoires of many possible species, I haven't found out what made those calls.  I consider it to be one of my greatest birding mysteries.  After safely making our way off the mountain, we stopped for some burgers in Phoenix and decided to stop at the Glendale Recharge Ponds; one of Tommy's favorite spots.  The GRPs are excellent for waterfowl, shorebirds, gulls and a good selection of open-country birds.  

        

The shallow water here attracts a multitude of birds that search for invertebrates in the mud...

...as well as the predators that hunt them.  

Of particular interest was this lone Semipalmated Plover: 

Although reminiscent of the more common Killdeer, the Semipalmated Plover is smaller and daintier with a black tipped orange bill, single black breast band and different head pattern.  A single Gadwall and Bald Eagle were also good to see.  The Golden Eagle from earlier in the day gave up its position as last Maricopa lifer of the trip when two Bank Swallows zipped across the pond!  I had never seen a Bank Swallow before, so it was important that I study them as long as they were in sight; which wasn't long. 

Here, Caleb blends in with some weeds at the GRPs

Although it was 6 pm by the time we left Glendale and we were pretty wiped out from or long day, we were still motivated to find new birds.  We headed off towards the spot along Arlington Road where a vagrant Hudsonian Godwit had been staked out to scan the pond for other shorebirds (we had all seen seen the godwit before today, so it wasn't our primary focus).  Much to our delight, the Hudsonian Godwit was still there and so were a wide range of shorebirds; these being Least and Western Sandpipers, Long-billed Dowitchers, Wilson's Phalaropes and my first-for-Maricopa Stilt Sandpiper!            

Tommy patiently scans the distant pond

One of Arizona's many smog-free sunsets

With the setting of the sun, our time birding came to a close.  Tommy and Caleb never neglected to share their knowledge with me and I really felt that I grew in my understanding of higher-elevation birds during this trip.  Slate Creek is a place to which I would return in a heartbeat.  My next post will take me to a corner of the state I never expected to visit with birds I never expected to see!

Godspeed and good birding,

- Joshua

The Slate Creek Divide

Hey Readers!

Still weary and weather-beaten from my California Coastal Tour, I geared up once again for a trip to Maricopa County's fabled high elevations!  Tommy DeBardeleben, Gordon Karre, and I set the plan in concrete while I was still in California.  We were originally hoping for early May, but the weather had been unpredictable lately and we decided to take advantage of a favorable forecast.  So, barely an hour after arriving home from my six day trip to California with no shower and no dinner, Tommy and I departed for the Slate Creek Divide armed with binoculars, cameras, flashlights, camping gear, and our anticipation of what was to come!

Our first stop was at Little Caesar's Pizza of course.  We bought 3 pizzas and threw them in the back of the truck to munch on throughout our trip.  No hassle there!  Tommy brought plenty of water knowing that it is by far the most important necessity of any outdoor outing.  We talked mostly about birds, birding, and birders on the way up to Slate Creek.  I needed over 30 species at Slate Creek in April for my Maricopa County life list (which I am particularly fond of).  Many of those species have extremely limited ranges within the county or are just simply hard to find.  Above all, I was looking forward to the possibility of various owl species; Spotted, Flammulated, Northern Saw-whet, and Northern Pygmy Owls.

Around 6 pm, we arrived the Mt. Peeley Trailhead after driving along a sketchy stretch of road that ascends the mountain.  Gordon Karre was there already waving at us as we drove up.  I had never met Gordon until then and was thrilled to meet another of Arizona's great birders!  We quickly began pitching our tents at the trailhead so we could get out as soon as we could for our night of owling.  We all agreed that our campsite looked pretty awesome when it was completed.  Tommy heard a Northern Pygmy Owl calling on a trail close by and he took Gordon and I back to hear it.  We picked it up quickly at the spot Tommy heard it.  My lifer Northern Pygmy Owl!  Soon, we were ready to head down the road, so we grabbed our flashlights and cameras and hopped in the truck.  Not long after starting back down the trail, Tommy spied a Common Poorwill in the middle of the road!  I had never seen one up close, so this was a real treat.

Here's Tommy and Gordon walking closer to the bird.

The Common Poorwill, a member of the nightjar family.

After spending 15 minutes or so with the poorwill, we decided to head further down the trail to a path that parallels a drainage on the Maricopa County side of Slate Creek.  This spot turned out to be a total bust as the wind made it impossible to hear any distant night birds.  We ditched this spot and instead, walked up the main trail a ways.  Tommy paused a moment and said "listen!"  Gordon and I strained our ears to hear a steady hooting from the forest below us.  It was a Flammulated Owl!  Unfortunately, it was on the Gila County side, but hey, who cares about that when you have such a special owl?  Tommy tried calling the bird in, but it wouldn't really come in any closer.  We decided to try to work our way down the slope to get closer to the bird.  Gordon opted out.  Tommy and I nearly tripped a few times, but remianed mostly intact.  After a lot of trailblazing, we thought we located the tree it was in, but then the calls sounded like they were coming from a different direction.  This is called ventriloquism, and the Flam is a master of it.  We had spent nearly a half hour trying to get a visual of the bird when Tommy spied it finally!  It was perched in the low branches of a Douglas Fir.  I was really excited to see this little owl for the first time!  Tommy was equally thrilled and we took tons of photos of this bird.  We didn't use flash and we tried to avoid shining bright lights in its big black eyes. several times, but we remained mostly intact.

 

Here's Tommy's owl selfie!  Can you see the Flam towards the top of the trunk?

As we stood beneath this great owl, we remembered that Gordon was waiting for us up on the trail and we both really wanted him to see the Flam.  This was a once in a lifetime experience for sure!  Tommy persuaded Gordon to come down the slope and he was able to do so with ease.  When Gordon first saw the owl I could tell that he was more than happy!  Tommy has a golden ear and can distinguish sounds that I can barely discern even after being told of them (maybe I play guitar a little too loud?).  A strange bu steady sound was coming from the forest to the east.  A Northern Saw-whet Owl was nearby.  I was really excited as the Saw-whet is an owl that I've wanted to see for a long time.  Tommy used some playback and the owl fluttered around like a moth while it floated weightlessly in the air before us for 3-5 seconds!  After this ghostly appearance, the Saw-whet perched in a dead tree nearby and we got some good looks and a couple photos before it took off.

Those eyes...

Northern Saw-whet Owls are arguably the "cutest" owl in North America.  Just look at that fluffy face!  I do think that Burrowing and pygmy owls come in pretty close though.  At one point in the night, we could heard the Flam, Saw-whet, and a Great-horned Owl all calling simultaneously!  Pretty awesome.  After spending a good few hours with those owls, we were getting a little antsy, so we decided to try some different areas.  As we were driving, Tommy heard another (?) Northern Saw-whet Owl calling this time from the Maricopa side!  I was really happy to get this bird for my Maricopa List!  A fine addition I would say.  When we got back to camp, Tommy and I decided to owl a little more in a nearby drainage.  We set out and soon I flushed a bird from the ground.  It was a Painted Redstart - my lifer to be exact!  Tommy mentioned that the bird was likely on its nest in a clump of grass on the ground.  What a way to get a life bird.  That would be the last bird of the night.  After a half hour search, it was around 1 am and we decided to get some sleep.  I didn't sleep too well probably because I was too excited for the morning!

Soon, it was morning and we all ate our breakfasts and geared up for a fun morning of drainage hiking.  Tommy thought it would be worthwhile to try for that Northern Pygmy Owl from last night before heading down the drainage, so I joined him.  I picked up several Maricopa life birds in that area including Steller's Jay, Grace's Warbler, Virginia's Warbler, Scott's Oriole, and Cassin's Finches!

The Cassin's Finches

Soon, we were at the pygmy owl spot and, after a while, the owl started calling!  We carefully traversed the slope in order to get a visual on the bird.  I was able to discern the owl's shape in the mid-level branches of a Ponderosa down the slope.  Tommy and I photographed the owl well and then just stood still and listened to it.  

       

 

Tommy taking photos of the NOPO which was in the pine at center.

My favorite thing about pygmy owls are their false eyes which you can see above.  These eyes protect the owl from predators that would otherwise attack the owl from behind.  After posting this photo to Project Noah, I received a comment from a member who lives in India who said that fishermen in the Sunderbans wear masks on the back of their heads with "eyes" that apparently discourage tigers from attacking them!  A similar ploy as the owl's indeed.  We also witnessed several massive flocks of Violet-green Swallows that flew by from further north.  We estimated 200 individuals.  Perhaps there is a big colony hidden in the Mazatzals?

Tommy decided that that we should get going so we can bird a nearby drainage for the remainder of the trip.  Gordon and I had never birded Slate Creek before, so we were hoping for Mexican Spotted Owls, Dusky-capped Flycatchers, and Mexican Jays.  For me, all three would be lifers, but Gordon had seen them in other parts of Arizona before.

Tommy kept in the lead most of the time to look and listen for any good birds.

Not long after embarking on our hike, Tommy paused, looked intently into the forest, and loudly whispered "I've got the Spotted Owl."  Swiftly and carefully walking over to him, Gordon and I laid eyes on our first ever Spotted Owl for Maricopa County.  You know, the same county in which Phoenix is located?

  

Shortly after seeing the owl, a little sprinkle of rain started falling.  It wasn't much, but we were a little concerned for our optics and cameras.  The rain forced us to move onward in search of our next targets, Thankfully, after about 15 minutes of hiking, the rain faded so we could enjoy fair weather the rest of the morning.

The remains of a deer; perhaps a Mountain Lion's kill?

There were good numbers of songbirds in the ravine.  We encountered Dusky and Hammond's Flycatchers, Plumbeous and Hutton's Vireos, all three western nuthatches, Brown Creepers, Townsend's Warblers, and many others.  I truly enjoyed getting my first ever Red-breasted Nuthatch in a mix of songbirds that were excited by our pishing.

Because I enjoy studying all living things, I couldn't help but notice that the plant life at Slate Creek was nearly as varied as the birds!  There were ferns, oaks, pines, spruce, firs, maples, boxelders, a multitude of forbs, and a variety of large shrubs.  In the ravine, we had to be careful of the abundant Stinging Nettle and Poison Ivy.  I am familiar with Poison Oak from living in California, but I had never seen Poison Ivy before and I found the plant interesting.

Poison Ivy 

Stinging Nettle

    

Some kind of fern

Lupine

A wildflower that I wish to identify

After hiking pretty far down the drainage, we came upon the confluence of our wash and another.  This area is apparently the most reliable spot for Dusky-capped Flycatchers at Slate Creek.  We soon found out that it indeed was!  We first detected them by their mournful whistles.  Eventually, we could see a few in the trees nearby.  They were not the most cooperative bird I've encountered, but I did manage some decent photos.

Because I love the family Tyrannidae, I was particularly excited to see these Dusky-capped Flycatchers for the first time.  They are small Myiarchus flycatchers with particularly dark heads.

My best shot of the beautiful Painted Redstart.  Very active!

Slate Creek's namesake

After spending some time with the flycatchers and searching a bit more for Red-faced Warblers, we decided to head back as it was approaching noon.  On our way back, we searched again for the Spotted Owl from earlier this morning.  It was still there!

Can you see the owl perched in this warped, old oak?

So tired after a long night of mousing...

After thoroughly enjoying our time with the SPOW, we hiked out of the drainage and back towards our campsite.  I looked back at the drainage one last time as we were leaving.  Such an amazing place.  

Some of the signage at Mt. Peeley Trailhead

After breaking down camp, Tommy and I bid farewell to Gordon.  Then, we made our descent down the mountain...    

Many of the drainages here are surrounded by this chaparral type habitat.

Here is Slate Creek's lower elevations.  Juniper and scrub oak dominates the landscape.

When Tommy found out that I still needed Gray Vireo for my life list, he said that we would stop when he found good habitat.  So, we stop, we walk out of the car, Tommy does some pishing, and two Gray Vireos pop out of the brush into plain sight!!!  The vireos scolded us harshly while we were taking photos.  What a cool bird.

  

I ended the trip with 8 life birds and 17 new Maricopa Co. life birds!  It was incredible.  Honestly, I enjoyed the owling most of all.  There is something very special about entering a realm foreign to the average person to find the birds that rely upon the dark to survive - the owls and nightjars.  Thank you Tommy for driving and guiding us.  You are a master of your craft!  Thank you Gordon for your excellent company and good nature.  I enjoyed meeting you just as much as I enjoyed seeing the birds (if not more so).


Godspeed and good birding,

- Joshua