Posted by Marie on February 15, 2003 at 20:02:52:
In Reply to: October 2002 Arizona trip posted by Alex on February 09, 2003 at 22:17:21:
alex!!
Just read your Arizona trip!! What a wonderful report! Good for you! Were you 13 or 14 then? I've never been out west (and am considerably older) and very happy for you that at such a young age you got to see such great birds!
Bird on young man.
: This was my first trip out west, and I was excited about the western species. My dad had a conferance, and my stepmom, stepbrother and I were able to tag along. We arrived late at night, about 5:00 Eastern Time. I only got a couple hours of sleep, and got up at 6:30 Pacific time. The lifers for me are fully capitalized.
: Day One:
: I got up early in the morning at the sound of bird calls. Even though I was tired from all the traveling all yesterday, the new birds were too tempting.
: I got out to witness my first GREAT-TAILED GRACKLES at the Chapperal Suites in Scottsdale, Arizona, right near
: Pheonix. After watching the grackles for a while, I went down 4 stories to the bottom. At the bottom near a flower bed was my first ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD. I walked in an urban area about 1/2 a mile away, to see a RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER and a singing CURVE-BILLED THRASHER. Four new ones in 5 minutes. I found an angry VERDIN seized by my pishing calls. About 10 minutes later, I found more Anna's hummingbird, and my first GAMBEL'S QUAIL. Next was a CACTUS WREN, which was the most common all-western species here. Also present were mockers, white-winged dove, house finch and cardinal. Some type of towhee showed up, but it flew away to quickly for identification. Probably an Abert's Towhee.
: Seven birds now, and after breakfast we left to Desert Botanical Gardens. There it was a gold mine of cacti and desert lizards. I found a HERMIT THRUSH about 5 minutes into the trail, and later I found new PYRRHULOXIA, GILA WOODPECKER and LESSER GOLFINCH. On the way out, I found an angry BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD.
: We then went to a pond full of mixed ducks. There were domestic geese and ducks, mallard, and new CINNAMON TEAL and AMERICAN WIGEON. What I did'nt see that were also in that park but were reported earlier were Black-bellied and Fulvous Whistling Duck, Eurasian Wigeon, Bendires Thrasher and Bronzed Cowbird. None of those were found, but I only had 5 minutes there.
: Day Two:
: Same birds as yesterday, but we went off to Camelback Mountain. Harsh Climb, but we did it. On the way up, I found my first ROCK WREN, BLACK-TAILED GNATCATCHER and WHITE-THROATED SWIFT. Lots of neat chimpmunks and squirrels. On our next mountain, I spotted a pair of thirsty BLACH-THROATED SPARROW after a light shower near a puddle near sunset. This muntain was less tough, but the view at the top
: was incredible. All of Phoenix. A Rock Wren accompanied me on the top.
: Day Three:
: No new birds because we were in the car the whole day making our way to the Grand Canyon. Lots of different terrain. My favoriet was near Flaggstaff. There is a snowcapped mountian there, and some of the area near the highway had clumps of snow. What I did'nt get was that there was only Tumble Weed in the mountain, not the desert.
: Day Four:
: Woke up to a raven calling in Grand Canyon National Park at 5:30 a.m. I watched the sun come up over the canyon, and I was stunned at the beauty. Even though it was 25 degrees, I birded. After the sun coming up, we went for breakfast. On the way there, I found JUNIPER TITMOUSE, MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE, OREGON JUNCO, and GREY-HEADED JUNCO. After breakfast we headed for a tram tour. On the way there we were accompanied by 20 mule deer. On the walk over I found two PYGMY NUTHATCH. Agian, while walking, I found found my first WESTERN BLUEBIRD, STELLER'S JAY, and WESTERN SCRUB JAY. After a nice 2-hour tram tour and walk, we found a nice trail down the canyon. Halfway down, we stopped to head back up, but I was busy watching a WESTERN RED-TAILED HAWK. Here comes my favorite bird of the trip (drum-role ) A GOLDEN EAGLE. A juvenile, at first I thought it was a condor, but I found it to be an eagle.
: We then exited the park, and stayed in Flagstaff. The trip through the Navajo land made you fell spiritual and back in time when night fell. I loved it.
: Day Five:
: The day of our trip back :( . Almost all driving, but back near the chapperal, we stopped at a rest stop. I ventures off near the mountain side, and started pishing. Lots of rustling in the bushes. A kinglet came out, but I saw a sparrow in there. One popped out for identification. ROUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROW! As we got on the road, I spotted a fly-over HORNED LARK. This would end the trip, with 30 new species. Back to Miami.