Early April is a great time to visit the Tucson area. It is not uncommon for the desert to bloom with all kinds of color. I asked a new friend with whom I birded a few days ago how long the desert would be green. The answer was by early May the flowers would be dead and the grasses brown. However, for the moment the desert is awash in color. This morning I bicycle over to Catalina State Park and arrived just as the sun peaked above the mountain ridge at 6:45 am.

My first stop of the morning was visiting two barn owls. Once again, although no photos I had great views. After that experience I split my time between birding and taking photos of the desert bloom. By 8:30 I called it quits as I wanted to get in more miles on my bicycle before the temperatures rose.

The Desert in Bloom (The yellow flowers are Mexican Poppys. The blue flowers are my friends from Texas … Bluebonnets. I have no ID for the purple and lavender flowers. Sorry)

Crissal Thrasher (lifer)

Vermilion Flycatcher

Broad-Billed Hummingbird (lifer this trip … pics from Madera Canyon)

Warning! This post is a condition which married folk may experience. Vacations can be dangerous, and there is no known cure for this disease. Once the special bird is found, another fine feathered friend will replace it in “the search”.

Scenario:

1. Happily married couple decides to take a hike in Madera Canyon.
2. Husband (i.e. me) agrees it is not a birding hike.
3. Wife agrees to location (i.e. Molly).
4. Husband agrees to NOT stop at the lodge’s birdfeeders

The hike is progressing nicely up the canyon subject to my one caveat. We had to stay near the stream. Although not technically a birding hike, wildlife loves water in the desert. I rationalized that if we were going to hike, the probability of seeing something interesting might as well be maximized. Molly reluctantly agreed. As we reached the summit of our hike … 3.4 miles and a 1,700 climb some magic words were mentioned by hikers descending the trail … Elegant Trogon!

While I try to be a good husband and honor my promises, there is a limit. Finding a trogon near the summit where the bird had not yet been reported that year was like handing candy to a baby. The hike was now over. For the next hour I birded 1/2 mile of the Carrie Nation Mine Trail and struck gold. Elegant Trogon. Sorry Molly (not really).

Does your family have this problem? Learn about the hike from Molly’s perspective! She is a bonafide writer (has penned stories for many regional and national magazines). Her post on her blog today, Superior Footprints (as in Lake Superior), is called: Life with a Birder.

Elegant Trogon

Our Hike (and my eBird entry)

And Yours Truly in Action! Three people in this photograph are Arizona natives and one is not. Find the Minnesotan! My thanks to the couple I met up with on the trail and treated me to this birding experience.  The other gentleman joined us after about 30 minutes. It took us 15 minutes to locate the Elegant Trogon when I joined the first couple. Thankfully it would occasionally sing out. From that point on we watched the bird for over 45 minutes. The Trogon actually flew over and landed four feet away from where I was standing half way through our viewing session. I was flabbergasted and exhilarated by the expereince. I could have reached out and touched the bird! Molly obviously took this photo. Huge thanks and love to my wife!

The Movie!

Two summers ago while bike touring through the mountains of British Columbia I briefly saw a Lewis Woodpecker. I was enamored with this pretty bird, and hoped some day I would get an opportunity for an extended viewing session. (my Yellowhead Tour bike diary). Fast forward two years and I had just arrived in Tucson. My first task upon reaching a new location with significantly different habitat is to conduct some research via Cornell University’s eBird. This tool gives the birder the ability to learn about current conditions and opportunities. My research revealed that a park south of Tucson was host to several Lewis Woodpeckers. Although I had planned on a birding hike in Catalina State Park for my first full day in Tucson, I changed my plans immediately. I knew from birding guides that Lewis Woodpeckers should head back north any day now.

Even if you do not have an eBird account, it is possible to use eBird as a research tool. Follow my instructions and review my screenshots. Depending upon whether you are viewing eBird on a PC … an Apple tablet / smartphone … or an Android tablet / smartphone, the graphics on your screen may be slightly different, but all the same information WILL be present.

First my targeted bird (and success): Lewis Woodpecker

eBird Screenshot #1: American eBird Data by State (use linked page … may drill down by state … then country … then hotspot. Note the different tabs and various clickable links)

eBird Screenshot #2: Arizona (selected state link from prior web page)

eBird Screenshot #3: Pima County (selected county link from prior web page)

eBird Screenshot #4: Madera Highlands (selected hotspot link from prior web page)

Please note I reviewed a number of these eBird reports which is how I discovered that Lewis Woodpeckers were being seen. I also could have selected the “Overview” tab which list the most recent bird sightings for each specie at a given hotspot. As I commented earlier, you may use the web link next to my  eBird screenshot #1 without an eBird account.

For folks familiar with the Tucson area, Madera Highlands is NOT part of the well known Madera Canyon birding area. It is a neighborhood park about 20 minutes from the entrance to the canyon which birds seem to like.

My final comment is although I do have an eBird account, I only file eBird reports on occasion … just not a big list man.

Google Maps Screenshot Directions

Other birds I photographed at Madera Highlands Neighborhood park.

Vermilion Flycatcher

Western Kingbird

Lewis Woodpecker

Eventually I drove over to Madera Canyon and spent about two hours birding in the canyon. Here are some of my images.

Broad-Billed Hummingbird

Acorn Woodpecker

Hepatic Tanager

Mexican Jay