Boyce Thompson Arboretum, Phoenix, April 2014

The Boyce Thompson Arboretum is situated about 45 miles west from Phoenix on Highway 60 towards Globe, just before Superior. It is a delightful place to spend some time with spectacular scenery and a superb collection of plants from desert regions of the world. eBird’s Hotspot Explorer gives a list of 249 species seen at the arboretum from 1085 checklists submitted, so my list of 27 seems paltry in comparison.

During the winter they do not open the gates until 08.00, so I had managed to use up the remainder of my “Tonto Pass” at Coon Bluff to while away the early hours. 

My first job was to check out the Turkey Vultures. There was a great many of them circling even at this time and there was a chance that I might find a Zone-tailed Hawk amongst them.

Not this morning, but the grapevine carried news of a Broad-billed Hummingbird to keep a look out for. The main trail describes a loop around an outcrop of rock and I was advised to follow the trail in a clock-wise fashion from the hummingbird feeder at Google Earth ref; 33 16 46.38N 111 9 30.42W. The whole circuit was probably less than a mile and a half.

 It took me up towards the lake where a pair of Pied-billed Grebes backed away as I approached. The Hooded Mergansers were not shy. They were later seen mating, so their minds were possibly on other things. Reeds by the pool held a Marsh Wren while the bushes around held the inevitable Phainopepla and a Bell’s Vireo, whose song I was now becoming quite familiar with.

The trail headed up and over the rise and down into a very picturesque canyon on the other side. A stream flowed along the bottom of the cliffs, spanned by a charming suspension bridge. 

A Lincoln’s Sparrow was seen from the bridge while a hawk sat up high on a plant stem, but refused to turn around to be identified. A Red-tailed Hawk flashed past shortly after and I made the assumption that they were one and the same bird.

Looking back, I should have been more diligent in checking the cliffs as a Golden Eagle had been seen in the area.

My highlight of the day came near the herb garden. I had stopped to watch a female Anna’s Hummingbird feeding from the flowers here and watched as she buzzed up to a nearby bush, hovered momentarily then alighted at a nest.

Two hungry bills shot out to vie for food and she obliged by inserting her long bill down their throats. Her throat made a pumping motion as if she was regurgitating for her young.

The lowlight of the day came in the form of an Empidonax flycatcher. It made no sounds and the only notable feature was a quick flick of its wings as it settled after flying out for an insect. I say lowlight because I hate to find birds that I can’t identify and I include most Empids in that bracket. But I managed to get a photograph and was able to eliminate all of them, so I started again. I have entered Hammond’s Flycatcher as that is what my gut tells me, but the lower mandible is all orange suggesting an erstwhile Western Flycatcher. Any help will be gladly received.

Towards the end of the walk, I managed to get a picture of a Northern Cardinal and couldn’t help but notice that it seemed brighter and longer-tailed than I was used to seeing.

Bird list for Boyce Thompson Arboretum; 27

Hooded Merganser 2, Pied-billed Grebe 2, White-winged Dove 1, Inca Dove 1, Anna’s Hummingbird 5, Costa’s Hummingbird 1, Broad-billed Hummingbird 1, Gila Woodpecker 1, Hammond’s Flycatcher 1, Bell’s Vireo 4, Common Raven 1, Violet-green Swallow 5, Verdin 5, Marsh Wren 1, Curve-billed Thrasher 1, Phainopepla 6, Lucy’s Warbler 4, Yellow-rumped Warbler 4, Abert’s Towhee 6, Song Sparrow 1, Lincoln’s Sparrow 1, White-crowned Sparrow 5, Northern Cardinal 6, Great-tailed Grackle 2, House Finch 5, Lesser Goldfinch 20, House Sparrow 10.

Sharp-shinned Hawk 

The arboretum opens at 08.00 until May when the gates are flung wide at 06.00.

There is a $10 charge for entry and the parking is free.

Visit the dedicated USA and Canadapage for more posts from Phoenix.

Birding, Birdwatching, Phoenix, Arizona. 

Riparian Reserve at Gilbert Water Ranch, Phoenix, Apr 2014

An hour of evening light allowed me the chance for a quick visit to the Riparian Reserve at Gilbert Water Ranch. Such a quick visit would not usually warrant a separate post except that I managed a nice picture of a Coyote, which doesn’t happen often enough.

The reserve is a dynamic system of changing water levels and active management. The pond that had been full of waders on my last visit was nearly empty, yet a grassy meadow had turned into a marshy haven for ducks.

A shallow pond looked to have been dredged and an Osprey platform had been planted on a newly built island.

Bird list for Riparian Reserve at Gilbert Water Ranch; 33

Canada Goose 2, Gadwall 1, Mallard 18, Cinnamon Teal 2, Northern Shoveler 15, Green-winged Teal 20, Ring-necked Dick 14, Gambell’s Quail 4, Pied-billed Grebe 2, Double-crested Cormorant 20, Turkey Vultuere 1, Cooper’s Hawk 1, American Coot 15, Kildeer 4, Black-necked Stilt 4, Least Sandpiper 80, Long-billed Dowitcher 30, Eurasian Collared-Dove 1, White-winged Dove 1, Collared Dove 6, Inca Dove 3, Black-chinned Hummingbird 1, Anna’s Hummingbird 4, Northern Rough-winged Swallow 6, Verdin 2, Northern Mockingbird 8, Curve-billed Thrasher 12, Abert’s Towhee 8, Song Sparrow 1, White-crowned Sparrow 4, Red-winged Blackbird 5, Great-tailed Grackle 15, House Finch 6.

For a more in depth post, follow the link below;

http://www.redgannet.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/riparian-reserve-at-gilbert-water-ranch.html

Visit the dedicated USA and Canada page for more posts from Phoenix.

Desert Botanical Gardens, Phoenix, April 2014

The Desert Botanical Gardens in Phoenix are hosting an exhibition of glass in the gardens with pieces by artist Dale Chihuly liberally scattered throughout the site. 

Plan ahead and you may be able to experience “Chihuly after dark”, which I assume, is a reference to an evening stroll with evocative lighting rather than a sudden encounter with the artist in an unlit alleyway.

The pieces are vibrant and interesting of form, but not really my bag. I only mention them as at noon when the desert light is fierce and burns out colour, the installations certainly brightened the place up and brought a bit of vitality to the photographs.

The birds were dull by comparison and I had to emphasise the bright eyes of the Curve-billed Thrasher to die lieblinge der wüste. 

My beautiful colleagues had invited me to accompany them to the gardens, but they had come to appreciate the ambience and plants rather than birds. Even so, they showed a polite interest; after all, who can ignore an Anna’s Hummingbird feeding from flowers?

Trails leading round the gardens brought Mourning Doves, Phainopepla and Gambell’s Quail. A female caught the attention of a male quail and was chased through the flowerbeds as we watched.

A Gila Woodpecker used the metal of a shade cover to drum out his spring message and a male Anna’s Hummingbird treated us to a J-shaped display flight.

There was a butterfly exhibition at the gardens which we visited for an additional $3.50 each. The butterflies were shipped in from Florida and kept in a polytunnel-type structure. It made for easy pictures, but I would have preferred to have seen more examples of Arizona butterflies.

Bird list for Desert Botanical Gardens; 17

Gambell’s Quail 10, Red-tailed Hawk 1, White-winged Dove 2, Mourning Dove 8, Anna’s Hummingbird 5, Costa’s Hummingbird 1, Gila Woodpecker 6, Ladder-backed Woodpecker 1, Verdin 12, Northern Mockingbird 6, Curve-billed Thrasher 15, Phainopepla 20, Yellow-rumped Warbler 1, Great –tailed Grackle 12, House Finch 15, Lesser Goldfinch 1, House Sparrow 8.

The gardens can be found in Papago Park, Phoenix and the following Google Earth ref gives the entrance from the parking lot ( 33 27 44.54N 111 56 40.61W ). Entrance (April 2014) is $22, but a discount can be had with an airline security pass.

A previous post from the gardens can be seen at the link below;

http://redgannet.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/desert-botanical-garden-phoenix-phx.html

Visit the dedicated USA and Canada page for more posts from Phoenix, including; Madera Canyon and the Riparian Reserveat Gilbert Water Ranch.

Birding, Birdwatching Phoenix, Arizona

Salt River, Phoenix, Mar 2014

The Salt River flows west from Theodore Rossevelt Lake towards Phoenix. It is dammed along the way at a couple of spots before being canalised at Granite Reef Recreation Area to water the southeast suburbs. This post will describe a few stops along the river from Granite Reef, east to Coon Bluff via Phon D Sutton. I had imagined that the first site was bigger than it turned out to be and would keep me there for much longer, but the sites further upstream make an easy and natural extension; so much so that there is no need to make separate posts.

The large red outcrop on the northern shore at Granite Reef can be seen from a long way off and is on reserved territory while the southern shore has a productive mesquite bosque.  The river is wide and slow here as it approaches the dam. I arrived at 07.00 and met Babs, a local birder familiar with the site and she kindly allowed me to walk with her. 

She led me through the bosque to the west towards a patch of standing water that can be seen at Google Earth ref; 33 30 48.27N 111 41 13.14W. Ducks can often be found on this pool if the river is quiet. Ringbilled Duck, Northern Shoveler and Mallard were seen here this morning. A Belted Kingfisher perched on a stump in the water while a pair of Killdeer fed at the edges.

A Western Kingbird was seen perched on a fence that runs along a dry canal and Babs was able to identify Brewer’s Sparrows from their calling on the far side. Back in the mesquite woodland, a tapping gave away a male Ladder-backed Woodpecker.

Babs called up a Bell’s Vireo and two bright, male Bullock’s Orioles were seen in the car park.

The river was quiet with just a few Ruddy Ducks on the water and Northern Rough-winged Swallows and Violet-Green Swallows flitting above. Babs pointed out a Bald Eagles’ nest in a tree on the far bank and we were able to discern one of the resident pair sitting to the side.  A Sharp-shinned Hawk flashed by a eye-level. A few hundred meters further down the river a patch of reeds provides shelter for Common Gallinules and Green Herons.

Phon D Sutton is located nearly 3 miles upstream as the N Bush Hwy runs. Under instructions from Babs, I wound the window down and drove very slowly along the approach road towards the RV camper area, listening for birds. The habitat had reverted to the default cactus and low scrub.

A Cactus Wren called from the top of a Saguaro Cactus and a Black-tailed Gnatcatcher scolded me from a low bush when I stopped for a picture.

It was beginning to warm up after a chilly start and my thoughts turned to rattlesnakes. A brief walk through the area failed to turn one up, but I was expecting to hear the spine-melting rattle at any moment.

Curve-billed Thrashers were common here with a small flock fighting over possession of a Cholla Cactus.

At the entrance from N Bush Hwy there is a parking area and from here, a path leads into the scrubby habitat. Another Cactus Wren was seen at much closer quarters and an Ash-throated Flycatcher hawked from a lower perch.

A mile further along the highway is Coon Bluff Campground. A rocky outcrop forms a cliff on the east side and runs along the stretch of river. A large island separates the flow and the river is much smaller here than at Granite Reef. I made a brief visit here on the first morning and returned for the early hours of the next morning.

The chilly night gave way to dawn as I reached the campground and the river steamed in the low sun. I birded along the bluff to the left and found Lucy’s Warbler, whose song I became quite familiar with as the day went on.

Tents can be pitched beneath the shade of the mesquite bosque. An unmistakeable Vermillion Flycatcher hawked from the trees and Verdins called sweetly.

A steep, unstable bank leads down to the river which is separated by an island at this spot. The flow is shallow and broken as it passes over rocks in the riverbed. Snowy Egrets and Common Mergansers fished in the steam.

Anywhere there is a prominent perch it seems, there will be Phainopepla. This member of the Silky Flycatcher family sports large white patches in the wings. The patches don’t show when the bird is perched, but catching them in flight is tricky. I had to resort to waiting for one to take off from its snag.

Birds seen; 52

Gadwall 3, Mallard 11, Northern Shoveler 4, Ring-necked Duck 6, Common Merganser 3, Ruddy Duck 8, Gambell’s Quail 11, Pied-billed Grebe 2, Double-crested Cormorant 26, Great Blue Heron 5, Great Egret 1, Snowy Egret 6, Green Heron 4, Black Vulture 5, Turkey Vulture 3, Bald Eagle 1, Sharp-shinned Hawk 1, American Kestrel 1, Common Gallinule 4, Killdeer 2, Spotted Sandpiper 1, Greater Yellowlegs 1, White-winged Dove 2, Mourning Dove 21, Anna’s Hummingbird 10, Belted Kingfisher 2, Gila Wodpecker 6, Ladder-backed Woodpecker 4, Black Phoebe 4, Say’s Phoebe 2, Vermillion Flycatcher 1, Ash-throated Flycatcher 3, Western Kingbird 1, Bell’s Vireo 1, Common Raven 1, Northern Rough-winged Swallow 25, Violet-Green Swallow 2, Verdin 8, Cactus Wren 3, Black-tailed Gnatcatcher 1, Curve-billed Thrasher 16, European Starling 14, Phainopepla 21, Lucy’s Warbler 9, Yellow-rumped Warbler 2, Abert’s Towhee 8, White-crowned Sparrow 18, Red-winged Blackbird 28, Great-tailed Grackle 45, Brown-headed Cowbird 14, Bullock’s Oriole 2, Lesser Goldfinch.

To park at any of the official lots, you will need to display a “Tonto Pass”. This is a self-certified parking ticket that must be bought in advance. It currently costs $6 and is transferable to all the participating car parks for a 24 hour period. All the above sites require that you have your ticket.

It can be purchased 3 miles south of Granite Reef Recreation Area at Bashas Supermarket on Power Road, north of McDowell Rd. There is a Walgreens slightly closer, but this branch does not open before 08.00. Bashas is open from very early.

Visit the dedicated USA and Canada page for more posts from Phoenix, including; Desert Botanic Gardens, Southeasthotspots tour and The Riparian Reserve at Gilbert Water Ranch.

Birding, Birdwatching Phoenix, Arizona

Usery Mountain Park, Phoenix, Sept 13

Apologies for posting out of sequence. This one must have got lost somewhere.

I never give myself enough time to get a proper look at Usery Mountain Park (Google Earth ref; 33 28 44.79N 111 37 9.98W). Either it is saved for a last quick dash in the evening, or as today, as a last gasp attempt to find a Cactus Wren.

Anything with “cactus” in its name will surely find good habitat here with at least 5 representatives of the family just in this photo.

  The most famous and most obvious species is the Saguaro Cactus.

It is the Cholla that most people get pricked by on their first visit. It looks spiky enough to make you think that warnings to stay clear of it would be superfluous. There are a number of specieshere including the Chain Fruit Cholla which is also known as the “Jumping Cholla” as no matter how much room you think you gave it, it still tags you.

Today, I had almost no time at all, so I didn’t even get out of the car. A quick turn around the Buckthorn Campground brought the Cactus Wren, Verdin and Black-throated Sparrow before I had to race back to catch the flight home.

Riparian Reserve at Gilbert Water Ranch, Phoenix, AZ, Sept 2013

eBird has unveiled its new feature, the Hotspot Explorer. And what a wonderful feature it is for anyone venturing beyond their own back yard. It shows birding hotspots on a map-based interface and colour-codes the sites to show how productive they can be.

In preparation for a trip to Phoenix, I took a quick look at my normal stomping grounds there. The familiar sites showed as cool blue or tepid yellow flags on the map, but one site was glowing orange, vying for attention. I was shocked to find that the hottest spot in Phoenix was just a step away from where we stay and I was previously unaware of its existence. The Riparian Reserve at Gilbert Water Ranch can be seen at Google Earth ref; 33 21 51.87N 111 44 5.27W. I was not able to paste the name or coordinates into the Hotspot Explorer search box, but once this minor oversight is bested, Google Earth may become dispensable!

The Riparian Reserve shares a large block with the Gilbert’s Southeast Regional Library, a small astronomical observatory and a fishing lake. The gates are probably closed overnight, but were open early this morning. There is enough habitat around the fishing lake and observatory to keep birders busy if the gate-keeper is late.

I arrived by 06.30 and was greeted by a Northern Mockingbird. I slowly worked my way to the gate, noting McGillivray’s Warbler, Black-throated Gray Warbler and Belted Kingfisher near the observatory. What passes for a ploughed field in any other part of the world is called a lake in Phoenix. 

The appearance of the reserve on Google Earth and the map of the site were at odds to my experience in the second week of September. Pond 7 had shrunk to a tiny crescent. A Green Heron watched from the edge and a Neotropical Cormorant roosted a bit further back.

Pond 6 was similarly reduced to a smear of its former self. Greater Yellowlegs, Spotted Sandpiper and Killdeer stalked the margins while a trio of Mallard popped down to the water’s edge for a drink.

 In Pond 5, the water had given way to meadow. It looked as though it might be wet underfoot, but not too squishy to put off a couple of Coyotes that were making their early morning rounds. A small screen hide in the corner overlooked the enduring puddle in the corner where a couple of Pintail and Shoveler shared the water with the omnipresent Mallards.

A small patch of sunflowers near the screen attracted a flock of Lesser Goldfinch which allowed me my closest approach of the week.

I had found myself at the hub of the complex. With a little imagination it might be possible to picture oneself at the centre of a pinwheel with paths heading out in all directions. Ponds 1 and 2 held better concentrations of wading birds with Long-billed Dowitchers, Black-necked Stilts and Least Sandpipers.

The teals were proving a little tricky. I am not very accomplished at separating the Cinnamon Teal and Blue-winged Teal from each other. There were plenty of them around, but they were not sporting their distinctive colours, so I could only be certain about very few. A Green-winged Teal was very obliging.

Bell’s Vireo was seen quite frequently this morning. It shared the shrubs and bushes that line the banks with Abert’s Towhees and plenty of Verdins.

Say’s Phoebes and Black Phoebes shared the flycatching duties with a Gray Flycatcher. Where have they been all my life?

Birds seen;

Canada Goose 22, American Wigeon 2, Mallard 200, Northern Shoveler 8, Northern Pintail 7, Green-winged Teal 30, Pied-billed Grebe 2, Neotropic Cormorant 1, Great Egret 5, Snowy Egret 8, Green Heron 2, White-faced Ibis 4, Turkey Vulture 3, Osprey 1, Cooper’s Hawk 1, Killdeer 70, Black-necked Stilt 40, Spotted Sandpiper 2, Greater Yellowlegs 9, Western Sandpiper 1, Least Sandpiper 130, Long-billed Dowitcher 80, Eurasian Collared Dove 20, Mourning Dove 35, Inca Dove 8, Black-chinned Hummingbird 2, Anna’s Hummingbird 6, Belted Kingfisher 1, Gila Woodpecker 3, Gray Flycatcher 1, Black Phoebe 7, Say’s Phoebe 2, Bell’s Vireo 5, Barn Swallow 4, Verdin 15, Northern Mockingbird 20, Curve-billed Thrasher 12, European Starling 30,MacGillivray’s Warbler 1, Common Yellowthroat 3, Black-throated Gray Warbler 2, Wilson’s Warbler 2, Abert’s Towhee 12, Song Sparrow 2, White-crowned Sparrow 2, Red-winged Blackbird 15, Great-tailed Grackle 12, Brown-headed Cowbird 5, House Finch 6, Lesser Goldfinch 25, House Sparrow 6.

Curve-billed Thrasher 

Visit the dedicated USA and Canada page for more posts from Phoenix, including Phoenix Botanical Garden and Usery Mountain Park.