Date: 6/1/25 4:49 pm From: henry detwiler (via aznmbirds Mailing List) <aznmbirds...> Subject: [AZNMbirds] Yuma to the White Mountains
Greetings Birders,
On 27 May I left Yuma and had my first good bird at Spot Road Farm, a wandering TROPICAL KINGBIRD. At Lake Cochise in Willcox were the usual assortment of fine birds, and two late shorebirds, a MARBLED GODWIT and a GREATER YELLOWLEGS. Shortly before 3:00 p.m. I arrived at the George Walker House, and not long after had my first target bird in the bag, a handsome WHITE-EARED HUMMINGBIRD!
The next morning I made my way north over the windy Coronado Trail (Hwy 191). At Hanagan Meadow the cool mountain air was awesome, and a drumming AMERICAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKER was even better. A bit farther north, at Sipe White Mountain WA, I located a pair of PINYON JAYS. That evening, 7 COMMON NIGHTHAWKS feeding over Becker Lake was a treat.
On the 29th, I started birding north of Springerville along the Little Colorado River, in search of some introduced gamebirds. It took a while, but then I heard the familiar cries and contact calls of CALIFORNIA QUAIL, even managing a couple of photos. My next stop was at the South Fork of the Little Colorado River, where the recent Greer fire (13-26 May) had burned the southern portion of the area, including the National Forest campground and day use area. A family of GRAY CATBIRDS, and lots of BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAKS and SPOTTED TOWHEES were some of the many birds there. It was wonderful to hear the whirring of the BROAD-TAILED HUMMINGBIRDS here and at all the stops. I had no luck finding Dusky Grouse on Green's Peak, or anywhere else, but I did see many flashy MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS, PINE SISKINS, PYGMY and RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, and several GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS. Two of the most common songs in the forest here were that of RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS and YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS. At Sheep's Crossing I was happy to connect with AMERICAN DIPPER, and at along the West Fork of the Little Colorado River I spotted yet another one.
On Friday the 30th I revisited several locations, and at Sheep Crossing got my CANADA JAY. A handsome male WILLIAMSON'S SAPSUCKER was at the abandoned Sunrise Campground. My last stop of the day was south of Show Low, at Woodland Lake Park. Here were a pair of LEWIS'S WOODPECKER and an adult BALD EAGLE. A strange song that I thought might be an odd Chipping Sparrow emanated from the pines, but I couldn't find it. As is often the case, the Merlin app was of no help. Finally I spotted the singer, a red-backed DARK-EYED JUNCO. As Sibley says, the song is similar to that of the Yellow-eyed Junco.
On the last day of May I left Payson at 3:20 in the morning to get to Dateland by 6:30 a.m. My target was the Worm-eating Warbler Tommy had found the previous day. But the vagrant had disappeared, and no one found it that day. Still, there were excellent numbers of TOWNSEND'S, YELLOW, and WILSON'S WARBLERS, and a single HERMIT WARBLER to keep us looking. At Spot Road Farm I counted 36 WILLOW FLYCATCHERS and 18 WESTERN WOOD PEWEES. Talk about eco-friendly mosquito control!
It was a fine trip, and over the five days I spotted 161 species. Nine of these were new for the year, so my 2025 total now stands at 360.
eBird reports with some photos:https://url.usb.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/OvGcC5Aomkfg8E3KWUzfQhkWIAq?<domain...> - Green's Peakhttps://url.usb.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/y714C6YpnlfVkz79Gc6hph5Mv-a?<domain...> - Greerhttps://url.usb.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/RIfyC7DqomiEMl26WiBikhog0cD?<domain...> - South Fork of the Little Colorado Riverhttps://url.usb.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/yxVOC8XrpnfO31WMwiMsOhyKFgV?<domain...> - Woodland Lake Parkhttps://url.usb.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/oI_EC93vqouRnQAKYhPtvhqEjI0?<domain...> - Dateland
Good Birding!Henry D. <Detwilerhenry_detwiler...>, AZ
Finding Birds in Southwest Arizonahttps://url.usb.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/yK3gC0Aj5NfJvVQWru3uWh92Jgd?<domain...> Birds at the Salton Sea and in Imperial County, https://url.usb.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/fmcjCg7WAOIP69KWYcZCKh4T6iC?<domain...>
