Southeast Arizona Birding Extravaganza With the Loomis's

Our trip from Phoenix to Southeast Arizona was a short one, but we did have a problem with the lights on the tow Jeep not working correctly. I tried to find the problem but could not figure it out. So we called a local repair man who said he would try to get out to see us the next day. Josie said for me to go ahead and go birding with Bob and Kathy and she would stay with the RV. The man came early and found a bad relay switch under the RV. Josie had to get under the RV to hold the relay while he replaced it. I would pay money for a picture of that. You would think we would get a discount because she did some of the work. She even got stains on her blouse that would not come out and she had to throw it away. What a trooper. 

The first stop in our SEAZ tour was Green Valley. From here we ventured into the famous birding spots of Madera and Montosa Canyons.  The bird feeders at the Santa Rita lodge and other homes in the area make for easy birdwatching. All you have to do is sit and let the birds come to you. Even though we moved south the weather was much cooler since we were now at 4000 feet. 

We also took a trip to the top of Mt Lemmon, a nine thousand foot peak that towers over Tucson, where we searched for high altitude birds. Our friends from Pueblo El Mirage, Carol and Lee recommended we have lunch at the Irondoor restaurant  at the ski resort at the top of the mountain. So glad they told us about it as we had a fantastic lunch topped off with Spiced Wine and individual pies that Josie and I split. 

After four days in Green Valley we moved to the small town of Patagonia, AZ. We checked into the RV Park and were greeted by our new neighbors, a herd of Texas Longhorn cattle. While we were here one cow gave birth, and we were able to watch the newborn calf take its first steps. 

On our first evening in the RV Park we heard the calls of a Great Horned Owl coming for the large cottonwood tree nearby. With a little searching we found their nest with the mother owl on it and the father sitting nearby. With a little more observation we were able to see that she had two owlets in the nest. We heard them calling every evening and morning we were there. 

Patagonia is famous in birding circles for the Paton House. Many years ago Mr. and Mrs. Paton started putting up Hummingbird feeders and invited the public to visit their back yard and sit and watch the hummers come to the feeders. They have both passed on (BJ & Karin bow your heads) and their children sold the home to the Tucson Audubon Society, so that the public can still come and watch the birds. 

One of the other famous birding spots in this area is California Gulch, the home of the hard to find Five-stripped Sparrow. Bob, Kathy and I drove over the rough roads into the Gulch and hiked up the canyon looking for this elusive bird. We may have seen one but were not sure enough to count it.  

On our final day in Patagonia we drove up the San Rafael Valley and into the high plains.  One would not expect to see such extensive grasslands in southern Arizona. It is so isolated here the mail is delivered by air.  LOL 

 That evening we had dinner on the veranda at the Spirit Tree Inn where Bob and Kathy were staying. The Inn get's its name from the one hundred and seventy year old Cottonwood tree that grows in the front yard of the Inn. In the picture below you can just barley see Josie, Kathy and Bob on the bottom left of the tree. Tom, the owner of the Inn, says that it is the 6th largest cottonwood in the USA.  The spirit of the tree seemed to take over Josie and Kathy, or it just could have been the Sangria. Later Tom called in the Elf Owl that lives in a telephone pole on the property for us to see. A great ending to a busy day. 

The third stop of our trip was Sierra Vista, Arizona. This area is also a birding Mecca, with a half dozen canyons coming down the Eastern Side of the Huachuca Mountains, that attract many birds from south of the border and act as a flyway for the Spring migration. We birded Huachuca Canyon on Fort Huachuca and found the elusive Elegant Trogon and Northern Pygmy Owl. We visited the Hummingbird feeders at Beatty's Guest Ranch in Miller Canyon and were able to find 5 different species of Hummingbirds. While in Sierra Vista Josie was delighted to find a Yogurt Bar named after her.  

We then moved east one last time, to the town of Portal, Arizona. Portal is just a few miles from the New Mexico border and sits at the foot of eastern side of the Chiricahua Mountains. It is just one more of the famous birding spots in Southeast Arizona. We birded the mountain highlands and also checked out the feeders at many of the local homes. Portal has only one store that also contains the only restaurant and hotel. You have to drive 40 miles round trip just to get gas. If you are even in this part of Arizona you should go into Cave Creek Canyon for the scenery, as you can see below its very majestic. Anytime you are this close to the Mexican border you see signs warning you of smuggling and illegal immigration. We saw two young men sitting on the side of a high mountain dirt road and just kept going. Best not to stop. The RV Park we stayed in had two guard geese that were very unfriendly. The owner of the park told us to carry a broom with us the first time we went out and if they charged us to shoo them away with it. Josie showed them who was boss the first day there and they never bothered us again. Being in the middle of no where has one great advantage. At night we could see thousands of stars that are just not visible in the cities Josie and I sat back in our zero gravity chairs and used Google Sky Map to identify the planets, stars and constellations. 

Our 16 days in Southeast Arizona with Bob and Kathy seemed to fly by and we were sad to say good by  We always have a great time with them, they are such dear friends.