I was hoping to see something new, but that was what we got!
It was pretty warm, but there were still quite a few other birds. That included the “usual suspects” …
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| Male Gambel’s Quail |
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| Female and male Gila Woodpeckers |
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| Inca and White-winged Doves |
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| Male and female Ladder-backed Woodpeckers |
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| Female Northern Cardinal and Male Western Tanager |
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| Male House Finch |
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| Pine Siskin and female Lesser Goldfinch |
And, there were a couple of special birds …
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| Male Summer Tanager |
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| Yellow-breasted Chat |
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| Male and female Lazuli Bunting |
The Lazuli Buntings were special simply because I have been trying to get a decent photo of a male for years …
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| A real beauty |
They were always too far away of too fast for me.
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| These were practically posing |
Not this time.
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| Success! |
After spending some time with the birds, we headed back north for our two-night stay at the Santa Rita Lodge in Madera Canyon.
Madera Canyon
I stayed at the funky little lodge once before and had such a fabulous time, gathering double-digit Lifers and getting lots of wonderful photos.
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| Madera's big draws: Elf Owl and Elegant Trogon |
I only got two Lifers this time, but that is the price you pay for returning to great birding spots. Caty, however, saw many new birds and I was able to get some wonderful photos.
Our cabin was large and comfy (with a full kitchen and a very efficient freezer in the tiny refrigerator), despite a noticeable lean from front to back. The lodge’s owner, Steve, assured us that the cabin was stable. The foundation had been shored up, but it preserved rather than corrected the lean because that was much more cost-effective. It just added to the charm.
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| Our place for two nights |
Our cabin, #1, was closest the Santa Rita’s viewing area.
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| Lots of birds right outside our door |
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| The door features a hummingbird |
I also hung up a Hummingbird feeder I had brought from home. It attracted a few Hummingbirds and a Coatimundi tried to get to it, but didn’t succeed.
I like to bring my own feeders to area with Hummingbirds; that how I saw a couple of special birds in the Virgin islands.
This time, we didn’t really spend a lot of time at our cabin, so the feeder was probably a wasted effort. There were birds out there and we wanted to find them.
Elegant Trogons
High on our list of “to find” birds was the Elegant Trogon. Yes, I had seen one the last time I was in Madera Canyon and I saw a wide variety of Trogons in Costa Rica.
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| There are many Trogons in the tropics |
But, it’s such a pretty bird and, although Caty vehemently denies being a birder, she does like pretty birds. When I had seen a Trogon before, it had been slightly north and a bit downhill from the Lodge. But, everyone said they had been seeing lots of Trogons on the Carrie Nation Trail at the southern end of the road uphill from the Lodge. So, that’s where we went.
The last time I was there, I was told to go to the Carrie Nation and I got confused because that trail does not start at the trailhead, but rather branches off of the main trail about a quarter of a mile uphill. There are NO SIGNS that say “Carrie Nation.”
This time, I had better instructions and a photo of the map.
We were told to go to the bench where the trail branches. But, before we got there, we saw a couple of people standing (with tripods) at a very short spur trail. We (of course) asked them what they were shooting and they told us that there was a male Elegant Trogon investigating a nest hole and that (of course) it had just left. They showed us the nest hole and then they left.
We waited, talking with people who stopped by and seeing a few birds, including a brief, brief glimpse of a Painted Redstart. I tried to get a good photo because I thought I had seen this bird before and had a sub-par photo. It turned out that the bird I was thinking of was an American Redstart and this was a Lifer. Still, I got only a subpar photo. So, now, I have sub-par photos of both.
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| Damn those Redstarts!!! |
A few birds came by, but it was pretty quiet and after an hour, we gave up.
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| Brown-crested Flycatcher, Mexican Jay, Acorn Woodpecker |
We were going to go up the trail, but we saw some people intently watching something down trail, so we (of course) went to investigate. A woman informed us that she had just seen the “Trojan.” The last time I was there, a woman who was working on an official bird count told me how much she loves “Torgans.” Tough name. I just am not sure how much emphasis goes on the second syllable. Is it “TROH- GONE” or TROH-GUN?” I prefer the latter, but I am not sure.
Anyway, we couldn’t see the TROGON, but then we heard it. We followed, heading off trail and down into the dry wash that parallels the trail. We looked a bit and, then, Caty saw it!
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| Right above us! |
We followed him as he jumped from branch to branch, loudly calling. Then, we saw why he was calling. Right above us was a female.
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| Trogon #2 |
We were later told that it is much more difficult to get a female than a male because they are more secretive. So, that was a win!
Where do you think we ended up? Back at the nest hole where we had been waiting!
The male was calling and calling ...
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He was trying to get the female interested in the nest … |
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| … he checked it out … |
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| ... called some more ... |
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| … and, eventually, she came close, but, she never went in |
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| He certainly tried his best |
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| He flitted about ... |
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| ... and, then, moved on |
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| It was a special treat |
Right after the Trogons left, a Caterpillar dropped on my arm. After we moved him away, I discovered he had pooped all over my new shirt. Caterpillar poop looks like blood, so I looked like I had had a nasty accident.
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| Arizona Sister Caterpillar |
Santa Rita Feeders
Most of the rest of our birding took place around the feeders at the Lodge.
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| Male Hepatic Tanager and Mexican Jay at the feeders |
We tried driving toward Box Canyon, but it was midday and hot.
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| The only visible birds were Loggerhead Shrikes |
So, instead, we just watched the birds enjoy what Santa Rita had to offer. Over two-and-a-half days, we saw many birds, including Hepatic Tanagers and Mexican Jays as shown above, and …
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| Arizona Woodpeckers (this is a male) |
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| Lazuli Buntings (this one is male) |
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| White-winged Doves and Black-headed Grosbeaks (the Grosbeak is female) |
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| Wild Turkeys (this is a Tom); Photo: Caty Stevens |
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| Pine Siskins |
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| Bridled Titmouses (mice?); Left photo: Caty Stevens |
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| House Finches (male here) |
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| American Goldfinches (this is a male) and some Lesser Goldfinches I didn’t photograph |
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| Acorn Woodpeckers (this is a female) |
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| And, a Lifer … A beautiful male Scott’s Oriole (there was only one) |
Although there weren’t as many Hummingbirds as the last time I was there, we did see …
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| Lots of pretty jewel-like Broad-billed Hummingbirds (this is a male) |
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A couple of Black-chinned Hummingbirds (also male) |
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One male Rivoli’s Hummingbird
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| A pretty female Calliope Hummingbird covered in pollen |
I feel a bit guilty; I didn’t work very hard at getting great Hummingbird photos because I got so many good ones last time. I should have.
Caty did!
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| Some of Caty's pretty Hummingbird shots |
One of the birds causing a stir was the Lewis’s Woodpecker – a Lifer for me – that pretty much stayed in a big tree behind the Santa Rita Lodge Office/Store and was best viewed from a small deck at the back of the store.
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| In the dark tree |
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| He did come out briefly to a feeder |
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| Most of the time, he was in the tree |
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| With its pink belly, it is certainly a striking bird |
Coatimundi
Another first for Caty was seeing a Coatimundi – specifically a White-nosed Coatimundi – at the Madera Canyon feeders.
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| White-nosed coatimundi |
I have seen them a few times before – in Chiricahua National Monument, Costa Rica, Mexico and right here in Madera Canyon. I wrote about them here. The ones in Madera Canyon put on the best show because there’s always something to eat. According to Steve, Santa Rita’s owner and resident wildlife expert, the Coatis that hang out at the feeders are almost exclusively males that have been dismissed from their troops.
The one that was hanging around when we were there was interesting to watch …
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| He sniffed around with his adorable flexible nose; Photo: Caty Stevens |
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| He climbed the trees ... |
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| … and vandalized a Hummingbird feeder |
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| Lunch! |
One afternoon, we saw the Coatimundi playfully (or so we thought) chase an Acorn Woodpecker that was hopping on the ground.
Imagine our surprise – and the surprise of all the spectators – when he suddenly pounced on it, killed it, carried to the back of the feeder area and ate it.
I knew Coatimundis were predators (just look at those huge teeth!), but somehow I didn’t expect it to catch a bird on the ground.
I am not sure why the Woodpecker didn’t fly. Perhaps it was injured or a fledgling that didn’t know better.
Circle of life!
Elf Owl
Another big draw of the Santa Rita Lodge is the resident pair of Elf Owls that nest in a pole in front of Steve’s house.
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| They seem to really like poles (even when trees are around) |
I saw them last time I was there and they were back again this year.
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| They migrate from Central America and have limited presence in the U.S. |
These tiny, but fierce predators mate for life and usually reoccupy the same nest year after year.
Steve said that the female failed to show up a few years ago, presumably having died, and the male found a new mate for his cozy nest. Every evening after sunset, he shows up from his bachelor pad and calls to her.
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| She wakes up, looks out to see what’s happening … |
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| At Madera, what’s happening is a crowd of eager birders (she is not amused) |
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| Then, he flies in with a snack for her … |
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| … this time a bug |
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| She then leaves the nest to hunt |
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| Sometimes he sits nearby ... |
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| Sometimes he goes in the nest, but eventually they both leave to hunt |
We found that, sometimes, if you wait until after they both seem to be gone for the evening, they will come back again.
Steve has been working with them to ensure that they are not disturbed by human voices or his flashlight. He allows visitors to gather and take photos as long as no one else uses a flashlight or a flash on the camera.
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| His flashlight does a fine job of illumination |
He said he used to be lenient when someone "accidentally" used a flash, but then discovered some photographers who had repeated “oops” moments in order to get good shots of the Owls. Now, he dismisses anyone who discharges a flash on first offense.
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| It’s a cool experience |
I asked him if the Northern Pygmy Owls I photographed last time were still there.
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| Northern Pygmy Owls from my last visit |
He said that misbehaving photographers and gawkers had scared them away from their very photographable nest.
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| Acorn Woodpecker checking the nest; Northern Pygmy Owl going in |
Apparently a photographer actually set up multiple lights to get night captures. I am sure that I do occasionally bother wild animals when photographing, but I try so hard not to. I never use a flash or a recorded call (I have a few times in the past and it made me feel icky). I hate when bad actors give all of us a bad reputation.
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| Whiskered Screech-Owl; Photo: eBird |
Now, the only North American Owl I have not seen is the Whiskered Screech-Owl (I've never even seen one of those in captivity).
This Owl also lives in Madera Canyon, but is generally heard but not seen.
Several people said they had seen and/or heard other Elf Owls, Pygmy Owls And Whiskered Screech Owls in the Canyon, although none at as reliable spots as Steve’s front yard.
Full disclosure: the Ferruginous Pygmy Owls I have seen were in Costa Rica, but are the same bird that can be seen in southern Arizona and Texas.
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| Ferruginous Pygmy Owls in Costa Rica |
Leaving Madera Canyon
After two nights and lots of magical birds, we had to head back to Tucson. And we added a new destination to our planned agenda. While watching the Elf Owls, we overheard some people talking about a Crested Caracara nest just south of town that was very easy to see. Our ears perked up and we (of course) inquired further. They were kind enough to give EXACT directions (coordinates provided to them by another birder).
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| Yep, that was something we were definitely going to go see |
As we were leaving Madera, we drove up-canyon to check out the gardens at another lodge, the fairybook-looking Madera Kubo B&B, because we heard that they had some Blue-throated Mountain Gem Hummingbirds there. It was still early and they were jut filling their feeders, some of which are on a pulley wire that hangs them over a creek. We saw only a few Broad-billed Hummingbirds and it was still fairly dark under the trees, so we headed out.
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| The very cute Kubo B&B |
It was a great visit and we had more adventures ahead of us.
The last time I was there, I was told to go to the Carrie Nation and I got confused because that trail does not start at the trailhead, but rather branches off of the main trail about a quarter of a mile uphill. There are NO SIGNS that say “Carrie Nation.” 
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