WHERE AND WHEN – MID-JUNE THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2001

By Walter Thurber

Car Pooling:

Maricopa Audubon strongly encourages carpooling on field trips.  Please make every effort to organize your own carpool; consolidate vehicles at meeting places; and/or contact leaders for carpooling assistance.  It is recommended that passengers reimburse drivers 5-10 cents per mile

Legend:

Limit:  Maximum number of participants per field trip.  Please call early to make your reservations.

Difficulty Levels 1 Through 5: 1 equals very low level of exertion, short walking distances, considerable birding from vehicle and possibly multiple birding stops.  5 equals very high level of difficulty with respect to exertion.  Longer hiking distances are expected with possible steep trails.

Reminders:

·                 Wear neutral colored clothing and sturdy walking shoes

·                 Bring sunscreen, sunglasses, head protection and water

·                 Avoid wearing bright colors

·                 Bring your binoculars

·                 Don’t forget to have FUN!!

Saturday-Sunday, June 16-17

White Mountains Campout – Drought conditions have eased so we are bringing back this popular family event. Experience morning bird walks, beginning birder and wildflower workshops, and other activities at Greens Peak near Springerville. Some 60 species breed here in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, including Williamson’s Sapsucker, Cordilleran Flycatcher, Mountain Bluebird and Western Tanager. Meet Audubon members from across the state. Primitive camping with no facilities. Bring food as there is no organized cookout. Limit: None. Difficulty: 2 (some good birding spots are handicapped accessible). Call coordinator or local contact person for information.

Coordinator: Brian Heap

520-337-4865

Local Contact: Walter Thurber

480-483-6450

frances.thurber@asu.edu

Saturday-Sunday, July 21-22

Chiricahua Mountains – Another hot month in Phoenix . . .  Another mountain getaway! Enjoy daytime and evening birding in the Coronado National Forest near Portal. Our destinations include the South Fork of Cave Creek, Rustler Park and the Southwestern Research Station of the American Museum of Natural History. Some target species include Whiskered Screech Owl, Lucifer Hummingbird and Elegant Trogon. Overnight accommodations are limited. Bring lunch for Saturday. Limit: 15 Difficulty: 3 Please contact leader for information and reservations.

Leader: Scott Burge

480-897-8608

webmaster@maricopaaudubon.org

Wednesday-Saturday,

August 8-11

Southwest Wings Birding Festival. Seminars, field trips, and lectures by wellknown speakers

highlight one of the largest gatherings of birdwatchers in Arizona. (520) 3780233. Please see Notes & Announcements.

Saturday, September 15

Seven Springs area Join the search for upper Sonoran riparian avifauna in the Tonto National Forest near Carefree. In combination, flowing surface water under mature sycamore and cottonwood trees, attract numerous resident and fall migrating bird species. Bring a lunch and water. Limit: 15. Difficulty: 2. Please contact leader for information and reservations.

Leader: Herb Fibel

480-966-5246

herbertsfibel@aol

 Wednesday, September 19

Box Canyon, Hassayampa River –- This is a deep high-walled canyon along the Hassayampa River near Wickenburg. Flowing surface water provides a rare resource for an assortment of fall migrants that stop over here and for the many upper Sonoran resident bird species. Bring a lunch. Limit: 20. Difficulty: 2 (shallow water crossings). Please contact leader for information and reservations.

Leader: Nancy London

520-684-5530

gatto@w3az.net

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CALIFORNIA QUAIL IN ARIZONA
(Recently Added to the Arizona List By the Arizona Bird Committee)

By Bud Johnson

There it is!  Where?  I don’t see it.  Over there on the other side of the Little Colorado River.  In the opening under the bush.  Which bush etc., etc?

You know the drill.  Everyone else has seen the bird but you.  Finally by lining up behind Deva Burns and looking directly over her head, you see the unmistakable male California Quail.  He has obviously seen the birders and all their binoculars, but figures no one is going to wade across the waist high water to get any closer.  The 3 grandchildren even get good looks before the Quail tires of the game and melts back into the heavy brush.

Our local guide, Brian Heap of St. Johns, was getting a little concerned.  We had been at it for quite awhile and the grandchildren’s attention span had been exceeded some time ago.  Mark Stevenson had come up from Tucson.  From Scottsdale, Jim and Deva Burns and their grandson JP had met with 2 of my grandsons for the great Quail chase.  We met north of Lyman Lake on routes 180/191, not far from the Raven Archeological site.  The Quail are all on private land.  Brian is involved in a sand and gravel operation where the Quail are often found.  He also found a slippery hillside and did a slide that any Diamondback player would have been proud of.

The addition of California Quail to the Arizona list of species provided us with another excuse to visit scenic eastern Arizona.  Last year we had photographed the Eurasian Collared Dove nesting in nearby Eager (see May/June 2000 issue of the Wrendition).  Interestingly, the Dove has also just been added to the list of accepted bird species in Arizona.

The Springerville area has long been a favorite of the Maricopa Audubon for finding eastern birds such as Veery, American Redstart and other warblers not found elsewhere in the state.  This time a bird from the west had been added that does not normally enter Arizona.  According to Brian, the California Quail was originally introduced some 30 years ago around St. Johns.  Due to the better habitat and lower hunter

pressure, the birds moved south.  This is an area upstream from Lyman Lake on the north flowing Little Colorado River.

Brian has seen coveys of up to 40 Quail.  He had not seen many this year until recently when he was eating his lunch by the river.  A California Quail walked out and checked out what was for lunch before wandering back into the brush.  Brian is a very good birder and was pleased to take us to see “his” Quail not far from Springerville.  Seeing the Quail would be easier if they were calling.  When the hens start sitting on eggs, they will be harder to find.  The Quail is illustrated in the National Geographic Field guide among other guides.  It is readily distinguished from Arizona’s common Gamble’s Quail.  California Quail have scaly chests and lack the black belly of the Gamble’s Quail, which does not occur at the 7,000-foot elevation around Springerville.

There are a lot of other places nearby for birding.  The Weimea (sp?) wildlife-viewing site is just south of the quail area.  This is an area that was bought by the state using Heritage money.  It was the first site that they purchased with the money from gambling.  The general area is also known for other recreation and is much cooler than the valley of the sun in the summer.  On the trip we also saw a number of antelope near Lyman Lake.  This State Park has a number of campsites and the grandkids enjoyed the Petroglyphs.

There are several Motels in Springerville, Eager and St. Johns.  There are some good eateries including some of the world’s hottest chili at Los Dos Molinos in Springerville There is also a museum that features artifacts from the nearby Malpais (Bad Lands) archeological site.  Tours are provided of the site and the grandchildren all enjoyed climbing up the site.  The Raven site will be open when school is out.  After seeing the Quail, some went on up through the nearby Petrified Forest and Painted Desert.  By going up to Springerville through the Salt River Canyon and returning through Payson, it made a nice loop.  Seeing the elusive quail without it calling was especially nice.

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