Quick trip to the Chiricahuas and Southeast Arizona fronterra - Day 2 - February 14, 2015

After a rough night of sleep in Herb Martyr canyon, I awoke to a windy pre-dawn morning. I had slept in a make-shift roadside camp up the canyon after finding all of the Cave Creek campgrounds closed from the September, 2014 floods that ravaged the canyon bottom below the south fork of Cave Creek. In the morning's light I witnessed the damage for the first time. A wide flood path had covered the old creek bed and the shores of the creek with cobble and stone up to 1m in diameter. The creek was flowing with a larger flow than I'd ever seen, the result of snowmelt and winter rains. Cave Creek was never much of a riparian floodplain kind of river, but any thickets of willow and riparian vegetation were now buried under a foot of rock. Sycamores and the river-bottom growing Ponderosa pines and Arizona Cypress seemed to survive alright, with only a few juvenile stems toppled during the torrent.

Cave Creek, Chiricahua Mountains, Cochise Co., AZ

I was able to pick up some easy year-birds from the car on the way to back out of the portal, Mexican Jays and Bridled Titmouse were conspicuous enough even to be heard over the river from the open window of my car. Birders must be the most spartan drivers, even on a 30F morning, the windows in a place like Cave Creek must be kept down - you never know when a Pygmy owl chorus might just waft in. A group of juncos with their white-bordered tails flashed across the road, turning out to be my first Yellow-eyed Juncos of the trip and year. I had missed this familiar sparrow over the fall and winter, their yellow eyes giving them a much more attitude look than their northern-breeding counterparts, the Dark-eyed junco. The foothill scrub area below the mouth of the canyon boasts amazing winter diversity, at least half a dozen Cactus Wrens called from the bush, with spotted and canyon towhees calling in stereo.

The mouth of Cave Creek Canyon, on the east slope of the Chiricahua Mountains, Cochise Co., AZ

The view of the land of opportunity from the streets of Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico

I didn't stop again until I was in Agua Prieta; Sonora, Mexico's bordertown with Douglas, Arizona. My quick visit to the Bajercito was the whole reason behind the trip, an easy cancellation of a temporary vehicle permit good for Sonora and expiring that day. Failure to officially cancel the permit would result in the risk of not being able to obtain a new permit in the future. The visit to what passes as a border-DMV (Banjercito) was fairly easy, with communications only breaking momentarily with a misunderstanding regarding cancellation versus renewal. After 30 minutes I was headed back for the border crossing into Douglas. The border fence in Agua Prieta is an imposing Berlin-wall style monstrosity, slated to allow one to see in, but standing 25 ft tall and capped with wire and video surveillance. For the presumably hundreds or even thousands of people who cross the border daily or weekly for business, pleasure, or family, it must be a bizarre symbol of the schism between the two sides. Crossing the border back into the US was an easy 5 minute process, with minutes I was back in the USA and heading for El Pato, an awesome burrito joint on J st. In the shop there was a sign of the border in Douglas circa 1910, one one side of the dusty road a shack reading 'US Customs' and on the other, the booth for Mexico's counterpart. People, kids, dogs, and horses seemed to roam from side to side of the street as they pleased, what a difference it is today.

El Otro lago, San Bernadino NWR, Cochise Co., AZ.

The marshes of San Bernadino NWR

Business done, I headed east out of Douglas on the Geronimo Trail, the border patrol highway to San Bernadino NWR. In the 20 miles it takes to reach the refuge's parking area, typically 3 or 4 border patrol trucks are passed and you drive under the watchful eye of at least 2 boom-camera trucks. This trip I parked at the Slaughter Ranch, a preserved 1880s rancho with a lush spring-fed pond immediatly adjacent to the refuge's hiking trails. For a 5$ entrance fee, you get a nice shady parking area and access to an absolute desert oasis. I tallied 35 species in a half-hour, ranging from Cardinals to American Widgeons. Inca Doves coo'd over the raucous calls of Gila Woodpeckers and incessant 'tpeek's of Ladder-backed Woodpeckers. I took the wooded Hackberry tree-lined trail to the refuge, hearing Audubon's Warblers from nearly every cottonwood and Marsh Wrens from every clump of cattails, a remarkable sound given the surrounding desert scrub's arid nature. I studied up on the call notes of Black Phoebes, Inca Doves, and Verdins, all birds I expect to hear and see a lot of this summer at the refuge. Stunning looks at Vermilion flycatcher, Cinnamon Teal, and lots of sparrows! Canyon and Green-tailed Towhees, Vesper, Savannah, Lincoln's, Song, Black-throated, Chipping, White-crowned, and Brewer's Sparrows were all present, remarkable diversity. Sparrows have become a favorite group of species as of late for me, they gave me such trouble when starting out, the feeling of mastery of these streaked and often subtlety different species is second to none.

Black-throated Sparrow, San Bernadino NWR, Cochise Co., AZ

An Audubon's Warbler (Yellow-rumped) peeks down at me, San Bernadino NWR, Cochise Co., AZ

The stunning jewel of the southwest, a Vermilion Flycatcher male, San Bernadino NWR, Cochise Co., AZ

Flock of American Wigeon returns to their water at Slaughter Ranch, Cochise Co., AZ

The second Yellow-rumped Warbler sub-species of the day, Myrtle Warbler, San Bernadino NWR, Cochise Co., AZ

Brewer's Sparrows at home in their mesquite brush, San Bernadino NWR, Cochise Co., AZ

Two species that were present during a visit during February of last year were missing, Green Heron and Redhead, but two new species; Dusky Flycatcher and a juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron made up for these misses. The Dusky flycatcher was acting as a typical Empidonax (Gnat Emperor), gray overall, with a yellow wash on the breast and belly, a short bill, and wing bars. Luckily the bird responded to playback of Dusky, after I placed it as either Dusky or Gray based on range and season. I'm always surprised how small empids are, these ID-puzzlers of the west. If the warblers are the gems of North America's birds, the Empids are certainly the puzzlers of the continent. A Crissal Thrasher sang it's sweet, rich mimid song, giving a nice comparrison to the huskier Curve-billed Thrasher. I later spotted the Crissal and it's red vents skulking beneath a Four-wing Saltbush. Blue-gray Gnatcatchers were foraging in the scrub, waiting for the seasons to change so they can proceed north and upwards in elevation for their breeding grounds in the mountains and foothills. Strange seeing these small neotropical birds in desert scrub, perfectly at home flitting in and out of cover. I ended up ticking off 42 species in 3 hours at the refuge, 52 species total for both the refuge and Slaughter Ranch.
Butterfly diversity was good for the day, with Western Pygmy Blues, Orange Sulphurs, Mourning Cloaks, an unidentified Frittilary and Checkerspot spp, Pipevine Swallowtail, and Cabbage White. American Bullfrogs jumped from every patch of water, and an as-of-yet unidentified Damselfly made the marsh really come alive.

A Marsh Wren scolds me away, San Bernadino NWR, Cochise Co., AZ

A beautiful Cinnamon Teal drake in one of the pools on the border, San Bernadino NWR, Cochise Co., AZ

American Bullfrog, San Bernadino NWR, Cochise Co., AZ

A Dusky Flycatcher, one of the ID-nightmares of the southwest in the winter, San Bernadino NWR, Cochise Co., AZ

A Black Phoebe stands boldly above the marsh, San Bernadino NWR, Cochise Co., AZ

One of the dozen-or-so Sparrow species of the day, Lincoln's Sparrow, San Bernadino NWR, Cochise Co., AZ

One of my first Odonates of the year, an unidentified Damselfly female, San Bernadino NWR, Cochise Co., AZ

Verdin, San Bernadino NWR, Cochise Co., AZ

Vesper Sparrow, San Bernadino NWR, Cochise Co., AZ

Western Pygmy Blue butterfly, the smallest butterfly species in the west, measuring less than the size of a dime, San Bernadino NWR, Cochise Co., AZ

American Wigeon drake at Slaughter Ranch, Cochise Co., AZ

Heading back into Douglas for gas and points north, I turned towards the great waterfowl resting area of Cochise County; Whitewater Draw Wildlife Management Area

Whitewater Draw Wildlife Management Area is a relatively small complex of managed wetlands and open water in the center of the Sulphur Springs Valley, north of Douglas by 20 miles. It's biggest draw, much like Bosque del Apache NWR in central New Mexico, is the wintering Sandhill Crane population, which here at WWD WMA can peak at over 20,000 cranes. While the Cranes make up the majority of the biomass within the complex, an additional 60+ species can be expected during the winter on any given day. The surrounding grassland, scrub, and agricultural lands are some of the best winter sparrow and raptor grounds in Arizona, with more than 15 species of sparrows possible.

A few of the 10,000+ Sandhill Cranes that call the Whitewater Draw WMA home during the winter months.

I found my first Lark Buntings of the year on the drive into the WMA, a nice group of about 20, with males just starting to show the tastes of their spring plumage, when they transform dramatically from streaky sparrows to crisp black-and-white tuxedo birds. Lark Buntings are an easy sparrow to ID, as their large, conical bills resemble more a Piranga (Tanagers & Cardinals) than a sparrow.

Eared Grebe, Whitewater Draw WMA, Cochise Co., AZ

Lark Bunting male, Whitewater Draw WMA, Cochise Co., AZ

Lark Buntings, Whitewater Draw WMA, Cochise Co., AZ

At the playa itself, Cranes were still present in large numbers, with an estimate of 10,000 still hanging around the area. A lone Eared Grebe was a highlight and a new Arizona life bird for me. Birding at Whitewater Draw is an experience unlike anywhere else in Arizona, and perhaps the rest of the southwest. Unlike Bosque del Apache NWR, Whitewater must be birded by foot (at least for the water birds, the surrounding area is rife with accesible county roads and raptor/sparrow birding). This birding by foot gives the area a relaxed feel, where the audioscape can be fully appreciated. It's always surprising to me that despite the racket that 10,000 Sandhill Cranes can make, many other species can be heared over the wooden-rattle din. Common Yellowthroats, a nice winter-warbler chipped away as they foraged along the water's edge, with perched Black Phoebes keeping a watchful eye for any early insect hatchlings just above the yellowthroats. Wilson's Snipes were present in large numbers, with more than half a dozen flushed in a short area near the western edge of the walkable access. Good duck diversity was present, with Northern Pintails, Northern Shovelers, Mallards, Green-winged Teal, Lesser Scaup, Ruddy Ducks, Buffleheads, Gadwall, Ring-necked Duck, and a nice flock of 35 Snow Geese. A long American Avocet joined a small group of Long-billed Dowitchers and a few Greater Yellowlegs, which along with the ubiquitous Killdeer made for a not-bad shorebird contingent in the middle of the Arizona desert. An early Great Egret needed eBird confirmation, I snapped a poor digiscope just to be sure. Another early birdy, a flock of 15 Tree Swallows gave the area a taste of the upcoming summer.

Common Yellowthroat, a year-round warbler of Arizona, Whitewater Draw WMA, Cochise Co., AZ

A dusky Lesser Scaup, Whitewater Draw WMA, Cochise Co., AZ

Wilson's Snipe, Whitewater Draw WMA, Cochise Co., AZ

 As I arrived fairly late in the day, I retired to the parking area to set up my camp for the evening, when I spied a familiar bird in an unfamliar place, a Rock wren had apparently taken over the 5 pieces of rip-rap rock in the whole of the Sulphur Springs valley, this common species doesn't require confirmation within Cochise county, but I took it as probably the rarest bird of the day, as it was several miles from appropriate habitat. In all it was a wonderful short afternoon at the Draw, with 48 species (+2 other taxa) in just 2.5 hours (http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S21840738 ). The celebrities of Whitewater, the Great-horned Owl mating pair was on display, beginning their duet just before dusk. In all, it was an excellent Cochise County birding day, with the kind of diversity of species and habitat I've come to expect from this corner of the world, with 92 species in total for the day.

Day 2 Total: 125 miles driven, 92 species, 11,200+ individual birds, YTD Birds (All US): 250 species

Rock Wren, the king of a very small kingdom of rock, Whitewater Draw WMA, Cochise Co., AZ

The most photographed Great-horned Owl in all of Arizona, Whitewater Draw WMA, Cochise Co., AZ