2022 Southwest Wings Birding Festival

Prologue

Not much good came from the Great Covid Pandemic of 2019.  But for me personally, it resulted in one good thing–  I took up birdwatching.  As I slowly built my Life List, it became harder and harder to add new birds.  So, in the Spring of 2021, when I ran across the Southwest Wings Birding Festival in Sierra Vista, Arizona, I thought “Sign Me Up!”.  Dorothy and I had visited the area in 2018 (see my Blog about that trip here) and I had hoped someday to return to the area for more exploring.  So I registered for Southwest Wings 2021 and began planning a trip.  Unfortunately, in July of 2021, my wife Dorothy was diagnosed with breast cancer and I had to cancel my plans to attend the Festival.  But as 2022 rolled around, Dorothy was doing better (after three surgeries and a month of daily radiation treatments), so I decided to once again sign up for Southwest Wings 2022 and plan a trip.  This blog attempts to recount my experiences in the Sierra Vista area while attending the Festival.  As has become my custom, I incorporated some Rock Art adventures into my trip, and I wrote a separate blog about that part of my trip.  So, here we go–  my blog covering Southwest Wings 2022. 

The Southwest Wings Birding and Nature Festival typically holds two gatherings each year, one in May called the “Spring Fling” and one in August, named the “Summer Festival”.  I attended the Summer Festival, which officially ran from Wednesday, August 3 through Saturday, August 6, 2022.  I found that the Festival was well run and very organized.  One of the main attractions for me were the guided field trips.  I signed up for two trips.  The first was a 3 day 2 night trip called “California Gulch and Santa Cruz Valley Group Van” led by guide Richard Fray. This first trip ran from 6:00 a.m. Wednesday August 3 through 4:00 p.m. Friday August 5, 2022.  The second trip I signed up for was a one day trip called “Sonoita Patagonia Group Van”, led by guide Scott Olmstead.  This was a one day trip, from 6:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Saturday, August 6, 2022.  I had a great time on these trips, and learned a lot.  I added 21 species to my life list, as follows: Violet-crowned Hummingbird,  Broad-billed Hummingbird, Rivoli’s Hummingbird, Anna’s Hummingbird, Costa’s Hummingbird, Gila Woodpecker, Arizona Woodpecker, Song Sparrow, Phainopepla, Rose-throated Becard,  Thick-billed Kingbird, Cassin’s Kingbird, Rufous-winged Sparrow, Mexican Jay, Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher, Red-faced Warbler, Painted Redstart, Hepatic Tanager, Northern Pygmy-Owl, Bridled Titmouse, and Chihuahuan Meadowlark.   

Wednesday, August 3, 2022 (Day One of California Gulch Tour)

Early on the morning of Wednesday, August 3, 2022, on the campus of Cochise College, we met our guide Richard Fray and introduced ourselves to our tour mates.  We were a small group (five birders and one guide) which included Richard G. (Washington State), Ken and Nancy M. (Tuscon),  and Susan P. (San Francisco).  After introductions, we loaded our gear into our van and set out on our birding adventure!

Our first stop of the day was Las Cienegas National Conservation Area, commonly called “The Grasslands”.  It is located northwest of Sierra Vista on Highway 82.  We didn’t stay long, due to threatening weather.  A dark monsoon cloud was headed our way, so, after seeing a few common birds (sparrows, Mockingbird, Red-tailed Hawk), we headed to our next stop. 

After leaving The Grasslands, we headed to Patagonia, Arizona.  First stop in Patagonia was on a side street (Rothrook Alley) to watch a pair of Mississippi Kites that had been hanging out in the area during recent weeks.  

After spending time watching the Kites, we traveled the short distance to the Paton Center for Hummingbirds, where we spent the next couple of hours.  The Paton Center was quite birdy and I really enjoyed our stop there.  I added five birds to my life list:  Violet-crowned Hummingbird, Gila Woodpecker, Song Sparrow, Broad-billed Hummingbird, and Phainopepla. In addition to the five new birds, I got some very good looks at some old friends! 

The Paton Center in Patagonia is owned and operated by the Tuscon Audubon Society.  During the course of our time at the Center, Richard showed us a couple of initiatives that involved his life partner, Jenny MacFarlane, who is a Bird Conservation Biologist for Tuscon Audubon.

Here are a few more photos of birds we watched at the Paton Center.

After a nice lunch in downtown Patagonia, we headed southeast on Highway 82 to explore the famous Patagonia Roadside Rest Stop and look for Rose-throated Becard.  Richard led us to a Becard nest on a trail across the highway from the rest stop and we were able to get some brief glimpses of this elusive bird.  Richard also explained the “Patagonia Picnic Table Effect” during our visit. 

From the Patagonia Rest Stop we traveled to Rancho Santa Cruz, (north of Nogales off Highway 19) where we checked into our rooms. We knew our trip to California Gulch that evening was going to make for a late night, so after checking in most of our group relaxed and napped for a bit.  I walked down to the Santa Cruz River where I did a little bird watching.  Part of the walk down to the river is on the Anza Historic Trail.  I enjoyed the lovely grounds of the Rancho, as well as the walk down to the river.  

Late that afternoon we set out from Rancho Santa Cruz in search of the elusive Buff-collared Nightjar in California Gulch.  Along Arivaca Road we saw a few birds, including an American Kestral and a Thick-billed Kingbird.  One of the interesting things that Richard pointed out was that Black Buzzards are fairly rare in southern Arizona and that almost all the buzzards you see are Turkey Buzzards. We also saw what Richard called a “Tuscon Blond” Tarantula.  I have seen lots of black Tarantulas, but never a blond one!

We made it to California Gulch just before dusk.  On the way we passed through the small town of Arivaca, which is 11 miles from the Mexican border.  Richard said that at our location in California Gulch we we less than two miles from the border.  We had a quick picnic supper then walked into a wash that borders a shrub covered hillside.  This is where the elusive Buff-collared Nightjar is often seen.  We weren’t lucky on this evening, but it was a fun adventure none-the-less!

Thursday, August 4, 2022 (Day Two of California Gulch Tour)

As is my custom, I was up early on Thursday morning and enjoyed the quiet beauty and early morning birds at Rancho Santa Cruz.  Here are a couple of photos from my pre-breakfast bird watching.  

After breakfast we left Rancho Santa Cruz and headed to Walker Canyon.  Richard told us that Walker Canyon was “My favorite place in the world!”,  so I was excited to experience the place.  We drove in as far as we could then hiked to a Sycamore grove that is prime habitat for Elegant Trogons.  Walker Canyon is also known for Montezuma Quail.  While we didn’t see any Trogons or Quail, we saw a number of beautiful birds that morning.  For Richard Fray’s eBird Checklist for that morning in Walker Canyon,  look here.  

After exploring Walker Canyon all morning, we drove into Nogales for lunch.  We visited a mobile Taco Trailer under a freeway overpass and enjoyed some tasty and authentic street tacos and burritos. 

After lunch we continued to explore the Santa Cruz Valley, visiting sites around Nogales and Rio Rico.  We saw no new birds but had a pleasant and low key afternoon.  Of special note was a fall I took late afternoon.  Several members of our group accessed a very muddy trail along the Santa Cruz River (at the Tubac bridge, near the golf course) hoping to find a Becard nest in the area.  Conditions were so muddy that we had to turn around before reaching the nest.  As we made our way back I slipped and took a tumble in the mud.  I thought the only injury I sustained was to my ego, but my right calf was hurting a little.  When I got back to my room at Rancho Santa Cruz, I discovered that I had been bitten by an unknown critter and my right calf was extremely swollen in the area of what appeared to be a single large bite.  I was quite worried about this development but it was nor serious enough for me to seek medical evaluation or treatment. 

We ended day two of our guided tour with a wonderful dinner at Wisdom’s Cafe.  Richard recommended that we top our meal off with one of Wisdom’s “World Famous Fruit Burrito”–  it was delicious!

Friday, August 5, 2022 (Day Three of California Gulch Tour)

Richard arranged for us to have a late Breakfast on our last morning at Rancho Santa Cruz so that we could do a little hike on the property (down to the river) and make a quick visit to Clark’s Crossing to look for a Green Kingfisher.  As we walked at Rancho Santa Cruz, Richard pointed out that Northern Cardinals in the area have a slightly larger crest than those found in other areas.  

Our Friday morning walk didn’t yield many birds so we headed over to Clark’s Crossing to check on reports of a Green Kingfisher being sighted there.  In short order we observed a flash of green and the vocal sounds of the Green Kingfisher flying by our position next to the Santa Cruz River.  Near the parking area at Clark’s Crossing we also saw a Rufous-winged Sparrow, which was a new bird for me!

We enjoyed one last breakfast at Rancho Santa Cruz.  Josh and his wife Christina were such gracious hosts!  I would highly recommend this place to anyone visiting the area!

After breakfast we loaded up and headed to Green Valley for a visit to Desert Meadows Park.  We had a leisurely stroll around this beautiful little park, enjoying the plants, the art, a bee hotel, and the birds!

From Desert Meadows in Green Valley, we headed to higher ground in Madera Canyon.  The time we spent at Santa Rita Lodge was almost magical–  so many beautiful birds!  I watched four new species, including Mexican Jays, Rivoli’s Hummingbirds, Arizona Woodpeckers, and a Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher.  In addition to these new birds, I got to watch many old favorites, including Acorn Woodpeckers, Broad-billed Hummingbirds, a Summer Tanager, and a Black-headed Grosbeak.  I hope that someday I can come back to this special place and stay at the lodge for a few days!

After leaving Madera Canyon, we traveled through Box Canyon, making our way back to Sierra Vista and the end of our three day guided tour with Richard Fray.  We saw no birds of significance during this last leg of our tour, but I think we were all ready to call it a day anyway. 

I am most grateful for my tour mates.  They were all cheerful and kind, and a joy to be with.   Thank you Rich, Ken, Nancy, and Susan!  I am especially grateful for our professional guide Richard Fray.  His enthusiasm, optimistic demeanor, and energy were contagious.  His willingness to share his experience and knowledge about birds (and life) was outstanding, and much appreciated.  Would I recommend him to friends as a guide?  I most certainly would, without reservation!  Thank you Richard Fray!

Saturday, August 6, 2022 — One Day Tour With Scott Olmstead

I had signed up for a one day tour with Scott Olmstead titled “Sonoita Patagonia Group Van”.  I met up with Scott bright and early (6:00 a.m.) at Cochise College on Saturday morning.  We soon learned that the one other person who had signed up for the tour was unable to make it, so it was just Scott and I.  We loaded up our gear in our designated vehicle, “Verdin”, and set out for a day of bird watching.  

As we headed to our first stop of the day, we engaged in pleasant conversation and I learned a few things about Scott.  I learned that he is a man of understated extremes:  extremely well educated, extremely well traveled, and extremely passionate about anything having to do with birds.  Once we got to our first destination, I soon learned that Scott was also very skilled in locating and identifying birds.  I was in awe of his birding abilities! 

Our first stop was Las Cienegas National Conservation Area (South Entrance), where we spent about an hour and a half.  Scott’s eBird Checklist for this stop recorded 15 species observed with a total of 81 birds.  The Chihuahuan Meadowlark was a new bird for me and it was exciting to see one just 3 days after the species split was announced.  I was also delighted to watch a small group of Pronghorn, the fastest land mammals in the Western Hemisphere. 

After we finished up at the Grasslands, we headed to Harshaw Canyon, southeast of Patagonia.  Scott wanted to help me visit as many different areas as possible so he suggested we visit Harshaw next.  I really enjoyed this area!  Early on, we ran into a group guided by a friend of Scott’s who had just encountered a small group of Montezuma Quail, so we spent some time trying to get some some good looks at them (we heard them on the hillside, but were unable to get a good view of them).  A while later, Scott’s friend texted him about a Northern Pygmy Owl in the area.  We were able to locate the Owl and get some fairly good looks at him.  For our eBird checklist that includes these birds, look here.  In addition to the Northern Pygmy Owl, I was also able to add Red-faced Warbler, Painted Redstart, and Hepatatic Tanager to my life list from out time in Harshaw Canyon.  For the other eBird checklist we filed for Harshaw Canyon, look here.  My time with Scott in Harshaw Canyon was rewarding and exciting!

After our explorations in Harshaw Canyon, we headed over to Patagonia Lake State Park.  We picked out a picnic table overlooking the lake and had lunch.  We then headed over to the Birding Trail on the north end of the lake and spent about an hour walking the trail and looking for birds.  We didn’t see anything spectacular (see our checklist here), but is was a pleasant walk!

After our walk on the Birding Trail at Patagonia Lake State Park, it was time to head back to Sierra Vista.  Scott dropped me off at Cochise College and my activities with the 2022 Southwest Wings Festival were officially over.  I am very grateful for Scott spending the day with me, and being so generous with his knowledge and experience.  If you ever get a chance to have Scott Olmstead guide you, I would highly recommend him!  

Earlier in the week I had heard Richard Fray mention the Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary south of Sierra Vista.  Since I had a few hours of daylight left, I drove down to Ash Canyon and spent a couple of hours there.  I was rewarded by adding Anna’s Hummingbirds and Costa’s Hummingbirds to my life list.  Thank you Ash Canyon!  

As I left Ash Canyon, I realized that I was starving.  I  asked the caretaker for a recommendation where to get a steak.  He recommended The Brite Spot which is down the road from Ash Canyon, further south.  I headed that way and had a great steak dinner!

A Couple of Stops on the Way Home…

I had originally planned some additional activities in Southern Arizona, but I knew my wife was experiencing some unpleasant side effects from her cancer treatment so I decided to head on home.  I broke up the long drive with inpromptu stops at two of my favorite Texas birding stops:  Davis Mountains State Park and South Llano River State Park.  I didn’t see anything new, but I certainly enjoyed visiting with old friends.  Here are a few photos from my drive home.  

Epilogue…

So there you have it, my trip to the 2022 Southwest Wings Fall Birding Festival.  I enjoyed this little trip–  I experienced new places, new birds, and new people.  It was time well spent.  As I get along in years and as Dorothy and I navigate the health challenges that come along with being elderly, I am very grateful to enjoy a level of health and fitness that allow me to take trips like this.  I am also grateful that we have the financial resources to fund these modest travels.  And I am most grateful for the love and support of my wife Dorothy… I am blessed indeed!