Southeast Arizona
Mar 3-4, 2001
Cool & Sunny, 40-70 

Sonoita & San Rafael Grasslands, Lake Patagonia, and Kitt Peak lowlands
Guides: Henry Detwiler and Bob Miller
102 species total


SATURDAY
It was cold and dark when we met Dennis and June at the Santa Rita Lodge at 6:30.  As we headed over Box Canyon towards Sonoita a variety of sparrows and wrens were singing, and the sun peeked over the mountains.

At the next two plots, we were a little more successful, and helped round up and net four Grasshopper and one Vesper Sparrow.	Grasshopper Sparrow
Arizona Poppies	Our next stop was the Paton's, where Dennis IDed a Gray Flycatcher and we found lots of wonderful birds at their feeders.  Patagonia Lake State Park was the next stop, as we searched for and finally located a Hammond's Flycatcher.  While there, we also picked up Neotropic Cormorant and several Common Mergansers.
As the shadows got longer we drove through Harshaw Canyon to enter into the San Rafael Valley, where we found Chestnut-collared Longspurs in breeding plummage.
On the way back to the lodge that evening we picked up an Elf Owl and a few mammals--deer, two gray foxes, a hog-nosed skunk, and a striped skunk.  A great way to end the day!
Mexican Poppies & Cholla Skeleton

SUNDAY

Mexican Poppies

Monarch Butterfly

The next morning Bob and I took old Hwy 86 east of Tucson to Ajo.  At Kitt Peak we found our first Rufous-winged Sparrows of the year.
Bob Miller & Poppies	Rufous-winged Sparrow
The road past Sells to Ajo was covered in wildflowers and deep green Sonoran desert flora.  This crestate Saguaro was a great find by Bob.	Saguaro

We were awestruck by the breathtaking display of poppies, lupine, and owl clover lining the road.  One spray of poppies was incredibly white!

Owl Clover	White Poppies
Remarkably, even after an hour in Sells, we could find neither Black Vultures nor Crested Caracara.  However, a little further along we did find this handsome Harris Hawk sitting on a telephone pole.