Portal and Cave Creek Canyon

After Satellite Road I made a quick stop at Quailway Cottage, where there were feeders up and I got my first looks at Ladder-backed Woopeckers* and Pyrrhuloxias*.

Ladder-backed Woodpecker


Pyrrhuloxia


Singing Curve-billed Thrasher


Next I made my way to the tiny town of Portal, where I birded the main quarter mile strip, and made my way up and down Cave Creek Canyon.  Around the canyon I found lots of Mexican Jays*, a few Juniper Titmice*, my only Red-naped Sapsucker*, and my first of many Bridled Titmice*.

Banded Mexican Jay
 

Feeders were obviously the most productive spots to find hoards of birds, so Cave Creek Ranch's extensive feeder setup did not disappoint.

Curve-billed Thrasher


Everyone loved the Peanut Butter

Ladder-backed Woodpecker


Arizona Woodpecker*


Acorn Woodpecker


Ruby-crowned Kinglet




My only Blue-throated Hummingbird* of the trip


My second and final Cactus Wren sighting of the trip

Satellite Road

With generally great success, my trip from Mass, to South Carolina, through THE South, around SE Arizona and up to the Bay Area has come to an end. 

Though this may be the worst time of year to bird the renown Southeast Arizona, it was an amazing trip for me, as it was my first time in the area, giving me a couple dozen new birds (*=life bird) for my viewing pleasure.

My first stop was along Satellite Road, which is the border of New Mexico and Arizona, where my first sighting was a Loggerhead Shrike repeatedly stalking and flushing a large flock of Lark Buntings*. 

Loggerhead Shrike


Lark Buntings







The road was teeming with White-crowned, Brewer's, Vesper, and Black-throated Sparrows, and I found my first Cactus Wrens*, Canyon Towhees*, and Curve-billed Thrashers* there as well.

Black-throated Sparrow


Cactus Wren


Western Meadowlark