By Jim Achieve
OPERATION PHOTOTROGON
This weblog collection chronicles the adventures that Wealthy Brown and I skilled on our quest to seek out and {photograph} the superb birds of Southeast Arizona in Might of 2022.
After leaving Miller Canyon we took the street as much as Carr Canyon which proved to be fairly an arduous journey of 5 miles on a really lengthy and winding grime street.
It was steep and rocky and bouncy and when you appeared over the sting as you have been driving you’ll seemingly get vertigo, as a result of it was an extended methods right down to Sierra Vista.
Our goal up the canyon was the Reef Townsite Campground an uncommon campground approach on the high of the canyon.
At over 7200 ft the habitat adjustments from the Madrean Oak shrubland to to a pine forest with cool breezes and cooler temperatures.
ABOUT THE CAMPGROUND:
This excessive mountain campground was constructed on a web site that was as soon as occupied by the previous mining city of Reef. That distant outpost obtained its title from the close by Carr Reef, a tall band of quartzite-bearing cliffs that type the Huachuca Mountains’ dramatic japanese entrance. Mining exercise alongside the Reef started throughout the previous couple of years of the nineteenth century and proceeded in suits and begins all the best way into the 1950’s.
The property occupied by the mines and the city was returned to public possession in 1970, and in 1988, the Forest Service constructed a campground on the townsite. Various picnic tables and tent pads have been positioned inside the seen outlines of previous cabin foundations. From Reef Townsite Campground webpage
GOOGLE MAP LINK TO REEF TOWNSITE CAMPGROUND
BIRDING THE CAMPSITE
It is a location that I had been to a number of occasions earlier than and it could in all probability be the very best place for a lot of of our the rest goal birds. As we pulled into the campground and rolled our home windows down a birder walked up and began a dialog with us. He shared with us that they’d seen Grace’s Warbler, Hermit Warbler, Buff-bellied Flycatcher and a Larger Pewee.
As we have been speaking a vireo started calling fairly loudly within the bushes simply above us. We obtained on it straight away and utilizing our Merlin app once more decided that we have been certainly listening to the Plumbeous Vireo which is an all grey model of the Cassin’s Vireo however with no yellowish or tan coloration in any respect.
This hen continued to sing virtually your entire time we have been there. We finally encountered a number of extra of the Plumbeous Vireos and obtained very accustomed to their track and what they appear like.
Subsequent within the bushes above us we noticed a flycatcher flitting round catching bugs and we shortly decided attributable to its all tan coloration that it was our goal Buff-bellied Flycatcher.
As we walked across the campground for the subsequent hour and a half we managed to seek out and {photograph} Hepatic Tanager, Grace’s Warbler, Painted Redstart and a Dusky-capped Flycatcher.
MR. JOSE MARIA – I HEAR YOU
We left the Reef Townsite Campground and headed in the direction of the highest of Carr Canyon to the Ramsey Vista Campground. I had simply been speaking with Wealthy about what the Larger Pewee feels like with its “Jose Maria” name and as we cruised very slowly up the canyon I might hear the sounds of Mr. Jose Maria, AKA Larger Pewee calling from the highest of the ridge.
By the point we headed again down the canyon Wealthy had snagged 4 extra lifers bringing his journey lifer checklist as much as 10!
Ebird Guidelines Hyperlinks: Carr Canyon–Reef Townsite CG and Carr Canyon Street–BETWEEN Reef Townsite and Ramsey Vista CGs
Subsequent Cease – Return to Ash Canyon Hen Sanctuary
