Stan's Travels: Madera Canyon, AZ (1/31/2019)

Arizona is one of the most popular states for birders to visit. There are 12 designated "hot spots" for birding, and 10 of them are in southeast Arizona. Eight are relatively close to Huachuca City, which is one reason I like to come here. More than the number of birds, it is the great variety of species that makes it special. Many species seen here can't be seen anywhere else in the U.S. One of those hot spots is Madera Canyon in the Santa Rita mountains.

I visited Madera Canyon two years ago and saw a number of "lifers", but I failed to see the most compelling bird in the area, the Elegant Trogon. Although I had read it nests in Madera Canyon, I didn't know specifically where in the canyon to look. This time, I got advice from an expert who said "drive to the third picnic area and park, walk back a short distance and see a pyracantha tree, the trogons come there to feed on the berries". The expert also told me it was nearly a two hour drive, and I should be there by 8 am to get a good spot, as the place attracts lots of photographers.

After packing a lunch, I left camp at 6 am and took a route that included a dirt road, moderately rough, that twisted and turned through the mountains. The sunrise was mostly hidden by the mountains, but I could see some color above them. Look closely for the thin sliver of the moon.

Of course, I arrived at the prescribed spot at 7:20 am, long before others starting arriving about 8:30 am. Oh well, I had the perfect spot. It was interesting to talk with these more experienced birders while passing the time. I heard the trogon had been there the day before at 10:20 am, while the day before that at 10:10 am. I could have slept in!

There was a benefit to being early, since I saw two "lifers" identified by true birders, as I had no clue.

Hermit Thrush

Hutton's Vireo

Around 9:20 am, with about twenty of us staring at the pyracantha tree, a woman who had just parked about 100 yards up the road came down part way, yelling "he's right here in front of my van". So, maybe 15 of us hustled up the road to hear, "he must have flown, he was right here". Well, I found him a short distance away. One of my first photos was when he flew again.

Elegant Trogon

Well, long story short, I followed each time he flew until we were back at the pyracantha tree. I must have taken 100 photos of this beautiful, and cooperative, bird. He wasn't bothered by us and seemed to enjoy posing. His varied colors were iridescent and changed depending on the angle of the sun. At one time, this species was known as the "Copper-tail Trogon" for obvious reasons.

After all the excitement that comes with success, I drove farther up the canyon. The gorge below the road has a variety of trees, including the sycamores used by the trogons for nests. A permanent stream flows down the mountains.

Although it's a national forest, several homes and lodges were "grand-fathered" in. The lodges, naturally, cater to bird lovers and set up feeders to help their customers see plenty of birds.

I stopped by the Santa Rita Lodge, owned by an avid birder. He has numerous feeders set up and allows non-guests to come in and see/photograph the birds. This was a great spot two years ago, so why not try it again. There were many of the same birds as before, such as the Mexican Jay, Acorn Woodpecker, Goldfinches, etc.